Mitsuwa Shopping Spree

I had a great time shopping at Mitsuwa, formerly Yaohan the other day! Here is a picture of my haul with some thoughts.



Starting in the upper left corner,

• Big bottle of Gekkeikan sake, strictly for cooking
• Stack of tofus, extra firm, on sale for 99 cents each! You can’t go wrong.
• Tiny can of wasabi powder sitting on..
• Two jars of picked ginger, one red, one pink
• BIG bag of panko. Why spend $2.50 on that tiny box of Dynasty brand of panko which is the only brand that Jewel or Dom’s seems to carry when you can get a huge sack (400 g) for the same price at a Asian market, I ask myself?
• Lovely, lovely rice crackers
• Mirin for cooking. Could anyone explain the difference between sake and mirin as they are generally used in Asian cooking? They seem interchangeable to me. Am I missing the point?
• Wonderful frozen-fresh udon noodles
• Frozen edamame both in shells and
• … shelled. Martha Stewart’s Everyday Food (issue #30, March 2006) has a nice article about how to edamame: edamame spread with rice crackers, brown rice and edamame that looks sooo much better than it sounds, and an edamame corn chowder with bacon. The article made me take the plunge here, my first edamame.
• Dried soba noodles
• Fresh wonton wrappers – Everyday Food Issue #31 (April 2006) has an article on wonton wrappers: wontons for soup, pot stickers, baked wonton cups (in a mini-muffin tin) that are then filled with a cream cheese – chutney mixture or any other yummy thing you can think of, wonton crackers baked with sesame and fennel seeds and served with a green curry dip.
• Wasabi paste in a tube
• Big bag of pork gyoza pot stickers
• Fresh yakisoba with sauce packets. I just love this stuff!

By the way, I think the $3 plate of yakisoba from the food court at Mitsuwa is one of the great food bargains in that area. It is a very healthy portion of steaming hot noodles, veggies (mostly cabbage), some onion, a tiny amount of ground pork and some good spices. I used to work near Yahohan years ago and would get weekly cravings for this dish. The entire food court there, imho, is worth exploring systematically over several lunches.

Lastly, there is an interesting sounding recipe for edamame dumplings with an easy dipping sauce in the new Cooking Light (April 2006). A sort of mashed, spiced filling in wonton wrappers.

Anyway, I am home sick and having fun creating this post while sitting in bed under three quilts. Hope it is some inspiration to you! And if you can tell me about your edamame experiences, I would be very interested. --Joy

Mitsuwa Marketplace
100 E. Algonquin Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 956-6699

Joy wrote:Could anyone explain the difference between sake and mirin as they are generally used in Asian cooking? They seem interchangeable to me. Am I missing the point?

Mirin gives dishes a light sweetness, and also gives certain dishes a certain shiny-ness, like teriyaki... It also apparently counteracts unpleasant smells from other ingredients.I am learning how to cook, and that's what my Japanese cookbooks all say

I agree with your comment on prices at Asian grocery stores, although I seem to end up spending more $$ overall at Mitsuwa. I tend to do my meat/seafood/vegetable shopping in Chinatown/Chicago Food and just getting my eggs/dairy/juice at Dominicks...

To me, cooking with sake is like cooking with wine. Sake is an artisanal product with all different grades and tastes and it will affect your cooking like wine. My impression is also like CrazyC said, mirin is mainly to add sweetness and glaze. As far as I know the mirin you buy at the grocery is basically an industrial product; nothing wrong with that. It's just all the same.

Quite a few recipes call for both sake and mirin.

You forgot the green tea ice cream and the shokupan bread!

Joy wrote:By the way, I think the $3 plate of yakisoba from the food court at Mitsuwa is one of the great food bargains in that area.

indeed. don't forget the entire sushi counter is marked off ~50% after 6:30pm...

Thanks for the mirin explanations, CrazyC and bibi rose! Very interesting.

Yes, I have noticed that there are many recipes that call for both mirin and sake! In fact, this is how my question came up. I was making Roy Yamaguchi's soy-and-butter-seared swordfish with wasabi ginger butter sauce, which called for both mirin and sake. I discovered we were out of mirin. I figured that sake could substitute. The dish still turned out fabulous but I now wonder, since you tell me about the differences between mirin and sake, what it would have tasted like if I had used both. I think I will have to make this again.

By the way, this wasabi-butter swordfish recipe is from one of the most wonderful cookbooks I have seen in a long time, "Roy's Fish and Seafood: Recipes from the Pacific Rim" by Roy Yamaguchi

I have too, too, too many cookbooks and I no longer buy new ones without having first taken them for a test drive from the library. This cookbook is a buy-and-keep-and-use-every-day type of cookbook, imho. It is big, filled with gorgeous pictures and the recipes are very inspirational. We love fish and seafood and Asian flavors. This book has recipes that work - some using the basic Asian ingredients that most of us keep on hand in our standard pantry and some that are out there at the cutting edge of strange and wonderful.

Has anyone ever eaten at one of Roy Yamaguchi's restaurants or used his cookbook? Do I understand correctly that he has a TV cooking show? I have never seen it.

So I think with the continuing cold gloomy weather that I will have to make that bacon-corn-potato-edamame chowder this weekend. With the main ingredients, who could resist it? And who would even notice a few charming little round green "beans" in their bowl? I think that it will be a perfect way to try this ingredient for the first time.

You know, two of those edamame recipes are online with nice photos,
the bacon-corn-potato chowder http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml ... pe=recipes
and the spread for the rice crackers
http://www.marthastewart.com/page.jhtml ... layout=edf

As Jacques says, happy cooking! --Joy
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marias23 wrote:You forgot the green tea ice cream and the shokupan bread!

Ah yes! The Shokupan bread... My coworkers think I am nuts for driving all the way to Arlington Heights for white bread... =)

Frozen unagi, fishcakes, edamame, tofu, miso, soba noodles and soba tsuyu (dipping sauce) are all staples that I keep handy at home, so that I can whip something up for dinner when I am tired and lazy. Like last night:



In fact, I will have to make a trip out there today or tomorrow... that was my last package of unagi... =)

Edited: Mitsuwa has a website here with the latest sales flyer...

I will be there tonight to do some grocery shopping and dinner at the food court, if anyone would like to join me... =)

CrazyC--

No fair showing without telling! What's going on in the three dishes you show us? What's in them, how'd you make them, and: just how good were they, yum?!

Geo

oops... sorry...

Top left is cold tofu with bonito flakes, green onions(not shown), and a dash of soy sauce.

Middle is unagi-don. I actually take an extra step by removing the sauce from the unagi. I prefer a slight crispness to my unagi, so I broil it sans sauce until it is almost done, then baste it with the unagi sauce you get in bottles at Mitsuwa and then pop it back under the broiler to carmelize slightly... The broiling without the sauce is a tip I picked up at this sushi restaurant I used to work at.

Top right is homemade miso soup with aburage (fried tofu), wakame seaweed, and green onions. Did not have homemade dashi on hand, and was too lazy so I used the dashi powder.

I am on this Asian home cooking phase for the last 2 weeks. Made Korean spicy rice cakes (tubes) the night before, Japanese meat and potatoes (nikujaga) the night before that, and yaki-udon before that. Wierd though, I have not made Chinese food in a while... hmmm... =)

Joy:

Going back to a couple comments you made earlier re: recipes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. I'm very curious about other people's experiences cooking from Everyday Food, or any of the Martha products really.

I find her recipes to be interestingly thought up, extremely well photographed, but disappointingly poorly tested. Of the several dozen of her recipes I've tried, I only like the results of 2 or 3... many of them simply don't turn out looking like the luscious images in the source materials.

I'm a reasonably competent cook, but many people I talk to have had negative experiences with Martha's Recipes, too, so I'm pretty comfortable in thinking it's not me.

ghollander wrote:Joy:

Going back to a couple comments you made earlier re: recipes from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food. I'm very curious about other people's experiences cooking from Everyday Food, or any of the Martha products really.

I find her recipes to be interestingly thought up, extremely well photographed, but disappointingly poorly tested. Of the several dozen of her recipes I've tried, I only like the results of 2 or 3... many of them simply don't turn out looking like the luscious images in the source materials.

I'm a reasonably competent cook, but many people I talk to have had negative experiences with Martha's Recipes, too, so I'm pretty comfortable in thinking it's not me.

I was an early convert to Everday Food; attractive presentation...ostensibly-quick recipes. I found, in excecution, the seasoning ratios were way off. Further perusal revealed they simply recycle the same recipes(and trends) ad nauseum. I haven't bought an issue since the first (pre-MS trial) run. I genuinely like the Martha concept. I'm on the fence regarding her new show(s). The TV Everyday Food can be pretty annoying(crappy hosts...soccer mom pandering). In the checkout line I'll occasionally peruse that month's issue, but I haven't purchased a copy in years.

Their "journalism" typically breaks down to: "ooh! Another! grilled flank steak salad recipe!" and "have you tried: potatoes?"

CrazyC--

Tnx! The broiling-w/o-sauce tip is worth the price of admission... : )

So you're thinking Chinese, are you? Might be time to go peruse the Niu rou mien thread (again!). I'm back in KC for the moment, where it's almost as raw outside as Montreal: so NRM soup sounds just great!!

Geo

I tried the made-in-Japan unagi a few weeks ago. Like Crazy C, I broil sans sauce and apply it later - either at the end or when I have it plated.

The made-in-Japan was good, but I can't vouch that it was truly MSG-free. One thing I've noticed in reading labels in both English and Japanese is that some ingredients aren't always translated into English. I've become much more diligent about reading the Japanese, which I suppose isn't possible for most. Solution? Ask a friendly Japanese shopper to read the label for you. Not entirely practical, I realize...

Queijo wrote:One thing I've noticed in reading labels in both English and Japanese is that some ingredients aren't always translated into English. I've become much more diligent about reading the Japanese, which I suppose isn't possible for most. Solution? Ask a friendly Japanese shopper to read the label for you. Not entirely practical, I realize...

Or I could just turn and ask my wife...

I just got back from Mitsuwa... Traffic was horrible! I have tried the japanese unagis. But they are almost 50% more expensive and I don't taste that much of a difference. I am thinking that the frozen japanese unagis are of the farm cultivated variety, as opposed to the wild caught ones I had in Tokyo... I was told that even in Japan, the regular unagi-ya used the Chinese variety. How accurate that is, I have no idea...

At Mitsuwa, the Japanese unagi are on sale for $13.99, I decided to try the smaller 4 oz packages instead ($2.99). The small packages will not give me an excuse to eat an entire 12 oz fillet in one sitting... =) Plus they are slightly cheaper by a few cents... I know... I know... my asianess came out

I went to Mitsuway a couple of weeks ago and scored some Gyokuro green tean, and some Gen Mai Cha, which was ten times cheaper there than anywhere I have found so far. Yum

Joy wrote:Has anyone ever eaten at one of Roy Yamaguchi's restaurants or used his cookbook? Do I understand correctly that he has a TV cooking show? I have never seen it.

I remember something about a TV show but I've only seen him do a spot on the local news once. He did the misoyaki fish recipe and I've used it several times. (Although I also buy black cod in miso, ready to throw in the pan, at Mitsuwa.)

I've eaten at his restaurants quite a few times. I'd say the flagship one on Oahu is by far the best, the one on the Big Island pretty good; don't bother with the mainland ones if you think you'll ever get to Hawaii. That cuisine is all about the regional fish; the preparations are not that earth-shaking.

Next time you go to Mitsuwa, skip the food court and go to Kitakata. The shoyu ramen is unbelievable. Add "extra pork slices" to your order, too. The pork is unlike any I've ever had in a ramen--fall-apart tender with a dark, richly roasted flavor.

Kitakata
20 East Golf Road
Arlington Heights, IL 60005
(847) 364-7544
(847) 364-7545

I went to Mitsuwa last week and picked up a pack of lime gum. Buy a pack if you see it. It's squishy-soft and the flavor lasts for a while.

Mitsuwa is also the only place I've ever found yuzu juice, too.

crrush wrote:Mitsuwa is also the only place I've ever found yuzu juice, too.

Wow, yuzu juice. Is it in the refrigerated section or where? What does the container look like? I *love* yuzu.

If I weren't so technologically spastic, I would take a picture of the bottle and post it, but you'll have to settle for a description. It's in the middle of the aisle with all of the sauces (ponzu, salad dressings), top shelf. The box is white with green trim and black writing, and there's a drawing of the yuzu fruit on it--it looks like a big-ass lemon, or a pommelo, or a grapefruit. Inside is a greenish bottle with a yellow cap.

I loooove yuzu. It's EXCELLENT with ceviche.

Compared to fresh yuzu, this juice is very harsh and salty tasting. I did a side-by-side earlier this year and wasn't really impressed with the quality. If you are going to use it, make sure it is in a recipe where the flavor is balanced by other ingredients. Just a thought.

Thanks, both of you. I'll be buying it but I'll taste before putting it in anything. Sounds like it might be good in a marinade.

One real problem with not knowing any Japanese is not being able to try some of the bottled sauces and stuff.

Quiejo:

When and where do you find fresh yuzu? I've searched a bit and never found it. I agree about the sharp/salty, but a little goes a long way and it does work with tuna ceviche quite well.

Two places for fresh yuzu:

I posted about it here in January, although the season is actually a little earlier

This site offers yuzu, when in season. They have other exotic citrus that are difficult to find hereabouts.

I made a lovely liqueur with mine, but my horrible roommate drank it before I had a chance to try it. I have charged him $72 for it, the amount it cost me to make it (he actually drank TWO entire batches). Not happy.

Sorry about the misspelled "handle", Queijo.

So, yuzu is available November/December? I'm trying to get a feel for when I should look for it at Mitsuwa. I don't get out there often enough, but I'll make a note on my calendar for fresh yuzu.

P.S. Any "roommate" who swilled two batches of such fine, hand-crafted liqueur should be referred to as a "former roommate", no?

I was thinking ceviche/poke/zuke for the boxed juice as well.

I found fresh yuzu at Mitsuwa in late October, I think. Went back a few days later because it was so good, and there was none left.

Queijo, bummer about your batch of liqueur! We only made a cup or two and strained and drank it after a couple of days. (I think you and I discussed this at the time; mine had pulp in it and was apt to get bitter. What we had was sort of like a margarita mix we steep for a couple of days, about as much juice as booze.)

Next up for Asian cocktails: fresh lychees? I soaked some in vodka last summer and man was that good, both the vodka and the alcohol-soaked fruit which made a nice garnish in a glass of nigori.

Such a good idea with the Lychees (or rambutan, but I haven't seen any around here...).

Yeah, I should have booted the roommate. He's got a lot of payback, and charitably I've allowed him to stay on the installment plan. One more month and I will be asking him to leave. He's been drinking EVERYTHING, not just the liqueur. He drank some good bottles. What kills me is that he doesn't even appreciate it. He's got no taste at all. He's just washing down his whopper with a bottle of Provenance.

Mitsuwa carried Yuzu steadily all december and through the beginning of January. Then they ran out, just after the roommate drank the first batch.

TonyC wrote:

Joy wrote:By the way, I think the $3 plate of yakisoba from the food court at Mitsuwa is one of the great food bargains in that area.

indeed. don't forget the entire sushi counter is marked off ~50% after 6:30pm...

While I am never there to take advantage of this good deal. I was there mid-afternoon today to find you could buy individually wrapped pieces of sushi at 90 cents (tuna, salmon, mackeral) and $1.50 per piece (eel, salmon roe, ect). I bought two pieces each of salmon and tuna to share with a friend while waiting for lunch to arrive:



Lunch of Spicy Ramen with Special Pork from the Santonka booth with a side of rice with salmon roe seemed pretty decadent for a Thursday afternoon lunch:



While Mitsuwa is looking a bit long in the tooth at the moment. The non-food retail shops is about to have a new edition: a book store.

Regards,

Cathy2 wrote:While Mitsuwa is looking a bit long in the tooth at the moment. The non-food retail shops is about to have a new edition: a book store.

They've always had a bookstore, they've made it smaller.

In the last couple years, they've lost the housewares, the stoneware shop, the toy store (he's moved, but its no longer a store, just an ebay front), the old gelato place (I'll miss the blueberry/black sesame), yeah they're long in the tooth. I think some of their meat and fish have come down in price, and it's easier to find things than H-Mart. I don't think I've ever seen fresh wasabi at H-Mart, either.