Thread: misou?
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Avary_Ninja (Offline)
Semi-competent Ninja
 
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Join Date: Oct 2006
01-25-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:
Originally Posted by Nyororin View Post
I have never even once in my life heard of shark fin in Miso soup. That would have to be about the most wasteful thing anyone could do.

Shark fin is a Chinese delicacy. Miso soup is an everyday Japanese food. It would be like... like... tossing caviar into your macaroni and cheese.
In other words, something that wouldn`t happen - plus it`s two different types of food. Japanese and Chinese.

So... Don`t put shark fin in your miso soup. Use it with the type of food it`s meant for.
You obviously haven't seen Iron Chef Japanese Rokusaburo Michiba at work. Not only did he put shark fin in miso soup, he also regularly uses liberal amounts of foie gras, truffles and caviar in his cooking although they are staples of french cuisine. Once the basic Miso is done there is no restriction on getting creative. Hiroyuki Sakai relies heavily on Japanese and Chinese ingredients and techniques in his French cuisine. Masaharu Morimoto also oversteps culinary boundaries in his quest for delicious dishes. Try new and exciting flavor combinations.

Quote:
For an easier way to make miso soup - If you`re taking 30 minutes to make it... wow, you spend a lot of time in the kitchen. I can whip mine up in less than 5.
I can even be faster. Just use instant miso soup packets. Just add hot water and voilĂ . Or just open a can. And if you're hungry for pizza go to Wal-Mart and buy a frozen cardboard pizza that tastes like shit, you'll get the same result. Personaly I make my own pizza from scratch using fresh ingredients. I make my own dough, my own sauce, grate the cheese myself and I enjoy watching the pizza bake in the oven, drooling in anticipation. And when I eat it, it's much more delicious because not only is it entirely fresh, but I have the satisfaction of accomplishing something and the people I cook for can see and taste the difference.

Quote:
Almost all red miso has the dashi (soup base) in it already. Just dissolve it in boiling water to your taste. If you have white miso without soup base in it, pour normal fish based soup stock into hot water until you can taste it, but it tastes a bit thin for soup. Then dissolve the white miso. Toss some sliced green onions and tofu in, boil for 3 or 4 minutes, and you`re done.

Trust me, making the dashi from kombu and bonito flakes is a lot of trouble and hardly anyone does it anymore.
Food isn't just something to shove down into your stomach so you don't die. If it were, we'd be eating shit without a second thought. Or microwave ready-made meals, but I repeat myself. Humans do not eat to live, they live to eat. Food is life and cooking is an art. The most successful and useful art at that. With cooking you can reach and please all the senses, making it the ultimate form of art.

The whole process of cooking is a joy. Researching recipes. Going to the market to select fresh ingredients, paying care to the freshness, texture, color, smell, shape and form. Keeping the kitchen clean and spotless. Sharpening your blades and wiping the cutting board. Chopping up, slicing, dicing, mincing and setting aside in little bowls for later use. Mixing the eggs and flour, kneading the dough and cutting out the ravioli shapes. Cooking, baking, frying and boiling at just the right temperature. Serving in plates or bowls chosen for the way they enhance presentation. Setting a table, getting the lighting and atmosphere right for the enjoyment of food. Sharing the meal with friends and family over the perfect wine, sake, or tea.

This is all worth spending a lot of time in the kitchen. Cooking from scratch using fresh ingredients. This is why I make my own bread. I make my own pasta. My own pizza. My own sushi. My own Miso soup. My own curry. My own szechuan soup and so on... It's much more delicious and enjoyable.


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