TEKKA DON

Approx. 5-6 oz. of high quality Tuna per person

Sushi Rice

Low sodium Soy sauce

Wasabi

Pickled Ginger

Radish pickle

Scallion

Lemon

Sushi Rice

Ingredients:

2 cups Japanese rice

2 cups plus 6 teaspoon water

1/2 cup rice vinegar

1-2 Tbsp sugar

1 tsp salt

In estimating quantities 1 cup of uncooked rice will yield about 2 cups of cooked rice.

For each cup of rice to be cooked, add 1 cup plus 3 teaspoon of cold water.

Makes 4-6 servings.


Preparation:

Soak rice in a bowl of cold water, mixing occasionally with your hands. As the water becomes cloudy, drain through a strainer and rinse until water runs clear. Let the rice drain in the strainer for about 30 minutes.

Prepare sushi vinegar by mixing rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a sauce pan. Put the pan on low heat and heat until the sugar dissolves. Cool the vinegar mixture.

Put the drained rice with the appropriate amount of water into a heavy medium sized pot and cover tightly. DO NOT lift the lid at any point until the rice is finished cooking, or steam will escape and it will not cook the rice properly.

Gas: Place over medium-high heat until the rice boils. Notice a white foam around the lid. Turn the heat to medium-low and cook approximately 5 minutes until the foam stops turn up to high and you hear a crackling sound. At this point turn off the heat immediately and let the rice stand COVERED for 15 minutes.

Electric: To prevent overcooking on an electric range, change heating temperatures by switching burners, rather than adjusting the heat on the same burner, unless you have a high end Ceramic cook top.

Sprinkle the vinegar mixture over the rice and fold the rice with a rice spatula quickly. Be careful not to smash the rice. Wrap lid in a cloth towel and return lid to cover the pot. Let stand another 10 minutes.

Use of rice for Tekka Don:

Put warm rice into bowl and serve immediately.

Slice tuna into thin slices and arrange on the plate with a Sisho leave, thin slices of radish pickles.

Slice a 3-4 inch piece of scallion except for the last 1 inch into thin long slivers, put into an ice bath so they curl and arrange on the plate (see photo)

Tuna with Hot Pepper Paste

3 tbsp. Hot Pepper Paste (Korean hot-pepper paste (sometimes labeled "gochujang") mixed with 2 tbsp. soy sauce, touch of Sesame oil, 1 tsp. Mirin, 1 tsp. rice vinegar, 1 tsp. sesame seeds, thinly sliced Scallion.

Cut Tuna into small cubes and mix with hot pepper sauce, put into a little flat bowl and top with thin slices of Scallion.

Put pickled ginger, wasabi, soy sauce into individual little bowls and enjoy!

Use of rice for Sushi:

To cool and remove the moisture of the rice well, use a fan as you mix sushi rice. This will give sushi rice a shiny look. It's best to use sushi rice right away.

CLASSIC MISO SOUP - MISO SHIRU

Serves: 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 small leek (white and light green part only)
5 cups Dashi
a few strands dried wakame seaweed
4 ounces fresh tofu
2 tablespoon red miso

Directions:
Slice the leek finely. Bring Dashi to a simmer, ad the slices of leek and simmer for 3 minutes until just cooked. Brake the wakame seaweed into small pieces (trim of the tough stems), cut tofu into about 1/2 inch cubes. Add to the soup. Dissolve the miso paste in a few tablespoon of the hot stock, blending it with a wire whisk. Stir half the mix into the soup, taste and add more if necessary to make it a rich well tasting soup. Heat up a bit until nearly boiling.

Ladle the soup evenly into 4 bowls, add a few slivers of scallion and serve immediately.

DASHI
2 pieces 2-4 inch dried kombu (edible kelp - large seaweed)
3-5 pack (.175 ounces each) dried bonito flakes

Wipe kombu with a damp kitchen towel and put it into 7 cups of cold water, bring to a simmer for about 10 minutes  (do not boil as this makes it bitter tasting). Skim off any scum. Add 2-3 packs of the bonito flakes and simmer uncovered for another 20 minutes. Turn off and add another 1-2 packets of bonito flakes, let sit for about 10 minutes, strain and use.

Dashi can be stored in a sealed container for up to 3 days or can be frozen.

All these ingredients can be found in any Asian Market.

ホタテガイ JAPAN MEETS PERU!

 

SCALLOP TIRADITO

This is my version of one of my favorite  NOBU recipes. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 larger scallops

1/2 cucumber

cilantro leaves

rocoto or other chili paste (Sriracha, Harissa)

salt flakes or coarse kosher salt

2 teaspoon fresh yuzu or lime juice

1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

passion fruit sorbet (or mixed berry)

1. Cut each scallop across its depth depending on the size of the scallop into 3 or 4 slices (1/4 inch)
   
2. Slice the cucumber into very thin discs and carefully arrange the slices in the middle of the serving plate. 
3. Surround the cucumber with the scallop slices.
   
4. Place a cilantro leaf and a little dollop of chili paste with salt flakes on each scallop
5. Mix the yuzu or lime juice with the lemon juice and pour around the scallops carefully
6. Top the cucumber with the sorbet to refresh the palate

Serve with cold Sake or a dry white wine.

乾杯 !  食糧を楽しみなさい! Itadakimas!