Setting the Stage
You might think you need to get special kitchen equipment for this dinner. Rest assured that you'll probably do fine with the tools you have on hand. For example, you'll need a pot for cooking the rice, sharp knives for cutting the ingredients, a large wide spoon for preparing the sushi rice and a couple of large skillets, all pretty standard stuff. If you wanted to try your hand at making rolled sushi you would need a bamboo mat. But the recipe in this menu eliminates that necessity since it's for hand rolled sushi. As you become an experienced Japanese cook, you can purchase the authentic cookware, but it's not necessary for this dinner.
I love Japanese dinnerware. The design of the pieces enhances the elegance of the cuisine. The simple round soup bowls offer their fragrant contents without pretense. Oblong and rectangular dinner plates present the main course with artful precision. And the beautiful glazes used to finish the pieces create the perfect backdrop for a meal. Presenting the meal on Japanese dinnerware will increase the ambience of your table immeasurably. However, if no one in your club owns Japanese dinnerware, then use the simplest pattern in your collection. Simple white or black plates are preferable. Do you have anything with a bamboo motif? That would be very appropriate for this meal.
Set out chopsticks as well as traditional flatware. Even if your club members don't know how to use he Japanese implements, you can all have fun trying to learn. Also, a large, deep basin spoon is traditional for the soup course.
Decorate your table with pots that have single Japanese irises planted in them for an understated elegant effect.
Play traditional Japanese music in the background to complete the atmosphere.
Tips
Prepare your shopping list several weeks before the meal to allow enough time to track down or order some of the specialty Japanese ingredients. For example, depending on where you live, you may need to order Sushi vinegar, wasabi (Japanese horseradish), and nori (dried seaweed) from an online source.
Make sure you purchase the proper grain rice and follow the correct procedure to make sushi rice. It's essential to the outcome of your sushi dishes.
Give members clean white wash cloths or hand towels that have been moistened in hot water to wash with prior to dining.
The Menu
Saketini - This recipe gives a Japanese twist to the traditional martini.
Gyoza - These Japanese dumplings are one of my favorite starters. The gyoza wrappers are easier to work with than you might think.
Miso Soup - One of the lightest, most flavorful soups you'll taste. If you're making the required dashi stock from scratch, you may want to prepare it in advance.
Cucumber and Daikon Salad - A refreshing accompaniment to your meal.
Temaki Zushi - Hand rolled sushi. A simple way to let everyone try their hand at making sushi. As Setsuko Yoshizuka (About's Guide to Japanese Cuisine) suggests there are many options for fillings including cucumber, raw tuna, avocado, crabmeat, scallops and more.
Teriyaki Chicken - Learn how to make your own teriyaki sauce in this recipe and have an authentic taste of Japanese food.
Yakisoba - Japanese fried noodles cooked with carrots, cabbage and a little bit of pork.
Green Tea Cakes - You'll probably want to have someone make these lovely little Japanese Petits Fours in advance of your party.
Green Tea - You can serve this healthful tea throughout your meal.
