Mr. Takahash, one of our master chefs, used to work at a culinary school in Japan called Tokyo Sushi Academy. One day, his former student, Noorisha, contacted him in need of help in order to renew and brush up on the menus of her Japanese restaurant in India. During his two-week stay, his main task was to develop new menus for her restaurant. This was when Mr. Takahashi realized that shojin ryori, a type of Japanese cuisine, could be of great use to Indian customers. Let’s find out how the cooking method of shojin ryori filled the gap of what the restaurant needed.
What is Shojin Ryori?
What is shojin ryori? As some of you may know, shojin ryori is a type of cuisine in Japan and refers to traditional Buddhist cooking. This cuisine is made without meat or fish and followed by monks. The knowledge and techniques of shojin ryori are a great way to teach us how to enhance the umami from 100% vegetarian/vegan ingredients and achieve great taste, variety, and satisfaction.
In India, there is a large population of vegetarians and vegans. Because shojin ryori does not require animal products, Mr. Takahashi thought he could apply the cooking method to the local culinary culture without using animal products.
How The Master Chef Applied Shojin Ryori to Restaurant in India
Mr. Takahashi repeatedly tried to create new recipes and adjust them during those two weeks. It was not easy for him because there was a problem that he needed to overcome. That is, vegetables taste differently, and the soy sauce that the restaurant used was slightly saltier than the ones in Japan. Not to mention, all the ingredients are very different in every country, and knowing the country’s culinary culture is essential. So, he knew that if he used the traditional shojin ryori recipe as is, it would not work in the country. So he needed to adjust the recipe based on these differences.
As mentioned earlier, shojin ryori is a great way to create an umami flavor from vegetables. Just to name a few, we can use kombu seaweed and dried shiitake mushrooms to make dashi stock instead of dried bonito. Nori seaweed is another excellent source of umami. It is like chemistry. Think about the best combination of chemical substances which create umami from non-animal products.
During his two-week stay, he developed a variety of vegetarian/vegan dishes for the restaurant. At the same time, this opportunity gave him a new perspective on Japanese cuisine. He realized that Japanese cuisine has the potential to create a great taste without using animal products. In Japan, vegetarian and vegan meals have not been common, whereas we have a type of cuisine, shojin ryori.
Learn the Skills to Apply Knowledge in Different Cultures
The example of shojin ryori above shows how important it is to learn the basics and techniques from master chefs. Having another perspective from them could potentially change your understanding and deepen your cooking knowledge and skills. Also, this story can remind you that you can apply your knowledge of Japanese cuisine to create something new and unique in your own country. Yet, it still follows the line of Japanese cuisine.
Mr. Takahashi once mentioned that no matter what background his students have, he always respects them because they have their own ways and thoughts. Being respectful to others builds trust. And trust is essential for the trainer-trainee relationship.
In our membership plans, you can access plenty of classes where he teaches and gives you personalized feedback. In sushi masterclass courses, you will have live sessions with him where you can receive live feedback from him.
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