Thursday, August 9, 2012

You Can Make The Most Delicious Kimchi By Yourself

The national Korean dish is kimchi, kimchi is basically spiced, pickled and fermented cabbage although the recipe and ingredients can vary from region to region in Korea. The main ingredients of the dish however are cabbage, cucumber, radish and scallion.
Fermented vegetables used to make kimchi came about in the 7th century when kimchi was fermented as a way to store vegetables. By the 12th century, kimchi was developed into a tastier dish where spices and herbs were added to enhance the flavours. Then finally in the 18th century hot red peppers were added to kimchi to give it its spicy and distinctive taste still used today.

In modern times, kimchi has been introduced more widely into the world by Korean immigrants who have shared this dish with other cultures where it has become a popular side dish. It has even become a more commercial dish in recent years and it can be found in supermarkets usually in Western countries where there are larger populations of Korean immigrants.

Practically eaten at every meal, Koreans have given the world a fantastically healthy dish to have either on its own or as a side dish. A great source of vitamin C, kimchi can help reduce cholesterol levels and slow the effects of aging!

It has a low calorie content and is very low in sugar and fat which makes it a great dish to eat if you are aiming to lose weight. The fermentation process the kimchi goes through means that probiotic bacteria is produced which helps the digestive system. Kimchi is packed full of vitamin A which is great for healthy, skin, teeth, and also helps improve vision!


Ingredients:
  • 2 large Chinese Cabbages
  • 230g rock salt
  • Water
  • Kimchi Sauce:
  • 10 tbsp of fish sauce
  • 10 tbsp of red pepper powder
  • 1 onion
  • 4 or 5 cloves of garlic
  • 1 oriental pear
  • 1 tablespoon of salt
  • 1/2 tablespoon of sugar
  • Small piece of ginger
  • 4 spring onions
Cut the cabbage into chunks and soak in water with 180g salt. Leave to soak for up to 5 hours.

Mix the sauce ingredients in a blender except the spring onions. These can be chopped into chunks and added to the sauce after it is properly blended.

Drain the cabbage and add the kimchi sauce, mix it by hand then add salt to taste. It should have a fairly salty flavour.

Store your kimchi in jars in the refrigerator for a week at which point it will be ready to eat.

Thursday, August 2, 2012

These Basic Knowledge About The Famous Sushi

Sushi is a Japanese delicacy made of cooked rice and fish wrapped firmly in nori. It may contain vegetables and fruits. Fish may be raw, cooked or marinated. Zake Sushi Houston is just one of the many restaurants serving sushi and other Japanese specialties.

Freezing and refrigeration play a big role in preserving the freshness of fish. In the past, fish used should be preserved by wrapping it with raw rice grains and allowing fermentation process to take place for several months. Another way to ensure food safety, sushi handlers partially cooks the fish to eliminate bacteria causing illness present in temperature abused raw fish.By dining in Zake Sushi Houston, residents and tourists in Houston have a chance for an experience.


First things first; do not confuse yourself between sushi and sashimi. These two are different Japanese dishes. Sushi is fish with rice wrapped in nori while sashimi is fish served without rice. Zake Sushi Houston and other Japanese restaurants serve different types of sushi. There many types of sushi. The ones you will read here are the most common types of sushi. Hand-formed sushi or Nigri-sushi has a small oval or rectangular pad and firmly pressed rice. It is served with a topping and may or may not be served with wasabi depending on the customer's flavor preference.

Maki-sushi is a popular type of sushi. It is cylindrical in form and makes use of seaweed wrapper or nori in wrapping rice and fish or any filling. Maki sushi appears in a uniform shape because it is rolled using a bamboo mat. There are two kinds of Maki sushi. Hosomaki contains only one filling and is thinly rolled. Futomaki has many filling and appears thickly rolled. A known concoction of Maki is California Maki which contains rice, protein, ripe mango slice and cucumber. It is served in Zake Sushi Houston and in sushi houses. Gunkan-maki is served without a nori wrapper. Ingredients are firmly hand-pressed using a cup. Temaki-sushi has a cylindrical shape. It is also called hand-rolled sushi. All of the filling are placed in nori and rolled by hand. Another name for Temaki-sushi is Japanese taco.

Sushi sides are served in Zake Sushi Houston. Among the most common sushi sides are pickled ginger, wasabi paste, shredded daikon and soy sauce. Pickled ginger has a pink color and served to rinse the palate after several bites of sushi. A blob of wasabi is served to give that extra kick. It appears green and is extremely spicy when taken in large amount. Shredded daikon, a not so favorite sushi side is served to also rinse the palate. Shredded daikon is a white and mild tasting radish. To add a salty and soya taste to sushi. Soy sauce is often served in bottles and small saucers or sauce dishes are provided for pouring a small amount of soy sauce. Some restaurants prepare their own blend of sushi sauce to provide an easier dining experience.