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Dining with the Chef!
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Hello and welcome to Dining with the Chef!
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I’m your host Yu Hayami, and here is our wonderful Chef Saito.
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So Chef Saito, today you are going to teach us about “kaiseki” cuisine for autumn and winter.
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Let’s make “mushimono.”
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“Mushimono,” which is steamed dish.
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Yes. “Kaburamushi” with “kinmedai.”
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Ah. I love “kinmedai.”
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It’s that beautiful red fish.
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Yeah, so beautiful.
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“Kaiseki” cuisine is a beautiful, fancy style of multi-course meals
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served at high-end restaurants in Japan.
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So there are about 8-10 courses,
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but when is the steamed dish served during the meal?
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– It’s main course, but it comes out near the end.
– OK.
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So today we are going to make steamed dish
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suitable for autumn or winter, right?
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Winter ingredient – turnips.
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– So today we are going to be grating the turnips.
– Yes. Grating.
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– And when we steam it, it changes the texture of the vegetable.
– Right.
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– It becomes fluffy.
– Like snow.
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And with that beautiful thick sauce – the “Gin-an” sauce – it’s going to be a very comforting warm dish.
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– For sauce, “katsuobushi” and “kombu dashi” is key.
– Oh, OK.
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I’m looking forward to learning about it.
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Yes, let’s get started.
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Japan is known for its bountiful fresh and delicious ingredients.
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Japanese cuisine, guided by traditional culture that you will be able to prepare at home.
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The next dish in our “kaiseki” series for autumn and winter is “mushimono,”
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seasonal fish and grated Japanese turnips.
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Let’s join Yu Hayami and become Chef Saito’s chef apprentices.
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Here’s our Master Chef, Mr. Tatsuo Saito!
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Our fun-loving cuisine master.
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Authentic Japanese Cooking.
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Here’s what’s cooking today.
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“Kinmedai” or red bream, and grated Japanese turnip topped with an umami-rich sauce.
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This heartwarming steamed dish is perfect for winter.
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The fluffy white turnip conjures up images of a snowy landscape.
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So we are going to start by preparing the turnip.
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– Peel, then grate.
– Oh, ok.
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So for many of you who are new to Japanese turnips,
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Japanese turnips are very tender and have a very lovely sweetness to it.
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Winter turnips are so good. The cold enhances their sweetness.
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They held on, and survived the winter. That’s why they’re tasty. They endured.
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– I know! I love them in miso soups.
– Right.
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Thinly sliced turnips make for tasty pickles.
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And when roasted, these vegetables become sweet and delicious.
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The peel is quite fibrous, so it needs to be thickly peeled.
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Cut off both ends, and then into quarters.
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Do you see where the color changes?
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This is the border between the tough skin and the tender flesh.
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Peel off the thick skin.
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That’s quite a lot.
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– This will make it fluffy and tasty.
– Yes.
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Peel along the inner side of the border to remove the thick skin.
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The skin can be shredded, sauteed, then simmered in soy sauce and sugar
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to make “kinpira,” a sweet and savory side dish.
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Be sure to give it a try!
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OK, next – let’s grate.
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– Yes, so let’s do it. OK.
– Do it.
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You can use a food processor, but grating by hand preserves more fiber.
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So it tastes better.
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Using a fine grater will result in fluffy turnip.
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Pour into a strainer to drain off the excess moisture.
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In “mushimono,” or steamed dishes, every step is important.
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I see, this is important. OK.
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Prepare each ingredient one by one, keeping the final result in mind.
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Steamed dishes are plated before they’re steamed.
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So once you begin, there’s no chance to make adjustments.
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For this reason, the prep and seasoning require more care than simmered, grilled, or even fried dishes.
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So Chef Saito, what’s next?
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Prepare the snow peas.
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Indeed, snow peas will add crunch and vivid color to the dish.
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Winter is cold, but you can sense the approach of spring.
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That’s what the peas signify.
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The traces of green in the snowy turnip remind us that spring is coming.
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The visual appeal of the food exemplifies Japanese aesthetics.
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Interesting! So when you are presenting a winter dish, you actually add colors from spring.
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– Yes.
– Oh, that’s beautiful.
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Remove the strings from the peas, and cut diagonally into thin strips.
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Parboil briefly in salted water until bright green,
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then plunge into ice water to blanch.
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Pat dry with paper towels.
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– Chef, we are using yuzu citrus and wasabi to add fragrance, right?
– Right.
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The refreshing aroma and spiciness of wasabi gives a nice accent.
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While yuzu has a light, citrusy aroma. It’s a classic winter fragrance.
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Cut off both ends of the yuzu, halve, and remove the pulp.
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Scrape off the white pith.
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Then cut the yellow peel into shreds.
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Using a dedicated wasabi grater, grate the wasabi using a circular motion.
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Going round and round will enhance the pungent flavor and aroma.
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Grated wasabi should be left on the surface of the grater,
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so it’s incorporated into the newly grated wasabi as you continue the circular motion.
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And here we have our main ingredient: “kinmedai” or red bream.
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It has a beautiful red color to it.
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Yes, a very nice color.
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Fish used for steamed dish must be very fresh.
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It’s only steamed briefly, so it should be fresh enough to eat as sashimi.
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Steaming concentrates the umami,
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so use fresh fish that’s free of unwanted flavors.
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Other fish, such as cod and salmon, can be used as well.
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Score the fish to make it easier to cook through.
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Make several incisions, 1 cm deep, in the thicker parts of the fish.
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When this is done, we’ll make the sauce before we begin steaming.
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– OK. So it’s time to make the important sauce.
– Yes.
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First, make “dashi,” the world’s fastest soup stock.
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Set out everything you need –
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a pot, a strainer, a cheesecloth or paper towels, and a bowl.
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These ingredients are “kombu” and “katsuobushi.”
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OK. First, clean the “kombu.”
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So when you clean it, can you wash it?
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– No, no, no.
– No, no. OK.
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– This white part is mannitol – umami powder.
– Ah, OK.
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The white powder is mannitol, an umami component produced by sun-drying “kombu.”
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Gently wipe off any fuzzy parts. But don’t touch the white mannitol.
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OK. Don’t take the white parts off.
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– OK. Put “kombu” and water in a pot, OK?
– OK.
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Add the “kombu” to a pot of water and place over medium heat.
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After about 10 minutes, it will come to a gentle boil.
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Look, tiny bubbles have started to form.
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In just 10 minutes, the umami has been extracted from the “kombu.”
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Once tiny bubbles form around the “kombu,” take it out.
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The “kombu” has already released its umami.
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If you can stand the heat, you can test it with a fingernail.
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If it leaves a mark, the umami has been released.
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– And then take out.
– OK.
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You want to remove the “kombu” before it comes to a rolling boil.
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This is to prevent the release of bitter or unpleasant flavors.
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After removing the “kombu,” bring to a boil and skim off the surface residue.
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Now for the “katsuobushi.”
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Adding the “katsuobushi” to the boiling liquid will make it cloudy.
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So we’ll add a little water.
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Add some water to stop it from boiling.
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Then add the “katsuobushi,” all at once.
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As it starts to boil, the umami of the “kombu” and “katsuobushi” mix together.
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Stirring will cloud the “dashi,” so make sure to leave it alone and let it simmer.
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Oh, this comfort aroma.
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Return to a boil and skim off the surface residue.
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After 30 seconds…
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Once the “katsuobushi” has settled, slowly pour the liquid into a strainer,
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lined with a dampened cheesecloth or paper towel.
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Try not to disturb the “katsuobushi” while pouring.
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This is “dashi,” the heart of Japanese cooking.
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Chef Saito, that was so fast and so easy.
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This umami-rich “dashi” is key to making delicious “kaiseki” cuisine.
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Sun-drying the “kombu” concentrates its umami flavor.
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“Katsuobushi” is made by boiling, smoking, and drying skipjack tuna for several months – or even years.
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The time and effort that’s gone into these traditional, umami-rich foods
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is why delicious “dashi” can be made at such impressive speed.
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OK, let’s make the sauce.
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Season the “dashi” with “mirin,” “usukuchi” soy sauce, and salt.
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Place over medium heat.
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Then, mix the “kudzu” starch with a little water.
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“Kudzu” starch is used as a thickener in Japanese cuisine.
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If you don’t have any on hand, you can use potato starch or cornstarch instead.
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OK, I will check the taste.
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Oh, check the taste.
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See how it tastes, and then add the diluted “kudzu” starch.
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That’s right, don’t stop stirring, even for a moment!
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OK, I can feel the sauce getting thicker.
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The more you stir, the thicker it gets.
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The liquid will also start to glisten.
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That’s why this is called “gin-an” or “silver” sauce.
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It shimmers just like a precious object.
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And, “gin-an” sauce is ready.
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Now that the sauce and ingredients are ready, we can begin steaming.
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Now, steam “kinmedai” first.
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So are we steaming it with the turnip?
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They have different cooking times.
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So we add the fish, then the turnip. We’ll take it step by step.
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Ah, ok. So we are going to do the fish, and then we add the turnip.
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Let’s steam the “kinmedai,” today’s fish.
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So first, place the “kombu.”
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– Then “kinmedai.”
– OK.
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So this will actually add more flavor.
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Yes, more flavor and also umami.
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Oh. We add the sake.
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It adds that complexity, aroma.
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The sake also makes the fish tender and fluffy.
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Sprinkle with salt to taste.
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– And then steam.
– OK.
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– Check boiling. It’s very important, boiling.
– Ah, ok.
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Here is a technique from our Chef.
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When using a double boiler or steamer, make sure the water is boiling.
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Otherwise, the food will cook gradually, ending up tough and tasteless.
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The point is to cook quickly with hot steam, and lock in the flavor.
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The towel on the lid plays a major role.
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Oh, OK. Why is there a towel around the lid?
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– To keep the food from becoming soggy with condensation.
– I see. OK.
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So that’s to prevent the condensation from dripping onto the food.
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Okay. We’re ready to start steaming.
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And then we place it on the top of the steamer.
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– High heat.
– No low heat, medium.
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– No. This is high heat.
– OK.
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About 5 to 6 minutes.
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– 5 to 6 minutes.
– Yes.
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You can’t check, right?
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The temperature would drop.
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The amount of steaming depends on the size of the fish.
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This time, we are steaming for 5 to 6 minutes.
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And in the meantime…
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Now, beat the egg whites.
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Beat them until fluffy, but not stiff.
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OK, I’m gonna use a mixer.
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Wow, Chef, you are fast.
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– Faster than a mixer.
– No way!
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OK. And then just a little bit of salt.
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OK, a little bit of salt.
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Adding just a pinch of salt helps to firm up the peaks.
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Beat until firm, but not stiff.
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Add the grated and drained turnip to the egg whites.
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Here’s a tip from our Chef:
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gently mix to keep the peaks from deflating.
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To fluff up the turnips.
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– Cutting motion.
– Cutting motion.
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If the egg whites and turnip are fully incorporated, they won’t firm up.
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The egg whites should coat the turnip. So, incorporate around 75%.
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And then mix in the snow peas.
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– Yeah, spring. Nice accent.
– Yes.
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Imagine green shoots emerging from a bed of pure white snow.
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I think, 6 minutes.
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– Yeah.
– It’s been 6 minutes? OK.
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Be careful. Very hot, very hot.
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– The scoring looks great.
– Right!
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– Does it look good?
– Good. Excellent.
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Oh. It smells so good.
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The fish has absorbed the umami and aroma of the “kombu.”
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Remove, then drain the excess moisture.
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– Put turnip mixture on top.
– OK.
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Once it’s cooking, you can’t adjust it, so consider how you want it to cook.
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– This is our only chance.
– OK.
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Plating the dish must be completed at this stage.
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The egg whites and turnip will shrink when steamed,
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so arrange a generous amount.
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Show off the contrast between the red and the green.
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– And then…
– And then we put it back in. OK.
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We can’t adjust it halfway through.
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There is no turning back.
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– No turning back.
– OK.
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– Cover.
– And then turn it on.
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– High heat.
– High heat.
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It doesn’t take long for the egg whites to set.
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Three minutes later…
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– Be careful. Very hot.
– Yes.
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– OK, take out.
– OK.
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Wow! It looks spectacular.
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Now for the final touches.
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Drain off the water from the turnips.
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– Pour on the “gin-an” sauce.
– Oh, OK.
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Pour on a generous amount of the umami-rich “gin-an” sauce.
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The snowy white turnips and the red fish take on an appetizing shimmer.
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And then finally, yuzu and wasabi.
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Scatter the shredded yuzu over the snowy turnips.
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Place the wasabi on the top of the snowy peak.
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– Oh.
– Yu-chan, so nice.
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Yu has chosen a soft and fluffy look.
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It conveys a sense of warmth.
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Perfect for an elegant dish, yet oh-so-delicious.
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Chef Saito has created a snowy landscape,
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with the turnip-covered fish floating in a glistening pool of “gin-an” sauce.
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Almost too nice to eat.
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And – it’s finished!
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Today’s “mushimono” is ready to serve.
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It should be eaten while piping hot.
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Steamed fish with grated Japanese turnip – a perfect winter dish.
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Chef Saito, this is beautiful.
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Such a beautiful presentation!
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So today, Chef, you taught us how to make steamed fish with grated turnips,
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which is one of the series from our “kaiseki” multi-course meal,
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and this is a dish that represents autumn and winter.
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And I love how you represented the season with the fluffy white snow!
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– And the greens represent the birth of spring.
– Yes.
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– It’s beautiful.
– Thank you.
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Before we begin, shall we toast?
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– “Kanpai!”
– “Kanpai!”
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– Very nice.
– Yeah.
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– Please enjoy.
– Yes.
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Oh, that’s really delicious.
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So, of course, the steamed fish is very flavorful.
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And then the grated turnip with the egg whites add a whole different world to it.
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Where does the sweetness come from?
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– “Kabu” – turnips.
– Oh, from the turnip itself.
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Steamed dish offers a variety of flavors.
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Add the sauce, and enjoy a medley of tastes in a single bowl.
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And, I’ll try it with the wasabi.
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Oh, the yuzu makes it very refreshing and so aromatic.
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The wasabi definitely gives it a little bit of a kick.
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– And just, the flavors go well together.
– Yeah.
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– Today, I introduced “kaburamushi.”
– Yes.
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“Mushimono” must be prepared carefully. Each step is important.
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Once the dish is set in the steamer, there’s no turning back.
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So you have to work towards the image you have in mind.
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It’s fun designing the dish, and seeing the end result when you open the lid.
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So I hope you’ll give it a try.
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Well, Chef Saito, thank you so much for teaching us today,
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and what a wonderful dish this is!
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I will definitely try to make it at home.
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Ok, thank you so much.
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My pleasure, thank you.
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Today’s recipe was “kaburamushi” –
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steamed fish with grated Japanese turnips.
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To prepare, make several slits in the fish.
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Sprinkle with salt and sake, then steam.
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Cover with a mixture of egg whites, grated turnip and snow peas,
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and steam once more.
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Drizzle with a thick, “dashi”-based sauce,
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and top with wasabi and yuzu.
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Why not warm up your winter with this elegant dish that you can make yourself?
