More Than Sushi

We are Sachiko (a.k.a. Chiko) and Jon, a Japanese/American couple and self-proclaimed foodies. Chiko was born in Osaka, raised in Tokyo and came to the U.S. as a college student to study at the University of Washington in Seattle. Jon grew up in an Italian American family in Northern New Jersey (right down the street from the strip club used for exterior shots of "Bada-Bing" in The Sopranos), and lived in Osaka, Japan as a high school exchange student. After returning to our respective countries and entering the work force, we met in New Orleans during a conference and were soon a couple. We have been married for eight years and have traveled extensively in Europe, Asia and the U.S.

Some people eat to live but we truly live to eat. A perfect day in our lives involves a trip to a winery, brewery or farmer's market, followed by cooking a great meal together and sharing it with friends. While we anticipate a number of blogs, this one is focused on the food we both ate at home in Japan. Japanese restaurants in the U.S. are great, and they are ubiquitous, and yet they are not what the average Japanese person eats at home.

Let's get one thing straight, sushi is a special occasion treat.... wedding food if you will. The average Japanese person eats sushi only a few times a year, but what do they eat the rest of the time? Perhaps they go to a hibachi restaurant and sit in front of an enormous grill while a red-toqued chef screams and throws food at them.... Let's get real.

Japan is to Asia what Italy is to Europe. It is a long skinny country with water on both sides and mountains in the middle. Japan has access to great seafood and vegetables. Cows take up a lot of space, which is one resource that is scarce in a skinny little country with lots of mountains. Kobe beef (like Chianina in Tuscany) is a luxury that very few people can find or afford. Pigs and chickens are a little easier to raise, so those are the meats most often eaten. The Japanese cooking style is minimalistic and focused on the quality of the raw ingredients with simple seasonings.

As You Like It:

What better recipe to start with than Okonomiyaki? Okonomiyaki is the Japanese version of New York's "dirty water dog". It is served in train stations, diners and from push carts across Japan, but is particularly popular in Osaka and Hiroshima. Literally translated, it means "The stuff you like; fried!" Yaki means grilled or fried and is seen in the names of many Japanese dishes (teriyaki, sukiyaki, etc.). Okonomi literally means "as you like it" but is often mis-translated in sushi-speak as "a la carte" (which of course in French simply means "off the menu").

Okonomiyaki is sometimes called Japanese pizza, but is more closely related to the omelet and the crepe. For the Japanese working mom, Okonomiyaki is the equivalent of a refrigerator clean out meal. Start with a crepe batter, then add cabbage and "whatever you like". Traditional items include bacon and squid (calamari), but you can put in whatever you want (or whatever is lying around in the fridge). Left over sausage? Last night's steamed carrots? If it tastes good sauteed, it probably tastes good in okonomiyaki. The technique is simple:

Batter:

2 eggs
1 cup all purpose flour
2/3 cup dashi (bonito stock) or water
1/4 lb squid rough chopped into bite size pieces
2 cups green cabbage shredded into coleslaw sized strips (use a hard cabbage not Asian or Napa cabbage which is too delicate and watery)
1/4 cup rough chopped scallions
1/4 cup julienned beni-shoga (Japanese red pickled ginger)
1/4 lb bacon strips, cut in half

Toppings:

Mayonnaise
Japanese Worcester Sauce (we like Bulldog brand, or you can make your own by mixing tomato ketchup and worcestershire sauce to your own taste)
Bonito Flakes

Required Equipment:

Electric Griddle or Large Non-stick Fry Pan
Two Pancake Spatulas

Technique:

If using the electric griddle, place it in the center of the table and have your family/friends gather round, usually with a glass of beer or mugicha (unsweetened iced barley tea). If you don't have a griddle, have everyone grab a beverage and come into the kitchen to watch you do this in a frying pan at the range. (This is community cooking after all!) In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg, then add the flour, dashi or water and stir a few times to combine. Mix in the rest of the ingredients for the batter, it will be very thick and chunky from all the vegetables. Lightly oil the griddle or frying pan, it is essential that you have a well lubricated surface or the pancake will stick. Cook half the bacon over medium high heat till brown on both sides, try to keep the bacon relatively flat. Mound half the batter on top of the bacon and flatten it with the back of a pancake spatula to about an inch thick and roughly eight inches in diameter. The wet part of the batter will start to spread out from the pancake, using the tip of the spatula, go around the pancake pushing the batter back toward the center of the pancake until it sets up. Cook about seven to eight minutes, or until a nice golden brown crust has formed on the bottom and the outer edge of the pancake is fully set. Now comes the tricky part (and the thing that will impress your guests if you do it right!) Take a pancake spatula in each hand, and work them under the pancake from opposite sides. Lift and flip the pancake in one fluid motion to the delight and amazement of your guests. If the pancake breaks apart don't worry, just push the pieces back together with the spatulas and uncooked portion of the batter will stick together as it continues to cook. Cook about five to six minutes more until golden brown and delicious on both sides. Remember that this pancake is thick and needs to cook through. Use a spatula to cut into the top and take a peek. It should be moist in the center but cooked. The cabbage will be 'al dente' when it is done. Move the pancake to a serving plate and repeat these steps with the remaining ingredients to make a second pancake. The nice thing about cooking at the table is that you can eat the first pancake while the second one is cooking. To serve, spread a layer of mayonnaise on top of the pancake, then sprinkle on the worcester sauce and dried bonito flakes. Using the tip of the spatula, cut straight down into the pancake and portion it out in wedges like a pizza. Serve on small plates with chop sticks.

Cooking at the table means the cook gets to join the party!