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Cakes, 美食, Dessert, 農業, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Shizuoka, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine, Wagashi, 和菓子

Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子 17: Wagashi Christmas Cakes Pictures

December 16, 2011 dragonlife 9 Comments

Pyramid-style Christmas Tree?

I’m an unrepentant agnostic hedonist (and an omnivore to boot!), but since some of my vegan and vegetarain friends are Christian, I hope these pictures will inspire them!

Flowery Christmas!

What’s in Santa’s bag?

Bring your forks and knives!

Holy (Holly) Christmas!

For the toddlers!

Pity you have to eat it!

Definitely Japanese-style!

They almost look like sushi!

Elegant simplicity!

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-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子 16: Yatsuhashi/-Tabe

December 15, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Yatsuhashi (八ツ橋 or 八橋) is a Japanese confectionery sold mainly as a souvenir sweet (miyagegashi/土産菓子). It is one of the best known meibutsu/名物 (famous regional products) of Kyoto.
It is also widely known under the name of O-Tabe/お食べ (“please eat”).

It is made from rice flour (上新粉, jōshinko), sugar and cinnamon. Baked, it is similar to senbei, making it suitable for both vegans and flour allergics!

Baked Yatsuhashi

Raw Yatsuhashi

Raw, unbaked yatsuhashi (Nama yatsuhashi/生八橋) has a soft, mochi-like texture and is often eaten wrapped around red bean paste (餡, an), and may come in a variety of different flavours.

Black Yatsuhashi

Most notable to the Kyoto area is the black version of this. The addition of black bean powder and black sesame seed powder to the wrapper and the an give a distinctive black color.

Different flavoured Yatsuhashi

Not so long ago, there were only a few flavours available.
Now, all kinds of flavours are on sale for the pleasur of all:
Cinnamon, Matcha Tea, Ume an (sweetmeats mixed with Jpanese plum), Mandarine, Strawberries, Cherry blossoms, Ramune, Chocolate-banana, Chocolate, Kyoto baked sweet potato, Chestnuts, Green apple, Blueberries, Mango, Orange, Red wine and more seasonal offerings!

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Vegan Gastronomy: a Heaven in Shizuoka, Japan!

December 14, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

Chinese vegan gastronomy at Cham!

How many times have I heard expats and Japanese telling me, “I dare not go out of Tokyo as I’m vegan!”
Well, you may have some specialized vegan restaurants in Tokyo, but here in Shizuoka, the Prefecture counting (officially!) the greatest number of vegetable varieties in Japan, you do not need to look for (in vain!) a vegan restaurant!
Either you can find enough in the local markets, or better explore the many restaurants of this Prefecture and City of the same name that is THE gastronomic region of Japan. As you will discover below you are bound to find something absolutely delicious according to your priorities in menus of all genres!

Let me take your hand (or arm) and leave it to me! And we are visiting Shizuoka City only!

Vietnamese Sauteed vegetables at Annam!

Italian sauteed organic vegetables at Aquavite!

West African lunch, all vegetables cooked in coconut milk at Capu!

Chinese steamed vegetables at Cham served with a scented oil and soy sauce, or just plain salt and matcha powder!

Vegan sushi at Sushi Ko!

Organic shiitake at Yasaitei!

Vegetables baked in skillet from Solio Italian Restaurant’s own garden!

Tomato tempura (no egg white used) with yuzu koshio at Uzu Izakaya!

“Goro goro” fried and steamed salad at Uzu Izakaya!

Vegetable sashimi at Yasaitei!

Vegan steak at Tetsuya Sugimoto French Restaurant!

Fried Vegetables at Yasaitei!

Yomogi Wagashi, anywhere in town!

Misoyaki (miso paste and buckwheat), a personal favorite of mine at Yoshino Soba Restaurant!

If you need more explanations and guidance, I’ll be glad to help!

Incidentally I’m neither a vegan or vegetarian, but I understand my friends’ priorities!

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子 15: Daifuku

December 13, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

DAIFUKU-1

Daifukumochi (大福餅), or Daifuku (大福) (literally “great luck”), is a Japanese confection consisting of a small round mochi (glutinous rice cake) stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from azuki beans.

The traditional daifuku, like all Wagashi are vegan in concept.

But Daifuku comes in many varieties.
The most common is white, pale green or pale pink colored mochi filled with anko.
These come in two sizes, one approximately the diameter of a half-dollar coin, the other palm-sized.
Some versions contain whole pieces of fruit, mixtures of fruit and anko or crushed melon paste.
Nearly all daifuku are covered in a fine layer of corn or taro starch to keep them from sticking to each other, or to the fingers. Some are covered with confectioner’s sugar or cocoa.

DAIFUKU-2

HISTORY:
Daifuku were originally called Harabuto mochi (腹太餅) (belly thick rice cake) because of its filling nature. Later the name was changed to Daifuku mochi (大腹餅) (big belly rice cake). Since the pronunciation of Fuku (腹) (belly) and Fuku (福) (luck) is the same in Japanese, the name was further changed to Daifuku mochi (大福餅) (great luck rice cake), a bringer of good luck. By the end of the 18th century, Daifuku were gaining popularity and people began eating them toasted. They were also used for gifts in ceremonial occasions

VATIETIES:

DAIFUKU-3
Yomogi daifuku (蓬大福)
A version made with kusa mochi (草餅), which is mochi flavored with mugwort.

DAIFUKU-4
Ichigo daifuku (イチゴ大福)
A variation containing strawberry and sweet filling, most commonly anko, inside a small round mochi. Creams are sometimes used for sweet filling. Because it contains strawberry, it is usually eaten during the spring time. It was invented in the 1980s. Many patisseries claim to have invented the confection, so its exact origin is vague.

DAIFUKU-5
Mame daifuku (豆大福)
Another variation made of mochi mixed with red peas or soy beans.

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Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/65): Soboro Oyako Bento!

December 13, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

“Oyako”, as I mentioned before, means “Parent & Child” in Japanese, meaning the use of chicken and eggs in the same dish. As for “soboro”, it means a dish presented in the form of coarse powder.

When it comes to a chicken and egg combination one may expect an oyakodon which will be served as a kind of omelette containing fairly big pieces of chicken. But the Missus came up with an extra twist!

What she did was to use minced chicken and fry it in a soboro form with tomato sauce.
The egg soboro, which is no less than a type of Japanese scrambled eggs were prepared separately.
Having steamed the rice, she filled a box with it and covered the whole with chicken and egg soboro. She completed the design by separating the two with fresh cress and sliced black olives!

As for the side dish/box the Missus steamed various vegetables, most of them coming from her home garden, and served with a dip sauce!

Three types of potatoes (no sweet potatoes!), white, blue and violet, carrot, daikon, and green peas in their pod!

For more colors, fibers and vitamins she added lettuce and Ameera Rubbins Pearl Tomatoes.
As for the dip she mixed mayonnaise with miso paste seasoned with golden sesame seeds!
I took some mandarin oranges from her garden for dessert!

So healthy, yummy and fulfilling!
Who said I was a lucky man?

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子 14: Satsuma Imo/Sweet Potatoes-Recipe

December 12, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

SATSUMA-WAGASHI-1

Satsuma Imo or Sweet Potatoes are often used in Japanese cakes/Wagashi.
The great advantage is that it makes for completely vegan cakes with an almost endless source of variations.

Here is the basice recipe from you will be able to improvise!

INGREDIENTS:

-Satsuma/Sweet Potato: 400g (peeled)
-Sugar: 75 g
-Agar agar powder: 3 g
-Salt: a pinch
-Water: 20 ml

RECIPE:

SATSUMA-WAGASHI-2
-Cut the sweet potato into small pieces and wash under clear cold water to take off astringency.
Boil in a pan with 20 ml of water until soft.

-Just before the potatoes are completely cooked, add sugar, agar agar and salt. Bring to boil and switch off fire. Bear in mind there will be very little water. Do not burn the poatoes!

-Transfer potatoes into a frying pan and fry until they get smooth.

-Return to boiling pan and heat to get all excess water out.

-Pass through a sieve, or process.

-Wet the inside of a refrigerator recipient before spreading cellophane paper inside. Pour the potato puree into the recipient and fold the cellophane paper on top, leaving no air between cellophane paper and potato. Chill inside refrigerator.

SATSUMA-WAGASHI-3

Before eating unwrap cellophane paper and cut into preferred shape.
This is where the fun begins!

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Shizuoka Ekiben/Railway Station Bento:　Kazutoyo Gozen in Kakegawa JR Railway Station

December 11, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

Kazutoyo Gozen/一豊御膳 refers to Kazutoyo Yamauchi, a Lord that lived in Kakegawa City during the Feudal Japan Era in the 16th Century and made famous in a TV Drama Series, while Gozen means “Repast”!
I bought this ekiben inside the Kakegawa JR Station on my way to work!

The whole ekiben could have made for a real present to take home!

As usual Jishotei Company in Hamamatsu City give precise explanations of the contents!

The ekiben as it looks without the sticker.
It is wrapped in very sturdy paper in the shape of a “furoshiki/bento box wrapping cloth”!

The box cover is another collector’s item with the introduction to the story of Lord Kazutoyo Yamauchi!

The inside was protected by a sheet of hard translucent paper and a wet towel was also provided!

Now, what do we have?

Two o-musubi/rice balls both molded into the shape of cherry blossom.
The first one is mixed with sansai/山菜/wild mountain vegetables and topped with a salted cherry blossom!

The second one consists of rice steamed into green tea from Kakegawa City!

Pickles and wasabi zuke to season the rice and a wagashi/Japanese cake made of anko/sweetmeats and jelly.

Chicken meat ball, simmered carrot, tofu flower atop a boiled sato imo/taro, boiled edamame, simmered burdock root, simmered shiitake mushroom, Takano tofu and Yuuba maki/tofu skin roll.

Maitake mushroom/Hen-of-the-Woods Mushroom tempura, prawn tempura and deep-fried sweet potato.

Salted matcha tea was provided to season the tempura!

The tempura once seasoned with salted matcha tea!

I wouldn’t mind going back to the 16th Century if people then ate like that!

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子13: Recipe-Kabotcha/Pumpkins

December 11, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-1

Just found this recipe to please vegans (and others) with a sweet tooth:
Japanese Cake/Wagashi: Pumpkin/Kabotcha Wagashi!

INGREDIENTS: For 5 cakes
-Pumkin paste: 20 g
-Rice flour: 30 g
-Sugar: 12 g
-Water: 50 ml
-Sweetmeats/Anko (See Recipe here)
-Cornstarch: enough for operation
-Pumpkin seeds or pine nuts: 5 (for decoration)

RECIPE:

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-2
-Peel skin from pumkin and heat pulp inside microwave oven until soft enough to make paste. Let cool down completely.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-3
-In an oven bowl mix well punpkin paste, rice flour, sugar and water until it becomes bubbly. Cover with cellophane paper and heat for 40 seconds at 700W inside microwave oven.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-4
-Work the paste until smooth.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-5
-Using cornstarch to work paste more easily as it will easily stick to your fingers, divide the paste into 5 identical portions.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-6
-Divide sweetmeats/anko into 5 identical parts and fashion them into small balls.
Coat your fingers with a little cornstarch and completely wrap sweetmeat/anko ball with pumpkin paste as shown in picture.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-7
-Make indents around the ball with a wooden sticks to shape the ball into a small pumpkin.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-8
-As soon as the ball is finished, gently brush away whatever cornstarch is left on the surface.

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-9
-On top of each pumpkin cake place a seed for decoration and effect!

WAGASHI-PUMPKIN-10
-That is how your “pumpkin” will look when you cut it!

NOTE:
You can sieve the pumpkin pulp first for a finer texture.

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子12: Dango-団子-Sweet Dumplings-Recipe

December 10, 2011 dragonlife 6 Comments

DANGO-1a
(Mitarashi Dango)

Japanese dango are not complicated, although it might be better to make a lot at a time!

INGREDIENTS:
-Rice (“Uruchi Kome”/normal Japnese round rice): 200g
-Water (for dango): 130cc
-Water (for sauce): 60cc
-Cornstarch: 1 teaspoon
-Sugar: 1 teaspoon
-Soy sauce: 2 teaspoons

RECIPE:

DANGO-RECIPE-1

Wash rice thoroughly.
If rice is no-wash type, skip 3 first steps.

DANGO-RECIPE-2

Once the rice washing water is coming out clean, drain rice and spread ontowel. Take off all excess humidity.

DANGO-RECIPE-4

Let the rice dry for two hours.

DANGO-RECIPE-3

Pour rice in Blender/mixer. First work the blender for only a few seconds at a time until all the rice has been broken completeley. Then blend three times 15 seconds at a time.

DANGO-RECIPE-5

If the rice does not turn into powder easily, sift rice as many times as necessary until all rice has been reduced to powder.

DANGO-RECIPE-6

Finish the job with mortar and pestle.

DANGO-RECIPE-7

Once the rice has been reduced completely into powder, work the pestle in for 5 more minutes.

DANGO-RECIPE-8

Add water and mix well with spoon.

DANGO-RECIPE-9

Divide into small portions and steam for 15 minutes.

DANGO-RECIPE-10

In a pan add cornstarch to water (for the sauce). keep stirring over a low fire. once the water has been become transparent add sugar and soy sauce and mix well until you obtain a smooth syrup. take off fire.

DANGO-RECIPE-11

Fill a glass with water and keep within arm’s reach.
Drop all the steamed dango paste into mortar.
Work dango paste with a wet wooden pestle.
Once the paste has been become sticky and elastic, form small balls (the operation should not last more than 10 minutes).
Wet them to prevent them from sticking to each other.

DANGO-RECIPE-12

Push a wet (important!) stick through the balls (4 or 5 at the most).
Grill the balls (or not) for better effect.
Serve them smeared with syrup.

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子11: Dango-団子-Sweet Dumplings

December 9, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

DANGO-1a
(Mitarashi Dango)

Dango (団子) is a Japanese dumpling made from mochi-ko (rice flour), related to mochi. It is often served with green tea.
In Edo times, they were very popular at tea stands along the country roads.

Dango are eaten year-round, but the different varieties are traditionally eaten in given seasons. Three to four dango are often served on a skewer. One variety of dango from Hokkaidō is made from potato flour and baked with shoyu (soy sauce).

Types of dango:

There are many different varieties of dango which are usually named after the various seasonings served on or with it.

DANGO-2
Chadango: Green-tea flavored Dango.

DANGO-4
Dango served covered with anko.

Actually, if you want to write all about Dango, you’d need to publish a whole book!

But I will publish an easy recipe tomorrow!

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子10: Youkan-Easy Recipe-Mizu Youkan

December 8, 2011 dragonlife Leave a comment

MIZU-YOKAN-1

Youkan come in many guises. Here is an easy and very basic recipe for “Mizu Youkan” that you will be able to adapt into many creations of yours! For vegans, vegetarians and omnivores!

INGREDIENTS:
-Boiled azuki beans: 1 can (430 g)
-Brown sugar: 60 g
-Salt: a pinch
-Agar agar Powder (“kanten” in Japanese): 4 g
-Water: 300 ml + 300 ml

RECIPE:

MIZU-YOKAN-2

Blend beans and 300 ml of water until smooth.

MIZU-YOKAN-3

Pass mixture through fine sieve.

MIZU-YOKAN-4

In 300 ml of water drop agar agar. Bring to boil, stiring at the same time. Then keep stiring vover medium fire for 1 minute.

MIZU-YOKAN-5

Switch off fire. Add sugar and salt. Mix well. Add bean paste. Mix well.

MIZU-YOKAN--6

Pour in recipients of your choice (that is when the fun starts!) and let cool completely. Keep in fridge (not too cold, please). Take out of recipient and serve!

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子9: Youkan/羊羹

December 8, 2011 dragonlife 7 Comments

YOUKAN-JELLY

Here is another popular type of Japanese Wagashi fit for Vegans and Vegetarians: Youkan!

YOUKAN-MIZUYOKAN
Mizu Youkan

Yōkan (羊羹) is a thick jellied dessert made of red bean paste, agar (寒天/”kanten” in Japanese), and sugar. It is usually sold in a block form, and eaten in slices.

There are two main types: neri yōkan and mizu yōkan. “Mizu” means “water”, and indicates that it is made with more water than usual. Mizu yōkan is often chilled and eaten in summer.
Although most yōkan found in Japan and abroad are typically made with red bean paste, yōkan made from white kidney bean paste (しろあん, 白餡, “shiro an” in Japanese) are also relatively common. This type of yōkan is milky and translucent with a much milder flavour than the ones made of red bean paste.

YOUKAN-GREENTEAYOUKAN
Tea Youkan

As such, they can be effectively flavored and colored by using green tea powder or matcha.

YOUKAN-TRICOLOUR

MizuyōkanYōkan may also contains chopped chestnuts, persimmons, whole sweetened azuki beans, figs, and sweet potato, among other additions. Sugar can be also be substituted with honey, dark brown sugar, or molasses to alter the taste of the yōkan produced. There is also shio yōkan, which uses small amounts of salt (shio/塩) as an additive.

Other Pictures of Youkan:

YOUKAN-BICOLOUR

YOUKAN-CHERRY

YOUKAN-PINK

I will introduce an easy recipe soon!

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Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/64): Oyako Bento!

December 7, 2011 dragonlife 8 Comments

“Oyako/親子” in Japanese means “Parent and Child”. It is used to describe two different combinations in Japanese Gastronomy, Chicken & Eggs or Fish & Roe. The Missus opted for the latter this morning with smoked salmon and salmon’s roe! Mind you, I could have called it a “Russian Bento”!

All orange color, the official color of Shizuoka Prefecture (though we do not have salmon here!) and that of my rugby club back home in France!

The Missus prepared sushi rice she actually mixed with tiny bits of seasoned seaweed and filled one box with it.
She covered half with seasoned smoked salmon.

She covered the other half with soy sauce-seasoned salmon roe from Hokkaido.
She separated the “Parent ” and the “Child” with fresh cress, sliced black olive and half a sudachi lemon for extra seasoning.

Plenty of colors again for the salad and dessert box!

Spicy burdock root/gobo (cooked) and water spinach sprouts/空心菜/kōngxīncài (raw) seasoned with gomadare/sesame dressing.

The Missus’ specialty, tamagoyaki, this time containing finely chopped parsley and red carrot, lettuce, Ameera pearl tomatoes and Red Heart Kiwi fruit!

Very, very tasty and very satisfying again!

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Japanese Vegetarian & Vegan Cakes: Wagashi/和菓子8: Recipe-Beni Mochi

December 6, 2011 dragonlife 2 Comments

BENI-MOCHI-1

Here is a simple Japanese Cake/Wagashi Recipe that can be adapted to all shapes by vegans and vegetarians! Beni Mochi.
Beni Mochi, or 紅餅 in Japanese, means “Red Mochi”.

INGREDIENTS: 16 pieces

-Rice flour: 250 g
-White sugar: 80 g
-Water: 100 ml/half a cup (for white mochi)
-Brown sugar (take care in choosing the colour): 80 g
-Water: 100 ml/half a cup (for red mochi)

RECIPE:

BENI-MOCHI-2

Divide rice flour into two equal parts (125 g) and pour into two different bowls.

BENI-MOCHI-3

In a deep pan, drop red sugar and add water. Heat over fire until completely melted. Switch off fire. Add rice flour and mix well.
Repeat same procedure with white sugar.

BENI-MOCHI-4

In a steamer, put mochi pastes (take care no to mix them) on a steaming paper and steam for 10 minutes.

BENI-MOCHI--5

Take out. Let cool. Make two balls and keep in different bowls.

BENI-MOCHI--6

Shape the mochi as above or according to your preference. Put them back inside the steamer on steaming paper and steam for 10 more minutes.

BENI-MOCHI--7

Let cool and serve!
Are best enjoyed with Japanese tea, hot or cold!

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Today’s Bento/Lunch Box (11/63): Curry Hamburger Bento!

December 6, 2011 dragonlife 4 Comments

There are two things that the Japanese love, namely curry and hamburgers!
Mind you, the Missus didn’t agree with the naming of this bento as for her, hamburgers must be served with buns!
I beg to differ…
And when it comes to curry, the Japanese have this interesting notion of “dry curry”!

Actually “dry curry” in Japanese means rice flavored with curry mix and not in curry sauce!
So the Missus steamed the rice with some curry powder mix and some garam masala curry paste!
Once steamed, she mixed the lot and formed a well into the main box and sprinkled the rice with freshly chopped parsley.

I was not allowed to look at her preparing the hamburger, but I know it was made with minced beef and pork and her usual set of spices and that it contained some cheese before she fried it slowly in sauce. She placed it in the rice well and covered it with a tomato sauce she concocted with the hamburger juices.
She decorated the lot with some fresh cress and sliced cornichons.

The colorful salad dish consisted of an egg mimosa decorated with a black olive slice, Ameera Pearl Tomatoes, apple cuts, walnuts, Trevise and plenty of lettuce for beautiful colors and nutritious balance!

Very satisfying and delicious!

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