Tag Archives: Gastronomes

美食, 酒, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Gotemba City, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, sake, Sake Brewery, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Shizuoka Sake Tasting: Negami Brewery-Kaido Maru Daigin Junmai Yamahai

August 3, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Negami Brewery in Gotemba City lies in a privileged location at an altitude of 550 metres on the slopes of Mount Fuji in Gotemba City.
This allows them to brew nectars during an unusual large portion of the year.

This enables them to concoct limited brews far into the year for the greatest pleasure of sake lovers and colectors.
This Yamahai Daigin Junmai is very limited indeed: 300 bottles (720 ml) only!
And the label is a real beauty reminiscing about a famous Japanese lore character!
Anf the label has been intelligently wrapped around the bottle instead of being glued! Needless to say that I carefully unwrapped it for safekeeping!

Negami Brewery-Kaido Maru Daigin Junmai Yamahai

Rice: Yamada Nishiki and Yahan Nishiki
Rice both milled down to: 55%
Yeast: Shizuoka N-2 + brewery’s own yeast
Alcohol: 16~17 degrees (genshu)
Dryness: 0
lImited to 300 bottles
Bottled in June 2012

Clarity: Very clear
Color: Light golden hue
Aroma: Fruity backed by strong alcohol. Almonds, apricots.
Body: fluid and sirupy
Taste: Strong fruity attack alternating from dry to sweet and vice versa before verging on the dry with a puissant alcohol and assertive junmai petillant.
Complex. Vanilla, cofee beans, cherries, almonds, apricots.
Takes on an even drier turn with food although spicy food will bring out a sweet reaction.
Very pleasant to drink.
Disappears quickly along with stronger dry almonds and coffee beans.
Cherries making a comeback away from food.
Dark chocolate taking a late ride accompanied by a fine and deep sweetness.

Overall: A beauty definitely difficult to judge objectively. The fact it is a yamahai makes for even more indecisiveness. Very much a “mistery sake”. Would make blind tasters pull at their hair!
In any case, a rare discovery! Pity I didn’t buy another bottle which I could have hidden in the refrigerator for a special occasion!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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!, Beering In Good Mind: All about Craft Beer in kanzai by Nevitt Reagan!
-Japanese Pottery to enjoy your favourite drinks: Yellin Yakimono Gallery

Croquettes, 美食, 野菜, 薩摩芋, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Croquettes: Japanese Recipe

August 2, 2012 dragonlife 10 Comments

Croquettes (called “korokke/コロッケ in Jaoanese), especially made with potatoes (versions made with thick white sauce are also very popular) must be one of the most celebrated comfort foods all over the world.
I don’t exactly know when they first appeared in Japan but people here certainly consume them with a vengeance! I stopped counting books and magazines entirely dedicated to the delicacy in this country!

Now, sweet potatoes (satsuma imo/薩摩芋 in Japanese) offer a very interesting variation and should be appreciated by all members of a family with the added sweetness!

Sweet potato croquettes/Satsuma Imo No Korokke/薩摩芋のコロッケ!

INGREDIENTS: (for 2 people or 8 small croquettes)

Sweet potato: 1 (200 g)
Chicken breast: 80 g (after having taken skin and fat away)
Onion: 50 g (finely chopped)
Salad oil: 1 tablespoon (for frying)
White sesame seeds: as appropriate
Egg: 1 large
All-purpose flour: 2 tablespoons
Black pepper: a little
Salt: a pinch
Soy sauce: 1 teaspoon
Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

Cut away both tips of the sweet potato.
Wrap it in a wet kitchen paper towel.
Cook in a microwave oven at 600 W for 4 moinutes and 20 seconds to soften it.
You may do this inside a steamer, too.

Peel the potato and mash it in a bowl.
You may want to leave out a few solid bits for a better bite that you will mix with the whole later.
Keep the mashed potato aside in its bowl.

Chop the chicken breast finely.
If you haven’t done it yet, chop the onion finely.
You may chop them together.

Heat a frypan. Heat the oil. Fry the onion and chicken together.
Once the heat has penetrated the meat and onion add some salt and pepper (not included in ingredients above) to your preference. Add soy sauce and fry until the chicken and onion are properly cooked. Do not overcook!
Let cool down for a while.

In the bowl containing the mashed potato add the cooked chicken and onion, the flour, the salt, the black pepper, the egg and the sesame oil. (You may add spices of your liking then!)
Mix the whole well.

Divide the mixture into 8 equal quantities.
Spread oil on the palm of your hands and make 8 patties of similar size and shape.
Flatten them a bit for equal cooking.

Coat one face only with sesame seeds.

Pour some oil on a frypan.
Fry croquettes sesame-coated face down first.

Cook for a little while. Cover with lid. When the bottom face is cooked to a nice brown color (lifting up the lid from time to time is no problem!) turn over and continue frying.

To check if yor croquettes are properly cookd, press their middle with a finger. The finger shouldn’t sink easily.

Place croquettes on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil.
Serve them as soon as possible as they are.
No need for sauce or extra seasoning!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

Croquettes, 美食, 野菜, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Korokke, Potatoes, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products

Croquettes: Japanese-Style Recipe

August 1, 2012 dragonlife 10 Comments

Since I’m planning to run a series of recipes on potatoes and sweet potatoes, I thought it would be a good idea to first re-introduce the Japanese basic way of preparing Croquettes or “Korokke” as they say in thos country!

Here is the basic recipe prevalent in restaurants and homesteads.
Naturally it can be expanded and modified at will.
I will not bother you with measurements this time as the method is the point of this posting!

INGREDIENTS:

-Potatoes (you will have to decide which variety! In Japan, “Danshaku” are best!)
-Onion
-Minced meat (of your choice!)
-Salt and pepper
-Flour (of your choice)
-egg
-Milk
-Breadcrumbs (fresh if possible)
-Oil
-Lard (skip if you don’t like, but a pity!)

RECIPE:

-Boil the potatoes with their skins.
Peel the skins off just out of the water when very hot. This way, the potatoes will not be too wet.

-Mash the potatoes roughly with a wooden spoon/spatula. Add salt and peepper and mix roughly. Cover with cellophane paper to keep the potatoes warm as long as possible.

Chop the onions finely and fry in lard if possible for better taste. If you don’t like lard, use oil. You could add chopped garlic and small pieces of bacon.
Add minced meat of your choice. Season with a little salt, pepper, sugar and soy sauce according to you preferences. Fry until the minced meat is cooked.

-Add the mashed potatoes. Mixing them all atogether at the same time fry until potatoes have become dry enough.
Let cool completely and transfer to a storage dish. Cover with cellophane paper and leave overnight in the refrigerator to allow taste to permeate the potatoes. This is an important point as not only it will enhance the taste but make the croquettes easier to shape.

-Spread a little oil over your palms and shape croquettes to you preffered size.

-Roll in flour and “shake” croquettes so that not too much flour adheres to them.

-Prepare (you might better do that first, LOL) the croquettes egg dip by mixing beaten egg, flour and milk to your preference.
Dip the croquettes in the batter completely.

-Roll the croquettes in the breadcrumbs.
One way to make breadcrumbs is to use real bread which had turned completely solid, soften it in milk, let it dry again and crush it into powder!

-Deep-fry croquettes at 170 degrees Celsius until they have reached a colour of your liking.
As everything is already cooked inside, don’t worry if they are not enough cooked.
Point: add a little sesame oil to your frying oil for extra taste.

There are all kinds of sauce and decoration you cane serve croquettes with, unless you like them plain with a little mustard for example.

Here is a little suggestion for good taste and appetizing presentation:
Prepare a light white sauce/bechamel in the aurora style sauce with plenty of white pepper and boiled green peas.

Don’t they look nice like that!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

Beer, 美食, 酒, 野菜, 鉄板焼き, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Okonomiyaki, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Beer, Shizuoka Cuisine, Teppanyaki, Tourism

Okonomiyaki & Teppanyaki Izakaya: You-To in Shizuoka City!

July 30, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Very friendly. Great explanations and true hospitality.
Equipment & Facilities: Old-fashioned but very clean. Superb genre-separated washrooms!
Prices: Reasonable:
Strong points: Great use of local ingredients. Hiroshima-style and Kansai-style okonmiyaki. Shizuoka oden. Great local sake list. Local microbrewery craft beer on tap!

Okonmiyaki is not originally a Shizuoka specialty but for the 10 years he has been cooking in his izakaya Chef Toshirou Yamagachi/山口登志郎さん is undoubtedly preparing the best ones in the Prefecture!

You-To/湧登 is not that old but it looks so much a traditional Japanese izakaya!
It sits at the most 25 guests at tables, counter and Japanese tatami room.

Great noren/暖簾/entrance curtain! The first sign of a great izakaya!

Now, this is great place to enjoy local sake brews. Actually Toshirou San is the main force behind organizing local sake rallies every year in Shizuoka City!

Great sake from Shizuoka Prefecture!
As it is near the Shizuoka JR Station, make a point to visit the place even if you have only a couple of hours available!
Make sure to reserve on the phone beforehand though!

The sashimi menu is quickly filter pen-written according to the market availability of the day.

Local vegetables used in the o-tooshi/お通し/first food served with the first drink!

The sake is served in large cups like those used by brew-masters in breweries!

Now, the true beer lovers will be glad to learn that You-To is probably the only establishment in town serving on the tap craft beer brewed in Fujinomiya City by Stephan Rager of Bayern Meister Beer Co.! That single drink is a good enough reason to patronize Toshirou’s izakaya!

Now, try to reserve the seats at the counter with a direct view onto the kitchen!

It is a wonder how they keep things clean! A true pro!

Toshirou San makes an extensive use of local products:
Succulent teppanyaki/hot plate fried Suruga Shamo/駿河軍鶏/Suruga Shamo Chicken raised in Shizuoka City!
And fresh vegetables and greens come with all meat dish for a great balance!

Home-made pork cha-shu/叉焼/Chinese style roast pork char siu as a snack!

You-To-style fried potatoes made with organic potatoes from Matsuki Bio Farm in Fujinomiya City!

Satsumaage/薩摩揚げ/Kagoshima-style deep-fried fish cakes!

For my first visit I ordered a Hiroshima-style mixed okonomiyaki!

All cooked and cut in front of you!

So much to eat inside!

A true Japanese comfort food! And so yummy! I needed more beer just for that!

There is just too much on the menu, even for repeated visits!
Instead of dessert I ordered this fuwa fuwa tamagoyaki/ふわふわ玉子焼き/Fluffy Japanese omelette cooked on the hot plate!

To be continued… Very soon!

YOU-TO/湧登
Shizuoka City, Suruga Ku, Minami Cho, 7-5 ( 5 minutes walk from Shizuoka JR Station South exit)
Business hours: 17:00~23:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended!
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE/BLOG (Japanese)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, Eggplants, 茄子, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tomato

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Japanese-style Cold Eggplants & Tomato Antipasti

July 28, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Japanese and Italian influences can be found in this simple antipasti recip!

Japanese-style Cold Eggplants & Tomato Antipasti

INGREDIENTS: (for 3 people)

Eggplants: 3 (400 g)
Tomato: 1 large
Small leek: 1 finely chopped
Ooba or large shiso/perilla : 4 leaves finly cut

For the dressing:
Ground white sesame seeds: 1 very large tablespoon/30 g
Sesame oil: 1 and a half tablespoons
Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
Sugar: 1 tablespoon
Japanese sake (if not available dry white wine):
Finely chopped fresh ginger: 1 teaspoon
Grated fresh garlic: a ;ittle or as appropriate
Red chili pepper: 1/2, finely chopped

RECIPE:

Cut eggplants in half. Then cut off part of the skin 8to make them easier to eat. Cut each half lengthwise in atrips 5~8 mm thick.

Wet the the eggplants in water. Put them inside a cooking cellphane/vinyl pouch. Fold the pouch so as to have the opening ath bottom. You could also wrap them in cellophane paper.
Cook in microwave oven at 600 W for 1 minute and 30 seconds.
You could also cook them inside a steamer.

Let cool down completely and then chill them inside refrigerator.
If you want to chill them quickly bind the pouch closed and dip it in a bowl full of water and ice.

Put all the sauce ingredients into a bowl. Cover it with cellophane paper and cook in microwave oven for 50 seconds. Let it cool completely and then chill it.

Serving for one person.

Arrange the eggplants on serving dish. Put the tomato thinly sliced and formed into a rose on top.
decorate the eggplants and tomato with chopped leek and thinly sliced shiso.
Pour sauce over the whole as shown in top picyure.

Serve and enjoy with a great beer, cold sake or chilled white wine!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, Eggplants, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine, Vegetarian terrine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Japanese-style Sweet & Sour Eggplants

July 26, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!
Sweet & sour sauces basically originate from China but Japan has its own versions, albeit lighter in texture and taste!

Japanese-style Sweet & Sour Eggplants

INGREDIENTS: (for 2 people)

Eggplants: 2~3
Freshly grated ginger: 1 tablespoon
Green shiso/perilla: 5 leaves
Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
Sugar: 1 and a half tablespoons
Salad oil: 1 large tablespoon and a little
Golden sesame seeds: as appropriate

RECIPE:

Take off stem part and cut eggplants lengthwise in four. Clean under running cold water. Wipe off all water with kitchen paper.

In a skillet pour the oil and fry the eggplants until they have attained a nice color.

In a large bowl drop the soy sauce, grated ginger and sugar. Mix well. Add the shiso leaves finely cut in thin strips. mix quickly.

Add the fried eggplants in the bowl. Stir them gently as to cover them completely. Let soak them in for at least 5 minutes. The fact that the eggplants are hot will melt the sugar and help them absorb the sauce.

Place the eggplants in a dish. Pour all the sauce on top and sprinkle sesame seeds on top.
The Japanese eat such a dish in summer at room temperature.
Great snack with beer!

Here is a variation with the same ingredients with mini tomatoes and shishito hot chilies added for more color and presentation. And taste, of course!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 野菜, 観光, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, sushi, Tourism, 寿司

Vegan Sushi Pictures in Shizuoka City, Japan!

July 26, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Time and time again I have heard vegans and vegetarians complaining they couldn’t enjoy sushi in Japan according to their priorities and time and time again I have explained this is completely untrue!
True to tell, this is not Tokyo where you would have to patronize atrociously pricey establishments or Hokkaido where you would be replied by a blank stare.
This is Shizuoka, the Prefecture which has officially (by government reckoning. Actually there are even more!) the largest number of vegetable varieties by far in the whole nation. Ordering or preparing vegan or vegetarian sushi is not much of a problem. To prove it here is a few pictures taken in various establishments in Shizuoka City!

Menegi Nigiri/芽葱握り/Leeks sprouts tied with a dry seaweed ribbon and topped with umeboshi/梅干し/Pickled Japanese plum!

Mitsuba Nigiri/三つ葉にぎり/Japanese honeywort slightly boiled in salted water, pressed and drained and topped with umeboshi!

Daikon nigiri/大根にぎり/Daikon which has been marinated in amazu/sweet vinegar and seasoned with grated yuzu/柚子/lime skin!

Mitsuba to Kyuri Gunkan/三つ葉と胡瓜軍艦/”Mothership style nigiri with boiled Japanese honeywort and young crunchy Japanese cucumber!

Kabetsu nigiri/キャベツにぎり/Nigiri wrapped in boiled cabbage and seasoned with sweet miso paste!

Daikon Maki/大根巻き/Daikon Roll!

The roll was prepared with daikon marinated in amazu with a filling of sushi rice, dry seaweed, umeboshi and boiled Mitsuba. Not easy!

Manganji Tougarashi Nigiri/万願寺唐辛子にぎり/Manganji Chili Pepper is a long, green and soft taste variety of chili peppers that can be enjoyed raw. The one on the left was topped with yuzu koshio/柚子胡椒/lime and black pepper paste, and the one on the right with umeboshi!

A beautiful nigiri set with menegi/芽葱/Leek sprouts, Himesobame/姫蕎麦/buckwheat sprouts, Mitsuba/三つ葉/Japanese honeywort, one raw, the other lightly boiled and topped with umeboshi/梅干し/Pickled Japanese plum!

Natto to negi gunkan/納豆と葱軍艦/”Mothership nigiri topped with fermented beans and thinly sliced leek!

A favorite of mine! Shiso to Ume to Natto Maki/紫蘇と梅と納豆巻き/A roll containing perilla leaf, pickled Japanese plum and fermented beans!

Namida maki/涙巻き/Tears or Bakudan Maki/爆弾巻き/Explosive Roll containing solely grated wasabi!

A specialty probably found only in Shizuoka Prefecture! Wasabi Zuke no inari Zushi/山葵漬けの稲荷寿司/A pouch of grilled and simmered tofu containing sushi rice and pickled/marinated wasabi stems and leaves!

For dessert! Kampyou maki/干瓢巻き/Roll containing sushi rice and dry gourd shavings. The gourd is first dried then shaved. The shavings are then simmered in soy sauce, mirin, sake and sugar! Very sweet!

Are you convinced?

To be continued…

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 酒, 静岡市, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Fish, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Restaurants, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism, 刺身, 寿司

Sushi Gastronomy at Sushi Ko in Shizuoka City (July 2012)!

July 25, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: Pro and very friendly
Facilities: Very clean. Excellent toilets
Prices: Reasonable
Strong points: Great variety of seafood from Shizuoka Prefecture and the rest of Japan. Great list of sake

Time had finally come last night when we both agreed that a visit to our favorite sushi restaurant in Shizuoka City, namely Sushi Ko/すし幸 had been long overdue and that we ought to sample Chef. Kenta Birukawa/尾留川健太’s creations!

Now did we sample this time?

With our first drink (beer) were served a “o-tooshi/お通し/light food served with the first drink consisting of boiled shirasu/シラス/sardine whiting, a true specialty of Shizuoka Prefecture!

O-tsukuri/御造り/sashimi plate!

Suzuki/鱸/Seabass for the Suruga Bay lying against a shiso/紫蘇/perilla leaf finely cut daikon/大根・Japanese radish and myoga/茗荷/myoga ginger.
Note that the fresh wasabi is grated from roots cultivated in Utogi, Shizuoka City, the birthplace of wasabi!

King salmon/キングサーモン with perilla flowers, shiso leaf and agar agar threads.

A Sushi Ko Restaurant specialty: pon kara maguro/ポン辛鮪/tuna dices deep-fried and served with chopped red onion, ponzu and momiji oroshi/紅葉下ろし/Grated daikon with chili powder.

A must at any sushi restaurant worth its salt: Zuke/着け/Marinated tuna nigiri!

After the beer, whereas the Missus ordered wine, I asked for a great local sake, shosetsu/正雪/a honjyozo/本醸造 brewed by Kanzawagawa Brewery/神沢は和酒造 in Yui/由比/, Shimizu Ku/清水区, Shizuoka City/静岡市!

Kinmedai aburi/金目鯛炙り/seared Splendid Alfonsino caught off the Izu Peninsula/伊豆半島! Another famous fish from Shizuoka Prefecture!

Kinki/キンキ/Broadbanded Thornyhead nigiri!

Finley sliced Tsubugai/螺貝/whelk (small variety) marinated in fresh wasabi!

Amaebi/甘海老/Sweet shrimps and Hotategai/帆立貝/Scallop nigiri!

It is not all about fish, Sushi Ko also serves some beautifully cooked morsels!
Geso Karaage/下そ唐揚げ/Deep-fried squid tentacles!

Sushi Ko can also devise sushi exclusively for vegetarians and vegans such as the above manganji tougarashi/万願寺唐辛子/sweet long green chili pepper seasoned with yuzu koshio/柚子小塩/lime pickled in salt or ume/梅/Pickled Japanese plum as nigiri!

Gunkan/軍艦/”Mothership nigiri containing yama imo/山芋/Long Japanese yam with uzura tamago/鶉卵/quail egg and a little Tuna!

A favorite of mine: Tachiuo aburi/太刀魚炙り/seared scabbard fish from the Suruga Bay as a nigiri!

A favorite sushi roll all over Japan: Negi Toro maki/葱トロ巻/finely chopped tuna and leek roll!

Another vegan morsel: Shiso Ume Natto maki/紫蘇梅納豆巻/perilla leaf, pickled Japanese plum and fermented beans roll!

Another vegan morsel: Menegi Nigiri/芽葱握り/leek sprouts nigiri topped with ume!

We finished this grand dinner with an extravagant “dessert consisting of two different kinds of ko-donburi/小丼 (also called ko bachi/小鉢)/sushi served in small bowls: ikura/イクラ(did you know that this particular word is Russian, not Japanese?)? Salmon roe and Murasaki uni/紫海栗/violet sea urchin!

Did you enjoy the pictures?
We certainly enjoyed the food! LOL

To be continued…

SUSHI KO
420-0032 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho, 2-3-1 (Aoba Park Street)
Tel.: 054-251-9701
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (in Japanese)
Smoking allowed. Private room can be arranged for non-smoking (4 people)

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 野菜, 野菜ジャム, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Jam, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine, Zucchini

Vegan Japanese Zucchini Jam Recipe

July 23, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Zucchini practically come in season at the same time as eggplants and apart of cooking them together in ratatouille, there pleny of ways to accomodate them to satisfy all culinary priorities.
Moreover, jams should not be a problem for vegans or vegetarians and they do contribute healthy energy!

Vegan Japanese Zucchini Jam!

INGREDIENTS (for about 200 g of jam)

Zucchini: 2 medium-sized green zucchini (for a total of about 200 g). Yellow zucchini and round zucchini are naturaly ok!
Lemon: a large one
Fresh ginger: 30 g
Powder white sugar (or sugar of your choice, but keep color in mind): 100 g
Whole cloves: 2

RECIPE:

Wash the lemon.
Cut the lemon in two.
Press the juice out of one half and keep the juice aside.
Push the cloves into the pressed lemon skin.
Put the the two lemon halves in a gauze pouch and bind/knot the pouch closed.

In a large pan drop all the zucchini thinly sliced (5 mm), fresh ginger chopped into small bits, the lemon juice and sugar. Let soak for 30 minutes.
As for the thinly cut zucchini, it is up you whether to peel them beforehand or not.

Add the pouch containing the spiced lemon skin and cook over medium fire for 25 minutes.

Once the zucchini has got soft take the spiced lemon pouch out.

Reduce the zucchini into a puree with an electric stick mixer.

Taste for eventual rectification!

Jam can be used in many ways:
For non-vegans atop cream cheese.
Vegans shoul also remember it can be used as a sauce! Spread some over steamed vegetables!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

Couscous, 美食, 野菜, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, North Africa, North African Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Zucchini

Vegan North African Cuisine: Couscous-stuffed Round Zucchini

July 22, 2012 dragonlife 2 Comments

Zucchini practically come in season at the same time as eggplants and apart of cooking them together in ratatouille, there pleny of ways to accomodate them to satisfy all culinary priorities.

Here is a simple recipe inspired by North African and Southern French gastronomies!
Couscous-stuufed Round Zucchini!

INGREDIENTS (for 2 zucchinis. Please don’t fight over them! LOL)

Zucchinis: 2 of two different colors, about 150 g each
Couscous: 80 g
Water: 200 cc (1 cup)
Dried tomatoes: 2
Mushroom: Brown mushroom, a couple
Onion: 1/4
Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper: as appropriate
Olive oil: 1/2 tablespoon

RECIPE:

Clean the zucchini

Wrap the zucchini into cellophane paper and cook for 1 mi\ute at 600 KW inside a microwave oven.

While the zucchini cool down chop the dried tomatoes.

Chop the mushrooms in dices.

Chop the onion.
Wash in cold water and drain.

In a pan pour the water, add the dried tomato and mushrooms, the salt. Bring to boil and cokk for a minute or two. Switch off and drain. kep the water for the couscous!

Pour the couscous into a bowl.
Add the still hot water used for cooking the dried tomato and mushrooms.
Cover the bowl with kitchen foil aper and let the couscous absorb the liquid for 8 minutes.

Cut “caps” off the zucchini. Take insides out with a spoon so as to leave “zucchini bowls” about 5 mm thick. Discard the seeds if any. Chop the zucchini fleah finely.

The couscous should be soft enough.
Pour in the olive oil and mix well.

Add the dried tomatoes, mushrooms, chopped zucchini fleah, salt and pepper and mix well.
Naturally you can add spices and chopped herbes of your liking then!

Brush the inside of the zucchini with olive oil and stuff them with the couscous.
Fill the zucchini over the brim!

Pre-heat oven to 230 degrees Celsius and cook for 15 minutes.

Serve immediately or lukewarm.

If you have any coucous filling left just eat it as salad!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 酒, 野菜, 観光, 魚, 魚海の幸, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Restaurants, seafood, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Tourism

Japanese Traditional Gastronomy: Suzuki Restaurant in Shizuoka City!

July 22, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Service: Very friendly and informative
Equipment and facilities: Very clean overall and superb washroom
Prices: Expensive but fair
Strong points: Authentic traditional Japanese gastronomy mainly with local ingredients. Great sake and drinks list. Main dining room non-smoking.

To think that Suzuki/寿々喜 (the last kanji is actually written with 3 “sevens”) moved to Takajyo District only 5 minutes away from my workplace 11 years ago and that it had repeatedly been recommended to me…
I made amends at long last last Friday evening and certainly enjoyed the experience, if belatedly!

Although celebrated in the gastronomic circles of Shizuoka Prefecture and beyond, Suzuki Restaurant is definitely a “hidden address”. A discreet side look at the customers will quickly convince you this is definitely and upper-class establishment in spite of its relatively small size. But its location in Takajyou District, reputedly the gastronomic centre of Shizuoka City, is already an indication of its elevated status!

i recommend you to sit at the counter in the main dining room simply because it is non-smoking and you will be able to observe veteran Chef Takao Suzuki/鈴木高雄さん at work!
Suzuki San will be glad to advise you whether to choose a course according to your budget or from the carte of the day. Don’t forget to ask him about what drink, including local sake, would suit best the dishes you have ordered!

Tsukidashi, the first snack coming with the first drink!

As it was my first visit, I took things easy and ordered three different dishes to be accompanied by three different local sakes!

O-makase no tsukuri/The Chef’s choice of sashimi!

More than half of the seafood was from Shizuoka Prefecture!

From right to left:
Hamo/鱧/Pike Conger Eel, Madai/真鯛/True Seabream/, Bakagai/破家蛤/Chinese Mactra, Tairagai/玉珧/Pen Shell and Katsuo/鰹/Bonitto above.

From right to left:
Tairagai/玉珧/pen Shell, uni/海栗/Sea urchin, Aori Ika/障泥烏賊/Bigfin Reef Squid, and above, Katsuo/鰹/Bonito and Saba Konbujime/鯖〆/Mackerel marinated between seaweed leaves.
Truly extravagant!

I just had to have some cooked fish:
Aka Mutsu Shio yaki/赤むつ塩焼き/Rosy Seabass grilled in salt.
Cooked to perfection with the flesh juisces steaming out under the chopsticks. A treat!

Since it was only the first stage of a long night i opted for a vegetable dish instead of a dessert!
Natsu Yasai Mushi Bachi/夏野菜むし鉢/pot-steamed summer Vegetables including eggplant, asparaguses, okra and tomato!

From another angle…
Not only beautiful, but so delicious!

To be continued…

SUZUKI/寿々喜
420-0839 Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Takajyo, 1-6-3, Maison Aoi 1F
Tel.: 054-273-8030
Opening hours: 18:00~21:00
Closed on Sundays and 3rd Monday of the month.
Recommendations highly recommended!
Cards OK

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, Dashi, 野菜, 農業, Food, Food Health, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine, Vegan, Vegan Dashi, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Dashi/Soup Stock: The Basic Recipe (re-published)

July 20, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

So many times have I heard my vegan and vegetarian friends complain about the fact that most dashi/soup stock is not done according to their priorities in Japan, making it impossible for them to enjoy food in this country.
Fortunately, this is a big misconception. Vegan dashi exists and is very easy to make or request.
Now, to make sure that the same friends can savour Japanese food, either at home or with friends, here is the basic ans simple recipe!
Please save or copy this recipe for future reference!

Vegan Japanese Dashi/Soup Stock

INGREDIENTS: (multiply according to demand. This is the minimum quantity!)

Konbu as sold in Japan

Konbu out of its packaging

-Konbu/dried thick dark seaweed: ５ｃｍ×５ｃｍ piece (dry)
-Water: ４００cc/ml
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon (don’t worry, the alcohol will disappear upon heating/cooking!)
-Mirin/sweet sake (same comments as above!): 2 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 2 and a half tablespoons

RECIPE:

Pour the water into a large pan. Drop the seaweed into the water.
Switch on the fire.
The moment bubbles appear on the surface of the konbu, the water will start sucking the its essence in.
At that time add soy sauce, sake and mirin.

Taste from time to time to decide when taste suits you best.
Switch off fire then and take konbu out.
Let cool completely, pour it inside a bottle. Seal the bottle properly and store inside refrigerator.
Use it as soon as possible.

The seaweed doesn’t have to be thrown away. It is edible as it is once cooked!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 野菜, 茄子, 農業, Food, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Shizuoka Cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Eggplants Agedashi

July 20, 2012 dragonlife 4 Comments

Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!
Agedashi/揚げだし is atrditional cooking technique in Japan that combines frying/pan-frying/deep-frying/Age-揚げ and a soupstock/dasi-出し.
Check this vegan recipe for Japanese dashi first!

Eggplants Agedashi/nasu Agedashi/茄子揚げだし

INGREDIENTS (for 2~3 people)

Eggplants: 2
Fresh ginger: 1 cut 2×3 cm
Dashi/soupstock: 100cc (1/2 cup)
Soy sauce: 1 + 2/3 tablespoons (25cc)
Mirin/sweet sake if unavailable sake + sugar or dry white wine + sugar): 1 + 1/2 teaspoon (12.5 cc)

RECIPE

Prepare the soup stock in a pan for immediate use later by pouring in the dashi soupstock, soy sauve and mirin.

Do not peel the eggplants.
Cut off both ends and cut in halves.
Then make shallow indents with a shrp knife every 2 or 3 mm. This will not only make the skin easy to eat but also allow all the ingredients to “sink in/imbibe” the eggplants!

Fry in shallow oil at 160~170 degrees Celsius.
Turn them over from time to time.

Fry for 2 minutes so that the eggplants attain a nice color.
Take out of oil immediately.

Place the eggplants in a serving dsh while they are hot (improtant!) and pour the heated dashi aver them.
Place grated fresh ginger on top and serve!

Great with beer!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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:

美食, 野菜, 農業, Gastronomes, Gastronomy, Japan, Japanese Gastronomy, Recipes, Shizuoka, Shizuoka agricultural products, Vegan, vegetables, Vegetarian cuisine

Vegan Japanese Recipe: Eggplants Pan-fried with Ground Black Sesame Seeds

July 19, 2012 dragonlife 8 Comments

Eggplants or Aubergines or Nasu/茄子 in Japanese are a very popular vegetable in Japan whose people have many recipes of their own that would satisfy many vegans and vegetarians worldwide.
These recipes are simple and the ingredients should be easy to obtain!
The present recipe makes use of black sesame seeds, that is roasted sesame seeds!
Apparently they are not so easy to find in Europe, which is a real pity!

INGREDIENTS (for 4 people)

Although we can buy ground black sesame seeds in Japanese markets, buy it whole and grind some just before cooking!
Great taste and flavor and so rich in nutrients!

Eggplants: 6 (long variety)
Ground black sesame seeds: 60 g
Japanese sake: 100 cc (1/2 cup). If unavailable use dry white wine!
Mirin/Japanese sweet sake: 50 cc (1/4 cup) If unavailable use very sweet white wine!
Soy sauce: 1 tab;espoon
Sugar: as appropriate
Water: 100 cc (1/2 cup)
Vegetable oil: as appropriate

RECIPE

Do not peel the eggplants.
Cut lengthwise in four, and then in halves across.
Remember that eggplants absorb oil so do not hesitate to use a lot of the latter!

Fry the eggplants.
When the eggplants have become soft and absorbed most of the oil, first add all the ingredients except the sugar and water. Fry for a while. Add the sugar and keep frying for a while.

Mix well and add the water. Turn the fire low and fry/cook until the juices have become very thick.
Switch off fire and let cool completely.

As this dish is very tasty cold, make a big batch and chill inside the refrigerator!

RECOMMENDED RELATED WEBSITES

Tokyo Food File by Robbie Swinnerton, Green Tea Club by Satoshi Nihonyanagi in Shizuoka!, Mind Some by Tina in Taiwan, Le Manger by Camille Oger (French), The Indian Tourist, Masala Herb by Helene Dsouza in Goa, India, Mummy I Can Cook! by Shu Han in London, Pierre.Cuisine, Francescannotwrite, My White Kitchen, 47 Japanese Farms Through The Eyes of Its Rural Communities, Foodhoe, Chucks Eats, Things that Fizz & Stuff, Five Euro Food by Charles,Red Shallot Kitchen by Priscilla,With a Glass, Nami | Just One Cookbook, Peach Farm Studio, Clumsyfingers by Xethia, PepperBento,Adventures in Bento Making, American Bent, Beanbento, Bento No, Bento Wo Tsukurimashou, Cooking Cute, Eula, Hapabento , Happy Bento, Jacki’s Bento Blog, Kitchen Cow, Leggo My Obento, Le Petit Journal Bento & CO (French), Lunch In A Box,
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,

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Japanese Gastronomy Traditions: O-Tooshi, Tsuki-Dashi, First Snack with First Drink at Izakayas

July 18, 2012 dragonlife Leave a comment

Celery and seaweed fried in sake at Yasaitei

Non-Japanese are always surprised to see a light food dish coming automatically with the ifrst drink ordered at most izakayas in Japan.
It is called O-Tooshi/お通し or Tsuki-Dashi/突き出し in Japanese.
It is a tradition in Japan, but misunderstandings may arise as you will be billed for it.
It is not complimentary. In the latter case, the owner or staff will clearly say” Saabisu desu!/サービスです！On the house!”.
Now, why such a tradition, definitely somewhat alien to Westerners?
There are two ways to consider it, the positive way and the negative way.
Like bad and good surprises let me start with the negative way, although I’ve learnt not to be so in this country!

Vegetables, wakame and octopus o-hitashi at Yasaitei

The negative way:

The izakaya can adapt/arrange/recreate leftovers of the previous day/night and serve them for a profit.
It replaces the notorious “cover charge” in clubs and bars.
The unscrupulous izakaya (and that includes big chains in general!) can serve dead cheap food (frozen edamame and the like imported from China) and make an immediate profit especially if the establishement is large and busy.
You may refuse right away the o-tooshi or tsuki-dashi by immediately saying “o-tooshi Katto shite kudasai/お通しカットして下さい！” but you will have to be quick and you will establish a durable tight-fisted reputation among your Japanese friends or colleagues although Westerners might judge you as a sharp guy/lass…
Mind you, there are times when I do feel tp leave the thing untouched and point out later that I didn’t order or eat it, but you must be fluent in Japanese… In any case, I do not patronize such profiteering establishments!

Spicy edamame o-hitashi at Yasaitei

The positive way:

On the other hand, the real and honest, if still driven by economic reasons, purpose is:
First to enable customers to enjoy some food with their first drink while their orders are processed. After all for all the drink you might consume you still have chosen the place for its food (unless you are gravely mistaken!)!
Second, the o-tooshi will give you a very faithful idea of the level and skills of the izakaya (unless you are absolutely unlucky or made yourself a nuisance!).

Grilled kampachi/Amberjack with zucchini and tomato puree at Yasaitei

I personally make a rule to remember and record the o-tooshi served to me at my favorite (and expensive) izakaya and Japanese restaurants. They actually make for great gastronomic study and research. After all, a good establishment will rarely serve the same o-tooshi two days running!

Here are some samples collected in my favorite haunts: