Suji-AonoriIts hidden charm as a food ingredient
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Navigator: Shui Ishizaka
Shui Ishizaka
Born and raised in Australia, Shui Ishizaka is our culinary virtuoso whose innovative approach to seaweed transforms the ocean's produce into gastronomic masterpieces. His journey to and at Sea Vegetable passes through some of the culinary world’s prestigious kitchens including Tokyo's two-Michelin-starred restaurant INUA and three-Michelin-starred noma’s popup restaurant in Kyoto.
Ishizaka’s philosophy revolves around the narrative of each dish, where the 'why' becomes as important as the 'what'. His work embodies a deep respect for the ingredients’ origins, pairing the known with the unknown. He is a chef who not only envisions a seat for seaweed at the global dining table but also crafts each dish as an invitation to explore, taste, and appreciate the unseen wonders of our oceans.
Sea VegetableI met everyone around November 2020. dry in the kitchenSuji-AonoriI remember you bringing me one.
When I first tasted it, I thought it was fresh and freshly made. The dried green seaweed I had eaten before was not bad at all, but I didn't know when it was processed or how long it was on the store shelf. But,Sea VegetableI still remember thinking that it was freshly dried.
It also has a refreshing scent with less of an oceanic feel. I thought it would give off the scent of pure green seaweed.
ThenSea Vegetabletogether withSuji-AonoriI decided to try a variety of different ingredients, and first I tried the raw ones before drying.Suji-AonoriI asked for
For example, a painter will start with a blank canvas. Inside me, it's drySuji-Aonoriis a canvas that has already been dyed with some color. The inclusion of the drying process limits what you can do. I wanted to start with something that was taken directly from its living environment.
So at first,Suji-AonoriRather than using it as the centerpiece of a plate, I experimented with how to use it as the best supporting ingredient.
The reason for this is that up until now, green seaweed was mostly used as a sprinkle on something, so if it suddenly became the main ingredient on a plate, it would be difficult for people to accept it. First of all,Suji-AonoriI want people to know that it tastes like this and can be used like this.
I tried seasoning. I wanted it to be something basic that I would always have on hand and use, whether at home or professionally.
Suji-AonoriIt has a good aroma even when raw. Oil has the power to extract the aroma of ingredients as a container. So first of all,Suji-AonoriI wanted to make some oil. This went really well and turned out to be delicious.
I used rice oil this time, so next time I'll use animal oil.Suji-AonoriI wondered what would happen if I transferred the scent of butter, and next I decided to add butter.Suji-AonoriI made something like burnt butter, which was also interesting.
If you use animal oil, it will cause problems in your mouth.Suji-AonoriThe way the scent spreads is completely different and delicious. Well thenSuji-AonoriI thought it might be an ingredient that goes well with all dairy products, so I decided to try milk this time.
Suji-AonoriMilk that has transferred its color and taste. This was also really good, and it felt like the world had expanded a lot here, and the possibilities had expanded.
In the end, I feel that green seaweed is seen as an ingredient that only goes well with Japanese cuisine. The most obvious ones are okonomiyaki and takoyaki. You might find it in soups at high-end restaurants, but it's all Japanese. It's not an ingredient that would easily fit into Italian or French cuisine.
However, milk is an ingredient that is used all over the world.Suji-AonoriAs long as there is fragrant milk, even if there is no form,Suji-AonoriYou can enjoy the subtle and delicate scent of milk in recipes that include milk. The taste is so appealing and interesting that you won't even notice that it contains seaweed.
So the next thing I tried making was ice cream, where I think the quality of the milk is the most important.
I think it's interesting because I've never heard of green seaweed ice cream, but the important point is that it wasn't just interesting, it was delicious in the end.
If you've ever had green seaweed ice cream, it's most likely vanilla or milk flavored ice cream mixed with green seaweed. Rather,Suji-AonoriFor some reason, when you make ice cream using milk, it tastes more umami and salty.
The color is yellow-green, similar to matcha ice cream, and the taste is definitely a bit matcha-like. However, there is a deliciousness that matcha never has. I've been eating matcha ice cream a lot since I came to Japan, but now I've created an ice cream that's even better than that.
After that, try making all kinds of sweets using milk that you can imagine, such as cookies and tiramisu.
It becomes even more interesting when I try making mascarpone, ricotta, and fresh cheese. In the futureSuji-AonoriI'd also like to try making cheese by fermenting milk and letting it sit. Camembert cheese is also good.
I also tried making miso and experimented with fermentation.
Suji-AonoriNo matter what I tried, it turned out to be very interesting. Actually, I tried the same thing with other seaweeds, but many things didn't work out.
Then I thought again,Suji-AonoriI thought it was very unique even in the world of seaweed. This is the first time I have faced seaweed like this.Suji-AonoriIt was truly miraculous.
But rawSuji-AonoriWell, there's something about it that if you don't put some effort into it, nothing will happen. Whether or not it tastes great depends a lot on the knowledge and skill of the person using it.
Therefore,Sea Vegetableis the bestSuji-AonoriIf you dry it properly, it becomes easy to use in cooking.
Risotto is absolutely delicious.
It's really delicious when you mix it in at the end and put it on top of the plate.
I think it would also be good for fish fried in a frying pan with butter. Dry the fish in the frying pan at the perfect time when it is cooked.Suji-AonoriSprinkle with it and serve immediately. This is also delicious.
drySuji-AonoriWhen you want to add that fragrance to a dish, it has the power to instantly solve the problem with just a pinch.
Just open the pack and sprinkle or mix it on your food to enjoy the deliciousness.
So in a sense, in Japan, things like okonomiyaki and potato chips areSuji-AonoriI think I've used it in the most delicious way.
However, I'm sure there are other scents that go well with this scent, so I'd like you to try them out.