Japanese Cuisine Craftsman flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Two-stage cooling

Cooked food must reach 21°C within 2 hours and then 5°C or below within 4 more hours, with total cooling never exceeding 6 hours.

Danger zone

The temperature band from 5°C to 60°C in which bacteria multiply fastest; food should spend minimal time in this range.

HACCP seven principles

Hazard analysis, CCP identification, critical limits, monitoring, corrective action, verification, and record keeping form the seven-step food safety framework.

Norovirus control

Norovirus in raw bivalves is inactivated by heating to 85°C for 90 seconds or longer; shellfish served raw carry ongoing risk.

Chlorine sanitizer strength

Surfaces are sanitised with about 200 ppm available chlorine, or with 75% ethanol where chlorine would damage equipment or flavour.

Macronutrient energy values

Protein and carbohydrate each supply 4 kcal per gram, fat supplies 9 kcal per gram, and alcohol supplies 7 kcal per gram.

Umami synergy

Glutamate from kombu combined with inosinate from bonito or guanylate from dried shiitake multiplies perceived umami several-fold compared with either alone.

Starch gelatinisation

Rice and wheat starch absorb water and swell at 60–70°C, which sets texture; cooling below 4°C causes retrogradation and staling.

Myosin denaturation

Fish and meat myosin coagulates at 50–60°C, giving a tender, moist result; actin sets later at about 70–80°C.

Kombu dashi temperature

Kombu is steeped at 60–70°C and removed before boiling; boiling releases bitter alginates and mannitol and clouds the stock.

Ichiban-dashi ratio

First dashi uses about 10 g kombu and 15–20 g katsuobushi per litre of water, with the bonito added at 80–85°C and strained immediately.

Koikuchi versus usukuchi

Koikuchi shoyu is dark, all-purpose and aromatic; usukuchi is lighter in colour but saltier, used in Kansai cooking to preserve appearance.

Hon-mirin versus mirin-fu

Hon-mirin contains about 14% alcohol and 40–50% sugar; mirin-fu chomiryo is a sweetener with under 1% alcohol and no fermentative character.

Sa-shi-su-se-so order

Japanese simmering adds sugar first, then salt, vinegar, soy sauce, and miso last, so sugar penetrates and miso aroma survives.

Sushi-zu ratio

Sushi vinegar is built from rice vinegar with sugar at roughly 10–15% and salt at about 2% of the cooked rice weight.

Katsuramuki

A continuous thin sheet cut by rotating a cylinder against a single-bevel blade, used for daikon garnish and cucumber wraps.

Rangiri cut

A rolling cut that rotates an uneven cylinder between slices, producing pieces of similar mass for even cooking in simmered dishes.

Yanagiba versus deba

Yanagiba is a single-bevel slicer for sashimi and must never cut bone; deba is a sturdy bone-cutting knife with a steeper edge angle.

Hira-zukuri slice

A flat, thick slice cut with a single drawing stroke, standard for tuna and salmon sashimi to preserve the grain and shine.

Otoshibuta drop lid

A lid that sits directly on the food in a simmering pot, keeping ingredients submerged and preventing movement that would break delicate pieces.

Shioyaki salt ratio

Salt-grilled fish is seasoned at about 2–3% of fish weight and rested 20–30 minutes before grilling so the salt draws and sets the surface.

Tempura batter rule

Ice-cold water and minimal mixing keep gluten low; lumps are desirable, and over-mixing produces a tough, oily shell.

Chawanmushi steaming

The egg custard is steamed at 80–90°C for 12–15 minutes; a rolling boil curdles the egg and creates honeycomb holes.

Agemono oil temperatures

Karaage and tempura fry at 170–180°C, tonkatsu at 170–175°C, and thin vegetable chips at about 160°C to avoid burning.

Ichiju-sansai

The standard Japanese meal structure of one soup and three side dishes, served with rice and pickles.

Odd-number garnish rule

Garnishes are counted in odd numbers such as three or five; even counts read as static and are avoided in Japanese plating.

Nigiri rice weight

Each nigiri is shaped from about 15–18 g of body-temperature sushi rice, with the neta overhanging the rice by 5–10 mm.

Food cost percentage

Food cost percentage equals cost of food sold divided by food sales, multiplied by 100; washoku operations typically target 28–32%.

Yield percentage

Yield percentage equals edible portion weight divided by as-purchased weight, multiplied by 100; whole fish typically yields 45–55% fillet.

Mise en place sequence

Dashi and stock first, then long-cooked nimono, then grilled and fried prep, and cold sashimi items last to protect freshness.

Eight specified allergens

Japan mandates labelling for shrimp, crab, walnut, wheat, buckwheat, egg, milk, and peanut, with a further 20 recommended.

Sustainable sourcing rule

Chefs avoid undersized juveniles and respect seasonal closures for species such as ayu, uni, and shirako to protect stocks.