Okawari kudasai: More food, please!

When the topic of Japanese cuisine is broached, most minds turn to sushi, and to an extent, rice. But as we discovered from speaking with Japanese Consul General Takahiko Watabe, “Japanese cuisine, Washoku, is deeply-rooted in the culture of Japanese people.” The Japanese kanji characters forming the word 和 (wa), meaning Japanese, or harmony, and 食 (shoku), meaning food or to eat, translate to the harmonious nature of Japanese cuisine.

As a result of Buddhism, eating meat was prohibited in Japan from about 650 – 1870 AD, but fish and dairy products were permitted. “The uniqueness of Japan’s food culture is formed by many dishes flavoured with dashi broth made from bonito and kombu kelp, as well as fermented foods such as soy sauce, natto, and miso,” Consul General Watabe explains.

A country deeply rooted in tradition, Japan also sees value in embracing other cultures, and adapting them. Several dishes and techniques can be historically traced to China, which brought both miso and ramen to Japan. Contact with India introduced curries. In the 16th century, Portuguese missionaries brought with them a fritter-style cooking that evolved into the popular Japanese tempura. The coexistence of tradition and innovation can be seen in the restaurants found across Japan – many serve French or Chinese cuisine – and in everyday meals, too.

For Kevin Kent, founder and CEO of Knifewear, a traditional Japanese breakfast is one he longs for: “A typical hotel breakfast is miso soup, grilled fish, vegetables cooked in dashi, umeboshi and served with one or two extra dishes, tea and coffee, always makes jetlagged me smile.”

At the same time Consul General Watabe points out the divergence from tradition. “It has become more common to see many people enjoying a more English-inspired breakfast such as toast with egg, or smoothies for breakfast.” Meals later in the day often lean into Western culture, with many people enjoying burgers, pasta, and steak for lunch or dinner, too.

But food is more than just daily nutrition. It is significant during festivals and gatherings, and in day-to-day life, too. Omiyage, literally ‘souvenir’, is a gift that is purchased during a trip that you then give to friends and family upon your return, and it is usually edible.

Kent, who has traveled to Japan many times, and experienced both culture and cuisine in a variety of settings, loves the tradition. “Every region of Japan has local food specialties and if you want to bring a gift to someone, this is what you grab,” he explains. “My favourite omiyage from Kyoto is either traditional Japanese pickles from Nishiki market or yatsuhashi – mochi wrappers folded around flavoured bean pastes.”

The kind of festival will determine the food served. “Foods like ozōni soup and osechi-ryori are found at New Year festivals, rice cakes wrapped in bamboo leaves are traditional for Children’s Day, and eel is eaten on the hottest day of the year for energy,” says Consul General Watabe.

For Hinamatsuri, ‘Doll’s day’ or ‘Girl’s Day’, celebrated every March 3rd, chirashi-zushi – ‘scattered sushi’ – is served. While this is often eaten at other times of the year, when prepared for Girl’s Day, it uses shrimp (to wish for a long, healthy life until the girls grow old with curved backs, like the shrimp have), beans (so that girls will have the health to grow up and work diligently), and lotus root (the holes in the lotus root, which can be seen through, signify the hope that girls will be able to see luck in their future).

It is a cuisine also known for its visual appeal. “One does not only eat Japanese food, but also enjoys its presentation and assortment of colours,” Consul General Watabe adds. “Much like any other form of art, one can find value in its beauty.”

Behind a vintage Coke machine in Calgary’s Sho Sushi you will find Ajito, an izakaya, or informal Japanese bar. Here you’ll find signature cocktails and beautifully executed dishes, the latter courtesy Head Chef Taira.

To become an expert in sushi, one must show devotion and patience to master the numerous skills required. “Becoming an adept sushi chef is a reflection of one’s character to being a dedicated and persistent person,” says Chef Taira. Curiosity and a willingness to try new things are also important, he adds, and his hope is for his guests to appreciate sushi as much as he does. “The dishes I create are often replicated versions of things I find most enjoyable but with my own splash of creativity.”

Kuruma ebi sushi, or tiger prawn, is Chef Taira’s favourite for two reasons: firstly, the shrimp originates from his home town Kumamoto, in Japan, and he is reminded of home whenever he eats it. Second is its sweet flavour, the result of simply boiling the prawn. “Simplicity is sometimes best, and the most delicious things do not always have to be complicated dishes.”

He shares his recipe for Chawanmushi made with dashi (clear soup). Dashi serves as a foundation for many Japanese dishes, and a fitting place to start practising. The ingredients are also easily sourced. “With such accessibility and ease of preparation, dashi soup can conveniently become a healthy and enjoyable addition to anyone’s everyday meals.”

Dashi

Makes 2 cups (500 mL) broth

3¾ cups (900 mL) water

15 g kelp

25 g bonito

To taste light soy sauce

1. In a large pot, add water and kelp.

2. Heat water to 60º C, and cook for 60 minutes. Remove kelp from water.

3. Increase heat to 100º C, add bonito flakes and bring to boil. Turn heat off and remove from stove.

4. Strain and discard solids.

5. If dashi is being served alone add light soy sauce to taste. Do not add to continue with recipe below.

Chawanmushi

Makes 2 cups (500 mL) broth

4 large eggs

2 cups (500 mL) dashi

½ Tbs (12 mL) mirin

5 tsp (25 mL) light soy sauce

½ pack shimeiji mushroom

4 shrimp

4 cups (1 L) water

17 g kelp

28 g bonito

1. Prepare dashi broth as above.

2. In a bowl, crack and beat eggs. Use a sieve to strain eggs so that they are smooth.

3. In a separate bowl mix dashi, mirin, soy sauce, and eggs together.

4. Clean and cut shrimp and mushrooms into small pieces and place into teacups (chawanmushi cups) or ramekins.

5. Fill each with ¾ cup (180 mL) dashi mixture.

6. In a steamer, bring water to a boil, and place cups into steamer. Steam for 6 minutes. Adjust to low heat and steam for an additional 20 minutes.

7. Remove cups from steamer, garnish with kelp and bonito flakes, and serve immediately.

It’s safe to say that Chef Ron Elmaleh of Sherwood Park’s Kobachi takes his inspiration from his environment. Growing up, his family, especially his father, had a huge influence on his cooking. “I didn’t notice until I left home, but my family does not take shortcuts when it comes to cooking.” More recently, Chef Ron says he is inspired by minimalism. “If anything, the pandemic has taught me to cook simply with what I have and not depend on exotic or rare items from Japan.”

Playing with seasonal vegetables and authentic flavours helps keep Kobachi’s menu exciting, but simplicity is at the heart of all the dishes, especially the Kobachi Set: “It’s three simple small plates that capture the variety of Japanese flavours.”

For those looking to venture into Japanese cooking, Chef Ron suggests having mentsuyu on hand. “It’s a very versatile condiment to have at home from eating noodles with it, making dressings, and even stewing.” At Kobachi it’s made with sugar, salt, vinegar, mirin, and soy sauce – if you’re making it at home, you can adjust any of these depending on the flavour you are trying to achieve.

Ochazuke (‘marinated in tea’) is a comforting, filling dish, and one that can use up leftovers in the fridge. The recipe that Chef Ron shares here is a simplified version of what is sometimes served at Kobachi. “This is a very simple dish but if there’s one thing to point out it would be to pour the broth on the rice rather than the toppings. This way when enjoying it you can enjoy different flavours rather than a watered-down version of the flavour.”

Salmon Miso Chazuke

Serves 2

100 g salmon

Salt

2 Tbs (30 mL) miso

1 Tbs (15 mL) soy sauce

1 Tbs (15 mL) mirin

1 Tbs (15 mL) sake

160 g cooked medium grain Japanesestyle rice, warm

4 sheets seasoned and roasted seaweed

2 tsp melted butter

1 scallion, sliced or micro greens

To taste salt

Broth

¼ cup + 3 Tbs (100 mL) water

½ Tbs (12 mL) soy sauce

½ Tbs (12 mL) mirin

Small piece of kelp

1. Salt the salmon lightly and leave for 5 minutes before wiping off salt.

2. Mix together miso, soy sauce, mirin, and sake, to make a marinade and marinate salmon for at least an hour to overnight.

3. Wipe off marinade and cut salmon into six cubes. Heat a little vegetable oil in a pan and cook salmon briefly until the outer is browned or until the internal temperature is 50º C.

4. Place broth ingredients in a small pan and warm to a light simmer.

5. Share warm rice, seaweed sheets, butter, cooked salmon, and the greens between two plates. Pour the broth around the rice, season to taste, and enjoy while warm.

For Alan Yau of Calgary’s Y93 Sushi Crave, cooking equates to happiness. “I grew up with Japanese comics and cartoons – my absolute faves,” Chef Yau explains. “And they taught me the happiness of cooking!”

As a Japanese Café or Kissaten (tea or coffee shop), Y93’s menu is extensive, but Chef Yau names sushi as his favourite. While the ingredients are simple, each piece takes incredible skill to create. “I think that’s why I love creating sushi. You can see the dedication and craft in just the way the rice is cooked. Sometimes the most complicated art is the one that looks most simple.”

But don’t let the idea of complicated art discourage you from trying your hand at Japanese cuisine. Focus instead on the ingredients: “It’s important to not over season, especially soy sauce or spicy mayo. Try to taste the flavour of the ingredient itself.”

In Japanese households, Hambāgu is a popular, versatile, and easy-to-make dish. A single-served meatloaf glazed with a sweet and savoury sauce, it goes well with salads, rice, and even pasta. Every Japanese home chef (aka ‘Mom’) has their own recipe. “Sometimes mom will “hide” chopped vegetables in the patty to trick their picky eating child. This also creates a unique ‘taste memory’ for their family.” And when it comes to tips on making it, there’s only one: “Remember to toss the patty! It binds the meat together creating a more tender and juicier patty.”

Hambāgu (Japanese Hamburger Steak)

Serves 4-6

Patty:

500 g ground beef

500 g ground pork

2 tsp salt

5 g powdered gelatin

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp hondashi (Japanese fish stock)

2 tsp (10 mL) soy sauce

2 large eggs

1 large onion, chopped

½ cup (120 mL) milk

Sauce:

Drizzle vegetable oil

½ cup (120 mL) dry red wine

1 cup (240 mL) water

2 cups (500 mL) ketchup

2 cups (500 mL) tonkatsu sauce

2 tsp sugar

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp Hondashi (Japanese fish stock)

1 Daikon (Japanese radish), grated for garnish – optional

4 green onions, chopped for garnish –optional

1. Mix all patty ingredients together in a bowl.

2. Portion into 100 g pieces, and shape into a ball, tossing back and forth between both hands at least 10 times (like a ball). Flatten into 10 mm thick patties. Chill for 1 hour.

3. Pan-fry patties for 2 minutes each side over medium heat, then add ½ cup (120 mL) water. Cover pan with a lid and cook for a further 5 minutes. Let rest.

4. For the sauce, add vegetable oil to pan and discard most of it to leave a lightly coated pan, add red wine, cook over medium heat for one minute.

5. Add all the other ingredients, and cook until boiling. Strain the sauce into a bowl.

6. Cut each patty into 2.5 cm pieces, place on a plate and drizzle sauce on top.

7. Finish with grated daikon along with some chopped green onion.

Edmonton’s Izakaya Tomo takes its name from owner and chef Tomoya Mutaguchi, and bringing the authentic izakaya experience to Alberta is his passion. “I used to love to go to Izakaya when I lived in Japan,” he explains. “I just want as many people as possible to know about Izakaya food.”

Izakaya have extensive menus, and dishes are meant to be enjoyed over the course of an evening, so for someone new to the izakaya experience it can be a bit intimidating. If you’re not sure, take direction from the Chef himself and order his favourite, the pork shoga yaki (stir-fry pork and onions in ginger sauce).

For a family-style meal at home, Chef Tomoya shares a recipe for sukiyaki, served in the nabemono or Japanese hotpot style. With a more freestyle approach to cooking, he suggests not following the recipe – at least not exactly. “Change the balance of flavours depending on your ingredients, the weather, your guests’ preferences, even the atmosphere,” he says. But don’t skimp on the quality of ingredients. “Use good beef and good eggs,” he adds, “and cook your onions in beef fat. It makes them taste better.”

Sukiyaki

Serves 4-5

¾ cup + 1 Tbs (200 mL) sake

¾ cup + 1 Tbs (200 mL) mirin

¾ cup + 1 Tbs (200 mL) soy sauce

60 g sugar

1. Place sake and mirin in a saucepan, bring to the boil and boil for 5 minutes.

2.Turn off the heat and add soy sauce and sugar, and heat until sugar is dissolved.

Then you can add your favourite ingredients. These items would regularly be included in Sukiyaki (all would be found in Asian supermarkets):

1 medium onion, sliced

2 tokyo negi (long green onions)

Drizzle vegetable oil

400 g beef, sliced thin

½ package firm tofu

1 package enoki mushroom, cut off the roots

8-10 shitake mushrooms, stems removed 1 pack shirataki noodles, cut in 10 cm pieces

3 eggs

1. Microwave sliced onion for 2 minutes.

2. Chop tokyo negi into small pieces and stir-fry in a drizzle of hot vegetable oil.

3. Take out the tokyo negi and briefly stir fry the slices of beef. Stir well and don't overcook.

4. Add sukiyaki soup broth with all the ingredients and bring to a boil.

5. Beat eggs until smooth and dip the ingredients into the raw egg before eating.