Recipe notes
Remember to spin the spinach well so that it doesn't become too watery. Usukuchi soy sauce is lighter and saltier than the classic version, which you can also use if you wish.
THE BENEFITS OF SPINACH
Spinach is an excellent source of vitamins A, C and K, iron and calcium. It also has anti-aging properties, as it's full of antioxidants!
THE KATSUOBUSHI
Katsuobushi is made from dried bonito shavings (a fish related to tuna). Similar to wood, these shavings are used in dashi broth, but also as a condiment. Very fine and airy, they seem to move in the plate and can be surprising the first time you see them! They are usually sprinkled on dishes such as takoyaki, okonomiyaki, yakisoba...
LE MIRIN
Mirin is a sweet rice wine and a key ingredient in Japanese cuisine! Its taste is similar to sake, but with a lower alcohol content.
There are 3 types to choose from:
Hon mirin contains 14% alcohol and is fermented for 40 to 60 days.
Shio mirin contains 1.5% salt or more.
Shin mirin , which is close to the taste of hon mirin but with only 1% alcohol.
It is used in most Japanese recipes: to season meats, in noodle dishes, in salads and much more!
THE DASHI
This broth is used to make many dishes, including miso soup and sauces to accompany meat, vegetables and fish. Dashi can be purchased as a ready-to-use powder, simply rehydrated with boiling water, or fresh, made from dried kombu seaweed and katsuobushi (dried bonito shavings, a fish cousin to tuna).
For a vegetarian version, you can replace the bonito with dried shiitake mushrooms. It's also very easy to make at home (although very few Japanese cook their own dashi), by infusing a piece of kombu seaweed in a liter of water, which is removed when the water begins to boil. Turn off the heat and add 20 g of katsuobushi to the broth. Wait for the shavings to settle to the bottom of the pan, strain and you're done!
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