Mokuren Recipe

Prepare seasoned tofu

Bring dashi to a gentle simmer in a small saucepan. Stir in mirin and light soy sauce. Turn off heat. Cut silken tofu into two or four serving pieces and gently warm by pouring a ladle of the seasoned dashi over or briefly immersing for 20–30 seconds. Place tofu in a small shallow bowl, spoon 2–3 tablespoons of the warm seasoned dashi over the tofu, sprinkle with yuzu zest and thinly sliced spring onion. Serve immediately.

Slice and plate sashimi

Keep fish cold until ready to serve. Using a very sharp sashimi knife, slice the salmon against the grain into 4 mm thick slices (about 4–5 slices from 120 g) and the tuna into similar thin slices. Arrange shiso leaves and a small bed of julienned daikon on chilled plates. Fan the salmon and tuna attractively over the daikon. Place a small mound of fresh grated wasabi on the plate and serve with soy sauce on the side. Consume immediately.

Simmer sablefish

Pat the sablefish dry and cut into a single serving portion if needed. In a shallow pan combine 250 ml dashi, mirin, dark soy sauce, and sugar. Add the ginger slices and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the fish, skin-side up, and spoon simmering liquid over the top. Arrange baby bok choy (halved if large) around the fillet. Cover and poach gently over low heat for 6–8 minutes until the fish is opaque and flakes easily and the bok choy is tender. Transfer fish and bok choy to a warm dish and reduce the simmering liquid over medium heat until slightly syrupy (about 3–4 minutes). Spoon the reduced sauce over the fish and serve immediately.

Prepare tempura batter

Chill a mixing bowl and keep your ice water very cold (add ice cubes and remove before mixing). Place tempura flour in the bowl and add the ice water in two additions, mixing very lightly with chopsticks or a fork—do not overmix; a few lumps are fine. The batter should be cold and slightly lumpy.

Fry shrimp

Heat vegetable oil in a deep pot to 170–175°C (340–350°F). Pat shrimp dry and, if desired, lightly dust with a small amount of tempura flour to help the batter adhere. Dip shrimp into the cold tempura batter and gently lower into hot oil. Fry 2–3 shrimp at a time so oil temperature remains steady, about 2–3 minutes until lightly golden and crisp. Remove to a wire rack or paper towel-lined tray and season immediately with a light sprinkle of sea salt. Serve with grated daikon and ten-tsuyu for dipping.

Make quick pickled cucumber

Thinly slice the cucumber and place in a bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tsp salt, toss, and let stand 5–10 minutes to draw out moisture. Squeeze out excess liquid, then combine rice vinegar and sugar until sugar dissolves. Toss cucumber with the vinegar dressing and finish with toasted sesame seeds. Chill briefly before serving.

Prepare chawanmushi custard

Beat the eggs gently in a bowl to avoid frothing. Warm the 300 ml dashi slightly (do not boil) and season with light soy sauce and mirin. Slowly strain the warm dashi into the beaten eggs while stirring gently to combine; strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a measuring jug to ensure smoothness. Place a few sliced shiitake and a couple of small shrimp into each small heatproof custard cup. Pour the egg-dashi mixture into the cups, covering the fillings. Cover each cup with foil or a lid to prevent condensation dripping. Steam in a steamer over simmering water for 12–14 minutes on low heat (check after 10 minutes) until the custard is just set but still jiggly. Serve warm.

Cook Japanese rice

Rinse the short-grain rice under cold water until the water runs clear to remove excess starch (3–4 rinses). Drain and place in a rice cooker with 360 ml water (use the rice-to-water ratio recommended for your cooker if different). Let the rice soak 20–30 minutes if time allows, then cook according to the rice cooker instructions. Once cooked, let rest 10 minutes with lid closed, then fluff with a rice paddle. Optionally, stir in 1 tsp rice vinegar for a slight gloss and seasoning immediately before serving.

Prepare matcha and fruit

Slice the seasonal fruit into elegant, bite-size portions and arrange on a small chilled plate. Whisk the matcha powder with hot water (about 30 ml at ~80°C/176°F) and 1 tsp sugar until smooth and lightly frothy. Serve the fruit with the small cup of prepared matcha alongside as a light finish to the meal.