Text 9856, 99 rader
Skriven 2007-01-01 10:13:38 av Glen Jamieson
     Kommentar till en text av Carol Shenkenberger
Ärende: RICE  70101(new date)
=============================
 -=> Quoting Carol Shenkenberger to Dave Sacerdote <=-

 DS> You have trouble finding rice in Japan??

 CS> The local markets abound with it, but it is quite a bit more
 CS> expensive. Some of

 CS> them are as much as 7$ a lb here. (Rough translate between metrics,
 CS> Yen, and lb

 CS> as well as USA$).

 CS> The calrose I can get at the commisary, is just about the same as the
 CS> regular  'house brand rice' (think white tablewine thoughts and how
 CS> they can match up  well enough) when cooking.  Cost is *much less*.  So
 CS> much less, that we have a 
 CS> sign up reminding the Japanese wives of our local sailors, that they
 CS> arent  supposed to buy 50lb bags and pass them to their relatives <g>.

 CS> It al relates to the 'be able to feed ourselves' ethics of Japan. 
 CS> They dont  import rice and folks are happy to eat homegrown at a higher
 CS> price to make  jobsand maintain lifestyle.

As it was explained to me some years ago, that was the original reason
for subsidising rice production in Japan by high import duty plus very
cheap land tax where the land was used for rice growing.  Thus the
strange sight of tiny plots of land in between huge office blocks,
with miniscule rotary hoes and other farm machinery working on them.

The need for Japan to be self-sufficient in rice or other food has
passed, but the land speculators who have become wealthy as result of
this form of protection do not want the system changed to allow the
land to be taxed realistically, and they are the ones who financially
support the present government.  Australia and other countries have
been trying to get the Japanese market opened to their products, but
without success.  Australia even grows the Japanese variety of rice,
which I think mainly goes to Japanese restaurants and sushi bars
around Australia.

 CS> Rice, dirt cheap in the USA, is still a 'cheap food' in Japan when
 CS> compared to CS> other things.

Japanese tourists to Australia frequently take styrofoam boxes of
frozen Australian beef and kangaroo meat back with them to give as
presents to relatives.  That is very much appreciated.

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Sushi Rice
 Categories: Sides, Japanese, Asia-n, Charmaine
      Yield: 4 servings
 
    500 g  Short grain white rice
    600 ml Water
      1    Dried kelp; 5 cm, OPT
           ; SEASONING
      4 tb Rice vinegar
      3 tb Sugar
  2 1/2 ts Salt
      2 tb Mirin
 
  This is the slightly sweet, slightly sour rice which forms the basis
  of all sushi.
  
  Wash rice several times in cold water and drain well for 1 hour, then
  put into a saucepan with the measured water. If using kelp, wipe over
  with a slightly damp cloth and add it to the pan. Bring to the boil,
  turn heat very low, cover and steam for 15 minutes without lifting
  lid. Remove pan from heat and leave it covered for 10 minutes longer.
  Discard kelp and turn rice into a large bowl.
  
  Mix seasoning ingredients together until sugar is completely
  dissolved, heating it slightly, but cool completely before adding to
  rice. Spread rice on a large dish. Pour cooled dressing over the rice
  and mix gently but thoroughly through. Fan the rice to cool it
  quickly to room temperature.
  
  To make mounds of rice for nigiri-zushi, moisten hands with cold water
  mixed with an equal amount of mild vinegar. Take a rounded tb of
  sushi rice and form into a neat oval shape a little smaller than the
  slices of fish used for topping. Fish should completely cover top of
  the rice mound. Lightly smear one side of fish with wasabi and place
  it, wasabi downwards, on the rice. Garnish with a strip of nori or
  pickled ginger. Moisten hands again before starting on next mound of
  rice to prevent rice sticking. For recipes see SUSHI.
  
  From: CHARMAINE SOLOMON'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ASIAN FOOD By: CHARMAINE
  SOLOMON, with NINA SOLOMON IBSN 0 85561 688 1 Scanned/Edited by:
  KEVIN JCJD SYMONS, MARCH 2005
  
  From: Charmaine Solomon's Encyclopedia
 
MMMMM
 

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 * Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)