Hiroko’s Kitchen | Blog

Flounder is covered in very tiny scales, so scaling this fish requires a different technique, called, kokehiki, for which I use a very well sharpened yanagiba knife. Scaling is easier when the body of the fish is moist…that is, when fish is fresh and bathed in its natural moisture. Here I have a photo of Executive Sushi Chef Masato of 15 East demonstrating us how to do it properly. Other photos shows students working in very serious manner. The important tip of kokehiki is that you remove only thin layer of scale (thin paper like) but not the thin skin beneath. David is holding and showing his fish’s back after scaling both sides of the fish. You can tell that he is not happy with this result. You can see lots of patches of skin-removed areas. After they filleted the scaled fish, skinned it and cut it into sushi and sashimi slices for later sushi and sashimi use.

Another whole fish the students challenged was saba (mackerel). After filleting we cured it in salt and vinegar for preparation of saba no bozushi (pressed mackerel sushi).

We finished our last class with practice of nigirizushi rice balls (you can see the varieties!) and making of our own nigirizushi. Now we all know why good sushi is expensive – a chef has to start with fish which has very good quality; quality fish has to be handled by quality, experienced chef…Otherwise, there is no quality, delicious sushi.

Preliminary form of sushi began its life in the northern part of present Thailand. It traveled to China and eventually arrived to Japan sometime at around 5th or 6th century. It took over thousand years for the preliminary sushi to transform to close to the present style of nigirizushi and rolls (not inside-out rolls). In today’s class we first focused on the preparation of perfect sushi rice – firmly cooked and properly seasoned, gari ginger pickles, simmered shiitake mushrooms and tamagoyaki omelet. Then, we prepared traditional thick roll (futomaki) with shrimp, asparagus, carrot, omelet and shiitake mushroom, traditional thin roll (hosomaki) with cucumber and pickled daikon radish, and American inside-out roll sushi with spicy tuna, avocado and eel stuffed catapilar roll, and classic California roll. There are many rolls which did not properly closed/sealed at the end of nori sheet………….but all disappeared – hide the evidence – in students’ empty stomach.

Today students learned the philosophy behind presenting dishes – Gomi, Goshoku, Goho, Ying & Yang, 70/30 and 60/40 rule….then produced simmered branzino, sake-braised short-ribs, simmered vegetables, salmon takikomi gohan and simmered hijiki and carrot. A great learning day and delicious foods – by students. Here are some photos.

The Essentials of Japanese Cuisine Course is approaching. The dates of the course is October 5th, 6th, 7th, 10th, and 11th, 2011. This 25-hour intensive course is designed to give students a strong foundation in the essential techniques and theories behind Japanese cooking. Students will become familiar with various ingredients, flavors and cooking methods common to Japanese cuisine.

Session 1 (5 hours)
• The role of Kombu, Fish Flakes, Shoyu and Mirin
• Techniques of making Dashi and Kaeshi
• Preparing Udon
• Knife Sharpening

Session 2 (5 hours)
• Understanding Rice and Miso varieties
• Grilling
• Miso Soup
• Rice dish

Session 3 (5 hours)
• Understanding Braising and Simmering
• Identifying and using Sake, Sea Salts, and Seaweeds
• Preparing flavored Rice with Vegetables and Protein
• Presenting prepared dishes
Session 4 (5 hours)
• The history of Sushi in Japan and America
• Key Sushi ingredients
• Preparing Sushi Rice, Pickled Ginger, Sushi-dipping Shoyu, and rolled Omelet
• Preparing Rolls, including traditional, inside out, and thick rolls
• Presenting prepared dishes

Session 5 (5 hours)
• The history of Nigirizushi and Sashimi
• Understanding Fish for raw consumption
• Hygiene for Nigirizushi and Sashimi preparation
• Filleting whole Fish, cutting fish for Sashimi, and slicing Sushi with Japanese knives
• Preparing and presenting Nigirizushi and Sashimi platters
Visit www.frenchculinary.com. You will find the registration site under FUN CLASSES. Hiroko

If you have difficulty to find information on five day Essentials of Japanese Cuisine at French Culinary Institute/International Culinary Center, or having a problem of registering it, go to www.frenchculinary.com. Then, click All Courses in NY, then go to Classes for Fun. Looking forward to seeing you! Hiroko

International Culinary Center (FCI) is offering additional Essentials of Japanese Cuisine in October. The dates are October 5th, 6th, 7th (Wed, Thurs, Frid), and 10th and 11th (Mon., Wed). If you are not registered yet, I highly recommend it! Here are some of the previous students comments on what did theylike the couse. Thank you very much for giving us a good reaction. Without chef Jiro of Aburiya and chef Masato of 15 East I could not accomplish to this high level. Thank you for the chefs!!! ;

- The amount of information covered and teaching style of chef Hiroko Shimbo
- EVERYTHING! I have taken courses at the CIA including some of the boot camps and I was delighted at how much I learned from Hiroko. She is amazing. I particularly loved the guest instructors.
- Learning or relearning techniques – history – making friends.
- The class size was perfect. I appreciated learning some of the science behind a particular technique or cooking method as well as its cultural significance. Chef Hiroko’s wealth of knowledge and talent was a true inspiration and I was honored to spend a week learning from her. In that short amount of time, I learned a number of skills I never imagined I would be able to successfully perform. It was also a wonderful opportunity to learn from 2 other talented Japanese chefs in the city. I am now much more confident in my Japanese cooking skills, which was my main goal.

We look forward to having you in October!
Hiroko, Jiro and Masato

Today was a final day. Jennifer did not show up, but everyone – Gail, Berta, Mauro, Wanda, Margie, Kasinee, Amanda, Amy, Pitipon, Mat, Leeana and Travis – fully enjoyed the last day of the venture. The topic of the day was Nigirizushi and Sashimi. We were fortunate to have a very special guest sushi chef, Masato Shimizu (15 East), with us today! Chef Masato first demonstrated how to scale (very unique technique) and fillet a fluke. Every students were sent back to each station and asked to challenge the scaling and filleting tasks. Under Chef Masato and my supervion everyone worked focused and diligently, and produced pretty good result even though none of them tried these techniques before. Hooray! Chef Masato then showed the students how to cut the filleted fluke into sashimi slices and make nigirizushi. After chef’s departure the students made sashimi platter with fluke, salmon, yellowtail and tai sea bream. Afternoon was spent to fillet one more fish, mackerel, for salt and vinegar cure. We then moved to nigirizushi rice ball practice and enjoyed one’s own nigirizushi…………..long and tired week but very happy and delicious week for everyone. Thanks for joining me the course.

[caption id="attachment_1445" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Chef Masato scaling fluke"][/caption][caption id="attachment_1449" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Amanda after filleting - look at my clean bone"][/caption][caption id="attachment_1451" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Chef Masato overseeing the class"][/caption][caption id="attachment_1453" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Mat Hey good skill"][/caption][caption id="attachment_1455" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Who\'s sashimi platter?"][/caption][caption id="attachment_1457" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="The First Graduate of Essentials of Japanese Cuisine"][/caption]

Today my students learned how to do basic items to make varieties of rolls, including traditional thin rolls, thick roll and American-born inside out rolls. The battery of my camera went down…not much photos. I will post them along with tomorrow’s class photos. We will be filleting a whole sushi fish, cutting into sushi and sashimi slices and making a REAL pro-nigirizushi. Chef Masato Shimizu of 15 East is our special guest chef!

Hiroko’s Essential Japanese Cooking Courseis running next year at International Culinary Center (ICC)/ French Culinary Institute (FCI)!  Anyone who wishes to learn the art of Japanese cooking to a thorough extent should join my Essential Japanese Cookuign Course at ICC/FCI in New York in July and October, 2011.  The course consists of five consecutive days of classes.  (more…)

Mark a calender to join my “Ramen and Gyoza” cooking class at International Culinary Center (www.internationalculinarycenter.com) in French Culinary Institute that will be held on October 24th (Saturday).   Please check the site for further information.  A perfect bowl of ramen to me means that every component in the

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