Tag Archives: Salad

Vegan Chinese Carrot Salad

March 21, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Chinese Cuisine, especially salads can be easily adapted for vegan and vegetarian priorities as shown in this simple and adaptable recipe!

Note on Zha cai

Zha cai (literally “pressed vegetable”) is a type of pickled mustard plant stem originating from Sichuan, China. Other transliterations might include cha tsai, tsa tsai (from Mandarin Chinese); or jar choy, jar choi, ja choi, ja choy, or cha tsoi (from Cantonese). In English, it is commonly known as Sichuan vegetable, Szechwan vegetable, or Chinese pickled vegetable (although all of these terms may also refer to any of a number of other Chinese pickles), including the several other types in the Sichuan province itself.

The pickle is made from the knobby, fist-sized, swollen green stem of Brassica juncea, subspecies tatsai. The stem is first salted, pressed, and dried before being rubbed with hot red chili paste and allowed to ferment in an earthenware jar.

INGREDIENTS: For 1 person

-Carrot: 1
-Zha Cai: 1 small tin
-White leek: 1
-Vinegar Rice: 2 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
-Sesame oil: 1 tablespoon
-Salad Oil (of your choice): 1 tablespoon

RECIPE:

-Cut the carrot into thin and narrow strips.

-Do the same with zha cai.

-In a bowl drop the carrot and zha cai strips. Add rice vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and salad oil. Mix. Check taste and rectify if deemed necessary. Bear in mind that the zha cai contains salt.

-Cut the white leeks into very thin strips.
Mount the salad as shown in above picture.

-the beta carotene contained in the carrots will be better assimilated by the body thanks to the oil!

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Vegan sashimi at Yasaitei (’09/12/02)

December 3, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

Service: excellent and very friendly
Facilities: great cleanliness overall
Prices: reasonable, good value.
Strong points: Very fresh local ingredients extensively used. Seasonal ingredients only. All-ladies staff.

Last night, having a long break in the evening and being ravenous, I just couldn’t wait until dinner at home. So, I veisited my favourite izakaya, namely Yasaitei, where I knew I could have a quick and delicious fix without worrying about my wasitline!

In Japan it is usual to be served a small snack (which will be charged at a nominal but reasonable price) with the first drink order.

For a closer view!

The snack was “yuba”/tofu sheets with uni/sea urchin (vegans or vegetarians only need to point out their priorities and they will be served only according to them, so no worries!) and Shizuoka wasabi (and slices of radish).

With a little soy sauce,so simple but so refined at the same time!

The vegetables were basically the same as my last visit, which I don’t mind at all, but the plate and the presentation were different, which I appreciate no end!:
-Yellow carrot
-Myoga/myoga ginger shoots
-Cucumber (so crispy!)
-Celery
Daikon
-Shiso on a bed of thinly cut onions.

For a side view!

Served with sesame oil, miso and salt seasoning and a glass of Doman Shochu by Hamamatsi-Tenjigura Brewery, perfect!

YASAITEI
Shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Tokiwa-Cho, 1-6-2 Green Heights Wamon 1-C
Tel.: 054-2543277
Business hours: 17:30~22:00
Closed on Sundays
Reservations highly recommended
Seating: 6 at counter + 20 at tables
Set Courses: 3,000, 4,000, 5,000 yen
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Vegan Sashimi at Yasaitei

October 21, 2009 dragonlife Leave a comment

YASAITEI-VEGAN2

I’ve been an unconditional fan of Yasatei in Shizuoka City for quite a while.
Some might say I’m attracted to the all-female staff, but they would be sorely mistaken as I take my Missus there from time to time!
The reasons are very simple:

YASAITEI-VEGAN1

Yasaitei (The Vegetables Inn in Japanese) makes the extra effort(s) to serve whenever possible produce from Shizuoka Prefecture, including sake and shochu! The only place, as far as I know, which offers shochu from three different Shizuoka breweries/distilleries!
Vegan and vegetarian friends have complained to me unaccountable times that they would not be able to survive in Japan. How far from the truth they are!
Vegetables, including organic and biologically-grown, are plentiful in this country. I must gladly admit hat we are blessed with a very special situation here in Shizuoka Prefecture as this is the mildest region in Japan in spite of the snow falling around Mount Fuji. Our Prefecture has become a national reference when it comes to vegetable and fruit agricultural research (omnivores will be glad to hear that it is also at the forefront of marine life sustainibility!), notably in natural environment.

The staff at Yasaitei always keeps an extra eye and ear open for any new information concerning vegetables. Many a time I have brought them heirloom tomatoes, burdock roots, potimarrons and what else grown by lady farmers up Abe River just for the fun of it. On such occasions some surprised patrons find themselves served with an extra “service morsel” (meaning free of charge)!

YASAITEI-VEGAN3

Yesterday evening, I needed a “quick fix” in between two work sessions and pedaled to their restaurant only five minutes away.
I just said, “Yasai sashimi no moriawase/Plate of vegetables sashimi, please!”
Written or not on the day’s menu, it will always be prepared with an extra care.
The set I was served consisted of the following (See above pic):
-Cucumber (kyuuri/胡瓜)-the Japanese like them young, narrow and crunchy!
-Japanese long radish (daikon/大根)-Juicy, crunchy, almost sweet (bear in mind that the extremity is astringent!).
-Perilla leaf (shiso/紫蘇) behind the daikon and sitting on a bed of sliced onion (tamanegei/たまねぎ). The onion were thinly sliced and left in cold water for a while to take away the astringency.

YASAITEI-VEGAN4

-Grapara leaves (grapara/グラパラ) in the middle. I will talk about this later!
-Sweet Ameera tomatoes (ameera tomato/アメーラトマト). These tomatoes were originally grown in Shizuoka Prefecture, but are slowly expanding all over Japan. They are so sweet that they almsot taste like strawberries!
-Celery (serori/セロリー). Shizuoka Prefecture grows half of them in Japan! Fresh, juicy and crunchy!
-Myoga ginger sprouts (myouga/茗荷) just behind the celery.

YASAITEI-VEGAN6

These grapara leaves are grown in Chiba Prefecture, north of Tokyo.
For people who can read Japanes, check their homepage!

YASAITEI-VEGAN7

Crunchy but with a juicy and tender inside, they are sweet and taste somewhat like pineapple!

YASAITEI-VEGAN5

Vegans and Vegetarians, do not worry!
Yasaitei does not serve mayonnaise with such beauties.
They will accompany this plate of super fresh vegetables with a small saucer containing sesame oil (goma abura/ゴマ油), dark miso (kuro miso/黒味噌) and natural salt (shio/塩)!

Expect more reports!

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Vegan Tofu Carpaccio

October 20, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

TOFU-CARPACCIO

I’ve been in tofu recipe search mode for quite a while, and I finally found one to please my vegan friends who can’t boast a carpaccio of their own!
It is ridiculously easy, but it makes for great impression!
Choose the best ingredients!

Vegan Tofu Carpaccio!

INGREDIENTS:

-Tofu (kinu tofu/silk tofu): as much as you like?
-Salt (Guerande for example): to taste
-Black pepper (freshly ground only, please!): to taste
-Lemon juice (organic lemon, please!): to taste
-Olive oil (EVO): to taste
-Pink pepper/baies roses: to taste

As you can see, it is basically up to you!

Look for some great organic green leaf vegetables to make a “bed” for the tofu.

RECIPE:

-Wrap tofu inside a large piece of kitchen paper.
Put the wrapped tofu inside a tupperware box (no lid, please) and top the tofu with a light weight.
Leave overnight (a full day, if you can) inside the refrigerator.

-Take out the tofu (discard the water).
-Cut it slices and plave it on a bed of leaf vegetables.
-Sprinkle in that order with salt, pepper, lemon juice and olive oil.
-Srop a few pink pepper grains for decoration and taste.

Simple, ain’t it?

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Vegan Italian Tofu Salad

October 19, 2009 dragonlife 8 Comments

TOFU-VEGAN-SALAD

The Japanese come with some simple and tasty new ideas for Vegans and Vegetarians!
I just discovered this recipe. It is basically a Cabrese-style salad.
The twist is that the cheese is replaced by tofu!

Vegan Italian Tofu Salad:

INGREDIENTS:

-Tofu (kinu dofu): half/200g
-Tomato: 1 large
-Sweet basil: 10 leaves

-Dressing:
Wine vinegar (white): 1/4 cup
White wine: 1/4 cup
Salt: 1/3 teaspoon
Whole black pepper: 3 grains, crushed
Garlic: 1/2 clove
Fresh red chili: 1/2

Olive oil (EVO): 1．1/4～ tablespoon
Onion: 15 g, grated

RECIPE:

-Cut tofu into 1 cm thick slices.
-After taking out the stem part, cut tomatoes into half moons.
-Leave tofu tomatoes in a bowl full of iced water.
-Crush and mince garlic. Mix it with the wine vinefar, white wine, salt, pepper and chili. Cook in a pan until the lot has reduced to half. Let cool.
-Take tomatoes and tofu out the iced water (drain as much water as possible) and drop them in a large bowl. Add onion and olive oil. Mix well.
-Place tomatoes, tofu and basil alternately as shown in picture on a srving dish. Pour dressing all over.

NOTE:

-For calorie conscious vegetarians, tofu has almost none while chesse has loads of them!

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Japanese Vegan Udon, Dried Shiitake and Konbu Salad

July 18, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

SHIITAKE-UDON-UMEBOSHI-SALAD-1

I’ve been looking around me recently for ideas so as to help my vegan and vegetarian friends with new ideas. Here is a simple one I just found for a healthy and tasty salad:
Japanese Vegan Udon, Shiitake and Umeboshi Salad!

INGREDIENTS: For one dish

-Udon: 1 pack of boiled udon ready for use
-Dried Shiitake Mushrooms: 4
-Konbu/seaweeed
-Salad Oil: 3 large tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 50 ml
-Mirin/sweet sake: 50 ml
-Real mineral water: 100 ml
-Cucumber, lettuce, mini tomatoes: as per taste

RECIPE:
SHIITAKE-UDON-UMEBOSHI-SALAD-2
-In a pan, drop cut dried shiitake, cho@@ed konbu/seaeed and oil. Fry gently.

-On a low fire add soy sauce and mirin.

SHIITAKE-UDON-UMEBOSHI-SALAD-3
-When you are satisfied that the shiitake are soft enough, drop the whole into mixer,nlender. Add water and process unti you obatin a sauce like in the picture.

-Boil udon quickly. Cool them under running clear water. Drain throuroughly and place on a dish.

-Arrange lettuce, cucumber on top of udon as on the picture, showing up enough of the udon.

SHIITAKE-UDON-UMEBOSHI-SALAD-4
-pour the sauce on top and decorate with mini tomatoes.

Enjoy!

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Vegan Peach & Luccola Salad

July 16, 2009 dragonlife 4 Comments

PEACH-LUCOLLA-1

Fruit are great as desserts, but they have so many benefits that they aso make for some great combinations with vegetables, especially salads!
Her is an example as peaches and luccola are in season:
Vegan Peach & Luccola Salad!

INGREDIENTS: For 1 person
-Peach: half a fresh one
-Luccola: 3 leaves
-Lemon: 1 sixth/1 wedge
-Salt: a pinch (to taste)
-Ground black pepper (to taste)
-Olive oil (EV): 1 large tablespoon

RECIPE:
-Chill a plate.

PEACH-LUCOLLA-2
-Cut each luccola sprig in 8 cm long parts. Drop into a bowl.

-Peel peach, and cut 1 half into 5 wedges (if you do not eat the rest right away, sprikle with lemon juice, wrap in cellophane paper and keep in the fridge!).

-Add in the bowl lemon juice, olive oil and salt. Lightly toss.

-Add peach wedges and toss again just a little. Place onto a plate with an eye for decoration.

-Grind black pepper over the salad!

Simple, easy and healthy!

NOTE:
Eat at once or luccola will change colour and turn soggy.
Don’t forget to bring some white wine!

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Tuna and Watermelon Salad

July 15, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

TUNA-WATERMELON-TARTARE-1

This particular salad is actually called “Yukke” in Japanese, and it is inspired from Korean gastronomy, the most influential foreign gastronomy with the Chinese one in Japan’s everyday meals!
“Yukke” could be roughly (many people might disagree there, sorry!) as “Tartare”.
Great in summer with a glass of sake or shochu!

INGREDIENTS: For 2 persons
-Watermelon: Including the red and white parts/150 g
-Raw tuna: 100 g
-Sesame oil: one and a half large tablespoons
-Miso: 2 small teaspoons
-Soy sauce: 2 small teaspoons
-Powdered/ground sesame seeds: 2 large tablespoons
-Grated garlic: to taste
-Fresh egg yolks: 2
-Leaf vegetables: shiso/perilla, Myoga, thin leeks, etc (to taste)

RECIPE:
-Cut tuna and two thirds of the watermelon (red part without the pips/seeds) to small enough sized pieces.

TUNA-WATERMELON-TARTARE-2
-Cut the white part of the watermelon into thin strips as shown above.

-Grate the remaining watermelon (red part) and mix well with sesame oil, Miso, soy sauce, powdered/ground sesame seeds, and grated garlic.
Add the cut tuna and red watermelon pieces and mix.

-On to different plates, palce the watermelon white strips first and then the tuna and watermelon as sown in top picture. Make a small well on top and delicately drop an egg yolk. add chopped leaves for better effect and taste.

NOTE:
-As watermelon tends to give away water, eat as soon as prepared.
-For people whole like their food spicy add ingredients of your liking!

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Scallops Salad

July 4, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

I remember that quite some tie ago my wife was “stuck” with some succulent-looking scallops. The problem was that they were too small to make acceptable sashimi. So for once, she forgot she was Japanese and opted for the European thinking.

She had some very fesh cress (cresson) grown in Shizuoka Prefecture as well as a variety of tomatoes called “Aamera”.
These tomatoes are the smallest that I have ever seen and are grown in our Prefecture only (so far).
They are very firm and very sweet. You could serve them together with a plate of red fruit!

So as you can see on the picture, she first made a thin bed of cress topped with avocado slices, made a rondo of scallops in the center with a core of cut aamera tomatoes. It certainly looked more difficult than it really was.

Topped with a dressing of your choice, with the oprion of some cottage cheese and finely cut Italian parsley or basil, it makes fro a beautiful appetizer!

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Seafood Spaghetti Salad

July 4, 2009 dragonlife 2 Comments

Simple recipes actually means what I’m ordered to cook, prepare or invent for my better (worse?) half on Saturday and Sunday nights as her job keeps her busy on weekends. These concoctions might come helpful for those gentlemen keen to preserve peace at home!

As for measures and proportions, I will leave it to your imagination, although a good observation of the picture should be a good enough guide to you! The plate pictured was one serving.

Prepare or choose a dressing for the spaghetti. I usually use soft Dijon Mustard, Xeres vinegar, hazelnut oil, salt, pepper and a few baies roses. Naturally, Olive oil, wine vinegar, soft mustard, salt and pepper is fine, too.
Boil the spaghetti to the consistency you prefer, drain them and hold them under running cold water for 30 seconds, shaking them well to prevent them from cooking any longer.
Drain the water energically and stir in some dressing for taste and to prevent them from sticking to each other. Leave in a all-purpose bowl.

At the top of the picture are slightly sauteed scallops with onion confit.
To make the onion confit (can be done the day before or a few hours in advance), peel and cut 2 large onions in thin slices. Discard the “foot” (bottom core) as it is indigestible. Fry them in a pot with 100g of white butter on a medium fire. When the onion slices have become soft and translucent, add a large tablespoon of honey, a cup of red wine, a tablespoon each of Xeres vinegar and Port wine. Season with salt and white pepper (thin powder if possible). Simer until most of the liwuid has reduced. Check and add more honey if not sweet enough. A little tomato puree might help,too. Let it cool and keep it away from any heat and light source (do not leave it in the fridge as it might congeal).
Sautee the scallops with a little slat and lemon juice on a small amout of olive oile. As soon as they have reached a very light brown colour, take them off the fire and let them rest on a grill to get rid of excess liquids.

At the bottom of the picture are small prawns.
Take off the carapace, tail and heads (discard or use for making broth).
Make a shallow incision all along the middle of their back.
Sautee them like the scallops. As soon as they changed colour, put them to rest with the scallops.

Keeping in mind you are making two servings, cut a tablespoon each of red, yellow and orange sweet pimentos in small cubes. Fry them in olive oil without any seasoning. When soft, drop them in all-purpose bowl. Do the same with a little assortment of scallops, small shrimps and cockles (can be bought easily frozen at large supermarkets), or whatever seafood you can put your hands on. Keep in mind they ought to be of all the same approximate size (that’s a lot of “keep inmind”, isn’t it?)

When all ingredients have cooled down to room temperature and this just before you are going to serve them, toss in some finely cut fresh tomatoes (if you add them too early they leave out toomuch water in contact with salt!) join the pimentos and seafood in the same bowl and mix in a rasoable amount of dressing. Take half out and mix it with the spaghetti.
Place the spaghetti in the middle.

Arrange scallops interspaced with some onion confit above the spaghetti as in the picture.
Arrange sauteed prawns below as in the picture.

Add a good quantity of “baby leaves” of your choice with rest of the veg and seafood salad and arrange on both side of the spaghetti.

Of course this is open to any kind of variations. I just hope I stimulated you into your own recipes!

Bon appetit!

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Mizuna and Sukimi Maguro Salad

April 21, 2009 dragonlife 6 Comments

mizuna-sukimi

Here is a very easy and typically Japanese salad you can serve as a snack, accompaniment or main dish depending upon your mood.

Mizuna (Japanese: 水菜, also called Xiu Cai, Kyona, Japanese Mustard, Potherb Mustard, Japanese Greens, California Peppergrass, Spider Mustard, etc.) is a popular variety of Japanese mustard greens with jagged or frilly dandelion-like leaves and a sweet, mild, earthy flavor.
It goes with almost anything.
We even eat it in nabe at home.

Last night, the Missus used a bunch of them cut to size bite to form a bed with some very thinly sliced spring onions (very sweet)

Sukimi Maguro is very finely chopped or grated tuna.
By grated, I mean that the usual method is to “scratch” the meat off the skin of the tuna with a spoon. Or if you have a good piece of relatively cheap tuna, chop it until you obtain a fine paste.
Season to your taste. The Missus mixed in ponzu and wasabi dressing (mild), place it on top of the greens with chopped thin leeks.

Served with an extra dash of ponzu it makes for a very tasty and healthy snack (with sake, of course!)

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