Seasonings
Mirin [Mirin]
This is liquid type seasoning made from mochi gome (sweet glutinous rice). Its sugar and alcohol contents give a distinctive flavor. Mirin is used primarily to add delightful sweetness which sugar alone cannnot produce. It is also used to put a finishing gloss on cooked food. - "Japanese Home Style Cooking", 1986, Better Home Publishing House. It has alcohol content of about 14 percent.
Oil [Abura]
Yasuko-san almost use sesame oil "Goma abura".
Sake [Sake]
As wine is used in French cooking, sake is often used in Japanese cooking. For cooking purposes, inexpensive sake of any brand will do just as well. - "Japanese Home Style Cooking", 1986, Better Home Publishing House
- Sake-kasu -
Sake-kasu is dreg after squeeze sake in the process of making sake.
Soybean paste [Miso]
Miso is a seasoning in paste form made from soybean. It has a salty and unique flavor, and is used primarily in miso soup. It is also used for marinating meats and fish before cooking and as a seasoning in boiled and sauteed dishes.There are many varieties miso. - "Japanese Home Style Cooking", 1986, Better Home Publishing House
In Toyama, we usekojimiso that made from ferment rice and soybeans. See how to make homemade miso
- Sweet & Snack miso -
Put 2 tablespoons miso, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 tablespoonmirin, 1 tablespoonsakein saucepan, boil down to a thick sauce. Mix Shiso leaves into sweet miso and it becomes good Shiso miso. It's also good using yuzu juice.
Soy sauce [Shoyu]
Soy sauce is made from soybeans and goes very well with almost ny ingredient. There are many varieties of soy sauce such as dark colored or light colored, but the most commoly used iskoi-kuchi shoyu(deep, reddish-brown colored soy sauce). - "Japanese Home Style Cooking", 1986, Better Home Publishing House
Vinegar [Su]
In Japanese cooking, rice vinegar is commonly used. Wine vinegar and apple are not recommended to substitute for rice vinegar as they are too strongly acidic and lack sweetness. - "Japanese Home Style Cooking", 1986, Better Home Publishing House
- Vinegar dressing -
Sanbaizu: 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon soup stock, sugar, soy sauce, a pinch of salt
Nihaizu (use for seafood dishes): 3 tablespoons rice vinegar, 2 tablespoon2 soup stock,1 tablespoon soy sauce, a pinch of salt