Tag Archives: 簡単なレシピ

美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, 貝類, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shellfish, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Shellfish 7: Clam-Hamaguri-蛤

March 24, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

HAMAGURI-SUSHI2

Clams come in many varieties in Japan.
They are either called Common Orient Clams or Hard Clams, whatever their mode of cooking.

HAMAGURI-JAPANESE

Japanese Clam Variety

In 1993, Japan produced 29,000 tonnes before suffering a steep decline down to only 1,500 tonnes in 2000.
Since then imported clams are 15 times the domestic production.
Main importers to Japan are:

HAMAGURI-CHINA

China (see variety above): 20,100 tonnes

HAMAGURI-NORTH-KOREA

North Korea (see variety above): 3,33 tonnes

A great part of both Chinese and North Korean varieties are imported young and “re-planted” on Japanese beaches to be sold as Japanese varieties!

80 percent of all clams are sold over the counter at supermarkets while 20 percent are proceesed by canneries.

Clams, like everywhere in the world, are cooked/prepared in may ways in Japan:

HAMAGURI-NI

Ni-Hamaguri/simmered clams served in broth with vegetables, tofu and chopped thin leeks.

HAMAGURI-SUSHI1

Chirashizushi/”Decoration Sushi”, very popular in Japanese homes!

HAMAGURI-SUSHI2

But my favourite is Ni-Hamaguri Sushi!
The clams, large variety only, are first slowly simmered into broth, then drained and cooled before being served brushed with a sweet “tare” sauce. Sublime!

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Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India
Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London
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Susan at Arkonlite, Vegan Lunch Box; Tokyo Tom Baker, Daily Food Porn/Osaka, Only Nature Food Porn, Happy Little Bento, The Herbed Kitchen, J-Mama’s Kitchen, Cook, Eat, Play, Repeat, Bento Lunch Blog (German), Adventures In Bento, Anna The Red’s Bento Factory, Cooking Cute, Timeless Gourmet, Bento Bug, Ideal Meal, Bentosaurus, Mr. Foodie (London/UK), Ohayo Bento,

Must-see tasting websites:

-Sake: Tokyo Through The Drinking Glass, Tokyo Foodcast, Urban Sake, Sake World
-Wine: Palate To Pen, Warren Bobrow, Cellar Tours, Ancient Fire Wines Blog
-Beer: Good Beer & Country Boys, Another Pint, Please!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

美食, 観光, 魚海の幸, 貝類, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Horned Turban, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shellfish, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, Turbo Shells

Japanese Shellfish 6: Turbo Shells-Sazae-栄螺

March 24, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

SAZAE-1 SAZAE-2
Japanese turbo shells with and without “spikes”

Turbo shells, also called Horned Turban, are common all over the world, but are not eaten everywhere. Called Sazae or Sadae in Japan, they are at their best in Winter and Spring.
About 10,000 tonnes are consumed every year.

SAZAE-KOREA

Korean turbo shells are also found in markets.

The Japanese consider that the best specimen should have a comparatively thin shell and well-pointed “head horn”.
They should not emit any noise when lightly shaken.
They should be avoided in hot weather as they tend to spoil quickly.

SAZAE-3 SAZAE-4

They can be enjoyed grilled with soy sauce.
As sushi,they can be served as nigiri either raw or cooked.
Large specimen’s livers are served raw as “gunkan”!

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美食, 観光, 農業, Food, Fuji City, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 富士市

Japanese Gastronomy with Local Shizuoka Products at Korosuke in Fuji City!

March 23, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Service: Very friendly and attentive.
Facilities and equipment: Very clean. Superb toilets.
Prices: Reasonable.
Strong points: A great introduction to local products served with a very healthy concept. Private room available. Parking available.

Chef Koichi Satoh/佐藤高一さん opened Korosuke/ころ助 eight years ago in Fuji City and his fame has reached Shizuoka City where people do not get easily excited.
Today a good friend of mine was kind enough to drive all the way to share lunch with me!

You definitely need a car (or a taxi) to reach the place which is not easy to find, but the sign in the car park already gives you a good idea of what to expect: Portobella mushrooms by Mr. Hasegawa in Fuji City, Fuji no Jidori Chicken by Mr. Aoki in Fujinomiya City, Fuji Rainbow Trout by Mr. Kunugi in Fujinomiya City, Asagiri Kougen Beef (Wagyu) by Mr. Morimoto on the asagiri Plateau, Asagiri Yoguru Pork by the Matsuno Family on Asagiri Plateau, U no Hana Healthy Tofu by the Miwa Shop and so on!

It didn’t really look like a restaurant from the far side of the busy and wide thoroughfare!

But with the word “Dining” you couldn’t mistake it for anything else!

The privacy of the customers was certainly well protected!

Very interesting calligraphy!

Nobody seemed to be smoking inside and Mr. Satoh told me he intends to make the establishment non-smoking at all times from next month!

Local pottery on sale!

Mr. Hasegawa’s nationally famous Portobella Mushrooms!

A reasonably-priced lunch set considering the quality!
Individual plates and orders are naturally available but for my first visit the set lunch was the obvious choice!

Hot towels and a small salad!

These cute hot towel rabbits are not to be eaten!

The lunch is served inside an antique rice measure box!
What did we have then?

Plain rice seasoned with black rice!
Delicious and very tasty!

White miso soup with fish stock, egg whites, mizuna and daikon!

Top row:
Seared Fuji no Jidari Chicken sashimi from Aoki’s Farm.
Matsuno Family Asagiri Yoguru Pork Shabu shabu salad.
Tofu by Miwa Shop. Very nutritious tofu!

Middle row:
Deep-fried “kisu/Sillago”.
Sauteed Scallops.
Deep-fried Portobella Mushrooms from Mr. Hasegawa’s garden.

Bottom row:
Fuji no Jidori Chawanmushi.
Maguro no misoyaki/tuna grilled with miso.
Organic red shiso juice.

Coffee and dessert!

Baked sweet potato, vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce!

Now, I’m definitely planning to come again for dinner with plenty of wine and Shizuoka Sake!

KOROSUKE
416-0954 Fuji City, Moto Ichiba Cho, 975
Tel.: 0545-653-450
Business hours: 11:30~14:00, 17:30~23:00
Closed on Mondays
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Japanese Shellfish 5: Geoduck-Mirugai-海松貝

March 22, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

MIRUKUI-1

We are just in season for Mirugai or Gaper Shellfish.
Known under many names including Mirugai, Mirukui, Mirukuigai, Mirukugai, Guidakku, Umitake or Atlantic Miru, it is a bit grotesque with its vent protruding endlessly. Its common English names are Pacfic Gaper, Geoduck or Trough Sheel.
In Japan it is collected mainly in the sea between Shikoku and Honshu islands.

MIRUKUI-2

It can be either dark brown or completely whitish beige.
When consumed as sushi or sashimi, the dark skin is taken off.
It is widely consumed in this country and more are imported from Canada, and Korea. There is practically no difference in taste or quality whatever its origin.

A real monster!
But plenty to eat!

As sashimi!

As nigiri sushi!

For sushi lovers with a big appetite!

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美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, wasabi, wasabi pickles, 山葵

Wasabi Flowers at Tamaruya in Shizuoka City!

March 22, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

We know spring is around the corner in Shizuoka Prefecture and especially in Shizuoka City because the wasabi flowers are at last on sale!
It is certainly not easy to obtain them so fresh and cheaply as Shizuoka Prefecture produces 80% of all wasabi in Japan!

Tamaruya Company is the oldest company trading wasabi, fresh or processed, in the whole World as it was established in Shizuoka City in the 17th Century when it was first grown by humans in Utogi/有東木 along the Abe River/安部川 in present Shizuoka City! Their present shop has stood in front of Shizuoka Station (February 1st, 1889/21st Year of Meiji Era) site since 1876 (8th Year of Meiji Era)!

Their oldest shop is a must-visit for all tourists, be they Japanese or foreigners, coming to Shizuoka City as it is only 5 minutes on foot away from Shizuoka City JR Station!
Not only they sell fresh wasabi roots and flowers, but also a vast array of processed products including wasabi paste, salt, dressings, pickles and many many more!

You must try their wasabi soft ice-creams, especially in the summer!

I know a lot of people who buy their snacks for a trip or back home, especially Wasabi Kit Kat chocolates and wasabi sakura ebi crackers!

Naturally you can have a good look at and buy fresh wasabi roots!

And of course their fresh wasabi flowers with their small leaves and stems!
Now, how do we eat them, you are going to ask me?

The leaves and flowers can be eaten raw in salads, with soy sauce, mayonnaise or miso paste. They can also be prepared as tempura!
But I bought a batch of them today for the Missus to pickle (flowers, leaves and stems!)!
They are a beauty as condiment for freshly steamed rice!

Tamaruya Honten
420-0852 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Koya machi, 6-7 (next to Parco Department Store)
Tel.: free dial/0120-168111
Business hours: 09:00~17:30

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Japanese Shellfish Species 4: Heart Clam-Torigai-鳥貝

March 22, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

“Torigai/鳥貝” has many names in English: Heart Clam, Surf Clam, Japanese Cockle. In Japanese it is called “Bird Shell”!
They appear on the market in Spring and earlier in Shizuoka Prefecture. They are mainly found in Tokyo Bay, Ise bay and Seto Inner Sea. Some are imported from Korea, but catches can wildly vary, especially with the occurence of “red tides”. A lot are imported from Aichi Prefecture to Shizuoka.

TORIGAI-SHELL

They must be absolutely fresh to be consumed.
One easy way to check if they are still fresh is to slam them on the wooden board. They should immediately retract, even if cut out. They are at their cheapest between March and May.

Torigai in its natural element

Torigai Ngiri sushi!

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Cakes, 美食, Dessert, Desserts, 観光, 農業, French Cuisine, French gastronomy, French Restaurant, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

French Desserts: Macaron Framboisé & Matcha Parfait Cannelé at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City!

March 21, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Service: Excellent and very friendly.
Facilities: Great cleanliness overall. Superb washroom (mouthwash and toothpicks provided!)!
Prices: Reasonable to slightly expensive, very good value.
Strong points: Interesting wine list. Great use of local products, especially organic vegetables and Shizuoka-bred meat.

The Japanese, as a general rule, are not so keen to savor cakes at the end of their repasts and prefer to enjoy them in between meals.
Therefore, it is quite a feat if a restaurant can convince them to find some space for a succulent dessert!
Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん does not sem to encounter any problems to convince his guests to stay a bit longer and acquaint themselves with his supreme creations!

I have just had the occasion to sample two of his recent desserts as I have to visit him often not only for pleasure but also for work.
The first one is an enormous macaron with a very feminine touch despite its size!

For a closer look!

Big and thick as it is, you certainly need a fork and knife to eat it.
As its name indicates, it is perfumed and colored with raspberry extract with the butter and marzipan filling containing real raspberries!
A sin, if there is one!

The second dessert was a combination of Bordeaux and Shizuoka Cuisines!
In the middle you can see the canelé prepared in the true Bordeaux tradtion but it had been hollowed out!

Now, what does it contain?

Shizuoka Honyama Green Tea Matcha ice-cream!
The cannelé had been frozen together with the ice cream!
It was the first time I found myself eating a cannelé with a knife and fork!
And I’m sure to do it again!
A true gastronomic experience!

PISSENLIT

420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajo, 2-3-4
Tel.: 054-270-8768
Fax: 054-627-3868
Business hours: 11:30~14:30; 17:00~22:00
Closed on Tuesdays and Sunday evening
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)
E-Mail: pissenlit2008@ybb.ne.jp
Credit Cards OK
Entirely non-smoking!

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Japanese Shellfish Species 3: Oysters-kaki-牡蠣

March 21, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Oysters! One would be hard put to find a produce from the sea more internationally recognized as a gourmet’s choice! Moreover, it is the only shellfish you could survive on if you got marrooned on a desert island! It is a complete food in irself if consumed raw.
For a long time (that is before coming to Japan), I had thought that my country, France, was the place to eat them. Well, I must admit it was a little pretentious from me, especially in the light that more than half of the oysters consumed back at home originated from Japan!

Now the Japanese has come with many ways of appreciating them:

As in the picture above they would eat them as sashimi with a dash of wasabi and soy sauce.

-Or just a little lemon juice as in Euope, Americas or Oceania.

-Or in another Japanese fashion, with ponzu and momijioroshi (succulent!)

-Or, and here Japanese and foreigners are simply crazy about them, as “kakifrai”, deep-fried oysters in batter and breadcrumbs with a nice tartare sauce!

-Or finally, and I would recommend the experience to all foreigners, as “kaki-gohan”, either with oysters steamed together with the rice, or cooked apart in light broth poured over a bowl of freshly steamed rice!

Of course, any good sushi restaurants will serve oysters as nigiri or gunkan!

In Japan, oysters come from various areas, mainly Hiroshima, Iwate and so on.
As for Shizuoka Prefecture, oysters mainly come from Hamanako inland salted lake near Hamamatsu City.

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Japanese Shellfish Species 2: Scallops-Hotategai-帆立貝

March 20, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Hotategai/帆立貝, or Scallops, is another worldwide favourite and also a source of dispute caused by illegal poaching, international or domestic.
The season is summer and the shellfish is sometimes called Akitagai/秋田貝, as of Akita Prefecture.
They are caught off Hokkaido, Aomori, Iwate and Miyagi Prefectures.
The domestic production/catch is over 300.000 tonnes a year, while 400 tonnes are imported from China as whole Scallops and 700 tonnes as the muscle part only (“kaibashira/貝柱”). Japanese scallops will be significantly larger than the Chinese.

Of course, they are much appreciated as sashimi, but also as sushi:
HOTATENIGIRI

(pic taken at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City)

They are also much appreciated cooked/grilled in the shell with just a little shoyu and sake:
HOTAGE-GRILLED

Actually, a good-class sushi restaurant will serve the muscle part as sashimi or sushi, and will serve the rest of the shellfish cooked in light broth inside the shell later!

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Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Masu Ichi Brewery- The Last Bottle? Masu Ichi Honjozo Suruga No Kuni Shida Brewmaster

March 19, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Masu Ichi Brewery has not been making sake for the past year and will not ever as his owner/masterbrewer Denjirou Masui/増井伝次郎 just passed away at the age of 49 leaving no successor willing to take over the brewery founded in 1882.

Denjirou Masui

Denjirou was his brewer’s name given by his mentor Denbei kawamura, the godfather of Shizuoka Sake and the creator of the Shizuoka sake yeast. He was one of the only three brewers of the Shida School.
His sake is fast disappearing and this particular one is the first of a series of “last bottles” I’m scouring the Prefecture to get my hands on for posterity!

It is a honjozo, meaning that it was blended with water and pure sake alcohol after pressing.
Its name “Suruga no Kuni” means the “Country of Suruga”. Suruga is also the name of the wide bay off Shizuoka Prefecture.

Rice milled down to 60%
Alcohol: 15~16 degrees.
Bottled in March 2012

Clarity: Very clear.
Color: Transparent.
Aroma: Assertive, fruity and dry. Complex. Banana, dark chocolate, vanilla.
Body: fluid, somewhat sirupy.
Taste: A very distinct attack, fruity and dry. Very complex.
Starts almost sweetish to take a very dry turn with a solid and pleasant alcohol backup.
Green apples, nuts.
Disappears fairly quickly while warming up the back of the palate with dry nuts, walnuts and chestnuts finish.
Dark chocolate and coffee beans tend to peek out later.
Changes little with food, although more dryness will appear later.
Marries beautifully with any food.

Overall: A very solid but elegant sake perfect for food, especially izakaya gastronomy and Western meat fare although it is thoroughly enjoyable on its own.
At 60% millage it is simply an extravagant honjozo!
A sake for all seasons, very macho in approach by Shizuoka standards!

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Japanese Shellfish Species 1: Abalone-Awabi-鮑

March 19, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

AWABI-KURO-2
Kuro Awabi/”Black Abalone

With the weather definitely turning hotter, the first abalones or “awabi” start appearing on the markets.
The Japanese are great connoisseurs and amateurs of abalones, and they do have to import a lot to satisfy their demand!
There are many varieties of different quality avalaible in the markets and restaurants.
Most are eaten raw, especially as sushi on nigiri!

AWABI-KURO-1
Kuro Awabi/”Black Abalone”

As for the main varieties, you can sample expensive Kuro Awabi or “Black Abalones”

AWABI-EZO-1

Another expensive variety is Ezo Awabi/”Ezo Abalone”

AWABI-EZO-2
Ezo Awabi as sushi.

Lesser varieties include:

AWABI-MADAKA-1

Madaka Awabi

AWABI-MADAKA-2

Madaka Awabi as sushi

AWABI-MEGAI-1

Megai Awabi

AWABI-MEGAI-2

Megai Awabi as sushi.

AWABI-VICTORIA-1

Victoria Awabi imported from Australia.

AWABI-VICTORIA-2

Victoria Awabi as sushi.

Do not forget that catching abalones in any place in Japan without a proper license is a severly punished poaching offense!

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Japanese Gastronomy: Sushi & Sashimi – Eat Local!

March 18, 2012 dragonlife 6 Comments

009

Saurel pike/Aji from Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

Very few people will disagree with the notion that Japan is the ideal place to discover and savour sushi and sashimi in the whole world. Nevertheless, there are a few rules of the thumb to respect, even in this gastronomic paradise.
The overriding rule is that you should try and eat only local fish or seafood.
Tsukiji might be considered a sushi paradise by Tokyoites (it has or will be moved to another location), but the cheap prices enjoyed by tourists cannot conceal the reality: the fish and seafood are “imported” from all over Japan and beyond!
More than often, Edomae (Tokyo) sushi is nothing but a clever way to “dress up” ingredients to lure officionados (and customers) into believing they are eating top quality sushi (with the consequent prices).
Now, if you have the chance and time to explore Japan beyond Tokyo, you will discover an unfathomable treasure trove of gastronomic pleasure and knowledge!
After all, this country is a vast archipelago stretched across greatly different seas and climates, making for a diversity difficult to equal.
So, even if you cannot possibly explore all the shores of this nation, make a point to learn about the food available wherever you choose to stay.
The same goes for residents, not only for their own sake, but for that of their visitors and friends!

018

Sushi set with fish all caught in Suruga Bay, Shizuoka Prefecture

You also ought to do some homework. Sushi chefs worthy of their salt will be only too happy to answer questions to genuinely interested customers and come up with revelations of their own.
As an example to illustrate the need for some basic knowledge, in Hokkaido “oyakodon” (“parent and child”) is not cooked chicken and omelette on a bowl of rice, but raw salmon and its roe spread on top the same bowl of rice!
Likewise, the same fish will more than often be sold under a myriad of names.
Many morsels will not be found anywhere else suc as “sakura ebi/cherry shrimps” and fresh”shirasu/sardine whiting” in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Sashimi in most cases has to be perfectly fresh as typified by “kubiore saba” in Yakushima Island where fishermen break the neck (“kubiore”) of mackerels (“saba”) to preserve their quality upon catching. The same fish will be served within a few hours, or less, on the local tables.
On the other hand, tuna sashimi is best consumed first thawed and then ripened for a few days in a refrigerator.
In Hokkaido, large shrimps, especially “botan ebi” will be served only raw, whereas “kuruma ebi” will be first boiled in other regions.

If you ask for “tataki”, make sure it means the whole fish, especially “aji/mackerel pike” that will be served finely cut as tartare atop the dressed fish. And if the fish is really fresh such small and medium fish will have their bones and heads served deep-fried for a beautiful crispy snack!

002

Flying Fish/Tobiuo sashimi from Yakushima Island

On the other hand, sushi follows different rules.
Fish and seafood placed on “donburi” (bowl) are usually of the freshly brought variety but fish served as nigiri is prepared in a different way.
The greatest sushi (and this cannot be done in Tsukiji!) are made with fish which has been gutted and cleaned live within seconds, then dressed into strips/fillets left to mature in a refrigerator on clean cloth/kitchen paper. This can be done only with fish caught locally!
The same obviously goes with shellfish and other marine ceatures: One cannot sample better “uni/sea urchin” away from Hokkaido or sakura ebi from Shizuoka.

Vegan and vegetarians, upon finding a restaurant willing to satisfy their priorities should also ask for food grown locally, a search easier than one might think at first as there are many non-meat eaters in this mainly Buddhist country.
The same vegetables will make for the perfect combination when associated with local fish!

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美食, 観光, 農業, Fruit, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Melons, Muskmelon, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Musk Melons-Japan’s obsession with perfect fruit by Roland Buerk of the BBC

March 18, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Farmer Masaomi Suzuki has to keep the temperature constant to achieve the perfect crop

By Roland Buerk
BBC News, Tokyo and Shizuoka

Giving fruit as a gift is a common custom in Japan. But this fruit is not your normal greengrocers’ produce, complete with bumps, bruises and blemishes. The pick of the crop is grown with exquisite care and attention to detail – and commands an eye-watering price when it comes to market.
————————–
Masaomi Suzuki has been working in his steamy greenhouses for 50 years, but even after all that time he says he still learns something new every day.

The process begins with the perfect seeds. The local farmers’ association breeds a new strain every year, seeking continuous improvements. Weak seedlings are weeded out. Then when the flowers appear, poor specimens are ruthlessly plucked and discarded.

READ THE FULL ARTICLE BY ROLAND BUERK HERE

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French Gastronomy: Organic Vegetables & Madai Seabream at Pissenlit-Shizuoka City!

March 17, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Difficult to believe as it is, but Shizuoka Prefecture, both officially at the Government level and unofficially by all gastronomes here, has the largest number of varieties of food grown, bred or caught both on land and at sea in Japan!
No wonder that the local restaurants find it both so easy and pleasurable to associate local products any time of the year!

So the other day, actually Saturday last week when I had lunch at Pissenlit in Shizuoka City, Chef Touru Arima/有馬亨さん first served me as an amuse-bouche a veloute/smooth soup made from organic Takinogawa burdock root from Kitayama Farm in Fujinomiya City.

The wine served then was not from Shizuoka, but it is worth talking about it as it was made in Osaka from Delaware and Koshu grapes! Its name, “Ganko Oyaji Tetsukuri Wain”, means “Wine hand-made by an old stubborn man”!

Nakamura Winery in Osaka also makes the above white wine called “Yume Asuka” or “Dream Asuka”!

Here is the happy marriage of products from the land and sea of Shizuoka Prefecture!

The Madai/真鯛/”True Seabream” was caught off Sagara/相良 shore, west of Shizuoka City, an area of Suruga Bay replete with semi-deep water fish.
First sauteed on its skin and then finished in the oven, the skin had a beautiful crispy bite in superb contradiction with the flesh perfect tenderness. The sauce kept to a minimum with lemon and butter accentuated all the freshness of the fish.

The organic vegetables came from two distinct farms: Shizuen No Chikara In Shizuoka City and Kitayama in Fujinomiya City!

Beautiful carrots!

Now, what is this organic vegetable from Kitayama Farm?

Romanesco broccoli bud!
So extravagant, elegant, beautiful and full of flavors!

To be continued… (can you wait?)

PISSENLIT

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Buckwheat, 美食, 蕎麦, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Soba

Japanese Gastronomy: Soba-The Basic Recipe (Buckwheat Noodles)

March 16, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

soba-saru

I’ve been asked for some time how to make your own soba/buckwheat noodles at home.
It is not that difficult, although you might need some particular tools.
Here is a simple recipe from which you can freely improvise.

INGREDIENTS:
Enough for 5 people
Buckwheat Flour/Soba-ko: 400g
Wheat flour (normal): 100g
Cold water: 250g
Some additional buckwheat flour for folding

TOOLS:
Large pan
Wooden rolling pin
Large Chinese/Japanese-style chopping knife
Wooden working surface/board
Board for guiding knife

RECIPE:

First step:
soba_1
Pour buckwheat flour and Wheat flour into a large basin/pan and mix well.
Pour in one third of the water slowly in a thin flow. Mix with tip of fingers.

Step 2:
soba_2
Break eventual hard lumps between fingers.

Step 3:
soba_3
Repeat step 1 twice again until you obtain a fine mixture.
Work as fast as possible.

Step 4:
soba_4
Once satisfied with the uniformity of the mixture, press hard with your knuckles.

Step 5:
soba_5
Once the flour has changed into one lump, fold and press with palm of the hand.

Step 6:
soba_6
Repeat Step 5 until lump has become shiny. Fold into a ball.

Step 7:
soba_7
Shape the lump into a pyramid.

Step 8:
soba_8
Turn pyramid onto its tip and press hard as to form a saucer.

Step 9:
soba_9
Start spreading lump with wooden roll pin. first angle by angle as to form square.

Step 10:
soba_10
Once you have spread the lump until the square has diminished to a 2 mm thickness, first sprinkle some buckwheat flour all over the surface and fold in two.

Step 11:
soba_11
Sprinkle with buckwheat flour and fold again (4 layers).

Step 12:
soba_12
Cut soba lump with the heavy chopping knife, using the wooden guide board for even cutting by shifting the guide board slightly after each cut.

Step 13:
soba_13
Bring a large large pan of water to boil, drop noodles into water separating them between your fingers as they fall out. Boil for 2~3 minutes stirring with long chopsticks.

Step 14:
soba_14
Take noodles out of pan (the soba tsuyu/soba soup can be used hot later) with a sieve and coll down under running cold water. Drain.

Step 15:
soba_15
Serve onto plate with or without dry seaweed, wasabi, soba soup or whatever you feel like.
You could also make maki with the same soba.
Variations are many!