Japanese Chef, Tsukasa Masui

Greece and Japan share a fondness for seafood. Both culinary traditions rely on accenting acidity and sweetness in a dish. So I wondered, would Japanese culinary experts enjoy Greek food and beverage products?

To find out, I gathered a variety of Greek delicacies and presented them to people who are knowledgeable about food. My first meeting was with Chef Tsukasa Masui. Trained by the famous Tujitome Japanese Restaurant of Ginza, Mr. Masui has mastered the art of traditional Japanese cooking. He is known as the last apprentice to the late Mr.Yoshjikazu Tuji, who is not only the authoritative figure of “cha kai seki” (light food served during a tea ceremony, but also as a prolific writer on Japanese culinary culture. 16 years ago, Mr. Masui opened a conger eel (in Japanese it is called Anago) restaurant named, Masu Aji, in hopes of introducing the next generation to authentic Japanese cooking. Still adhering to the tradition of using seasonal ingredients, he presents unique dishes using innovative techniques. Conger eel is a popular ingredient in Japan but this is probably the only restaurant where you will be served only conger eel!
High-quality conger eel is hand-selected at Tsukiji market [editor’s note: this is the famous fish market of Tokyo] every morning. The mud is thoroughly cleaned out and the eel is then offered as sashimi – which is a rare delicacy even to a food connoisseur. Patrons visit several times a year to sample this eel, as its taste and texture changes with the seasons.

After tasting all that was on offer, he marveled that all were applicable to Japanese cooking

I asked Mr. Masui if he knew that conger eel (though a slightly different variety than the one found in Japan) is also popular in Greece. “Greek dish?” He said, “I’ve never tried it. I’ve heard that the Greeks eat a lot of seafood, use lemon, vinegar and olive oil in their cooking.”

Mr. Masui has never visited Greece, nor had any preconceived opinion about Greece. Among over 20 kinds of Greek products that I have laid out, he first showed interest in the Avgotaraho (a similar product is known as karasumi in Japan).

“Mullet roe? They eat karasumi in Greece?” He said, “I have never seen this sort of preservation method, hardened with such wax. The soft, rawness of the fish is preserved in the inside and the common fishy odor is not there. This quality cannot be kept unless the fresh material is prepared on the spot. This is interesting.”

Karasumi, when complimented with sake, is highly valued and Mr. Masui prepares his own salt-cured karasumi every year, which is offered at his shop.

Tasting the Avgotaraho, he said, “A lot of salt is used in the preservation process in Japan, so it is difficult to create this sort of karasumi, which is soft and close to raw (in the middle). When sliced, the fresh flavor is enjoyed and when refrigerated, it may be kept as stock. If karasumi of this quality is manufactured in Japan, it may be offered at around 30,000 yen. All the chefs will be interested in using it as an ingredient if it may be preserved and the price is reasonable.”