![]() ![]() “Wabi-sabi originated in China, but evolved seven hundred years ago into a Japanese ideal,” she writes. (Toasting can increase the rate at which they go rancid.) Once you have them, store them in a cool, dark place or even the refrigerator to preserve their shelf life.Consider how Rietbergen explains it in her book. Like other seeds, they can go rancid, so buy untoasted seeds from a store with high turnover, in quantities that you'll use up within four to six months. ![]() Japanese cooks use specially designed ceramic or stainless steel sesame seed roasters that allow you to shake the seeds for even roasting, though you can use a skillet or saucepan over medium heat and carefully stir instead. Toasting your sesame seeds will make their flavor more pronounced. They're also used in sauces, braises, crusts for fish or tofu, and salads, such as this chrysanthemum green salad or this soba salad with asparagus and cucumber. When I was growing up, my mother would shower wilted spinach in a light soy-based dressing with roasted sesame seeds. Mighty little sesame seeds-both the subtler white variety and the more deeply flavored black ones-provide a nutty flavor that Hachisu calls a "backbone taste" in Japanese cooking. Dried kombu should be stored in an airtight container in a cool, dark place. Nakayama recommends choosing packages with large kelp pieces that are evenly colored and aren't covered with too much white powder. But in the US, labeling is usually not that specific. It's so crucial and carefully engineered that in Japan, according to Andoh, hardcore cooks choose the type of kombu they use based on whether they have soft water (the higher-glutamate ma-kombu) or hard water ( hidaka-kombu). Kombu-laced dashi is arguably the most important building block in Japanese cuisine, underpinning a wide swath of preparations: salad dressings, dipping sauces for soba and udon noodles, simmered one-pot dishes, and soups. You can sometimes see a fine white powder of glutamic acid crystals on the surface of the dark, stiff sea vegetable, which turns a lighter military green when softened in water. It lends a vegetal flavor to the broth, but more importantly, its rich glutamates are released into the liquid, along with vitamins and minerals. "Kombu is an absolute necessity," says Andoh of the dried sea kelp, which is most commonly used to flavor the Japanese stock dashi. Miso will not spoil, but it starts to lose flavor and aroma over time and is best used within a few months of opening. Hachisu's favored local brand in Japan, Yamaki Jozo, will soon be available in the US through Gold Mine Natural Food Co.-look out for it. But if you can't find it locally, opt for another organic brand, like Miso Master, or one that just doesn't have weird things in the ingredient list ( Aspergillus oryzae is cool the flavor enhancer hydrolyzed protein, not so much). "The climate in South River is similar to Hokkaido," Andoh says. ![]() Andoh and Hachisu both say South River Miso is the best brand available in the US (and I agree). Either will work for glazing quick-broiled fish, like cod or salmon, so, if you want to experiment or you're going to go nuts making miso soup, miso butter, and miso risotto, get both a white miso and a more robust miso, such as aka or mugi. If you'd like to start with just one, consider whether you would like a light or dark variety and what you're making-white miso works well in dressings, sauces, and lighter soups, while red miso is best in heavier dishes, like braises. ![]()
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