Japanese food
Japanese cuisine – one of the cultural characteristics of the country. Today, the Japanese food is different from Western as in terms of calorieness, the consumption of proteins and fats and in its structure. It continues to preserve its specificity: the large proportion of starchy substances, the predominance of plant proteins over animals, consumption of the essential share of animal protein due to fish products, a large share of rice and, of course, in general, low calorie content compared to other developed countries.
In deep antiquity, the Altari of the Gods – Kami – only the best gifts of the fields, mountains and seas were restored: the finest fish, ripe fruits, sparkling with purity, T.E. what is created by nature itself, which is not yet touched by the hand of culinary. It is on this that the whole kitchen has a Japanese.
Another feature of Japanese cuisine is its seasonality, such as the French. What the Japanese is eating in the summer, they will not eat in winter. Not subject to change only one feature of Japanese cuisine – very much attention is paid to the overall atmosphere of the place of meals and appearance of dishes.
On the time of the year, Japanese gourmet should be said not only to Iquiban or the plot of the paintings, which must necessarily be present in the room. Taste and color of eats, sizes, shape and texture of dishes – everything should be harmoniously combined with the season and deliver a high aesthetic pleasure sitting at the table. So, if ceramics prevails in the dishes, yes even dark and red tones, then you can no longer watch the window – there is winter. It affects the season and on the shape of Japanese tea cups – in the cold tea is served in elongated, cylindrical cups, which are so nice to warm hands.
But the most important place on the Japanese table at all times of the year is occupied, of course, rice, fish and seafood. The Japanese believe that summer fish is not so tasty as in winter, so real "seafood" must be counted precisely from ice water.
Seafood, fish and rice are the main components of Japanese cuisine. And on the basis of these components, the Japanese are creating truly culinary masterpieces. The main principle is that usually Japanese chefs subjected raw materials the most minimal thermal processing. Knowing it, it is not difficult to understand the other, the most important feature of Japanese cuisine – there is a lot of raw dishes in it, and more precisely, from just caught marine or river fish. For their preparation often do not need fire – enough acute knives, which are masterfully owned by Japanese chefs. Many with distrust relate to the Japanese cuisine because of raw fish, but in reality there is no danger, because it was always paramount to disinfection, the secret of which the Japanese is kept secret. Although it is known that if the fish is freeze, and then defrost, it really loses all the harmful properties.
For a foreigner, acquaintance with Japanese cuisine often begins with Sashimi – typically Japanese and at the same time the most exotic dishes for visitors. Now many people know that Sashimi is just a piece of fresh fish and seafood, which eat, dipping in soy sauce with pasta from the wipe Japanese Khrena Wasabi, which is the main antiseptics in Japanese cuisine. As a supplement to Sasimi, plants, famous in Japanese cuisine, are also coming and are also antiseptics: it’s onions, cucumbers, mint, Japanese radish.
The most interesting for the newcomer version of this dish – Ikidzukuri. It is preparing from another living fish, which is already sliced as a cook so that it can be disassembled by a piece by a piece with chopsticks for food. Such an execution is as a rule, as a rule, freshwater carp or sea bass. Carp at the same time decorate with red slices of meat of a Japanese tuna, white slices of freshly cut squid, shrimps and mollusks.
The business card is not only fish dishes, but also the whole Japanese cooking are sushi. These are buns from rice prepared by a special way. Many types of sushi can be reduced to four. First Nihirizusi – Small rice balls, lubricated Vasabi, with slices of raw fish or any seafood. Second – Makydseusi, or Norimaki Sushi – rice bun with filling (from fresh cucumber, tuna pieces), wrapped in thin leaflets dried algae nori. Third – Osizzii or Hakodzusi – Rice laid in a small wooden box, on top of decorated fish. Fourth – Tiracisusi – rice laid on a dish, sprinkled with seafood slices, omelet, vegetables.
The Japanese people love to eat little-known Europeans vegetables that possess useful properties: lotus root, bamboo sprouts, various varieties of radish, beans, as well as a variety of potatoes Yams, root of the burdock Gobo, Siaka Mushrooms. The fact is that these vegetables are very useful, especially to women, because they increase the tone and, most importantly, regulate the hormonal balance. Mushrooms are well strengthened immunity.
Do not also forget about another distinguishing feature of Japanese cuisine – the widespread use of soybeans in all kinds and with all products. It has an anti-cancer effect and is very rich in vegetable protein, the content of which in soy flour exceeds 50%, and in soy concentrate reaches 70%. Soy oil includes components – lecithin and choline, group vitamins B and E, macro – and microelements, as well as a number of other substances. Lecithin – phospholipid playing an extremely important role in the functioning of cell membranes. It prolongs the life of the cells and protects them adverse effects. The presence of lecithin, which takes important participation in the exchange of fats and cholesterol in the body, reduces the accumulation of fats in the liver and promotes their combustion, reduces cholesterol synthesis, regulates the correct exchange and suction of fats, has a choleretic effect. Soybean is indispensable in the diet of persons suffering from food allergies to animal proteins and, in particular, the intolerance to milk, persons suffering from cardiovascular diseases, is a diet-meterapeutic agent for patients with diabetes and should be included in the diet of people suffering from obesity, as well as widely used in Prevention of these prevents in modern society.
The next difference between Japanese cuisine from European is that all residents of the country of the rising sun eating with chopsticks. In Japan, the sticks (hassi) came from China in the 12th century and were made of bamboo. It was believed that the wands eat immortal gods and emperors. There are many variations of forms and dimensions of reusable sticks that sometimes represent a real work of art: they are painted, covered with varnish, inlaid by the mother of pearl and decorate various patterns. Modern hasi are bone, wooden (from bamboo, pine, cypress, plum, maple, black or purple sandalwood), round or square cross sections with conical or pyramidal edge.
Among the beverages using the Japanese, you can note very popularity:
Io, or green tea, which is served not only at the end, but also at the beginning of the meal and drinks with small sips from painted pile;
Sake – Rice Wine, known since the XVII century. In the ancient Japan, Sake was manufactured in distillers under the imperial courtyard or under the synthist temples. And the drink itself was a mandatory component of various religious holidays. It is spilled in ceramic bottles of 360 grams, called Tokcuri. Consumed in cold condition, and in heated to 45-50 °. The restaurants use a special stove for this. At home, Tokcuri put in a water bath. Upon reaching the required temperature, the clay vessel is placed in a special ceramic stand – Tokcuri Hakam, and served to the table. Drinking Sake is to be small sips from small, accompanying 30-40 grams, a glass called witness.
Fruit wine – apple or plum, to taste resembling tart compote.
Rice for sucy
Water – 1 cup, short-cut rice – 3/4 glasses, vinegar for sushi – 1.5 st.L., Lemon juice – 1.5 st.L., Sugar – 12 st. L., Salt – 1/2 h.L.
Omit rice in boiling water and reduce fire. Cover the lid and cook until the rice does not absorb all the water. Mix vinegar, lemon juice, sugar, salt. Bring to boil, reduce fire and cook until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour ready-made rice by the resulting sauce and give to stand until the fluid is absorbed. Sushi – vinegar can be prepared, thoroughly mixing 1/3 cups of table vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt.
Boek radish Daikon (Furofui Daikon)
500 g Dykon, 3 tablespoons of rice, 1 sea cabbage plate, 3-3,5 glasses of dasy (base broth), 3 tablespoons of light soy sauce sow, 2 tablespoons of dessert wine, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt.
Clear radish and cut into circles. At the same time, clean the edges so that the pieces do not fall asleep during cooking: make a shallow cruciform incision on one side of each piece and put it with this side on the bottom of the pan, so that the liquid absorbed well. Pour water in a pan and put rice. Cook until the dycon becomes soft.
Put the sea cabbage plate on the pan, put the radish on it with rice and pour the sauce. Cook on low heat until full readiness for about 20 minutes.
Tofu with vegetables (Tofu, but Sirahae)
400-450 g tofu (soybean cottage cheese), 1.5 tablespoons of sugar, pinch of salt, half a tablespoon of vodka, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce sow, 1 cucumber, 1 medium-sized carrots, optional – a piece of conn.
Boil tofu in a large amount of water for 2-3 minutes. Good squeeze. Mix everything to sauce. Pour the resulting Tofu sauce and mix everything thoroughly to get a homogeneous mass. Rinse and cut the strips con feature. Fry it for 2-3 minutes in a frying pan without oil. Give cool. Slim cut cucumber and carrots. Stir vegetables with tofu. Connya put on top.
Sushi with shrimps
2 cups prepared for sussi rice, 8 peeled and cooked shrimp, half of the cucumber, 1 algae plate, pinching of Japanese shrine "Vasabi" and 1 tablespoon of dark sesame grains.
Put the bottom of the foil pan. Spread on it cut in half into the length of shrimp, leather down. Explress 1 glass of rice. Then put the cucumber sliced with longitudinal strips and sprinkle sesame grains. Close up of algae plate. Above the remaining rice from above. Close the foil and put under the gilt. Leave for 1 hour. After the time passes, lay out sushi on a plate so that shrimps are upstairs.
