One never knows when a family member will suddenly be enamored by a certain food and absolutely has to have you make it.

About a month ago, our youngest son reminded me of the sauerkraut I used to make in a crock from only cabbage and salt.

Fortunately, I found some really good homemade-type in a jar that fed his craving. I got off the hook on that one. Recently, it was sushi that topped the “gotta have” list. Of course, this mom knows how to make almost anything, but only when the mood strikes. So buy it in the market, kid, the mood is on strike. But the request (denied) gave me an idea for this column.

So I hunted down some Japanese-style recipes that I had acquired over the years, and I found some really good ones for soups, sushi rice, wasaba horseradish, pickled ginger and various sushi. I have made sushi in the past, and it’s not particularly difficult once you get the “hang” of it.

The ingredients for these recipes if not found in your favorite market can be obtained at Oriental grocery stores.

I buy sheets of dried seaweed for both the soup and sushi. It comes in convenient sheets. Follow package directions to soften it for sushi. For miso soup, I simply crumble it and toss it in.

Tofu with Shiitake Mushrooms

1 packet (1 pound) soft tofu

4 small bok choi, halved lengthwise, or use the heart of a larger one and quarter it

Crushed hot red pepper to taste

Broth: 4 cups chicken stock

About 12 shiitake mushrooms (3 per person)

1 one-inch piece fresh ginger root, thinly sliced

2 green onions, white part only, thinly sliced diagonally (save green part)

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon dry sherry

2 tablespoons soy sauce or to taste

Combine broth ingredients and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes. Place 1/2-inch of broth in a saucepan.

Cut tofu into quarters and add to the small amount of broth along with the bok choi; season with red pepper. Simmer over very low heat until bok choi is tender and tofu is heated through, about 5 minutes.

Divide tofu, bok choi and mushrooms among four bowls. Ladle broth over. Garnish with green onion tops sliced diagonally.

Serve with steamed or boiled rice.

Miso Soup

2 tablespoons dried seaweed, crumbled

1/2 leek

4 cups fish stock (dashi) or chicken stock OR 4 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes

3 tablespoons white miso

Thinly slice the leek.

In a pot over low heat, dissolve the miso in the stock or water to which bouillon cubes have been added. Stir until miso is dissolved. Turn off the heat before the mixture boils so as not to destroy the flavor of the miso.

Place the leek and seaweed in a serving bowl. Pour the stock over. Serves 4.

Shrimp and Shiitaki soup

No trip to the Oriental grocery store is necessary for this one.

4 large shrimp

4 raw shiitake mushrooms

1 thin slice raw ginger

1/4 cup thinly sliced leek

4 cups fish stock (dashi) or chicken stock OR 2 cups water and 2 chicken bouillon cubes

1 teaspoon light soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon salt

Parboil the shrimp, shell and devein. Cut the stems off the shiitake mushrooms. Cut several slashes across the shiitake in a star pattern.

Place the ginger in the stock and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce, salt and mushrooms. Continue to simmer until mushrooms are soft. Add the shrimp and continue to simmer until shrimp are heated through.

Remove the ginger. Serve soup in four bowls placing one shrimp and one shiitake in each bowl. Garnish with the thinly sliced leaks. Serves 4.

Sushi Rice

2 cups rice

2 cups water

3 tablespoons vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Wash rice until water is clear. Drain. Place the rice and 2 cups water in a saucepan. Set aside for 30 minutes. Bring to boil. Turn off heat, cover, and let steam for 20 minutes.

Mix vinegar, sugar, and salt in a saucepan. Heat until just before it starts boiling.

Empty cooked rice into a bowl.

Pour the vinegar mixture evenly over the rice. Spread rice into a thin layer. Sprinkle with a little water. Gently toss and fold the rice until the vinegar mixture is entirely absorbed.

Push the rice to one side of the bowl and cover with a damp cloth until ready to use. It should be used when luke warm.

Nigiri-Sushi

Large shrimp with tail

Bamboo skewers or round toothpicks, one per shrimp

Sushi rice

Cold water with a few drops of vinegar

Insert bamboo skewers just under the back of the shell. This will keep it from curling while cooking. Boil in lightly salted water until the shrimp changes color. Allow to cool before removing skewer.

Remove the shell and devein. Make a cut along the underside. Spread open. Place in ice water to chill.

Shape 2-3 tablespoons of sushi rice into an elongated rice ball using your right hand. If rice sticks to your hands, dip them into the cold water.

Place the shrimp, cut-side up, along the fingers of your left hand. Transfer the rice ball from your right hand to the cut-side of the shrimp. Press rice into shrimp. Roll the shrimp in your hand so that the back of the shrimp faces up.

Shape the shrimp around the rice ball by pressing in the sides. Place on serving platter. Repeat with the rest of the shrimp.

NOTE: You can use king crab legs – simply press them into the side ball of pressed rice.

Smoked Fish Sushi

Thin slices of smoked salmon or other smoked fish

Fresh asparagus

Sushi rice

Break off woody ends of asparagus. Steam or boil until just crisp-tender. Cool.

Lay slice of fish on a flat surface. Spread evenly with a thin layer of sushi rice. Lay asparagus, from 1 to 3 stalks, depending on thickness, along the length of the fish.

Roll jellyroll fashion, pressing firmly to compact rice. Slice into 3/4 to 1-inch slices with a sharp knife without pressing down. Remove to serving platter.

Well, you get the idea. Sushi rice can be used in different ways; roll in seaweed sheets, or in cooked Japanese-style omelets, for instance.

ACCOMPANIMENTS

(I usually buy these, but they can be prepared at home.)

Wasabi Horseradish

You’ll need a Wasabi root. Scrape off rough surface and finely grate the root. Pounding with the flat of a knife brings out the aroma. Freeze extra in plastic wrap.

Pickled Ginger

3-4 pieces fresh ginger

1/2 cup vinegar

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup water

1 drop red food coloring

Peel the ginger and slice very thinly with the grain. Spread slices in a colander and sprinkle lightly with salt.

Let stand for 20-30 minutes. Rinse in hot water. Drain.

Bring vinegar, water, and sugar to a boil. Cool. Add red food coloring. Place cooled ginger into this mixture and let stand about 24 hours.