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Food questions for those living in Japan

prasantrin

By prasantrin
in Japan: Cooking & Baking

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prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
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Posted (edited)
I received a reply from the shop, which described the difference between 北海道産ライ麦全粒粉 and ライ麦粉　荒挽き, as follows:

The former is whole grain rye ground while the latter is rye milled and ground.

Thank you for asking them, Hiroyuki!

It's a huge help. I did some research and found the former is sometimes referred to as pumpernickel flour, which I guess is the coarsest type of rye flour. I'm now trying to figure out how to make it into pumpernickel bread since all the recipes I've seen call for just rye flour (which would be the latter, or even the fine milled one I didn't ask about). I suspect I'd have to increase the liquids or decrease other flour components by a touch.

I'm off to place my order!

Edited by prasantrin (log)
infernooo

infernooo

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi everyone!

OK so during my visit to Tokyo, I purchased some very nice looking Soy Sauce (and also a bottle of what I thought was salt for use when eating in the hotel room!)... I have uploaded some photos of them and would appreciate if someone could let me know some more information about the Soy Sauces (I have my favourite of the 3, but am curious as to their quality or differences). Also whether the bottle of salt is indeed just salt :-).

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Edited by infernooo (log)
prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

The ingredient on the bottle of salt is just "sea salt", but it's not plain salt. The front says "yakishio"--grilled salt? Maybe it's like smoked salt?

Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki

Posted
Posted

Yakishio = Baked salt

According to the manufacturer's website

http://www.uminosei.com/syouhin/syouhin_sio.html

the salt is baked fully at a high temperature of 600 C or greater for a long time, while keeping the minerals intact.

これぞ本格焼塩！　ニガリ成分（ミネラル）の多い、しっとりとした自然海塩を完全に焼ききるのはとても困難ですが、伊勢神宮に伝わる古式製法を再現して本格焼塩を完成させました。栄養ミネラルはそのままに600℃以上の高温で長時間かけて焼き上げ、サラサラ振りかけやすく仕上げました。食卓用としても便利です。

It's made from 100% seawater.

Uses:

Grilled salt, steak, stir-fries, salad, sunny side-up, tempura (as "dipping(?) salt)

焼魚やステーキに、炒め物に、サラダや目玉焼きに、天ぷらのつけ塩にも！
I'll work on the soy sauces later.
My blog
Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki

Posted
Posted

The first one is "Kaga no Hishio Gura".

Materials: Soy beans (not genetically modified), wheat, salt, san-on-to (type of sucrose).

Why san-on-to??

Images of san-on-to

This type of sugar is often used to make simmered dishes in Japan.

The second one is "Hishio".

Materials: Whole soy beans, wheat, salt, alcohol

Its "raw" soy sauce, freshly extracted.

The last one is "Teraoka-Ke no Yuki Shoyu", organic JAS-certified(!).

Materials: Organic soy beans, organic wheat, salt

I can't say which one I like the best until I taste them all, but judging from the labels, I think I like the last one the best.

BTW, did you order a knife from a manufacturer in Sanyo city? Wow!

My blog
  • 1 month later...
prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

Which cut of beef in Japan corresponds to the brisket?

Brisket is a beef cut taken from the breast section beneath the first five ribs, behind the foreshank.

I've been finding Japanese recipes for beef brisket, so it must exist here, but my visit to the meat market did not turn up anything brisket-looking (not that I really know what brisket looks like. . . )

AdrianB

AdrianB

Posted
Posted
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This is the same brand / type of Japanese soy sauce that I use at home! It's unpasteurised.

helenjp

helenjp

Posted
Posted

I've had that Kaga shoyu - it was very mellow and pleasant.

Brisket - if you are lucky, you might find "burisuke" or "kata-bara" (shoulder-belly) at a specialty butcher. "Kata-roosu" is from the back rather than the belly side of the shoulder area.

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

  • 1 month later...
prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I've had that Kaga shoyu - it was very mellow and pleasant.

Brisket - if you are lucky, you might find "burisuke"  or "kata-bara" (shoulder-belly) at a specialty butcher. "Kata-roosu" is from the back rather than the belly side of the shoulder area.

oops. . .

The flap cut at Costco was some kind of kata-something. I can't remember which part, though. I'll check it again the next time I'm there. It was very lean, though, so I don't think it's the cut I want for my corned beef.

The meat guy sells large cuts of point brisket unbrined, but his smaller cuts (1kg) are already brined. I may just end up going with his brined brisket, even though I'd rather do it myself.

Another question. . .

I am getting desperate!! I'm in Tokyo right now, and have been searching everywhere for yuzu essence by Asaoka Spice. I know I bought some less than a year ago, but it seems to have disappeared from the shelves. I used to get it at Meidiya and Tokyu Hands in Kansai, but TH no longer has any on the shelves. I haven't been able to check out Meidiya in Kobe, yet, but I've been going to every Meidiya and TH I pass by in Tokyo and I have yet to find my very special yuzu essence.

I've even checked out National Azabu, Isetan depachika, etc. etc.

However will I make my yuzu caramels now?

I have looked online (Kikuya, Tomizawa, Amazon.jp) and done a general google search, but nothing has turned up except Asaoka Spice's website.

Has anyone seen yuzu extract/essence anywhere??

prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
I'm not sure if this is helpful, but I saw a flavor store on the east side of Kappabashi dori when we were there last month.  I don't recall the name, but it was about halfway up from the street between Ueno and Asakusa  (where the Ginza line runs).  They had hundreds of small bottles of flavors and essences, but I didn't go in.

Maybe someone else knows more about this...

Could it be Flavourland?

Thanks so much! (And thanks to Kappabashi for having an awesome website!)

I'm going to make a trip there today before I leave today, hopefully. . . I hope I hope I hope they have my yuzu essence, and if they do, I'm going to clean them out!

Edited by prasantrin (log)
JasonTrue

JasonTrue

Posted
Posted

I can guarantee you'll find some form of 100% yuzu juice at Mura-kara-machi-kara-kan in Yuurakuchou.

I've only seen yuzu essential oil from industrial suppliers in Japan and Korea, but I imagine there's some form of product available to consumers. I don't usually use yuzu extract.

Jason Truesdell

Blog: Pursuing My Passions

Take me to your ryokan, please

prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I can guarantee you'll find some form of 100% yuzu juice at Mura-kara-machi-kara-kan in Yuurakuchou.

I've only seen yuzu essential oil from industrial suppliers in Japan and Korea, but I imagine there's some form of product available to consumers. I don't usually use yuzu extract.

Thanks! Essence is better for caramels, but if I have to, I'll find a way to make juice work (or rather, I'll beg the folks in the Pastry forum to help my find a way :wink: ).

About 100% yuzu juice (and sudachi and the like, for that matter), can I assume they're better quality than the bottled lemon juice one buys in the US?

I'm thinking of using bottled yuzu juice to make some baked goods (yuzu pound cake, etc.), but I'm wary about quality.

prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
I'm not sure if this is helpful, but I saw a flavor store on the east side of Kappabashi dori when we were there last month.  I don't recall the name, but it was about halfway up from the street between Ueno and Asakusa  (where the Ginza line runs).  They had hundreds of small bottles of flavors and essences, but I didn't go in.

Maybe someone else knows more about this...

The good news is, Flavor Land it was! The bad news. . . no yuzu essence :sad:

But they did have yuzu oil, so I picked up a bottle of that! I hope it can be used in food. . .

So thank you so much sng sling for the recommendation! And my yuzu caramels thank you, too! :biggrin:

JasonTrue

JasonTrue

Posted
Posted

It occurred to me that you can make a reasonable essence either by infusing yuzu peel in a high alcohol spirit (the higher proof the better, but at least 40%; 60-75% would probably work better), and you might get reasonable results from a neutral vegetable oil infusion.

Jason Truesdell

Blog: Pursuing My Passions

Take me to your ryokan, please

prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)
It occurred to me that you can make a reasonable essence either by infusing yuzu peel in a high alcohol spirit (the higher proof the better, but at least 40%; 60-75% would probably work better), and you might get reasonable results from a neutral vegetable oil infusion.

Why didn't I think of that?? I've got some vodka left from my vanilla-making experiment, too!

Any suggestion as to how much peel per, say, 100ml of vodka? I think I have about 300mL of vodka left, so I could use it all up!

That would probably work for sudachi, too, wouldn't it?

Edited by prasantrin (log)
JasonTrue

JasonTrue

Posted
Posted (edited)

I think if you want to get a high aroma per ml, use a high amount of yuzu peel. But make sure the fruit is completely covered.

I did discover that a single sliced lemon in a batch of lychee infused gin (750ml, plus about 500g lychee) is quite powerful, though, so you probably don't need to be too extreme. I'm not sure it would work as a baking essence, but it's pretty strong lemon flavor as an undiluted drink.

I'm pretty sure most citrus fruits would produce an interesting result. If it's not strong enough for baked goods and caramels, it would probably be fine for a sauce.

The other alternative is to think in terms of cocktail bitters, though they usually don't have one dominant note. http://spiritsandcocktails.wordpress.com/2...o-make-bitters/

It occurred to me that you can make a reasonable essence either by infusing yuzu peel in a high alcohol spirit (the higher proof the better, but at least 40%; 60-75% would probably work better), and you might get reasonable results from a neutral vegetable oil infusion.

Why didn't I think of that?? I've got some vodka left from my vanilla-making experiment, too!

Any suggestion as to how much peel per, say, 100ml of vodka? I think I have about 300mL of vodka left, so I could use it all up!

That would probably work for sudachi, too, wouldn't it?

Edited by JasonTrue (log)

Jason Truesdell

Blog: Pursuing My Passions

Take me to your ryokan, please

  • 1 month later...
yagisanatode

yagisanatode

Posted
Posted (edited)

Hi Gang,

Does anyone know where I could get Saltpeter 硝石(NaNO3) or Cure2 in Japan? I have this irresistible urge to dry salt cure meat but I am struggling to find a Saltpeter supplier.

A Japanese friend of mine found a 50g Bag of Saltpeter for a rediculous 945yen. Saltpeter

Are there any wholesalers I could try or should I try and order some over the internet? I was hoping that considering the volcanic nature of the place that is would be in abundance.

Cheers,

Scott

Numazu Traveler

Edited by yagisanatode (log)
prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted (edited)

Assuming you're from the US, your best bet is to get someone to send you some. Not a lot of home dry-curing going on in Japan, so there's really no demand for it.

ETA: The price for 500g of saltpetre on the website you posted is comparable to what you pay in the US (at least prices I saw). The shipping is a bit high, but I don't know that it would be so much more than if you shipped from the US or elsewhere.

Edited by prasantrin (log)
yagisanatode

yagisanatode

Posted
Posted
Assuming you're from the US, your best bet is to get someone to send you some.  Not a lot of home dry-curing going on in Japan, so there's really no demand for it.

ETA:  The price for 500g of saltpetre on the website you posted is comparable to what you pay in the US (at least prices I saw).  The shipping is a bit high, but I don't know that it would be so much more than if you shipped from the US or elsewhere.

Thanks for the suggestion. I might go with the local supplier.

I went to my local baking supplier today and just though I would mention it on the off chance. Surprisingly he tells me that he shares a chemical wholesaler with the local pharmacy and they will look into it for me. Fingers crossed...

Thanks again.

Oh btw, I'm Australian :) .

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