Harry Hakuei Kosato, the creator of Sushi & More, has spent over 15 years in India, experimenting with Japanese delicacies, significantly sushi. Additionally, he runs a complementary enterprise that distributes Kikkoman, a preferred Japanese sauce model, in India. During a candid chat, Kosato shares his journey, together with dos and don’ts for having fun with sushi, in addition to dispelling myths surrounding the delicacies.
What impressed you to concentrate on celebrating the great thing about simplicity in Japanese delicacies?
Firstly, Japanese meals is my very own first so-called “native” meals. I’m from Kobe, Japan, and so Japanese is my first delicacies in addition to “comfort food from my home” which I really like, which I wished to carry, initially in a small means from Japan to India, as you recognize, all of us of us, wish to share the most effective that we take pleasure in, and I wished to share easy Japanese meals with the wonderful folks of India, a spot the place I can now additionally name residence, after 16 years right here dwelling in Mumbai.
Second, simplicity is likely one of the key components of Japanese delicacies, often called “washoku” and the simplicity comes from utilizing easy, pure and pure components, that are recent, and “in season”.
Japan has 4 distinct seasons, the place the produce from the farms, and the catch from the ocean, are distinct to the actual season. Each season has distinct meals of the season, and we’re delighted to take pleasure in the most effective of every season, ready in essentially the most easiest trying methods, and sure, although it appears easy, there are years and years and hours and hours of preparation to make it look easy!
Thirdly, the great thing about Japanese additionally comes from “subtraction” ie not addition – we attempt to decrease over-cooking or including too many spices – think about sushi with a splash of naturally brewed Kikkoman Soy Sauce and freshly grounded wasabi, for instance. We subtract, and don’t add, we expect subtraction brings out the essence of issues, and as such, actually brings the great thing about easy meals, of Japanese meals, to fulfill the palate.
I feel Japanese meals will be additional and higher identified in India – such is the truth that the Japanese authorities conferred me the title of “Japanese Cuisine Goodwill Ambassador” in December 2022, an honour as the primary Ambassador in India, and humbled to affix prime Ambassadors of Japanese delicacies who’re actually Michelin Chefs, Master Sommeliers, and celebrated Restaurateurs in Japan and all over the world.
Can you focus on any diversifications or adjustments which have been made to conventional Japanese dishes to swimsuit the Indian palate?
Adaptation occurs on a regular basis. The British have anglicised Indian curry, to make it say “British Indian Curry”, for instance.
Chefs in India have needed to work with restricted components, and have needed to improvise the place they might to arrange the most effective of Japanese meals underneath comparatively difficult circumstances in India. What I imply about difficult if I could clarify, is that some 15 years or so in the past, we didn’t have the identical stage of hygiene, the extent of culinary experience, or the components and appreciation of Japanese meals as a delicacies in India as we do now.
Of course, there was nice progress over the past 16 years that I’ve been in India.
However, there has all the time been stress between “authenticity” and “innovation”, and there all the time will probably be. But meals all the time evolves, and this interaction of conventional and new, actually, provides rise to raised flavours and tastes, even Japanese meals is evolving in Japan over the centuries and particularly in the previous couple of many years.
True, we have now seen some cooks attempting to be as genuine as doable in India, however in an effort to meet the necessities of the Indian palate, different enterprising and artistic cooks have used extra spices comparable to “shichimi togarashi“ (spicy seven-spice chilli powder mix), so adding some innovation to make it more attractive to the Indian consumer here.
In addition, vegetarian interpretations of sushi have happened here in India, both of the Jain and pure vegetarian types, where avocado is used. Sushi mostly is thought to be non-vegetarian, but in fact, we do have veg items like kappa maki cucumber rolls in Japan as well. Chefs at Sushi and More for example have really been innovative and created some amazing dishes both non-veg and veg which appeal to the Indian customer, and these changes I think show the versatility and evolution of cuisine and food culture, overall.
What are some challenges you face in sourcing high-quality ingredients for Japanese cuisine in India?
Good question. Still, I would imagine less than some 90% of the highest ingredients are not in India yet. High import taxes, challenges in logistics, and low penetration of Japanese restaurants, are some reasons. That being said you can find good Norwegian salmon which we use, and India exports sushi grade prawns too.
Can you discuss any challenges that arise when trying to showcase minimalism in Japanese cuisine to a wider audience?
Another good question. I think sometimes minimalism translates to some representations in Japanese food in India, that may seem to be “too little” or “too bland”, for instance. In Kaiseki delicacies, every portion is small, however there could also be greater than 8 or extra programs. So the confusion typically could come from and preliminary take a look at minimalism that will appear too small, too bland, possibly. But appreciation of a delicacies and tradition doesn’t occur in a single day, and I feel it’s the accountability of us Japanese to tell and popularise ideas of minimalism in meals by way of our interactions over Japanese meals dishes with a whole bunch and 1000’s of Indians over a few years, now and into the long run.
How does the philosophy of minimalism in Japanese tradition prolong past simply meals?
I feel it’s life itself. We Japanese adore true simplicity in all facets of life. Think UNIQLO or MUJI. No model is a model, minimal in look and easy to have a look at, however stunning on the similar time. Speaking little, being frugal, being easy in a single’s actions and behaviours, even. We are right here on this Earth for a short while, we attempt to do our greatest, and maintain good and easy habits and easy optimistic relationships not solely round meals however with cash, buddies, the surroundings, and society as nicely, possibly. Not really easy to place into phrases, this, however we imagine is a straightforward life.
