There are many Japan original seasonings in Japan such as Japanese soy sauce and miso. None of these seasoning can be missed out when cooking those popular Japanese foods such as sushi, sukiyaki, soba noodles, udon and so on. Today, we are going to introduce you these two Japanese seasoning, 'Cooking sake' and 'Vinegar' which is essential for Japanese cuisine, and the tips of seasoning adding sequence when making Japanese food! Both of these seasonings are the essential items which have to be always equipped in the Japanese family households!
“Cooking sake” which used to bring out the rich flavor and umami!
Japanese Sake is made by steaming the white rice, and then added in malt and water to fermented and ripened but at the same time have the sourness and bitterness controlled during the process.
Different from those drinking sake, the seasoning sake is processed while keep the sourness and bitterness, at the same time added in the salt. This is because the sourness and the bitterness of the sake will bring out the rich taste of the dishes. This cooking sake cannot be drunk directly, instead it is used to be added to decrease the stinky smell from fish and meat, and also increasing the umami and richness of the dishes. It is often used for simmered dishes.
Indispensable seasoning for sushi rice, "Vinegar"
Vinegar is a seasoning made from ingredients which contains carbohydrates such as rice and barley as main raw material, fermented again after the alcoholic fermentation. There is "Rice vinegar" which made from rice as the main raw material, "grain vinegar" which mainly made from cereals such as wheat, corn and rice, "apple vinegar", "grape vinegar", etc. Rice vinegar has taste of sweetness and deliciousness derived from the rice, while the grain vinegar is characterized with the low sourness and refreshing taste. Besides, rice vinegar shall be used for “sushi rice” preparation. Vinegar has function of preservative antibacterial, enhance of appetite, and it is also used for preserved food such as pickles.
The secret of adding seasoning sequence when making Japanese food
One of the most important things to take note when cooking Japanese food is the sequence to add in seasoning. To fully bring out the rich taste and umami effectively, the sequence to put seasoning is as important as it called as golden sequence. Generally, the sequence to add the seasoning will be sugar and salt, and followed by vinegar, soy sauce and miso. The vinegar has to be added after the sugar and salt because if you put too much vinegar in early stage, the sourness taste will evaporate when then dish is ready. On the other hand, in order to keep the aroma of the soy sauce and miso, it has to be added right before you served. While the cooking sake which used to season the dish and decrease the stinky smell need to be added at the initial stage of cooking. So, you know how much important the sequence is of adding your seasoning when preparing Japanese food!
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