"japanese cuisine" news and stories

I'm not shy about my opinions on sushi rolls. I don't hate rolls. I just happen to have a personal preference for sashimi and some nigiri sushi, that's all. The fact that most rolls are overly-pumped with ridiculous ingredients, some of which have no place at all in sushi (steak and cream cheese?!?), are accessorized with strangely sweet, creamy, unidentifiable sauces, and are accordingly named WWF things like "Godzilla" and "Monster Crunch" has nothing to do with it at all. Really.

However, there are a few rolls that I really do like. While I do understand that many people simply adore the California roll, especially ones that are made with real kani, I am not a huge fan. However, I love the spicy tuna roll. The thing about spicy tuna is that it isn't even "spiced" with something like wasabi or togarashi. Most sushi bars I've seen use the little green tipped bottle of chili sauce - sriracha. When I see that, I ask the chef to add a little more to the tuna bits to make it extra spicy.

Once, I had a spicy tuna roll that had a little bit ofmayo mixed in with the tuna and spice. I didn't like that one too much.

We've been making our tour around the sushi bar these days, covering different kinds of fish. Though most of us adore the silky smooth raw fish, let's not forget that the word "sushi" actually refers to the sweet, vinegared rice. It's not about the fish (that's technically, but I too, would cry a Pacific Ocean if I had to eat sushi without the fish).

Since it's not just about the fish, that means there are some vegetarian-ish options available at the sushi bar. I learned all about these, as well as the "cooked" fish in sushi during my sister's pregnancy. One of the most common non-fish options is tamago, which is a sweetened egg omelet. The omelet is cut into the same shape and size as sushi fish, and placed on the rice.

We've already talked about cucumber rolls, kappa maki, in a previous post. However, the use of vegetables in rolls doesn't stop there. A sushi chef can basically make a roll with any one or combination of vegetables, though it seems the big three are asparagus, cucumber, avocado. However, I have also seen more interesting vegetables. Kanpyo is dried gourd, shiso are the leaves that look like large mint leaves (often used for garnish as well), and ume, a Japanese plum that is sometimes pickled or salted.

Say "Japanese food" and right away, most people will think of sushi, perhaps immediately followed by tempura, teriyaki, and ramen. Increasingly, people are also becoming familiar with kushiyaki, the assortment of grilled, skewered foods that are traditionally served as "bar-snacks." However, there's another Japanese cuisine, shabu shabu.

The words "shabu shabu" roughly translates to "swish swish," as that is the way food is cooked: diners briefly swish paper-thin slices of raw meat and chopped fresh vegetables in a pot of boiling water to cook them. It's similar to fondue in that diners are "dipping" foods in a liquid in front of them, and similar also to Korean barbecue, where diners are essentially grilling the meat themselves at the table. Sometimes each individual diner has their own pot of boiling water, and other times, an entire table of diners share a community pot in the center of the table.

Once the meat or vegetable is cooked, it is dipped in a light, thin ponzu sauce, or a thick, sweet sesame sauce. An entire meal usually includes a plate of vegetables, tofu, noodles, and some sort of meat: thinly-sliced ribeye, chicken, or seafood like lobster, crab or other shellfish. 

There are quite a few Japanese shabu shabu places:

Central:

• Shabu Shabu House, 127 Japanese Village Plaza, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 680-3890
• Kushi Shabu, 123 Onizuka St Ste 305, Los Angeles, CA 90012, (213) 621-0210

Westside:

• Mizu 212, 2000 Sawtelle Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025, (310)478-8979
• Shabu Hachi, 11680 W Olympic Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064, (310) 479-7537

East

• Lee's Shabu, 18438 Colima Rd Ste 318, Rowland Heights, CA
• Dai Kei Sushi and Shabu, 708 E Las Tunas Dr, San Gabriel, CA 91776, (626) 285-5701

South and OC

• Shabu Shabu Gyushintei, 24631 Crenshaw Blvd, Torrance, CA, 90505, (310) 326-2438
• Koji's Shabu Shabu, @ the Block@Orange, Orange, CA 92868 (714) 769-0200
• California Shabu Shabu, 18908 Brookhurst St, Fountain Valley, CA 92708, (714) 963-8844   

Let's just say that you already have steamed white rice leftover from the big pot you made Sunday, on purpose, to help you throughout the hectic week. Then all you have to do is fry the tofu "cutlets" and make the curry. Since I have never ever made Asian style curry from anything but the golden S & B box, this is fast and easy.

Follow the directions on the box of curry. There, you made the curry. I always like spinach, mushrooms, and onions. You add whatever vegetables you would like. (This may sound like a vegan recipe, but be warned - many of the boxed Japanese curry mixes are made with animal fats).

Slice firm tofu into "cutlets." There is no need to dip in egg since they are already full of water. Dredge them in Japanese panko bread crumbs, then fry in about a half-inch of oil on each side until the breadcrumbs are lightly golden brown. No need to worry about "fully-cooking" the tofu. One block of tofu can serve one if you're a tofu-glutton, and four if you learned ho to share.

We certainly love bento boxes here at Slashfood. I think I am utterly fascinated by this utter fascination with such incredible artistry in a lunchbox. It is something that is so foreign to me as an American. When I was in elementary school, I think the most creative thing I took to school for lunch was gim-bahp, and when that happened I was totally embarrassed that I didn't have something normal like a sandwich. 

If you're as amazed as I am by these miniature masterpieces, take a peek at yet another site dedicated to bento boxes. The site is in Japanese, but the creativity and detail in the photos need no translation.