Sukiyaki is a very popular Japanese meal that is easy to prepare where the meats and vegetables used are similar to what is used in Shabu Shabu. It's easy to prepare because everything is made in one pot. There are different ways to prepare this dish and it is usually prepared different ways throughout different regions in Japan. It is a dish that typically consists of thinly sliced beef along with vegetables and other ingredients.
Believe it or not, Spam is a very popular food item in Hawaii. In fact, Hawaiians eat more Spam than any other population of people on the planet. There is even a Spam festival held every year in April. One of their favorite ways to eat Spam, is in a dish called Spam Musubi.
Dashi is also known as Japanese soup stock, but it is much more than that. It is the basis of many Japanese dishes such as Shabu Shabu broth. Of course it can be used as a base for miso soup or noodle broth, but it is also commonly used to stew meat, make sauces, or to cook fish or vegetables. In an article in The Japan Times, Dashi is referred to as the foundation of all savory Japanese cooking.
The English translation of tsukemono is "pickled things." It is crunchy and salty and may have a sweet and sour or even a spicy flavor. They are preserved vegetables that are served as a snack or a side dish and they are also often used as garnishes. Before modern refrigeration, pickling food was one of the best methods to preserve food and they are many techniques to achieve the pickling process.
You may have seen miso flavored soups in your local grocery store. But what is Miso? Miso is a seasoning that is made from fermenting rice, barley or soy beans.
Miso is known to most North Americans as a type of soup, but in Japanese cooking it is also a flexible ingredient that is used for sauces(shabu shabu sesame seed dipping sauce), spreads, pickling vegetables or marinating meat.
Sesame is one of the oldest crops in the world, having been harvested for over 5000 years. Right now, Japan is the largest importer of the sesame crop. Sesame seeds have a nutty flavor and are often used in salads and baked snacks.
Black and tan sesame seeds (gomsaio) are a popular type of flavoring/seasoning that can be used on many food products for its taste and low sodium - a great replacement for salt. Sesame Seeds is also popular in oil format and is used in a variety of noodle dishes and stir-fry dishes.
If you thought that Japanese food didn't go beyond sushi and wasabi, think again! These dishes will expand your notions as to what constitutes world cuisine. Whether you’ll want to eat these dishes is another story altogether.
Hachinoko is the larvae and pupae of kurosuzumebachi, or yellowjackets. Carefully harvested from nests, hachinoko is cooked in soy sauce and sugar. Hachinoko is said to be somewhat sweet with a crumbly texture.
Pocky and Pretz: If you’ve never heard of these two tasty Japanese snacks, you must have been hiding under a rock, since these are by far the two most popular Japanese snacks outside of Japan.
It's holiday gift giving time and what better way to show that fan of Japanese cuisine how much you care than by placing some Japanese cookware under the tree! Here are some budget-friendly ideas to help you pick out the perfect gift.
When I started working at Korin, I was amazed at how much there was to know about knives. I was offered to be taught how to sharpen knives by Mr. Sugai, and I said yes immediately.
Yes. Even in Japan, not many people know how to properly sharpen a knife. The art of sharpening is not being passed on to the next generation as it was years ago. Because this knowledge isn't being shared, there are not as many people who understand the importance of knife quality and the different types of sharpening stones. Not all sharpening stones stand equal. Although there is a standard quality, because these stones are technically man-made in a kiln like pottery, there is bound to be a few that are a much better in quality than others. For example, the quality between stones that are baked in the middle of the kiln and the stones baked during different seasons are all going to be completely different. Therefore, you will never meet the same quality stone twice.
I feel that many people have not experienced using a truly sharp knife. A brand new knife is not at its sharpest and most people are not aware that knives do not come 100% sharpened out of the box.
The main difference is that a traditional Japanese knife is a single bevel knife which allows it to be much sharper. A sharp blade slices through ingredients effortlessly, whereas a dull blade will damage the cell walls of the ingredient, altering the texture and flavor. For example, if one tries to chiffonade basil with a dull knife, the basil will turn black almost instantly. With a thin sharp knife, the same chiffonade will retain its vibrant green color for hours, or even days. The single-edged blade is a unique feature of traditional Japanese knives, which is directly linked to Japanese cuisine and history. Traditional Japanese cuisine aims to preserve and accentuate the true flavors of fresh and seasonal ingredients, making a sharp knife essential to this process. Western-style knives have a blade edge that is sharpened on both sides. This edge style is commonly referred to as a double-edged blade. It is a stronger blade configuration than the single-edged blades of traditional Japanese knives, and Western-style knives are perfectly suited for any kitchen.
The Westerns knives Korin carries are different from most Western style knives found in the US marketplace. The majority of Western knives on the market today have a 50:50, or symmetrical “V”-shaped blade that is sharpened the same way on both sides. Although the 50:50 edge is convenient to re-sharpen, Korin's Japanese Western-style knives are sharpened to a thinner, asymmetrical edge. By concentrating the sharpening on the face of the blade at a steeper angle than on the back side, a thin cutting edge is created that approaches the sharpness of the traditional single-edged Japanese design.These uneven beveled edges are made possible by innovations in steel-making, tempering, and edge crafting employed by Japanese manufacturers. Lower grades of steel would not hold this angled edge design and would soon dull. In addition, a blade formed with less flexibility would chip or crack when sharpened.
Make sure the knife is straight, find out how the knife was forged, and ask what type of steel the blade is crafted from. There are a variety of levels when it comes to traditional Japanese knives, therefore you want to make sure you find the best knife for you. For beginners, we generally recommend kasumi style knives. Craftsmen forge kasumi knives by joining a piece of soft iron with a piece of carbon steel. After forging, hammering, and shaping, the carbon steel becomes the blade’s edge. The soft iron portion becomes the body and spine of the blade. This reduces brittleness and makes sharpening easier. Kasumi knives are much easier to use and sharpen, but their edge retention is shorter. Hongasumi knives are high-grade kasumi knives. They are often made of higher quality materials where special attention is paid and more steps are involved in the forging, tempering, and finishing processes. Damascus layered steel is becoming increasingly popular due to its added benefits and attractive appearance. To create these blades, high carbon steel is layered with soft iron then forged and hammered. Among the kasumi knives, layered steel blades have the longest edge retention. Honyaki (or "true-forged") knives are constructed entirely out of one material. Honyaki knives have the greatest kirenaga, or edge retention within Japanese knives. However, because the steel is so hard, honyaki knives are harder to sharpen and more prone to chipping, cracking, or breaking if used improperly. Craftsmen require a great amount of skill to forge honyaki knives, and chefs need a lot of experience to use and care for them.
When using any knife you want to make sure to keep it clean and keep it dry. Regardless of whether you are using a carbon knife that will discolor or a stain resistant knife, a good knife should not be left wet in a sink for hours.
Many Japanese knives are crafted with extreme care and precision. The craftsman who make these knives make them with the intent of making a tool that helps chefs connect with the ingredients they are cutting to create a beautiful dish. A single yanagi (fish slicer) knife requires at least four skilled craftsmen and two weeks to create. Even top knife companies can only produce knives at the rate of ten to twelve pieces per day. The knife making process is divided into four distinct stages: forging, blade making, handle crafting and assembling. A skilled craftsman puts the blade through many different steps before it is passed on to the next craftsman. The number of steps varies from knife to knife according to the shape of the blade, the type of materials used, as well as the finishing procedures required. A top-grade knife undergoes upwards of fifty different steps.
Left-handed knives will make a huge difference especially with traditional Japanese knives. You would not be able to use a right-handed traditional Japanese knife if you are left-handed. Korin carries a few left-handed traditional Japanese knives, however in most cases customers special order them through us.
I have a Togiharu Inox Chef 8.2" and love it. I use it everyday and it requires very minimal sharpening. It's ideal for home users and professionals in the kitchen because it's lightweight and holds its edge.
I love Japanese barbeque with hida beef, kobe beef, matsuzaka beef... Any BBQ that melts in your mouth!
A special thanks to Korin and their master knife sharpener Vincent!