Once soy sauce become commonly accessible, the needs for Irizake died down and eventually it
became almost forgotten, except at some traditional Japanese restaurants. But lately, Irizake has been re-discovered
by more home-cooks and is going through a quiet revival trend of its own.
I researched so
many different Irizake recipes (so many variations!) to come up with my final
version, which is really simple and basic. But, it was quite a journey!
Ingredients List:
1 bottle (720 ml)
Junmai Sake
1 piece 2” x 2” dashi kombu (dry kelp)
6-7 small to
medium-size umeboshi (pickled plum)
15g katsuo bushi (shaved dry bonito flakes)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2397.jpg)
SAKE: Don’t use a “cooking sake” or
alcohol-added kind. Quality
“Junmai” sake is a good choice, but there is no reason to use a very expensive
kind. My bottle was about $10.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2398.jpg)
Dashi Kombu:
I used “Rishiri Kombu” (from Hokkaido), because it brings cleaner flavor.
UMEBOSHI: Yes, for a high-quality Iri-zake, you want to use high-quality umeboshi. So, I ended up making my own umeboshi! If you use a purchased kind, make sure it has no additives.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2410.jpg)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2411.jpg)
Katsuo
Bushi: Premium “Honkare Bushi” from Kagoshima. Bonito was shaved right before it was used.
Procedure:
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2399.jpg)
To start,
soak Dashi Kombu in Junmai Sake for 3-4 hours. Remove. (No
heating is necessary, because kombu is used for bringing just a subtle flavor
to the sake.)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2409.jpg)
Add Umeboshi to the sake and bring to simmer.
Simmer for 5-6 minutes.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2412.jpg)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2413.jpg)
Add Katsuo
Bushi and continue to simmer for 15-20 minutes until the sake is reduced by
half. Remove from heat and let it
rest for 5 minutes.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2414.jpg)
Strain the
sake through a fine-mesh strainer.
This is your Irizake.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2416.jpg)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2424.jpg)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2416.jpg)
The
beautiful almost flowery aroma of sake and katsuo bushi filled up the entire
kitchen and it was just amazing.
As soon as I tasted my first homemade Iri-zake, I was so blown
away. It was nothing like I’d ever
tasted before…I just couldn’t believe how amazing it tasted! I wanted to drink the whole thing right
away! This Irizake will become an
essential ingredient in Naoko’s kitchen from now on.
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2427.jpg)
![Photobucket](http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/cc218/naokomoore/November%202011/IMG_2424.jpg)
My first Irizake
dish was with freshly made rice with my double-lid donabe rice cooker, “Kamado-san”. I topped the rice
with a mixture of super-thin katsuo-bushi (shaved bonito) and nori (roasted
seaweed) and simply drizzled some Irizake. Righteous!!! I
wish everybody who read this could taste it. To serve with the Irizake seasoned rice, I made simple tofu and wakame seaweed miso soup with my homemade 2-year-aged miso in the beautiful soup & stew donabe, "Miso-shiru Nabe". Humble and perfectly gourmet moment.
Happy donabe
life.