Sushi: The Beginner's Guide: The Beginner's Guide

130 Pages·2009·8.285 MB·English

by  Aya Imatani

SUSHI
T H E B E G I N N E R ’ S G U I D E
AYA IMATANI

SUSHI
The Beginner's Guide
www.penn.co.il
Created by Penn Publishing Ltd.
Published by Imagine Publishing, Inc.
25 Whitman Road, Morganville, NJ 07751
and Penn Publishing Ltd.
1 Yehuda Halevi Street, Tel Aviv, Israel 65135
© 2009 by Penn Publishing Ltd.

ISBN 978-1-60734-362-2
Library of Congress Control Number: 2009922016

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and corporate purchases, please contact Charleabridge
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SUSHI
The Beginner's Guide
Aya Imatani
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MOSHE COHEN
Contents
INTRODUCTION 7 SASHIMI 40 Tamago Nigiri 62
Japanese Omelette
Introduction 42
Dashimaki Tamago 62
THE BASICS 12 How to Slice a Fillet for
How to Make a Japanese Omelette
Sashimi 43
Tools for the Sushi Master
Arranged Tamago Nigiri 63
(or Mistress) 14 Sashimi Vegetables 44
Japanese Omelette
Tableware 17 Arranged Maguro Sashimi 46
The Japanese Pantry 19 Tuna
GUNKANMAKI 64
Sake Sashimi 47
In a Pickle: How to Make
Pickled Ginger 23 Salmon Ikura Gunkanmaki 66
Salmon Roe
Kawa Suzuki Arai 48
The Wonders of Wasabi 23
Freshwater Bass Ebikko Gunkanmaki 67
Shrimp Roe
Takosumiso 49
FISH AND SEAFOOD 24 Sliced Octopus Maguro & Uzaru
How to Choose a Whole Fish 26 Gunkanmaki 68
Tuna and Quail Egg
Glossary 28
SUSHI RICE 50
Spicy Tuna Gunkanmaki 69
Choosing a Fillet 31
Grilled Tuna Salad
You Can Do It! How to
NIGIRI 54 Gunkanmaki 70
Fillet a Whole Fish 31
Maguro Nigiri 57 Spicy Shrimp Gunkanmaki 71
Tuna
Negi Shima-Aji Gunkanmaki 72
SAUCES 34 Ebi Nigiri 58
Yellowjack & Scallion
How to Make Sushizu 36 Shrimp
Kani & Ebikko Gunkanmaki 73
Sushi Vinegar How to Boil & Butterfly
Shrimp Roe & Crab
Tsukuri Jyouyu 37 Jumbo Shrimp 59
Kani & Ebikko Salad 73
Special Soy Sauce for Sashimi Unagi Kabayaki Nigiri 60
Shrimp Roe & Crab Salad
Karashisumiso Sauce 37 Steamed & Teriyaki-Broiled Eel
Teriyaki Sauce 38 How to Prepare Unagi
Kabayaki 61
Spicy Sauce 39
Teriyaki-Broiled Eel
TEMAKI 74 SAIMAKI 90 KAWARIZUSHI 114
Aya’s ˝Specials”
Unatama Temaki 76 Magurotaku Saimaki 92
Broiled Eel, Tamago & Seasoned Tuna & Pickled Radish Ohinasama Chirashi 116
Shitake Mushroom Salmon & Broiled Eel
California Saimaki 94
Seasoned Shitake Mushroom 76 Shrimp, Asparagus & Cucumber Youfuu Oshizushi 118
Salmon
Negi Maguro Temaki 78 Norwegian Saimaki 96
Scallion & Tuna Salmon, Avocado & Scallion Sushi Cake 120
Chicken & Cashew Nut Teriyaki
California Temaki 79 Futomaki 98
Shrimp, Crab Salad & Asparagus Shrimp & Broiled Eel Temarizushi 122
Tuna, Salmon & Avocado
Hokkai Temaki 80
Salmon, Avocado, & Cucumber Saladmaki 124
ALL-VEGETARIAN SUSHI 100
Jumbo Shrimp & Lettuce
Norwegian Temaki 81
Shitake Maki 102
Salmon, Grilled Salmon & Salmon Roe
Shitake Mushrooms
INDEX 126
Oshinko Maki 103
HOSOMAKI 82 Pickled Radish
Tekka Maki 84 Saishoku Saimaki 104
Tuna Mixed Vegetables
Ebikyu Maki 85 Aspara Maki 106
Shrimp & Cucumber Asparagus
Unakyu Maki 86 Kappa Maki 107
Eel & Cucumber Cucumber
Sake Maki 87
Salmon JAPANESE SOUPS 108
Hokkai Maki 88
Misoshiru 110
Salmon & Avocado
Miso Soup
Tamago Maki 89
Suimono 112
Japanese Omelette
Fish-Flavored Clear Soup
In loving memory of my parents,
Ryoko & Keizo Imatani, who
gave me my first exciting taste
of sushi.
And to my husband Srul and
daughter Danielle Ryoko–who
share my love of sushi today.
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Introduction
When I first visited New York, I felt like I was people afraid of raw fish, there are many varieties
walking into “Sushi City.” Uptown. Downtown. of sushi that incorporate only vegetables or even
There was sushi all over town—in restaurants, cooked ingredients. In this book, you’ll learn all the
bars, groceries, fancy gourmet shops, corner delis, basics for all these varieties, step-by-step, just as if
and even tiny take-out joints. There they were— I’m standing there alongside of you.
those little black-bottomed plastic trays with And who am I? Not just someone who learned to
the same clear covers filled with an assortment of make sushi at home and is now writing a book
sushi—some looking fresh and enticing, and some about it—anybody could do that! Sushi has been
looking downright dry and unfriendly. Ick! a part of my life since infancy. My father owned a
“Do people also make their own sushi?” I asked sushi bar in Kobe, Japan, and while other children
my friend Oscar, and he just laughed. “No way,” were playing with blocks, I filleted my first fish
he said. “Sushi is In, gorgeous, delicious, but you at the age of five! Owning a sushi bar was a
have to be a sushi master to make it! I don’t know demanding business, and when my brother and I
anyone who would dare make sushi at home— were little, our parents were often busy. But every
except you, Aya!” night, after closing time, the two of us sat down at
So, okay, I have always made sushi at home. the bar just like grownups and Otosan (Father)
And it surprises me that people think it’s so made us whatever kind of sushi we asked for. Now
complicated. True, there are sushi masters out that I’ve grown up and work in the restaurant
there who study the art of sushi for decades. But business, I can really appreciate that special
you don’t have to be Julia Child to make a peanut attention. For us, it made the hours of waiting
butter and jelly sandwich, right? So why can’t worthwhile, and created a love and respect for n
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regular people make sushi? sushi I still feel to this day. du
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Sushi really can be as simple as PB & J. Even for When I was little, sushi bars in Japan were In
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very expensive (some still are!), so most people one of 100 yen, and two of 150,” you might say,
would only go there to celebrate a birthday, depending on how much you want to spend. And
anniversary, or special event. The truth is that that’s quite a relief, considering the alternative!
most Japanese people are still a bit hesitant to go Today, kaitenzushi bars are everywhere, and since
into a traditional sushi bar and order a la carte there’s so much competition, owners know that if
(mainly because the price list is nowhere in sight!). the sushi isn’t fresh or if there’s not enough variety,
You could ask the sushi chef, but it isn’t considered there’s another bar just around the corner. When
“cool” to ask. Actually, the managers of sushi the first kaitenzushi bar was introduced, everyone
bars are in favor of price lists, but some customers was skeptical. Now they can eat their hat, and we
object, for fear that they might look “cheap.” Since can eat our sushi!
many of them are taking out business clients, if the But don’t think traditional sushi bars have
food is good and the mood is congenial, the price is disappeared from Japan entirely. There are still
right no matter what it is. So until recently, sushi those who have been in business for over fifty years.
bars in Japan were not places that students or You’d be amazed at the elegance of the food served
young couples frequented like they do in America. at these classic sushi bars, and the truth is that the
Lucky you! taste and aesthetics can’t be beat. There you can
And lucky for the Japanese, the state of things in enjoy the harmony of the finest ingredients and
Japanese sushi bars has changed drastically since the best culinary skills Japan has to offer. If you’re
the invention of kaitenzushi bars, what you might visiting Japan, don’t miss this experience!
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ui call the hi-tech answer to sushi-for-everyone. In a Today, I run a Japanese catering business, and
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er kaitenzushi bar, the sushi is placed on plates on I’ve served sushi to many people in many places
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e a conveyor belt, that runs all around the place. throughout the world. But because I live outside
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u and each color has a different price. “I’ll take serve different sushi to Japanese clients? Yes and
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