The easy side to Japanese cooking

Pushpesh Pant

We have always wondered why Japanese cuisine is not better known in India. There are so many affinities between our culinary philosophy and it is under the influence of Buddhism that the Land of the Rising Sun had become almost exclusively vegetarian for centuries. Meat eating was resumed only in the modern period.

The Japanese traditionally followed the cycle of seasons and valued local produce. Scholars have suggested that it is satvik repast at its most sublime. Japanese don’t like to interfere with natural textures, tastes and do minimal cooking to preserve nutrients and natural flavours. Of course, everything is aesthetically presented like a floral arrangement or a beautiful painting on silk scrolls.

Rice is a staple and is consumed boiled or in the form of noodles. The noodles, it is believed, are an import from China and are also prepared with wheat and buckwheat. Udon noodles are eaten in hot or cold soup and rice is more often than not topped with dry stuff such as slices of meat, fish or vegetables.

In recent years, some Japanese ‘delicacies’ have entered India, at least its big cities. Sushi (fish, roe or prawns rolled in fermented and wrapped in sea weed) has become immensely popular. Indians have, as is their wont, adapted it and started rendering it in vegetarian avatar. Sashmi, that is thinly sliced meat or fish served uncooked, has, however, met with resistance as we aren’t sure about the quality of ingredients available in the market and also are repelled by the idea of eating raw meat.

There are quite a few specialty restaurants that have come up in the vicinity of Japanese industrial plants where quite a few expat Japanese managers and engineers work and provide a ready market for ‘home food’.

Now, one is told that most of the stuff used in Japanese cooking is imported — from sea weed to sake, mirin vinegar to miso (bean curd). But you don’t have to wait for expensive and exotic imports to get a taste of Japan. Many dishes can be made at home. The Japanese use minimal spicing and little oil and for yakitori, teriyaki and sukiyaki, it is enough to have handy a bottle of soy sauce, good quality wine vinegar, sugar and salt. Tempura, tantalisingly delicate, may deter some, but you just can’t go wrong with good old chicken yakitori, resembling our own tikka. The difference is that chicken for yakitori is not marinated and that is what gives it a distinct identity. While you must resist the temptation to sprinkle tandoori masala on it, you could resort to the Chinese Five Spice Powder, the tension in the region not withstanding!

Yakitori

Ingredients

• Chicken thighs (boneless) 6
• Spring onions 3-4

For sauce:

• Soy sauce (dark) 2/3 cup
• Sugar 1/2 cup
• Wine vinegar 5 tsp
• Plain flour 1 tsp

Method:

• Begin by preparing the sauce by mixing all ingredients well. Bring it to a boil while stirring constantly. Then reduce the flame and simmer for about 10 minutes. Keep aside.
• Cut spring onions into 1-1/2 inch long pieces. Cut chicken into equal bite-sized chunks.
• Pierce the chicken pieces with wet wooden skewers. Grill on medium heat on open flame or in a pan, basting in between until the chicken is done to taste.
• Serve hot, as a snack, along with yakitori sauce.