The secrets to better sushi and ramen, according to Chef Thomas Mahara

Most common Japanese cooking in India asks two very different things of the person making it. Sushi demands precision: the rice temperature, the texture of each grain, the ratio of filling to nori, the clean cut at the end that tells you whether the roll holds together or does not. Ramen demands patience and depth: a broth built in layers, the timing of when the miso goes in, the balance between saltiness, umami and richness that makes the difference between a bowl that is good and one that stays with you. Chef Thomas Mahara at Lotus, The Park Chennai, has chosen both for the Asian Masterclass, and the logic is deliberate. Together they show two completely different sides of Japanese cuisine, and the techniques you learn across both, knife work, temperature control, flavour balance, ingredient preparation, are transferable to almost anything else you cook from the broader Asian repertoire.

From sticky rice to miso, getting the fundamentals of Japanese cooking right

The session covers the Dragon uramaki sushi and a Miso ramen, guided by Chef Thomas through demonstration first and then understanding. Participants will leave with recipe cards for both dishes. On the sushi, Chef Thomas is clear about what separates an average roll from a genuinely good one, “The rice should be soft and slightly sticky, but not mushy. Each grain should still have a little bite, and the rice should hold together without feeling heavy or packed,” and seasoned with the right balance of acidity, sweetness and salt before anything else gets involved.

On the ramen, the most underestimated element is the miso itself: when it goes in matters as much as how much you use, and aggressive boiling kills the flavour profile before it has a chance to do its job. His advice for both: do not take shortcuts on the rice, the miso or the broth. The quality of the ingredient and the timing of the technique are the whole point.

If there is one thing to practise after the class is over, Chef Thomas says it is balancing the miso, because according to him, “It teaches the importance of flavour balance—salt, umami, sweetness, and acidity—which can be applied to ramen, sauces, dressings, and many other Asian dishes.”

Rs 1,500 per person, inclusive of lunch following the masterclass. On September 12, at 11 am. At The Park, Nungambakkam.