condiment essentials: japanese mayo

How To Make condiment essentials: japanese mayo

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  PREP/PREPARE
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  You will need a mixer or stick blender to make this recipe. You could do it with a whisk, but I would not recommend it (too labor intensive).
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  Dashi Powder If you do not have any dashi powder (I think it is a condiment worthy to be in any chef’s cabinet), you can substitute an equal amount of chicken bouillon powder, or you could take some dried shitake mushrooms and grind them into powder. If you are going the mushroom route, double the recipe amount of dashi.
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  Storage Of Homemade Condiments, Spices, and Sauces Because homemade spices and condiments do not contain any preservatives, it is important to store them properly. Non-reactive (glass) containers with tight-fitting lids are a must. If I am making a dry spice, I love to use old spice bottles that I have run through the dishwasher. If I am doing homemade sauces, I love using Weck jars. They are all glass, come in all sizes and shapes, and have excellent leakproof lids. If you shop online, you can go to Amazon, and type in “Weck Jars” and you will find a ton of them. Dry spices should be kept in a cool space, away from sunlight (spice cabinet), and sauces, in most cases, should be stored in the fridge. If properly stored, this mayo should last 8 – 10 days.
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  What is Nutritional Yeast? It is an inactivated form of yeast commonly used to leaven bread. In other words: Dead Yeast. Dried nutritional yeast is a versatile seasoning to keep right next to the salt and pepper. Shake a dusting on toast or a bagel, use it to flavor popcorn, add it to soups before serving, replace the classic Parmesan sprinkle on a plate of pasta. Vegan-adapted recipes use nutritional yeast to add creaminess to sauces or to replicate traditionally cheese-laden dishes such as mac and cheese, au gratin potatoes, or Italian-style pasta casseroles. What Does It Taste Like? The words "nutty" and "cheesy" appear in nearly every description of nutritional yeast, yet the flavor does not replicate those ingredients exactly. It adds umami, that savory background flavor note, often referred to as the fifth taste, and similarly to salt, enhances the overall savories of a dish, although it contains almost no sodium. The brand I use most often is, Braggs Nutritional Yeast Seasoning. I find it the most consistent in its flavor and quality.
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  The Blender or Mixer Method The blender is the most common way. You add all of the ingredients (except the oil) into a mixer, fitted with an S-blade, blend until all of the ingredients are smooth. Then with the speed set to medium, slowly add the oil in a steady stream until the mixture emulsifies. The trick is to add the oil slowly, almost drop-by-drop, as it mixes with the other ingredients. This is the most common method and requires a bit of patience to make it work. If you add the oil too fast, you wind up with an oily mess, not a mayonnaise. We will be utilizing the stick blender method. If you have never tried this method for emulsifying ingredients, you are going to love it. Unlike the drop, drop, drop method, this way is almost foolproof.
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  Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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  Add all of the ingredients to a large jar.
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  A Mason jar is perfect for this job.
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  Slowly pour all of the oil on tip… yes all at once.
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  Place the stick blender into the jar and push it all the way to the bottom.
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  If you do not keep the stick blender at the bottom of the jar during the mixing process, you will have an oily mess all over your kitchen.
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  Process at high speed until the ingredients emulsify and you have a yummy mayo. It is that simple.
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  Once the mayonnaise has developed, stop blending. If you over blend, the mayo will break down.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Use as you would any yummy mayonnaise. Enjoy.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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