Master Chef's Class: Chef Kuwakino's Sansai Tempura - Dining with the Chef

Join Harry Sugiyama and Chef Kuwakino for a showcase of Niigata's natural bounty. Simple techniques bring out the fresh flavors of sansai—Japan's wild mountain vegetables.

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★Sansai Tempura

Ingredients
Udo (Japanese spikenard)
Ukogi (Five-leaf ginseng)
Taranome (Aralia sprouts)
Seri (Water dropwort)
2 eggs
400 ml water
Flour
Untoasted sesame oil
Salt

Directions
1. Chill the egg, water, and flour. Mix lightly to make the batter.
2. Dust the sansai lightly with flour, and coat them in batter. Deep-fry in 170°C oil until crisp.
3. Sprinkle lightly with salt.


★Fuki Kimpira

Ingredients
Fuki (Japanese butterbur)
Untoasted sesame oil
Mirin
Soy sauce
Salt
Sesame seeds

Directions
1. Rub the fuki stems with salt, blanch, and remove the tough strings.
2. Cut the stems into bite-sized pieces, and stir-fry in sesame oil.
3. Add mirin, soy sauce, and salt. Finish by sprinkling with sesame seeds.


★Mizu Ohitashi

Ingredients
Mizu (Elatostema umbellatum)
Dashi
Usukuchi soy sauce
Sansho pepper leaves

Directions
1. Remove the tough strings from the mizu stems, and blanch.
2. Cut into bite-sized pieces, and soak in dashi seasoned with soy sauce for 2 hours.
3. Garnish with chopped sansho pepper leaves.