Dining with the Chef!

Pots, knives, frying pans, you name it.

It's a treasure trove of cooking utensils, from standard items,

to things you'll have a hard time guessing what they're for.

Welcome to Kappabashi Kitchenware Street.

It's about 30 minutes by train from Tokyo Station.

The roughly 800 meter street is packed with specialty stores that cater to all cooking needs, from professionals to home cooks.

It's the largest kitchenware market in Japan.

And has also become a magnet for foreign visitors.

We want to buy a ramen...

The tool for boiling ramen noodles.

- We like ramen.
- Miso ramen!

Here there's a lot of variety.

So I'm kind of overwhelmed right now just choosing which ones to actually buy.

I've heard Japanese knives are very high quality.

We've run out of stock.

We can't keep up with demand.

Today, a look at what a novice chef will need to start cooking Japanese cuisine.

We'll also be revisiting some of Chef Rika's recipes to review the basics of Japanese cooking.

Dining with the Chef - Back to Basics.

Episode 3: Essential Utensils for Japanese Cooking.

Today, we're going to introduce you to some important cooking tips for beginners.

How can you improve your skills in the Japanese kitchen?

Well, first, you'll need some ingredients.

You'll need things like soy sauce and sake and miso and dashi.

But what about utensils?

What utensils do our friends need to be able to be good japanese chefs? What's important?

- Knives.
- Knives. Right.

Knives are essential in all cuisines. And Japanese food is no exception.

So, buy a good knife and then some cooking chopsticks.

Knife, and chopsticks - very important.

I actually have a pretty good knife that I got as a present but I don't know very much about Japanese knives.

Let's take this time to find out more.

One of the reasons why Japanese knives have become so popular worldwide is because they're so sharp.

This is essential in preparing delicate Japanese cuisine.

There are a number of cities in Japan that are famous for the production of knives, including Sakai in Osaka prefecture...

Japanese knife-making is deeply rooted in Japanese sword-making, which is why they're pliant and resilient.

If you want to buy a good knife in Tokyo, there are two options - Kappabashi.

And Tsukiji.

It is close to Japan's largest wholesale market, in Toyosu,

and has many dedicated knife shops, patronized by professional chefs.

One store in particular has an impressive range.

A whole lineup of Western knives, Japanese knives and Chinese knives.

What would be a good Japanese knife for beginners?

The store manager, Ishikawa So-ichi, explains in detail.

For home cooking, I'd recommend a "gyuto."

It's an all-round knife
for meat and vegetables.

The length of the blade should match the size of your kitchen and cutting board.

If the tip of the blade sticks out, it's too long.

You could use a Western knife.

But for sashimi, it's better to have a
sashimi knife for a sharp, clean slice.

Western knives have a V-edge.
They're double beveled.

Sashimi knives are single beveled.
One side of the blade is flat.

So it gives you a sharp, clean cut.

Presentation is key in Japanese cuisine.

So, it's important to have sashimi
with a clean finish.

A clean slice will taste better, too.

Sharp angles means that the sashimi is fresh.

Another feature of Japanese knives, besides sharpness, is that there are many different knives for different ingredients.

Back in the days when there were no refrigerators,

various types of knives were developed to effectively retain the color and flavor of seasonal ingredients.

For vegetables, professional chefs use
a flat thin blade called "usuba."

Sashimi is garnished with
shredded "daikon" radish.

The "usuba" is used to peel the "daikon"
into a long, thin sheet.

The "deba" knife is for filleting fish.

This is for filleting eel
by slicing open the back.

Puffer fish sashimi is paper thin,
which calls for this long, thin blade.

"Hamo" or pike eel is a popular summer fish
in Kyoto and Osaka, but it's very bony.

It requires a special knife.

The shape of the knife and the cuisine
differ from place to place.

Japanese knives will last a lifetime
if properly maintained.

Japan has many gifted artisans.

Now, it's time to make use of your Japanese knife.

First, a seared tuna salad.

You can make this with frozen tuna.

The first thing you need to do is thaw the tuna properly.

Never leave frozen tuna out to thaw.

It encourages bacterial growth and spoils the flavor and texture.

The key lies in minimizing the drip from thawing.

Drip makes the fish soggy and is the source of fishy smells.

To minimize drip, rinse the frozen tuna in warm salt water to remove the ice crystals on the surface.

Then, wrap the tuna in a paper towel.

This will absorb the drip and keep it from seeping back into the tuna.

Cover with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out.

Then, set aside in the fridge to thaw.

A block this size will take about two or three hours to thaw.

Seared tuna is charred on the outside but raw inside, so you can enjoy two different flavors and textures.

Combine with vegetables and a simple dressing for a salad.

Preheat a frying pan over medium heat, drizzle with olive oil, and sear each side of the tuna for 10 seconds.

...6, 7, 8, 9, 10!

Now, slice the tuna.

- So this is sashimi knife.
- Okay.

A sashimi knife is used to slice just sashimi.

- It's longer than a usual knife.
- Right.

This longer length is what we'll need to slice the sashimi.

- Because you want to slice it in just one stroke, right?
- Yes.

- And you use it from here to this way.
- I see.

- So pull towards you.
- Yes.

- And you try and cut the whole meat in one stroke.
- In one stroke. See? The surface is prettier.

- Beautiful. Of course if you seesaw back and forth, that breaks the fiber within the meat.
- Exactly.

- So sensei...
- Yes?

What if we don't have a sashimi knife?

- Then I'll show you. Start from the bottom...
- For once.

And then, try to bring this one...

- And, twice.
- Pull twice.

- Nice. So you still don't wanna seesaw back and forth.
- No.

You're not cutting a tree.

- No, you're not. It's very important to keep the surface clean.
- I see.

Arrange the sliced tuna on a plate and prep the vegetables.

Mince the celery...

and cucumber.

Sprinkle over the entire plate.

Sprinkle some salt.

And for the dressing, mix equal parts sushi vinegar, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Rika likes to keep things simple.

- Pour over the sauce.
- Alright.

- Lovely!
- Yes.

And the seared tuna salad is ready to serve.

All knives need to be cared for to maintain a sharp cutting edge.

We asked a knife shop for some maintenance tips.

Let's go back to Ishikawa-san.

You need to use a whetstone.

Japanese knives are very hard and strong,
and require sharpening with a whetstone.

There are three main types of whetstones, with different levels of coarseness.

If I had to choose just one,
the medium type is the best.

The rest depends on your skill.

It takes a while to get the hang of it.

Ishikawa-san shows customers how to sharpen their knives at home.

Soak the whetstone in water for 10 minutes.

Once the porous stone is fully saturated, the surface will remain smooth,

preventing the blade from catching while sharpening.

Finding the right angle is crucial.

For a household knife, place two coins underneath as a guide.

Maintain this angle to sharpen the knife, starting with the tip.

Guide the blade with your left hand.

You don't need to apply a lot of pressure.

Sharpen the reverse side the same way.

Test the sharpness by gently placing the blade on your thumbnail.

If the knife is sharp enough, it will bite in and leave a mark on your nail.

Careful not to glide the blade across your skin though.

The sharpened blade may seem smooth, but if you look at it under a microscope, you'll see it resembles a saw.

These microscopic teeth are what makes it so sharp.

You can also have your knife sharpened at a store by a professional.

We don't just sell knives.

A knife needs to be maintained
and sharpened properly.

We take care of that as well.

Properly cared for, even an inexpensive
knife will last for decades.

Do it with love.

Moving on to chopsticks, the other essential utensil you need to start cooking Japanese.

They're the most important eating utensils in Japan, and they can be used to eat all kinds of food.

Chopsticks are common in other parts of Asia too, including China, Korea, and Vietnam.

But they're subtly different from place to place.

For example, Chinese chopsticks have a uniform thickness and rounded tips.

They're longer than Japanese ones, partly because Chinese cuisine often involves taking food from a shared platter.

Korean chopsticks are usually shorter, flatter, and made of metal.

Japanese chopsticks are also quite short.

They're tapered and pointed, making it easier to eat fish with bones and skin.

Chopsticks are also essential for cooking.

"Saibashi," or chopsticks used for cooking and serving food,

are much longer than the ones used for eating.

Tongs are useful, but "saibashi" are better suited for handling delicate foods.

I use thin-tipped ones that are good for plating food.

If you have several pairs on hand, you won't need to wash the same pair over and over again while cooking.

Let's see what kind of cooking chopsticks are available.

This is a store in Kappabashi.

It sells over 10,000 different utensils, from standard kitchen tools, to professional-use tools, rarely seen in homes.

Let's check out the cooking chopsticks.

Thick ones for mixing tempura batter.

These are for boiling noodles.

Delicate pointed ones used by professional chefs for plating food.

Typical household cooking chopsticks are made of bamboo.

Some have grooved tips to make it easier to grab food,

while others have thin tips and are decorated to use as serving chopsticks.

Cooking chopsticks are longer than regular chopsticks to protect your hands from the heat.

They're versatile tools that can be used for everything from mixing and grabbing,

to folding, and stir-frying.

Here's a recipe for making soft, fluffy eggs using cooking chopsticks.

A colorful "soboro-don," made of shrimp and egg on rice.

"Soboro" refers to seasoned meat, eggs or fish that is cooked down into a fine crumbly texture.

Let's start with the egg "soboro."

Preheat a pan over medium heat.

In the meantime, prepare the eggs.

Add salt, sugar, and "mirin" and mix well.

If you don't have "mirin," don't worry. It's not an essential ingredient.

Now here's where the cooking chopsticks come into play.

Use two pairs of chopsticks to stir as you pour the eggs into the pan.

Stirring constantly will prevent clumps from forming and result in a fine and even texture.

So what's important is you have to heat the pan on medium heat first, then turn the heat to very low.

And in the end, you cook with residual heat.

Once the liquid has evaporated, remove the eggs from the pan before they burn.

- Oh, so beautiful. Well done.
- Great!

Cook the shrimp "soboro" in a similar way.

Shell and devein the shrimp and chop into fine pieces.

Okay. Should be done.

Add salt, sugar, "mirin," and sake.

Also, a little water to keep the shrimp from becoming too dry.

As with the egg "soboro," preheat the pan over medium heat and then reduce to low.

Cook over low heat to prevent burning.

Arrange attractively on top of white rice.

Garnish with boiled green beans to complete the "soboro" don.

Do try making egg "soboro" with four chopsticks.

They'll turn out amazingly fine and fluffy.

Now for another classic egg dish that relies on cooking chopsticks.

Here's how to make a beautiful "tamagoyaki" or a rolled omelet.

Beat 3 eggs, add salt, sugar, water, and sake, and mix well.

Use a small frying pan.

Coat evenly with olive oil and place over high heat.

Use your chopsticks to test the heat.

Okay do you hear the sizzle?

Once it sizzling, then you can start pouring the mixture.

Reduce the heat to medium and pour enough egg to form a thin layer over the entire pan.

Use your chopsticks to burst the air bubbles.

Once the egg starts to set, roll it towards the handle.

Push the roll to the far side.

Pour more egg into the pan and use your chopsticks to lift the roll so that the egg runs under it.

This fuses the parts together.

Flip the roll towards you and repeat the process until you've used up all the egg.

Turn off the heat and cook the final layer with residual heat to keep it from burning.

Here is the utensil which you will be using to fine-tune the rolled omelet.

It's a bamboo "makisu" mat used to make sushi rolls.

If you don't have a "makisu," you can make do with a paper towel, cheesecloth, or plastic wrap.

Place the omelet on top of the mat and roll it up to give it a nice shape.

Let the "tamagoyaki" cool and sit for a while before unwrapping the mat.

Meanwhile, let's prepare a perfect condiment for "tamagoyaki."

Grated "daikon" radish.

Grated fresh "daikon" also goes well with tempura or grilled fish.

So, you probably won't be surprised to hear that graters are a big thing in Japan.

These are all graters.

They come in various shapes and sizes.

The taste and texture of grated "daikon" will depend very much on the type of grater you use.

This is a bamboo grater called, an "oni-oroshi," meaning a "demon grater."

"Daikon" grated with this will be coarse and crunchy.

For soft, finely grated "daikon," you have a choice of plastic or ceramic graters.

This is a traditional hand-crafted copper grater.

It only cuts the fibers of the ingredients, so the moisture is retained,

making the grated "daikon" moist and extra smooth.

Once the "tamagoyaki" is cool,

unwrap the mat and cut into 2 cm thick slices.

So, now it's ready, with the "daikon" radish.

Serve with "daikon" radish with a dash of soy sauce.

Today, we looked at some basic cooking utensils.

But there's one other tool that comes in really handy.

This square pan is designed specifically for making "tamagoyaki."

We make tamagoyaki for breakfast or for packing in bentos,

so having a "tamagoyaki" pan makes life much easier.

Of course, you can make a beautiful "tamagoyaki" in a frying pan, ideally a small one,

and roll it up in a sushi mat like I showed you.

I've been using this "tamagoyaki" pan for 35 years.

My mother, Yoshiko, gave it to me as a present when I started work.

If you take good care of your utensils, they'll serve you well.

Many Japanese cooking utensils can be repaired over and over again and are meant to last for a lifetime.

So, I hope you'll come across utensils that feel right for you and have fun cooking Japanese food.

One final tip from Ishikawa-san: an easy way to wrap knives safely.

When sending your knife to have it repaired or if you're going to store it for a long time, wrap it safely in a newspaper.

The oil in the ink also prevents rusting.

Fold the paper at an angle.

Wrap the blade tightly.

And, keep on folding the paper along the shape of the knife.

This will allow you to store your knife safely.

Take good care of it and it will last you a lifetime.