Well ... I got inspired again and attempted to throw together a Japanese cuisine stye meal for over 20 people. Had 3 other people helping me with the food preparation over the course of two days, and each of us probably spent a total of 8 total hours each in preparation. Man.... -_-
My first time ever, but I absolutely enjoyed every step of it.
What did I make?
1. Onigiri - rice balls with umeboshi, a strip of nori and nori/toasted sesame seed seasoning sprinkled on the outside.
2. Miso soup - solely a veggie based stock of "julianed" mushrooms, celery, grated carrots and wakami, then add the miso (I used brown rice based miso) and before serving add a sprinkling of chopped scallions and teeny tofu cubes.
3. Tempura - veggie mostly, including eggplant, zucchini, mushroom, carrot and yam.
4. "Sushi rolls" - no meat in them per se, only veggie content. Made close to 90 of them. So exhausting.
5. Shrimp, Clams (whole feet), and Squid tentacles (all cooked, of course) ... so sad I could not find pre-prepared bbq'd eel and octopus (my fave). We arranged the "sushi rolls" all in the middle of the plate and the various seafood meats around the outside of the plate. I decided to have people simply put a piece of the meat on top of the roll if they wanted rather than making a separate "finger" of rice, place the meat on top and then wrap it together into one whole with a piece of nori.
6. Plates with pickled ginger slices and wasabi paste on separate halves.
7. Bowls with tempura dipping sauce.
8. Individual tiny plates for mixing soy sauce and wasabi for roll dipping.
9. Fried Hizhiki seaweed with sesame seeds and various flavors - absolutely scrumptious (I love Hizhiki).
10. Sweet Bean filled Mochi on top of which I placed a sakura flower that was still wet from the rain (so it stayed stuck to the mochi).
11. A small glass of sake lightly flavored with "melon" (?) ... that's what the bottle said. We heated the sake up and it tasted a little like plums to me, but oh well.
Annddd ... I think that's it. :\
It was totally exhausting but it tasted absolutely delicious and everyone really liked it.
Maybe I should mention that although I am fully American (i.e. white and non-Asian) I grew up with parents who cooked according the macrobiotic system of food analyzing and preparation (as my dad has tons of food allergies). So I had the opportunity to be exposed to LOTS of Japanese and Chinese cuisine ... I even used to bring umeboshi filled, nori wrapped onigiri to elementary school in a lunch box - I kid you not.
So anyway for me being able to prepare this meal was a little nostalgic for me as well ... I am already a fan of Japanese culture and the like, so all this made it extra special in a way.
I tell ya though ... I got LOADS of respect for those folks that prepare such food every day now. The wife of the family I stayed with in Japan when I visited for a month in April of 2010 used to make this kind of home made stuff for me EVERY ... SINGLE ... DAY. I have a whole 'nother level of respect for her now. Man. Talk about time consuming!
