Daily Nihongo (2003 - 2004)

[torakris]

word for 3/28:

まぐろづくし

maguro zukushi (mah-goo-rhoe-zoo-koo-shee)

When you see this on a sushi menu it usually means a dish of the three main cuts of tuna, akami, chuutoro and ootoro, and looks like this:

http://www.marine-prd.co.jp/sakanatei/menu...uro-zukushi.htm

In other restaurants it could mean a multi-course/ multi-dish meal with everything containing tuna, sort of like this:

http://www.sagami.co.jp/store/sagami/event...0412maguro.html

[torakris]

For consumers buying maguro in a supermarket in Japan for sashimi use at home there are generally two cuts to choose from

サク

saku (sah-koo)

this is the most common cut, it is rectangle shaped and about 1 inch thick, it is the easiest shape for making sashimi slices. Looks like this:

http://www.tuna.co.jp/img/ind-sasimi.jpg

ブロック

burokku (boo-rhoe-koo)

this is a thicker triangle cut, like this:

http://www.yaizu.com/shohin/maguro/tyutoro2.jpg

words for 3/30

[torakris]

here is some help reading the labels on the packs of maguro in the supermarket, though the words may apply to other fish/foods as well.

word for 3/31:

解凍

kaitou

This means defrost, and its appearance on a label means that the fish has previously been frozen and defrosted.

[torakris]

word for 4/1:

養殖

ようしょく

youshoku

Farmed

This seems to be the new thing for tuna now, apparently the wild tuna are caught and then held in cages to fatten them up. This increased fat content makes them more desirable for sushi. I have been noticing this label popping up quite a bit recently on packs of tuna, mostly from the Mediterranean.

There are a lot of protests against this type of farming though.....

http://www.eurocbc.org/page809.html

Don't mix this up with another word youshoku 洋食　that refers to western style foods.

[torakris]

So do you determine which is which via context?

Soba

yes, the context they would be used in would be different, normally there shouldn't be a problem in understanding what another was talking about, unless you don't understand Japanese at all.

And of course in reading the characters are completely different.

[torakris]

word for 4/2:

刺身用　さしみよう　 sashimi-you (sah-she-me-yoh)

生食用　なましょくよう nama shoku-you (nah-mah-show-koo-yoh)

These are both words you will see on a package that indicates it is for eating raw. Sashimi-you basically means for sashimi use and nama shoku-you translates literally as raw eating use.

[torakris]

Well my parents had a nice trip and are heading back to the US today, as we will be heading for Narita in a little while I will make today's word a simple one.

word for 4/3:

さようなら

sayounara (sah-yoe-nah-rhah)

goodbye

back tomorrow with more fish!

[Hiroyuki]

In order to sustain your life you must take other life, the lives of plants and animals and it is thought to be absurd to think that you simply have the "right" to do this. 2 of many reasons one might bow is to either show gratitude for a good deed or to show shame for something done wrong - though obviously it is also a sign of respect. Saying Itadakimasu is the spirit of both feeling grateful and sorry at the same time. Grateful for the sacrifice made, showing respect for those who have sacrificed and being sorry for being so selfish as to sacrifice the life of another to sustain your own. Though to live there is no other choice.

I cannot confirm this - but ever since I read it I have thought of it this way - and makes it mean that much more. I've seen this translated as simply as "Let's Eat" and as complicated as "I humbly receive this meal with sincerest of gratitude."

I can confirm this, and I did.

Although I failed to find any proof that the expression actually originated from that tradition, many of Shinran followers attempt to associate that expression with his teachings, like this one (in Japanese):

http://www.hidatakayama.net/asato/gohouwa/itadakimasu.html

There are more others.

And, I like the second paragraph of your post, which begins with "In order to sustain your life ..."

Any Japanese will agree with you on this point.

Live with nature, not conquer it. That's the way of life in Japan.

Edited April 3, 2004 by Hiroyuki (log)

[torakris]

word for 4/4:

鰹　　かつお　　カツオ

katsuo　(kah-tsu-oh)

This fish is usually called bonito in English and sometimes skipjack tuna. This fish is in season for half of the years coming in from various places and we will be discussing this very important fish to Japanese cuisine for the next couple days (weeks?)

[Hiroyuki]

Me: クリス先生!　(Kris-sensei)!

Kris-sensei: 何ですか？　Nan desuka? (What it it?)

Me: アクって英語で何ていうか教えて下さい　"Aku"tte eigo de nan te iu ka oshiete kudasai (Please tell me how to call "aku" in English.)

***

You have already answered that question. Thanks.

Edited April 3, 2004 by Hiroyuki (log)

[torakris]

Me: クリス先生!　(Kris-sensei)!

Kris-sensei: 何ですか？　Nan desuka? (What it it?)

Me: アクって英語で何ていうか教えて下さい　"Aku"tte eigo de nan te iu ka oshiete kudasai (Please tell me how to call "aku" in English.)

***

You have already answered that question. Thanks.

You are really going to make me think about this on a Sunday morning?!!

aku is a Japanese word that doesn't have an exact English equivalent that I can come up with. Let's try to explain it though.

Some foods have what the Japanese descibe as 苦味　(nigami) bitterness, or 渋み　(shibumi) astringent-ness. Other foods have a tendency to discolor when exposed to air and some meats and fish have 臭み(kusami) smelly-ness.

The process of removing the bad "element" or preventing discoloration is known as アク抜き or removing the aku which could be a kusami, a nigami, or a shibumi, or a discoloration.

The method is different depending on what you want to remove, some examples:

prevent discoloration by adding it to acidualted water or sometimes just plain water works, this is good for things like renkon (lotus root) and gobo (burdock root)

Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato) are soaked about 15 minutes in water to remove astringent-ness. Bamoo shoots are cooked with nuka (rice bran) and dried chile peppers to get rid of bitterness. Chestnuts are soaked with myouban　(alum)and other vegetables have juusou (baking soda) tossed into the cooking water for similar reasons and the list goes on....

There is also what is referred to as アク取り　(aku tori) or taking off the aku and this type of aku refers to the skum that comes off when boiling/simmering meats/vegetables. Akutori refers to the process of removing the skum with usually a fine mesh or normal ladle.

hope that makes some sense......

[Hiroyuki]

Me: クリス先生、ありがとうございました。　(Cris-Sensei, Thank you very much.)

The end of a Sunday lecture...

[torakris]

word for 4/5:

アク

aku (ah-koo)

see post form yesterday!

I am off to my daughter Julia's nyuugakushiki (entrance ceremony) for 1st grade followed by a hanami party with a bunch of friends, so I have a big bento to make before I head out....

[torakris]

back to katsuo, today we will discuss a couple of the different varieties

words for 4/6:

when you see katsuo in the supermarket it is normally just labeled katsuo not giving a specific variety, the most common type is known as

ホンカツオ　 (hon-katsuo) or 　マガツオ (ma-gatsuo)

there is also a

　戻りカツオ　modori-katsuo　　or　　戻りガツオ　　modori-gatsuo

which is the fattiest of the bonitos, sometimes referred to as Autumn bonito in English as it is in season during the fall.

there are a couple other varieties:

ハガツオ　hakatsuo striped bonito

マルソウダガツオ　marusouda-gatsuo bullet mackeral

ヒラソウダガツオ　　hirasouda-gatsuo bullett tuna, frigate tuna, frigate mackeral

and then there is the マナガツオ　mana-gatsuo which is actually not actually of the mackeral family (like the bonito and tuna) but rather it is a butterfish ( a type of flat fish) also known as a pomfret or pomapno.

[torakris]

word for 4/7:

カツオのたたき

katsuo no tataki (kah-tsu-oh noh tah-tah-key)

This is probably one of the most common ways that katsuo is prepared. The triangular block of katsuo is seared over a flame (though you probably could do it in a frypan if necessary) then plunged into ice water, sliced and garnished with what ever strikes your fancy.

Though this is quite simple to do at home, most people buy it it already seared in a fresh or frozen form, all you need to do is slice it up (and defrost it if frozen). I find the flavor fresher with the frozen blocks and have one in my freezer at almost all times. It makes for an instant dinner when I am in a rush.

Katsuo, though tuna like in texture, is a little bit darker in color and has a stronger taste.

Here is a picture of a very typical preparation of katsuo tataki followed by pictures of the frozen block:

http://www.taisin.jp/cgis/goodslist.cgi?mo...ods_id=00000004

[torakris]

word for 4/8:

カツオ刺身　　かつお刺身

katsuo sashimi (kah-tsu-oh sah-she-me)

This, of course, is just bonito served sashimi style.

http://machi.goo.ne.jp/IPImage/fukushimake.../l-gr001_au.jpg

[torakris]

word for 4/9:

かつおの角煮

katsuo no kakuni (kah-tsu-oh noh kah-koo-knee)

This is a dish of cubes katsuo that is simmered with soy, sake, mirin and ginger and is wonderful eaten with a bowl of white rice...

katsuo no kakuni:

http://www.tec-tsuji.com/recipe2002/home/hm0216/index-j.html

[Pan]

Sake and mirin are both varieties of rice wine. Is there a thread in which the differences between them are discussed?

[Hiroyuki]

Sake and mirin are both varieties of rice wine. Is there a thread in which the differences between them are discussed?

Go to

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=30998&hl=mirin

[torakris]

sorry about yesterday, I was having problems with my cable connection and got cut off and then I was out for the rest of the day..... and I have the sunburn to prove it!

words for 4/10 and 4/11:

When buying katsuo in a store or reading recipes that call for it you will see a variety of ways to refer to it . Katsuo is most commonly seen in a triangular block form, this same shape that was called a burokku (block) when discussing tuna has a multitude of names when talking about katsuo. These are some of the "counters" I have seen for katsuo.

節　ふし　　fushi （一節）(hito-fushi= one block)

冊　　さつ　　satsu （一冊）(issatsu= one block)

本　　ほん　　hon （一本）(ippon= one block)

サク　　 saku （１サク）(issaku= one block)

confused yet?

just wait.....

[torakris]

word for 4/12:

かつお節

katsuo bushi

This is the type of katsuo most people outside of Japan are familiar with. Bushi is actually the word fushi which means a knot or a lump, thus the word katsuo bushi is actually referring to th lump of katsuo before shaving. However the since few people actually grate their own katsuo bushi any more it has also come to refer to the flakes.

Great information on katsuo bushi including the process by which it is made:

http://www.g-chef.com/english/articles/katuo.html

and don't confuse this bushi with this bushi 武士　that means samurai warrior!

Edited April 11, 2004 by torakris (log)

[torakris]

now lets talk about the different kinds of katsuo-bushi......

words for 4/13:

花かつお hana-katsuo (hah-nah-kah-tsu-oh)

Hana means flower (unless you see this kanji 鼻 then it means nose!) and these are the wide shreds of katsuo that are used for making dashi, though they can be used for other things as well.

削り節 kezuribushi (kay-zoo-rhee-boo-she)

this refers to almost all the other types of katsuo-bushi, kezuri means shreds or scrapings and each type has a different name to describe what kind of shred it is, we will discuss the various kezuri bushi in the following days.

One of the most common types of kezuri bushi you will see are packs of about 3 or 5 grams each ( perfect for one time use), these are not used for dashi rather toppings for foods, like hiya yakko (cold tofu), okonomiyaki, noodles, ohitashi, etc, etc

the following are pictures of the pack style kezuri bushi (left) and hana katsuo (right)

and close ups

and now you can discuss your favorite uses for katsuo-bushi here:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=40744&st=0

[torakris]

word for 4/14:

厚削り

atsukezuri (ah-tsu-kay-zoo-rhee)

These are thick, you could almost call them slices of katsuo rather than threads, I have never seen these used for anything except dashi making. Becasue of their thickness they can be simmered for a period of time (the flakes need to be removed almost immediately otherwise the stock becomes bitter) and produce a stronger flavored stock with a darker color. Atsukezuri are often the katsuo -bushi of choice for noodle shops.

picture and recipe for dashi (in Japanese):

http://www.kk-maruai.co.jp/recipe/dashi-atsu.html

[torakris]

word for 4/15:

糸削り　

ito kezuri (ee-toe-kay-zoo-rhee)

Ito means thread and thus these are thread like strips of katsuo-bushi. These are used pretty much the same way as the pack katsuo, as a garnish for foods.

Here is what boasts itself as the thinnest ito kezuri in the world at 0.7 mm thickness:

http://www.rakuten.co.jp/umisachi/561564/561588/

[torakris]

words for 4/16:

and here are a couple of other types of kezuri bushi, they are all just variations on the thin cut and are mostly used as toppings

上粉　じょうこ jyouko http://fushitaka.com/2nd/l-image2/l-13293.jpg

糸粉　いとこ itoko http://fushitaka.com/2nd/l-image2/l-13313.jpg

糸がき itogaki http://fushitaka.com/2nd/l-image2/l-13335.jpg

細花　さいばな saibana http://fushitaka.com/2nd/l-image2/l-13355.jpg