Japanese | Saveur

Mountain Yam with Vinegared Sesame Sauce

Nancy Singleton Hachisu — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:45:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Mountain yam aficionados love its viscosity when finely grated, but for the uninitiated, fresh julienned pieces are an excellent way to enjoy the crisp texture of the tuber. In this mountain yam recipe with vinegared sesame sauce, the rich dressing balances beautifully with the delicately flavored vegetable.

When cutting mountain yam, place a clean cloth atop the cutting board, so the slippery pieces don’t slide around as you julienne. To counteract the itchy properties of mountain yam, wash your hands and forearms with warm soapy water after handling.

Konbu dashi is easy to make from scratch, and a batch can be used to make a variety of vegetarian Japanese dishes. Look for white sesame paste at your local Japanese market, or online. Different brands of sesame paste have varying consistencies, so you may need to add more konbu dashi to make the sauce pourable.

This recipe is adapted from Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook and was featured in “This 1-Ingredient No-Cook Stock is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking.”

Yield: 4

Time: 20 minutes

One 4¾-in. piece mountain yam, scrubbed
2 Tbsp. Japanese white sesame paste
1 Tbsp. konbu dashi, plus more as needed
1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp. shoyu
1 tsp. sugar
½ tsp. black sesame seeds

Instructions

Peel the mountain yam; halve crosswise, then slice both cylinders lengthwise into thin slabs. Cut the slabs lengthwise into ½-inch-wide pieces. Divide the mountain yam among four small, shallow bowls, arranging them in stacks.
In a small bowl, whisk together the sesame paste, konbu dashi, rice vinegar, shoyu, and sugar. Spoon the sauce evenly atop the mountain yam and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve cold or at room temperature.

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This One-Ingredient No-Cook Stock Is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking

Nancy Singleton Hachisu — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:45:00 +0000

Getty Images

Konbu, or edible kelp, is ubiquitous across Japanese cuisine, and it’s arguably the most essential flavor base in the country’s vegetarian dishes. Cooked over low heat (or steeped overnight in cool water), it becomes konbu dashi, a versatile soup stock that brings the seaweed’s savory, briny flavor to countless Japanese specialties, from soups and stews to simple vegetarian sides. A pot of konbu dashi can unlock a wide variety of plant-based possibilities.

Species of Konbu

Though there are 18 edible species of konbu, four types are most common: ma-konbu, Rausu konbu, Rishiri konbu, and Hidaka konbu.

Ma-konbu is mainly produced along the Hakodate coast of Hokkaido. These thick, wide strands are generally regarded as the best-quality Japanese konbu—it has an elegant sweetness and makes a clear yet rich dashi.
Rausu konbu is harvested along the coast adjacent to the town of Rausu at the northern tip of Hokkaido’s Shiretoko Peninsula. The strands are a soft brown, with a lovely fragrance, producing a yellow- tinged, yet aromatic, rich dashi.
Rishiri konbu is gathered along the coasts of Rishiri Island and Rebun Island off the northwestern coast of Hokkaido. The strands are firm and slightly salty, yielding a clear, gentle-flavored dashi, prized for high-level, elegant cuisine.
Hidaka konbu is produced along the Hidaka coastal area of southern Hokkaido. The soft strands are a dark blackish green with an appealing viscosity when simmered. Hidaka konbu is perhaps the most readily found konbu in Japan and abroad. It makes a good traditional dashi, but is most suitable for konbu-maki (konbu rolls), tsukudani (sweet shoyu-simmered preserve), or other dishes in which the konbu is simmered.

How Konbu Is Harvested

Konbu gathering is tightly controlled by the local Japan Fisheries Cooperative Associations, and is only allowed during a six-week period from around July 21 through August 31. The season starts slowly, with gathering restricted to a short couple of hours three days a week, eventually extending to a five-hour period.

Konbu is harvested by fishermen who motor out in small boats over vast undersea kelp forests close to shore. The fisherman thrusts a long, hooked pole into the roots of the kelp, then wrenches up the heavy strands into a large pile on his boat.

The konbu is then hauled off the boat to a washing area before being spread on the pebbled beach to dry. The drying process is crucial and involves many steps. The kelp is turned once and, after about half a day, brought inside while it is still pliant. Finally, the konbu is sun-dried before being stored in a large, airtight, zippered storage room.

The Future of Konbu

Despite environmental precautions and restrictions, konbu harvests have been steadily declining due to ocean pollution and climate change. In 2019 only 13,000 tons of kelp were harvested, compared with 38,000 in 1990; the price of konbu has doubled in the last five years. Konbu extinction is a very real possibility, and the highest-quality varieties have already become quite difficult (and pricey) to obtain. Thankfully for home cooks, gnarled or lower-grade konbu still produces flavorful dashi, so do not despair.

How To Make Konbu Dashi

To make konbu dashi, first source the best-quality konbu you can find. (There’s no need to wipe off the white substance, which is called mannitol, that forms on the konbu—it’s harmless and contains a lot of umami.) Break an approximately six-inch-by two-inch piece of konbu in half, then place it in a small pot with one quart of cold water. Set aside to soak for three hours, then place the pot on the stovetop and turn the heat to low. Cook just until steam rises from the water and small bubbles form on the konbu, about 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool to room temperature before straining out the konbu and using the dashi. (The leftover konbu can be used to make a variety of dishes, like konbu tsukudani, or simmered konbu.) This process makes about 3½ cups of konbu dashi.

If you have time, you can also skip the stovetop process and simply soak the konbu overnight in the refrigerator and use the cold stock straight from the fridge. Or, if you are in a hurry, skip the preliminary soak, but still cook the konbu (just be sure to cool for at least 30 minutes before using).

Recipe

Mountain Yam with Vinegared Sesame Sauce

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Get the recipe >

Natto with Grated Daikon

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Get the recipe >

Cold Tofu with Cucumber Vinegar

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Get the recipe >

The post This One-Ingredient No-Cook Stock Is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking appeared first on Saveur.

Cold Tofu with Cucumber Vinegar

Nancy Singleton Hachisu — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:45:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Serving cold tofu as a light side dish for a summer meal is a popular method for combatting the hot, humid weather in Japan. Here the cucumber vinegar is an especially refreshing and tasty dressing for the tofu, but also could be combined with lightly roasted sesame oil or fruity olive oil as a dressing for summer tomatoes. Konbu dashi is easy to make from scratch, and a batch can be used to make a variety of vegetarian Japanese dishes.

This recipe is adapted from Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook and was featured in “This 1-Ingredient No-Cook Stock is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking.”

Yield: 4

Time: 10 minutes

2 small Japanese cucumbers (5¼ oz.)
¼ cup konbu dashi
2 tsp. shoyu
2 tsp. rice vinegar
10½ oz. silken tofu, cut into 4 squares

Instructions

Finely grate the cucumber and scrape into a small bowl. Stir in the dashi, shoyu, and vinegar. Place each square of cold tofu on a small saucer and spoon the dressing onto the center of each square. Serve cold.

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Natto with Grated Daikon

Nancy Singleton Hachisu — Fri, 02 Jun 2023 18:45:00 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY AYA BRACKETT. REPRODUCED BY PERMISSION OF PHAIDON

Natto has diehard fans, but some people cannot get past the thick whipped-up threads surrounding the beans. Here, the natto is not aerated, and the spicy wetness of grated daikon helps mitigate the fermented funkiness, rendering the dish much more widely appealing and a tasty, healthy bite to start the day.

Try to source natto made locally rather than in Japan; imported natto is typically frozen for shipping and loses some of its unusual delicacy. (We like the New York-make NYrture brand—look for it in local specialty stores or online.) Konbu dashi is easy to make from scratch, and a batch can be used to make a variety of vegetarian Japanese dishes.

This recipe is adapted from Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook and was featured in “This 1-Ingredient No-Cook Stock is at the Heart of Japanese Vegetarian Cooking.”

Yield: 4

Time: 22 minutes

2 Tbsp. konbu dashi
2 tsp. sake
2 tsp. hon mirin
1 tsp. usukuchi shoyu
¾ cup (6 oz.) small-bean natto
⅔ cup (3½ oz.) finely grated daikon

Instructions

In a small pot over medium heat, bring the konbu dashi, sake, and mirin to a simmer. Stir in the usukuchi shoyu, pour into a small glass measuring cup, and set aside until just barely warm, about 10 minutes.
Divide the natto among four miso soup bowls. Spoon the grated daikon over one half of the natto in each bowl. Add the cooled dashi and serve.

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Udon all’Amatriciana

Robbie Felice — Mon, 20 Mar 2023 21:32:00 +0000

Photography by Jeffrey Elkashab

Japanese culture has long appreciated Italian food and culinary tradition. That enthusiasm spawned a category of cooking in the island country called wafu-Italian, which evolved from Japanese interpretations of the European nation’s cuisine (wafu translates as “Japanese-style”). Chef Robbie Felice, who owns the wafu-Italian restaurant Pasta Ramen in Montclair, New Jersey, created this udon all’amatriciana recipe as an homage to the symbiosis of the two cuisines.

The tomato sauce can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer. (This recipe makes about six cups, but you only need one cup for the amatriciana. You can use the leftovers to make our favorite tomato recipes.) Use the tomato sauce to finish the amatriciana just before serving. Guanciale, which derives its name from the Italian word for cheek, is cured pork jowl and can be found in many Italian grocers. If you can’t find it, pancetta and bacon can pack a similarly umami-rich punch. Look for udon in any Asian grocer (Felice likes the Shirakiku Sanukiya brand). You can also find pre-made crispy garlic and crispy red onion at Asian grocers.

Featured in, “These Two Noodle-Loving Cultures Tangle Seamlessly on the Plate.” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For the basic tomato sauce:

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small white onion (8 oz.), finely chopped
10 garlic cloves, thinly sliced (⅓ cup)
Two 28-oz. cans whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes
1 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. sugar
1½ tsp. kosher salt

For the amatriciana:

4 tsp. sesame oil
2 large red onions (10 oz.), each cut into 10 wedges
4½ oz. guanciale, cut into thin matchsticks (1 cup)
2 Tbsp. white miso
2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
Pinch crushed red chile flakes
Pinch ichimi togarashi
¾ cup low-sodium chicken stock
1½ tsp. soy sauce
Kosher salt
Two 8-oz. packages fresh udon
⅔ cup (1½ oz.) finely grated Pecorino Romano, plus more for garnish
Crispy garlic, for garnish
Crispy red onion, for garnish
Thinly sliced scallions, for garnish

Instructions

Make the basic tomato sauce: To a medium pot over medium heat, add the olive oil; when it’s hot and shimmering, add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are translucent, 8–10 minutes. Add the canned tomatoes (including their juices), turn the heat to high, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened and chunky, about 2 hours. Turn off the heat, stir in the sugar and salt, and set aside.
Make the amatriciana: To a wide pot over medium heat, add the sesame oil; when it’s hot and shimmering, add the red onion and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to brown, 12–14 minutes. Add the guanciale and cook, stirring frequently, until brown and crispy, 6–8 minutes. Stir in the miso and continue cooking until the paste is slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add the black pepper, chile flakes, togarashi, and 1 cup of the basic tomato sauce (reserving the rest for another use). Turn the heat up to medium-high, and, stirring continuously, bring the sauce up to a boil. Stir in the chicken stock and soy sauce, then remove from the heat, and set aside.
Set a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water generously, add the udon, and cook according to the package instructions until the block of noodles separates into strands, about 2 minutes. Using a spider strainer or tongs, transfer the noodles to the pot of amatriciana sauce. Turn the heat under the sauce to medium-high and finish cooking the noodles, tossing gently, until just tender and evenly coated, 1–2 minutes. Add the pecorino, then turn off the heat and stir well until the cheese has melted into the sauce. Transfer to serving bowls, and garnish each with more pecorino, crispy garlic, crispy red onions, and scallions. Serve hot.

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Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Okonomiyaki

Ricky Dolinsky — Tue, 06 Dec 2022 19:37:58 +0000

Photography by Yo+Shoku

New York City restaurant Yo+Shoku’s take on okonomiyaki combines the classic Japanese cabbage pancake with New Yorkers’ favorite breakfast sandwich: bacon, egg, and cheese. This okonomiyaki is made Hiroshima-style, which calls for keeping the cabbage separate from the pancake batter, then cooking both on top of yakisoba noodles. (Osaka-style okonomiyaki, on the other hand, involves folding the cabbage directly into the batter.) When making this at home, chef Ricky Dolinsky, who drew on his Japanese heritage to develop this recipe, uses a non-stick skillet, rather than a traditional Teppan grill, to cook the components of the dish separately before layering them. For flipping the pancake, spatulas with a wide surface help (like a flipper or a fish spatula).

Look for instant dashi, yakisoba noodles, aonori, and bonito flakes online or at your local Asian grocer.

Featured in: “When War Broke Out in Ukraine, This Russian Restaurant Did Something No One Expected,” by Megan Zhang.

Yield: 1 serving

¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. mirin
½ tsp. instant dashi (see headnote), dissolved in ¼ cup water
3 Tbsp. sesame oil, divided
1 cup shredded green cabbage (3 oz.)
1 scallion, trimmed and thinly sliced
2 bacon slices
2 cup fresh yakisoba noodles, or boiled dried yakisoba noodles (see headnote)
2 Tbsp. ketchup, plus more for serving
1 tsp. Tabasco, plus more for serving
2 American cheese slices
Freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
Kosher salt
Aonori, or nori strips, for serving
Bonito flakes, for serving
Kewpie mayonnaise, for serving

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, mirin, and dashi to make a smooth batter.
To a 10-inch nonstick skillet set over medium-low heat, add 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil. When it’s shimmering and hot, ladle in ¼ cup of the batter, then use the back of a spoon to spread it into an 8-inch circle. Top with the cabbage in an even layer, then sprinkle with the scallion. Lay the bacon side by side on top, then drizzle the remaining batter evenly over the bacon. Cook until the edges are beginning to brown, about 2 minutes. Using two wide spatulas—slipping one underneath the pancake and placing the other firmly on top—flip, then cook until the bacon is golden-brown, about 8 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
To the empty pan, add another tablespoon of the sesame oil, then add the yakisoba noodles, ketchup, Tabasco, and 2 tablespoons of water and toss to coat. Using a spatula, nudge the noodles into a flat 8-inch circle, then cook, undisturbed, until the bottom edges are beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Lay the cheese slices side by side on top of the noodles and season with black pepper. Using the two spatulas, transfer the cabbage pancake (bacon-side down) onto the noodles. Cook until the noodles’ edges are browned, about 2 minutes more. Transfer to a plate.
Wipe the pan clean and return it to the stove. Add the remaining tablespoon of sesame oil and turn the heat to medium-low. Crack the eggs into the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly scrambled, about 1 minute, then gently shape into a flat 8-inch circle and season with salt and black pepper to taste. Cook until just set, about 3 minutes more. Using the spatulas, slide the pancake onto the eggs, then flip the okonomiyaki onto a serving plate (the eggs should be facing up).
To serve, sprinkle with the aonori and bonito flakes, then crisscross generously with mayonnaise. Accompany with ketchup and Tabasco.

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Soba Salad with Lemon-Miso Vinaigrette

Sonoko Sakai — Fri, 04 Jun 2021 14:00:00 +0000

Photography by Dylan + Jeni

This noodle-based salad comes from Sonoko Sakai, a Japanese American film producer turned cooking teacher and writer. Whether using fresh soba noodles or dried, take care to cook gently, as they go from perfectly cooked to overdone in a matter of moments. Don’t walk away from the pot! For the greens, use any hearty, strongly flavored lettuces, such as arugula, endive, or chicory, to balance the earthy noodles.

Featured in: “The Art of Homemade Soba Noodles.”

Yield: serves 4

Time: 30 minutes

2 cups small radicchio leaves (about 2½ oz.)
2 cups small red leaf lettuce leaves (about 2½ oz.)
24 small shiso or basil leaves
16 grape tomatoes
Torn dill fronds, to taste
2 small carrots, sliced into ⅛-in. coins
1 Persian cucumber, sliced into ⅛-in. coins
1 small red chile, such as red finger, seeded and finely chopped
One 2-in. piece ginger, finely grated
⅓ cups extra-virgin olive oil
3 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. rice vinegar
1 tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. white miso
2 tsp. sesame oil
½ tsp. sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp. Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
8 oz. fresh or dried soba noodles

Instructions

To a large bowl, add the radicchio, lettuce, shiso, tomatoes, dill fronds, carrots, cucumber, and chile and toss to combine.
In a small sieve set over a bowl, place the ginger and press until you have 1 teaspoon of juice; discard the solids and reserve any remaining juice for another use. Add the olive oil, lemon juice, vinegar, soy sauce, miso, sesame oil, sugar, and salt and black pepper to taste and whisk until sheeny and thickened slightly, about 1 minute. Pour into 4 small ramekins and sprinkle with sesame seeds; set aside.
In a large pot of salted water, boil the soba noodles until al dente, about 3 minutes for fresh noodles and 4–6 minutes for dried. Pour into a colander to drain, then rinse under cold running water until the water runs clear.
To serve, use tongs to divide the noodles among 4 serving plates. Top each portion of noodles with one quarter of the lettuce mixture, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve with the dressing on the side.

The post Soba Salad with Lemon-Miso Vinaigrette appeared first on Saveur.

Rice Cooker Anko

Chihiro Tomioka — Wed, 18 May 2022 22:51:02 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Anko, Japanese for azuki bean jam, is the crux of simple treats like oshiruko (azuki bean soup) and more complex recipes like wagashi. For an easy breakfast, anko is delicious (and trendy) on toast, with or without a slick of butter. It’s also a classic topping for toasted mochi and a popular filling for cakes and sweetened breads.

Classic recipes for anko can be complicated, and often include cooking the beans multiple times on the stove. However, contemporary Japanese cooks look no further than their rice cookers for a quick and easy hack. One cycle in a simple rice cooker turns the red beans tender. (In more complicated cookers, the most basic white rice setting works just fine.) After that, all that’s left to do is sweeten to taste. This process creates tsubuan (chunky anko) as opposed to koshian (smooth, strained anko). Once the beans are cooked, make sure there is enough water in the pot for the sugar to dissolve, adding a little more as needed; keep in mind that the warm jam should be slightly runnier than you would like to eat it as it will thicken significantly as it cools.

Do note that the quality of your beans is very important here. Azuki beans that have been sitting on the shelf for too long might not cook as quickly or evenly. Order them directly from a trusted purveyor or buy them from your local Asian grocery store and for the best results, don’t cut the soak-time short. While ordinary white sugar works just fine, a deep muscovado sugar results in an even more delicious adzuki bean jam.

Time: 24 hours 50 minutes

½ cups azuki beans, rinsed
¼ cups muscovado sugar
Pinch of salt

Instructions

To a medium bowl, add the beans and enough cool water to cover by 2 inches. Set aside to soak for at least 8 and up to 12 hours.
Drain the beans, discarding their soaking liquid; rinse well. Transfer the beans to a rice cooker, then cover with 1¼ cups of fresh, cool water. Cover with the lid and push the rice cooker button to cook for 1 cycle according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
Once the cycle is done, uncover the rice cooker and test the beans with a spoon. They should be soft and tender throughout. (If the beans are sitting in more than ¼ cup of water, transfer them, along with their cooking liquid, to a small pot, set on the stove, and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cook until the liquid has reduced down to about ¼ cup. Conversely, if the beans are dry when you open the cooker, add a few tablespoons of water to moisten.) Add the sugar and salt. With a wooden spoon, vigorously stir the beans until most of them have broken apart and you have the consistency of a chunky jam. Set the anko aside to cool to room temperature, then serve immediately or transfer to an airtight container. The jam will keep well in the fridge for up to 1 week in the fridge or in the freezer for up to 3 months.

The post Rice Cooker Anko appeared first on Saveur.

Mitarashi Dango (Japanese Rice Dumplings with Sweet Soy Glaze)

Caroline Caron-Phelps — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 23:14:36 +0000

Photography by Linda Pugliese; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Elvis Maynard

I’ve been in love with dango since my very first trip to Japan at the age of four. The mochi mochi chewiness and natural sweetness of sticky rice still takes me back to my childhood every single time I have a bite. Mitarashi dango—soft glutinous rice balls with a sweet soy glaze—is a very traditional dish often served at festivals as a snack. It is also one of the first Japanese dishes I ever learned to cook. Once I learned how easy it is to make, mitarashi dango became my favorite dessert. This recipe calls for two types of flour: joshinko, a fine-textured Japanese rice flour that becomes stretchy when mixed with water, and shiratamako flour, which is made from glutinous rice and produces a silky and chewy dough. Find both at your local Japanese market, or order them online.

Featured in “In Japanese, Onomatopoeic Words Describe Diverse Food Textures.”

Yield: makes 4 to 5 skewers

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the dango:

½ cups plus 3 Tbsp. joshinko flour
½ cups plus 1 Tbsp shiratamako flour
½ tsp. sugar
4 to 5 skewers

For the glaze:

¼ cups sugar
3 tbsp. mirin
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. potato starch or cornstarch
¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. water

Instructions

Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set it by the stove.
In a large bowl, stir together the joshinko flour, shiratamako flour, and sugar. While stirring with your hand or a wooden spoon, slowly drizzle in ½ cup cool water until a dough begins to form. Use your hand to knead the dough until smooth, then, using a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon, scoop the dough into fifteen 1-tablespoon-sized portions, then, using the palms of your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball.
Into the boiling water, drop the dango balls; stir gently to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to each other. Cook until the dumplings float to the surface, about 10 minutes, then continue cooking 1 minute more.
Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the dango balls to the ice water and set aside to cool for 3 minutes. Drain the dango balls again then thread onto five 6–7-inch skewers (3 balls per skewer). Place the skewers on a small plate and set aside.
Make the glaze: In a small pot, whisk together the sugar, mirin, soy sauce, potato starch, and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of cool water. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens to a sticky glaze, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, immediately pour the glaze over the dango balls, and serve immediately.

The post Mitarashi Dango (Japanese Rice Dumplings with Sweet Soy Glaze) appeared first on Saveur.

Takoyaki

Caroline Caron-Phelps — Wed, 19 Jan 2022 23:14:34 +0000

Photography by Linda Pugliese; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Elvis Maynard

Writer and recipe developer Caroline Caron-Phelps of Pickled Plum likes to snack on takoyaki—pillowy soft, bite-sized octopus cakes which are sold throughout Japan by tiny specialized takoyaki shops as well as yatais (street vendors), highway truck stops, supermarkets, and convenience stores. The ingredients for her home version—including the irresistibly tangy-sweet takoyaki sauce—can all be sourced from your local Japanese market. Inexpensive electric takoyaki makers can be ordered online from Amazon. Look for cooked octopus at your local fishmonger, or substitute drained, canned octopus.

Featured in “In Japanese, Onomatopoeic Words Describe Diverse Food Textures.”

Yield: makes 4 to 5 skewers

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

For the dango:

½ cups plus 3 Tbsp. joshinko flour
½ cups plus 1 Tbsp shiratamako flour
½ tsp. sugar
4 to 5 skewers

For the glaze:

¼ cups sugar
3 tbsp. mirin
3 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. potato starch or cornstarch
¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. water

Instructions

Fill a medium pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Fill a medium bowl with ice water and set it by the stove.
In a large bowl, stir together the joshinko flour, shiratamako flour, and sugar. While stirring with your hand or a wooden spoon, slowly drizzle in ½ cup cool water until a dough begins to form. Use your hand to knead the dough until smooth, then, using a small cookie scoop or measuring spoon, scoop the dough into fifteen 1-tablespoon-sized portions, then, using the palms of your hands, roll each portion into a smooth ball.
Into the boiling water, drop the dango balls; stir gently to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pot and to each other. Cook until the dumplings float to the surface, about 10 minutes, then continue cooking 1 minute more.
Using a spider skimmer or slotted spoon, transfer the dango balls to the ice water and set aside to cool for 3 minutes. Drain the dango balls again then thread onto five 6–7-inch skewers (3 balls per skewer). Place the skewers on a small plate and set aside.
Make the glaze: In a small pot, whisk together the sugar, mirin, soy sauce, potato starch, and ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons of cool water. Set over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously, until the mixture thickens to a sticky glaze, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, immediately pour the glaze over the dango balls, and serve immediately.

The post Takoyaki appeared first on Saveur.