Debra Samuels is the author of My Japanese Table, published by Tuttle. The cookbook is filled with treasured recipes that are genersouly shared from Japanese friends of Debra's over many years in Japan. My copy has many dog-eared pages. Some of the recipes have already become staples in our home kitchen including an addictive salad dressing of garlic, soy, sesame oil, sugar, and rice wine vinegar. Shinji calls it the yakiniku-ya dressing as it is similar to the salad dressing found at many barbecue restaurants in Japan. Another favorite recipe is simple kinpira made from celery. The ingredients are always in the house and the dish can be whipped up in minutes. If you like Japanese home-style dishes or want tips on making bento, be sure to pick up her book.
I had the pleasure of interviewing Debra for Metropolis magazine where she shares her favorite shops and restaurants in Tokyo. She has piqued my curiosity to visit Sugamo. I had more questions for Debra that space didn't permit to print in Metropolis so have continued the conversation with her here. Also, she shares a recipe at the end.
I am really bonkers for bento. I love the boxes and the whole concept.
When introducing this to an American audience I had to be very aware of what would or could be embraced. My main point for people starting out is to think of using 5 colors which automatically increases the variety of food. Greater variety and smaller portions make for a balanced and satisfying meal.
The tip I think makes sense in being able to pull off a nutritious bento on a busy morning is preparing ahead of time. I particularly like making the chicken meatballs and storing them in the delicious stock in the fridge. Then it is just one step to simmering them in teriyaki sauce before placing them in the box.
2. We love the desserts chapter. Any tips for someone wanting to make something Japanese and sweet at home?
Making Japanese sweets at home can use both familiar and unfamiliar ingredients. For example a fusion dessert like matcha marble cake uses green tea powder with regular flour – so that is familiar and your results will be like a western cake.
But if you choose to make something with sweet rice flour, like shiratama (mochi dumplings) or strawberry mochi dumplings, the process for handling the dough, the texture of the product is not familiar. You should be prepared to experiment a bit.
3. Any tips for someone wanting to host a Japanese party at home?
Don’t get overly ambitious! By which I meant don’t try to pull off 5 or 6 new dishes at once. Mix them with other dishes that would work well with them, like a plain baked fish.
The best and most fun way to throw a Japanese party is have a hand roll sushi party – temaki zushi. The prep is all done ahead of time. You prepare a gorgeous display of vegetables: cucumber, avocado, sprouts, simmered shiitake and fish: raw tuna, cooked crabmeat, smoked salmon and salmon roe arranged on large platters. Prepare the sushi rice, provide crispy nori - roasted seaweed and everyone rolls their own creations into a cone. And you enjoy the party.
I like to serve one salad with this to fill out the meal – a spinach, tofu and beansprout salad with sesame dressing. You will have a big hit! (See recipe below.)
4. You spend part of your time in Boston. Any suggestions for sourcing Japanese ingredients in America?
I live in an area with many Asian supermarkets so it is easy for me to get anything I want, both fresh and dried. Many well stocked American markets now carry Japanese ingredients because of the increasing popularity of Japanese food. So you can get short grain rice, nori, decent soy sauce, even mirin and wakame. But if you aren’t near a market there is always the internet. What a difference that makes. There are some great pan Asian markets who sell on line as well as Japanese markets like Mitsuwa that have online stores.
The only thing one should never compromise or buy without knowing the source and preservation methods is raw fish. And I mean NEVER. All fish is not suitable for sushi. It must be sushi grade and that often means super frozen.
5. Tell us about your other great book, The Korean Table.
I had the great fortune of co-authoring a Korean cookbook with my friend Taekyung Chung. I met her in Japan about 17 years ago. Our common language is Japanese! Korean food is now hugely popular in the United States in part due to large Korean American populations and the restaurants that grew up around them. The robust flavors and dishes are now familiar to Americans, like kimchi, bibimbap and of course Korean bbq.
There weren’t many Korean cookbooks in English, so we thought it would be interesting. Both Taekyung and I are cooking teachers so we knew how to explain about ingredients and cooking techniques. I chose recipes I thought would be authentic and popular with Americans without frustrating them. My favorite chapter in the book is the Basics chapter because it teaches you how to make so many different sauces that are so important in Korean cuisine. The book is now in its 3rdprinting so I think it achieved our goals of being accessible.
One 12-14 ounce cake of soft or medium tofu, drained
16 ounces fresh spinach or 10 ounce package of frozen spinach (defrosted)
2 cups water
2 cups fresh bean sprouts
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons roasted sesame seeds
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1-2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 scallion, minced
Sesame oil for drizzling
Salt
1. If using fresh spinach, fill a large bowl with cold water and set the spinach into the bowl. Lift out the spinach and place in a large sauce pan with a lid.
2. On medium heat, steam the spinach, with only the water clinging to the leaves, for about 2 minutes, or until the spinach has wilted.
3. Pour the spinach into a colander and rinse under cold water. Drain and squeeze out the water (if using frozen spinach squeeze the excess water from the spinach). Place the spinach on a cutting board and cut into 2-inch pieces and place in a serving bowl.
4. In the same pan add 1 cup of water and the bean sprouts and a pinch of salt. Cover the sauce pan and cook on medium heat for 3 minutes. Drain the bean sprouts and set aside.
4. Crumble the drained tofu on top of the spinach and mix together, until thoroughly incorporated.
5. Set the beans sprouts in a mound on the top of the spinach mixture.
6. In a small frying pan, on medium heat add the sesame seeds and toast for 3 minutes, stirring periodically with a wooden spoon to keep from burning, Fry until the sesame seeds begin to pop, darken and the aroma is released. Reserve 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds for garnishing and pour the remaining sesame seeds onto a cutting board. Chop finely. If you have a mini food processor pulse several times.
7. In a small bowl combine the crushed sesame seeds, sugar and soy sauce. Mix until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the spinach. Sprinkle with reserved sesame seeds and drizzle with sesame oil.
Garnish with sesame seeds. Toss together just before serving.
