Knowing More About Japanese Sushi

By: David H. Urmann

Japanese sushi is a type of vinegar rice topped with fish, meats and vegetables. Nowadays, sushi is prepared creatively for a more inviting appearance. It possesses many nutritional benefits.

Sushi comes from an archaic grammatical form of word which means sour. Rice and fish is being combined for a more likable meal. Most restaurants today serve sushi in different ways. Here is some additional information about one of the most popular food not only in Japan but in many countries across the globe.

Sushi Origin

Sushi did not actually originate in Japan. It was introduced into Japan from China during the 17th century. People made sushi from fermented fish. This is since there were no refrigerators back then.

The fish was consumed and the rice is discarded. Sushi is even considered as the marriage of vinegar rice with many other ingredients. Different sushi combinations had actually evolved. Sushi became the most popular food in Japan until now.

The Japanese love sushi, especially if it is served in rolled nori called Makizushi and nigirizushi (toppings laid in clumps of rice). This is also for inarizushi (stuffed with fried tofu) and chirashi-zushi (toppings scattered over a sushi rice bowl).

One should learn the basic ingredients in preparing sushi. Ingredients should be properly set in order so as to achieve the perfect art of making sushi.

Ingredients:

Sushi rice - This is a type of short grained rice mixed with vinegar, salt, sugar and sometimes sake. Short grain brown and wild rice can also be used and is usually cooled down before placing it into a type of filling.

Nori - Nori is an alga, a type of seaweed wrapper. Algae are scraped, rolled out into thin and dried into the sun just like rice paper. High quality Nori must be thick, shiny, smooth, and green, having no holes on it. The Nori standard sheet is about 18 cm by 21 cm.

Omelette (fukusazushi) -An omelet is used in forming the pouch for the fillings and rice. It may also replace the nori, for wrapping purposes.

Toppings and fillings may include fish, seafood, vegetables, red meat, tofu and eggs.

Condiments

Shoyu - This is referred to as murasaki. It is more commonly known as soy sauce.

Wasabi - This is made from the grated root of the wasabi plant. Hon wasabi (real wasabi) may reduce food poisoning because of its anti-microbial properties. However, seiyo-wasabi (imitation wasabi) is made from mustard powder and horseradish.

Gari - This is a sweet pickled ginger which aids in the digestive processes. It actually cleanses the palate.

Ocha - This is a type of green tea (ocha) in Japan.

Nutritional information

The main ingredients of sushi which is rice and fish are naturally low in fat but are high in carbohydrates, protein, vitamins and minerals.

• Fats: Rich in Omega 3 or unsaturated fat. No fat was introduced in making sushi because it is served raw.
• Proteins: High levels of protein are found in tofu, seafood, egg and most specially fish.
• Vitamins and Minerals: Gari, nori and many other vegetables are rich in nutrients.
• Carbohydrates: Found in vegetables and mainly rice.

Risks in Health

Fish such as tuna and bluefin is found to have high levels of mercury. It can be hazardous to one's health when eaten in large quantities. A weekly dose should acquire 2 to 6 pieces depending on the person's weight as well as the amount of tuna inside the sushi. Raw seafood may result to risks of anisakiasis, causing diarrhea, parasitic infection and poisoning, especially if not prepared properly.

Etiquette

Sushi can be eaten via chopsticks or with your bare hands. This can be served with desired condiments like wasabi, soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Utensils

• Fukin: Kitchen cloth.
• Ryoribashi: Cooking chopsticks.
• Hangiri: Rice barrel.
• Hocho: Kitchen knives.
• Makisu: Bamboo rolling mat.
• Shamoji: Wooden rice paddle.
• Oshizushihako: a mold used to make oshizushi.
• Makiyakinabe: Rectangular omelet pan.

About the Author

For more information on Japanese Sushi and Miso Soup & Rice Bowls please visit our website.

(ArticlesBase SC #678063)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Knowing More About Japanese Sushi

Adaptation sometimes produce wonderful results

So I was in the grocery store at lunchtime today, picking up some cold cuts and a French baguette for a sandwich. While inside I spotted some fresh egg noodles sitting next to the tofu packets on the shelf. Figured I could do something with them later, so grabbed them, not really with any plan in mind.

At around five o'clock when my daughter reminds me it's almost time for supper, I do a quick Google search for "egg noodle recipes". Came across a recipe entitled "Lemon Grass Chicken with Egg Noodles", but the ingredient list called for chayote (a type of squash apparently), sweet soy sauce, canned coconut juice and shiitake mushrooms - none of which were in my pantry.

The recipe followed the familiar pattern of first cooking the chicken, then removing before stir frying the aromatics and veggies. Return the chicken, add the noodles and some liquid and cook for 5 minutes. I figured I could use the framework of the online recipe, but use what I happened to have in the fridge.

Here's what i came up with:

Ingredients:

2 chicken breasts, skin off, trimmed and cut into bite-size pieces

1 medium yellow onion, cut in half against the grain, then thinly sliced

1 inch piece of ginger, sliced into thin strips

2 cloves of garlic, finely sliced

3 dried thai chilis, chopped up with seeds

2 carrots sliced lengthways, then chopped thinly

1 head of fresh broccoli cut into florets

1/4 cup of fish sauce

2 teaspoons of sugar

1 packet fresh egg noodles

2 tablespoons of garlic chili sauce

About a cup of chicken broth

Method:

1. Bring a pan of water to the boil and blanch the egg noodles for a minute. Drain and set aside

2. Heat 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in your wok until it starts to smoke.

3. Carefully drop the chicken in the hot oil and leave undisturbed for 3 minutes, to allow them to brown slightly. After 3 minutes, stir the chicken and cook for 1 more minute.

4. With a slotted spoon, remove the chicken and place in a dish with some paper towel on the bottom.

5. Drain the hot oil from the wok (I used an old tomato tin from my recycling bin - never pour down the sink).

6. Return wok to high heat and drop in your onion, garlic & ginger sticks. After 20 seconds mine started to look very dry, so I splashed in some chicken stock to deglaze the wok and stop the aromatics from burning.

7. After a minute or so, I dropped in the carrots and broccoli and cooked for 3 minutes more

8. Added back in the reserved chicken, sprinkled the sugar over the top, poured in the fish sauce and garlic chili sauce

9. Added some more chicken stock, just to keep the ingredients moving on the bottom of the wok and to prevent burning.

10. After a couple of minutes, dropped in the reserved egg noodles.

The noodles basically suck up all the juice in the wok, so add more chicken stock (as needed), put on the wok lid and let it cook for a couple of minutes, until done.

When I served this dish to my family, they all went crazy!! Everyone was full of praise - between you and me, it WAS delicious. Like I said, sometimes, quite by accident you can adapt a recipe to what's on hand and get lucky.

After this evening's success, I thought I should write down this recipe (so I can recreate it) and share with our readers. Please let me know how you get on with this, should you choose to try it. Of course, feel free to adapt it according to your own taste and pantry contents. Ha.

Thanks for reading

Camille

WoksForDinner Customer Support

The history of the Chinese tea

The history of tea is as long and storied as the history of China itself. One legend states that early emperor Shen Nong required all drinking water be boiled. While traveling to a distant part of his realm, some dried leaves from a bush fell into the water his servants were boiling for him. Shen Nong, a creative scientist, was intrigued by the brown liquid. He took a drink, found himself refreshed, and thus, legend goes, created tea.

Another legend credits ruler Yan Di, who tasted many herbs looking for medicinal cures. An herb he ingested poisoned him, but a drop of water from a tea tree dripped into his mouth and saved him. Tea has long been used as an herbal medicine.

Tea found its way into every stratum of Chinese society. During the Zhou Dynasty, it was a religious offering. Later, the Chinese ate fresh tea leaves as a vegetable. And during the Tang Dynasty, tea shops became popular. Around 765 A.D. the first definitive book on tea, the Ch'a Ching, was written. In it, Lu Yu codified the methods of tea cultivation and preparation. Having been raised by Buddhist monks, Lu Yu's work was clearly influenced by Zen philosophy and teachings. Missionaries would later introduce this form of tea service to imperial Japan, shaping the creation of the Japanese tea ceremony.

Over several centuries, through exploration and trade, tea eventually spread throughout Asia, Europe, and the Americas. With it, a distinct culture within each region arose. From British afternoon tea to Russian tea houses, tea infused itself into local customs as it infuses itself into water. Today, tea continues to be the beverage consumed by the largest number of people worldwide.

The varieties of Chinese tea are extensive with many different types grown during each Chinese dynasties in China.

Tea dates back to the West Zhou Period in ancient China, when the Chinese used tea as offerings. Since then, tea leaves were eaten as vegetables, used as medicine, and finally, in the Han dynasty, people boiled the leaves in water, and this new drink became a major commodity. There are almost an infinite number of different kinds of tea, but the three most basic categories are green tea (non-oxidised), oolong tea (semi-oxidised) and black tea (fully oxidised). These teas are usually all made from the same type of plant, the "Camellia Sinensis", although some teas are flavored with other plants and flowers.

Tea is made through a very long and delicate procedure where young tea leaves are picked, steamed or pan fried, then dried and sifted, and finally distributed to wherever they need to go. The flavor of tea varies depending on how it is prepared.

Many people drink tea because of its health advantages. Tea promotes digestion, is rich in vitamins, and brings a feeling of relaxation when you drink it. Tea is consumed more than any other drink besides water worldwide.

Food Trivia

Here's a question for you: What fun item is synonymous with Chinese food, but is not usually found in Chinese restaurants outside the United States. Whoever invented me, was probably inspired by the Chinese custom of placing messages inside cakes and sweets. What am I?

Answer: I am a Fortune Cookie. In the United States, no Chinese restaurant visit would be complete without the crescent-shaped cookie containing words of wisdom and insight - sometimes jokes, verbal ramblings, Chinese translations and even lottery numbers!

While the fortune cookie was invented in the twentieth century, the original concept dates back to the railway boom of the mid-1800's. Unable to enjoy traditional moon-cakes during the annual Autumn Moon Festival, Chinese railway workers substituted biscuits with messages inside instead. Hence the birth, at least in the US of the fortune cookie.

Ironically, despite their popularity in the United States, fortune cookies have never caught on in China.

Chinese Cooking Methods are Usually Healthy Ways

By: Salman tagore

Feeling puckish and can't be bothered with the regular meal preparation that is time-consuming and asks for a whole lot of steps? Then you are in luck with putting together a healthy and fast meal with basic cooking tips using the Chinese Cooking Method, ideal for those unannounced hunger-pangs that can quickly be appeased without compromising on granting taste-buds their due and simple to follow.

For more details go to: www.cat-head-biscuit.com Most Chinese recipes require one or more of a combination of methods like stir-frying, steam-cooking, boiling or sauteing besides other styles adapted over the years!

The most commonly used Chinese cooking methods of all times though is frying, which may include deep, shallow, stir or slippery frying while popular Chinese food items include noodles, fried-rice, chicken pieces and shrimp dishes. Sometimes, Chinese cooking methods extend to dicing chicken and veggies into small bits and stir-frying them to serve with noodles or a rice dish.

Sauteing, also known as shallow cooking is another popular Chinese cooking method that requires a thin oil layer to cover the food which uses minimal grease and cuts down on much of the calories that creep in with other cooking methods. To ensure all the food items being cooked in this manner are not under-done, the veggies or meat is sliced thinly to enable faster, even cooking. When a light-brown color is achieved, then the spices and seasonings are added in to complete the process of sauteing.

Chinese cooking methods are usually very healthy ways of cutting back on calories and excess oil and thus Stewing food (first sauteing thinly sliced or diced veggies or meat, then pouring a sauce over it and cooking it over slow fire) is yet another popular cooking style adapted for world cuisine from Chinese cooking methods.

For help visit: www.breakfasts-recipes.com The stir-frying ensures the food items are cooked superficially but raw inside so nutrients are retained and once gravy is poured over it, the simmer-and-cook method works well to give a good taste with a zesty tang to the dish.

Slow cooking over low flame and boiling are other smart and healthy ways of preparing food that are borrowed from the various Chinese cooking methods many chefs follow. Boiling calls for large pots with hot water used to cook vegetables, rice or noodles and meat; it can also incorporate the use of sauces to lend a savory taste to the ingredients while they cook. Simmer-cooking involves cooking in water or sauce for a long time and low heat is required and since it does away with the need for oil, this is among the best dietary helpers agree experts as no extra calories get a chance to creep.

About the Author

Salman tagore is MBA holder, currently working in FMCG company as a manager. He likes to explore his extraordinary skills and talent. He is very keen to express his views in front of others.

(ArticlesBase SC #701279)

Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/ - Chinese Cooking Methods are Usually Healthy Ways

More Spice, Anyone?

AS YOU stir more turmeric into the vindaloo or grate ginger into the stir-fry, it's good to know these ingredients not only make food taste good but they also may be working inside your body to protect you from disease.

Spices and herbs make up one of the newer pieces in the complex jigsaw of nutrition science, says Professor Linda Tapsell, director of Wollongong University's Smart Foods Centre. But while scientists have a good grasp of how vitamins and minerals work and how much we need, they're only beginning to understand the role of the thousands of phytochemicals in plant foods.

"Some of these phytochemicals are thought to help prevent chronic diseases like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer's by targeting two underlying problems these diseases have in common - one is oxidation that can damage cells or cause bad LDL cholesterol to oxidise and damage arteries, and the other is inflammation," Tapsell says.

What makes spices special, apart from their big flavours, is that they contain concentrated amounts of some of these chemicals, says Tapsell, whose review of research into the health effects of spices and herbs will appear in the journal Nutrition Today next month.

The spices currently attracting research interest include ginger for its anti-inflammatory properties, cinnamon for controlling blood sugar and, especially, turmeric, which contains curcumin, a phytochemical from a family of powerful antioxidants called phenolics. Animal and lab studies suggest curcumin may protect against cancers of the stomach, colon, prostate and skin, as well as Alzheimer's.

But one small study in humans by Johns Hopkins University in 2006 found that when doses of both curcumin and quercetin (a phenolic found in red onions) were given to five patients with inherited pre-cancerous polyps over six months, the number of polyps shrank by 60 per cent.

What's intriguing about curcumin is that we absorb it better when it's combined with piperine, a substance found in pepper - a combination cooks have used instinctively for thousands of years. Still, regular doses of turmeric are no guarantee against cancer, as Tapsell stresses. There is much to learn about the potential benefits of spices and herbs for human health, she says.

"It's one thing to get promising results in test tubes and with mice, but humans are more complex - because people are different not only in their genes but in how they live their lives, they can respond to these substances in different ways," she says.

She's cautious, too, about the weight loss benefits often attributed to eating chilli.

"Again, it's one part of the jigsaw puzzle - one of many things that can help weight loss, but in a small way. But you can't take one single element and pin your hopes of weight loss on it - at the end of the day it's the total diet and exercise that counts," she says.

But while we're a long way from knowing how much of the compounds in spices we need to protect our health, there's an argument for using them generously: it's an easy way to boost the variety of nutrients in your diet - and reduce the salt as well.

Sydney Morning Herald

Thursday May 15, 2008

Paula Goodyer