Tag Archives: Vegan

Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Lotus Root and Natto Sandwiches

June 3, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

I still have plenty of recipes with natto to publish!
This time I would like to introduce a very simple idea for a cruchy snack (Bazooka Gourmet will certainly have a comment for that! LOL):
Lotus Root and Natto Sandwiches!

INGREDIENTS: For 4 people

-Lotus root/Renkon: 20 cm long piece or the equivalent in 2 or 3 roots
-Natto: 1 standard pack
-Ooba/large shiso leaves/perilla leaves: 1 for each sandwich!
-Leek: as appropriate (chopped)
-Cornstarch: as appropriate
-Soy sauce: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Cut the lotus root into 5 mm/1/2 cm thick slices. Wash in clear cold water.
Mix the natto with the chopped leeks and the tare/sauce and mustard provided in usual packs (if unavailable add some soy sauce, sesame oil and mustard).
Wash the large perilla leaves in clear cold water.

-Take water off both sides of lotus root slices with kitchen paper. Do the same with perilla leaves. Sprinkle lotus root slices with cornstarch on one side only, that is the side which will come in contact with frypan and oil.
Make sandwiches with one slice of lotus root + one perilla leaf + natto mix + one more lotus root slice.
Pour a little oil of your liking in a frypan and fry snadwiches on both sides until the lotus root is cooked and has attained a nice colour.

-Serve with a light soy sauce and yuzu kosho/lime and pepper paste for extra seasoning!

-Enjoy with a beer!

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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Natto Mabodofu

May 29, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

Mabodofu in Japanese or Mapo Doufu in Chinese Mapo doufu, is a popular Chinese dish from the Sichuan (Szechuan) province. It is a combination of tofu (bean curd) set in a spicy chili- and bean-based sauce, typically a thin, oily, and bright red suspension, and often topped with minced meat, usually pork or beef. Variations exist with other ingredients such as water chestnuts, onions, other vegetables, or wood ear fungus, but these are rarely considered authentic Sichuanese.

The Japanese sometimes combine it with natto to create a vegan recipe!

Natto Manofu!

INGREDIENTS: For 2~ people

-Natto: 2 standard packs
-Tofu (silk to fu): 1 standard block/300~400 g
-Leek: 1/2 finely chpped
-Fresh ginger: 3×3 cm cube, finely chopped
-Garlic: 1 clove, finely chopped
-Salad oil or seasme oil: as appropriate
-Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon
-Mirin/Sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake: 1 tablespoon
-Doubanjiang/豆板醤: 1 tablespoon
-Shichuan pepper (if a vailable): a little

RECIPE:

-Mix the natto with its tare/sauce. If tare is not provided, mix it with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce. Press water out of tofu. Cut tofu into small pieces (size of the pieces is up to your preference actually!).

-In a bowl mix soy sauce, Japanese, mirin and Doubanjiang into seasoning sauce. Set apart.

-Heat oil in a frypan. Throw in the chopped leek, ginger and garlic. Stir fry for a while.

-Once the leek have become half transparent throw in natto and the seasoning sauce. Mix and heat quickly for a short while.

-Add tofu, Fry until natto has mixed with tofu.

-If there is not enough water to your preference, add some hot (not cold!) water. Sprinkle with Shichuan pepper and serve atop freshly steamed plain rice!

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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Fried Spicy Natto & Daikon

May 26, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Since I started this series on natto, (Lou Ann, keep your eyes open!), I seem to have found more vegan recipes for it!

Fried Spicy Natto & Daikon:

INGREDIENTS: For 2~3 people

-Daikon: 10 cm long piece (peeled, bear in mind that the bottom tip is hotter!)

-Natto: 2 standard packs
-Soy sauce: 2 tablespoons
-Mirin/Sweet sake: 1 tablespoon

-Seven Flavor Chili Pepper/Shichimi Togarashi (Shichimi)/七味唐辛子/: as much as you like!

RECIPE:

-Cut the daikon into 1~2 cm square pieces.
Mix the natto with the tare and other condiments provided in a bowl. Put aside.

-Pour some oil in a frypan. Fry the daikon pieces over a medium fire until they become half transaprent.

-Lower the fire. Add the natto to the daikon and mix well while cooking until the natto has become less sticky.

-Add soy sauce and mirin. Stir. Check taste and add seasoning if needed.
Last add Shichimi and mix.
Serve with beer or Japanese sake!

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Vegan Sushi: Natto & Sesame Seeds Roll

May 24, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Some time ago, I did come with some Vegan Sushi suggestions.
Since I have started postings on natto (Lou Ann; , keep your eyes open!), combining it with vegan is only natural!

Natto & Sesame Seeds Sushi Roll!

INGREDIENTS:

-Natto: 1 standard pack
-Dry seaweed/nori: 1 standard sheet
-White (actually yellow!) sesame seeds: 8 tablespoons
-Rice: 1 “go” (180 cc/ml
-Konbu/seaweed (hard type for cooking): 3×3 cm piece

●Salt: 1/3 teaspoon
●Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon
●Japanese mustard: as appropriate
◎Rice vinegar: tablepsoons
◎Sugar: 1 teaspoon
◎Salt: 1/3 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-Wash the recipe and steam until still a little firmer than usual.

-Drop “◎” ingredients in a small and gently heat until all is dissolved. Try to keep it lukewarm.

-Add “●” ingredients to natto and mix.

-Mix in “◎” liquid with rice by “cutting ” it in.

-Line a sushi roll mat with cellophane paper and sprinkle the whole surface with sesame seeds.

-Spread the sushi rice evenely over the sesame seeds covered cellophane paper. Cover with the dry seaweed sheet.

-Spread the natto mix along one side of the sushi rice and on the seaweed.

-Roll in carefully by lifting the cellophane paper at the same time.

-If you think that the roll is not round enough to your taste, pinch each cellophane paper extremity shut and press into shape.
When cutting the sushi roll, you can do it across the cellophane paper with a sharp knife and then delicately unwrap it.
Wipe your knife clean after each cut!

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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Natto & Aburage Tofu

May 24, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

Tofu and natto are both made from soy beans and can be easily combined into vegan recipes!

Natto & Aburage Tofu!
If you have any problems with quantities, look at pics or experiment!

INGREDIENTS: For 2 people

-Abrage/deep-fried tofu: 1 standard pack/2 blocks
-Natto: 1/2 standard pack
-Natto tare/sauce/dresing (sold with pack): as appropriate
-Miso: 2 tablespoons
-Leek: 1/2 chopped
-Soy sauce: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Sponge water the oil and humidity off the aburage with some kitchen apaper. Cut through as to be able to open and stuff the tofu. The best method is to cut at an angle as shown in above picture, leaving half closed. Actually, you had better experiment, although you must keep in mind that the tofu should not be completely cut!

-Add some chopped leeks and the tare/sauce to the natto and stir until sticky. Add remaing chopped leeks and stir well.

-Paste the inside of the tofu with miso. Use a spoon. Stuff each tofu block with half of the natto. Secure with a toothpick.

-Fry until tofu attains a nice toast colour. No need to use oil!
You can also grill inthe toaster!

-Cut to size of your preference or serve it whole. Provide soy sauce for more seasoning if needed.

-Aburage as sold packed in Japan, although you will find them freshly made at any good large supermarket here!

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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Ko Imo No Nimono

May 19, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

In Jpanese Ko Imo/小芋 means small taro tubers, and Nimono/煮物 can be loosely translated as stew.
Imo are great for vegans as they are fulfilling and so healthy!

Ko Imo No Nimono: Small Taro Tubers Stew

INGREDIENTS: For up to 3 people

-Ko Imo/small taro tubers: 15
-Vegan Dashi: 1 cup/200 cc/ml. Check RECIPE.
-Mirin/Sweet sake: 1 tablespoon
-Japanese sake: 3 tablespoons
-Salt: a little less than 1/2 teaspoon
-Sugar: 1 large tablespoon
-Light soy sauce: 1/2 tablespoon
-Fresh string beans: as many as you want
-Yuzu/Lime

RECIPE:

-Wash the the ko imo/taro tubers throroughly. Cut off both hands and peel “straight” so as to form six distinct sides. Was in clear running water and drain.

-Drop the imo in a large pot and cover completely with water. add a little rice (it will add taste). Cook until you can pass a wooden skewer through the imo.

-Bring the pot at a slant under the water tap and let the cold water flow into the pot and out with the hot water. This simple techenique will get the imo rid of unwanted stickiness. Throw all water out, but keep the imo inside the pot.

-Pour all the sauce ingredients onto the imo. Switch on fire and simmer the imo over a weak fire long enough for the imo to “suck in” the sauce.

-Cut the extremeities off the string beans and boil in salted water until tender enough. The Japanese like them only lightly boiled and crispy.

-Let imo and string beans cool completely. Transfer the string beans with the imo. Chill if necessary.

-Serve in a dish as shown on picture above and press some lime/yuzu over it!

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Red Miso Dip Sauce

May 12, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

This posting has also been prompted by my new friend, Maggie Lam, who wanted to get some information for a red miso dipping sauce.
It is only a suggestion open to infinite variations!

INGREDIENTS: For 2~3 people

-Japanese sake (if inavailable, replace with dry white wine): 1 tablespoon
-Red miso: 2 tablespoons
-Sugar: 1 tablespoons
-Ground sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon
-Oyster sauce (vegan and vegetarians can replace it with soy sauce): 1 teaspoon
-Sesame oil: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

-In a small pan, heat the Japanese sake to have the alcohol evaporate. Do not boil. Add all other ingredients and mix well.

-Let cool completely before using it.

NOTES:

This sauce is especially welcome in summer.
Combine white miso withe red miso for a different colour and taste!
If consumed by adults only, use chili pepper sesame oil!

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Red Miso Dressing

May 12, 2010 dragonlife 6 Comments

This posting has been prompted by my new friend, Maggie Lam, who wanted to get some information for a red miso dipping sauce.
Although this particular recipe is more a dressing than anything else, it could be used as a dipping sauce if you mixed in fresh cream. Th cream will solidify when combined with oil.
Unfortunately it will not qualify as a vegan recipe.
I wonder if soy milk cream exists!

INGREDIENTS:: for 60 ml/cc of dressing

-Red miso: 1.5 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 1/2 tablespoon
-Rice vinegar: 1.5 tablespoons
-Sugar: 1 tablespoon
-Salad oil of your choice: 3 tablespoons
-Ground sesame seeds: 1.5 tablespoons
-Freshly grated ginger: a little
-Freshly grated garlic: a little

RECIPE:

-First mix miso, soy sauce, sugar, ground sesame, grated ginger and garlic until you obtain a smooth mixture. Add oil and rice vinegar and stir well.

-Serve it onfresh vegetables and tofu salad!

-Great for taste and look on freshly boiled or steamed vegetables!

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Vegan Edamame Tofu

May 11, 2010 dragonlife 10 Comments

This is the season for fresh edamame and there are so many ways to accomodate them!
Have you ever thought of creating a vegan recipe with them and tofu.
Here is a simple way to please everyone!

Vegan Edamame Tofu!

INGREDIENTS: For about 6 people, unless you have a big appetite!

-Kinu Tofu/Silk Tofu: 400 g
-Edamame: 1 cup (boiled in salted water and extracted from their pods)
-Agar agar: 8g
-Water: 385 CC/about 2 cups
-Salt: 1/2 teaspoon
-Mirin/sweet sake: 1 tablespoon

-Vegan konbu dashi/seaweed soupstock: Check RECIPE: 1 cup/200 cc/ml
-Mirin/sweet sake: 3 tablespoons
-Soy sauce: 3 tablespoons
-Grated wasabi: as appropriate

RECIPE:

-Soak the agar agar in the water for at least two hours or overnight.

-Peel off the thin skin of each edamame. Borin work, I must admit, but worth it!

-Place the tofu over a bamboo strainer/zaru to take as much water off as possible.
Press the agar agar strongly to drain it of any water.
Drop the agar agra in 400 cc of water and simmer on a weak fire until completely dissolved.

-Drop the edamame, tofu, salt and mirin in a mixer/food processor.
Turn until you attain a smooth paste.

-In a large bowl pour the tofu mixture and add the dissolved agar agar a lttle at a time and mix well until all has been incorporated.
Pour the whole into a rectangular mold you will have wetted beforehand.

-Smooth the surface flat with a gum spatula. Knock down the mold on the working table a few times to ensure homogeneousity.
Let cool and place inside refrigerator.

-Mix the dashi, soy sauce and mirin/sweet sake.
Heat to just before boiling point. Switch off fire and let cool completely.
Keep in thefridge.

-Turn the edamame to fu over a cutting board.
Cut into 8 pieces and place them on serving dish as shown above.
Pour dashi drssing around it.
Decorate with a few edamame and some grated wasabi.

Enjoy!

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Tea Time! Green Tea Season Has Started in Shizuoka!

April 24, 2010 dragonlife 2 Comments

Shizuoka Prefecture produces 50% of all tea in Japan and 70% of the total national production is also traded in our Prefecture!

As I was going to take my train to University at Shizuoka JR Station, a major and very busy station in Japan, I noticed the Shizuoka Green Tea stand in the middle of the station.

Notwithstanding the beautiful young ladies serving the tea for free (quite difficult to time the photo, I can assure you!) I was attracted as I appreciate the beverage a lot. The tea was Motoyama, oneof the major shizuoka varieties grown in Shizuoka City (which spreads up to the Southern Alps!).

A great treat before boarding a crowded train!

I wished they could do that for sake, but obviously the police would more than frown upon it!

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Vegan Sushi at Sushi Ko (Shizuoka City, ’10/04/22)

April 23, 2010 dragonlife 4 Comments

4 Sprout Sushi Set!

Vegan and vegetarian sushi exists!
Although Im neither, I always make a pont to order a few vegan nigiri at my favourite sushi Restaurant, Shizuoka City.
Every time the Missus and I visit the restaurant like we did last night, Mr. Oda knows what’s coming!
Although it is easier in Shizuoka than anywhere else, one should be able to taste them at any sushi restaurant worth its name. A little smile and politeness will do wonders!

The first thing I asked (there will be a full posting soon about the whole meal!) was to devise a set of sprout sushi as shown in picture at top of this posting.
The first sprout was menegi/芽葱 or thin leek sprouts.

The second one was himesoba/姫蕎麦 or buckwheat sprouts.

The third one was mitsuba/三つ葉 or trefoil sprouts with beautiful leaves.

The fourth one was kawairedaikon／かわいれ大根 or daikon sprouts, lightly boiled and topped with umeboshi.

We did have a sushi roll which is vegan: shiso/始祖 or perilla leaves, natto/納豆 and umeboshi/梅干！

SUSHI KO
shizuoka City, Aoi Ku, Ryogae-cho. 2-3-1 (Aoba Koen)
Tel.: 054-2512898
Business Hours： 17:00~25:00. 17:00~23:00 （Sundays）
Closed on Wednesdays
Reservations recommended
Credit cards OK
HOMEPAGE (Japanese)

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Vegan Tofu Fruit Cake

April 22, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

If you have tofu and flour on hand, you do not need eggs or milk to make a tasty cake!

INGREDIENTS: For a pound cake-sized mold

-Tofu: 120 g
-Maple syrup: 80 g
-Oil: 20 g
-Cake flour: 100 g (wheat flour allergics could use another type of flour or rice flour)
-Baking soda: 2cc/ml
-Walnutes: 50 g
-Dried prunes: 50 g

RECIPE:

-Let rest the tofu over a plate with small holes or a strainer (“Zaru” in Japanese) for at least 10 minutes to get rid of some water.
Drop into a bowl. Add the maple syrup and oil. Mix well with a hand mixer.

-Thieve the flour and baking soda over the tofu. Add the (cut for size if needed) walnuts and prunes. Mix well with a spatula.

-Line a mold with baking paper.
Pour in the cake mixture.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 30 minutes.

NOTES:

-One can use sweet potatoes instead of the dried fruit. Cook them in microwave until soft first.
One can use apple sauce/jam instead of maple syrup.
Some jellied orange peels could alos add a nice finishing note!

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Vegan Japanese Cuisine: Spring Onion with Sesame & Miso Dressing

April 22, 2010 dragonlife Leave a comment

Shizuoka Prefecture is famed in Japan for producing the first new onions of the year.
They are very soft and sweet and are much appreciated steamed with a simple seasoning.
If you can grab these onions in your own country or hometown, here is a simple recipe that please everyone!

Spring Onion with Sesame & Miso Dressing!

INGREDIENTS: For 2 people

-New Spring Onions: 2
-White sesame seeds: 1 tablespoon
-Sugar (of your preference): 1 teaspoon
-Soy sauce (of your preference): 1 teaspoon
-Miso paste (of your preference): 1 teaspoon
-Mirin/sweet Japanese sake: 1 teaspoon

RECIPE:

In a mortar (“suribashi” in Japanese) drop the white sesame and grind thoroughly with a pestle. Add the sugar, soy sauce, miso paste and mirin.
Mix well.

-Peel the onions. Cut off the pointed tip. Cut through into four quarters down to 9 tenths of its height (do not cut completely as it must “stands” on its own!).

Place each onion on/in its serving dish (preferably earthenware) and wrap with cellophane paper. Cook in the microwave oven long enough for the onions to become soft. This shouldn’t take long if the onions are new. This method will ensure that nothing “escapes” from the onions!

-Pour the seasoning over the onions and serve!

POINT:

-Grinding your own sesame seeds will provide for a better and deeper taste than using ready-ground sesame seeds!

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Vegetables Facts & Tips 21: Myoga/Myoga Ginger

April 20, 2010 dragonlife 17 Comments

Following a comment by Debra at Hapabento, I thought it might be a good time to (re-) introduce this evry colourful and tasty vegetable, namely Myoga or Myoga Ginger.

Although it is called Myoga Ginger, it is another variety of ginger cultivated for its bud and flower instead of its root.

Wikipedia definition:
Myōga (茗荷) or myoga ginger (Zingiber mioga, Zingiberaceae) is an herbaceous, deciduous, perennial native to Japan that is grown for its edible flower buds and flavorful shoots. Flower buds are finely shredded and used in Japanese cuisine as a garnish for miso soup, sunomono and dishes such as roasted eggplant.

A traditional crop in Japan, myoga has been introduced to cultivation in Australia and New Zealand for export to the Japanese market.

As a woodland plant myoga has specific shade requirements for its growth. It is frost-tolerant to 0F, -18C possibly colder.

Myoga flowers are edible!

FACTS:

-Myoga can be cultivated between June and October, and again bewteen March and May.

-Very high contents in Potassium and Calcium, Also contains Magnesium, Iron and manganese.

-Vitamin B1, B2 and B6. Vegetal fibers.

-It is considered as a natural herb medicine which helps preserve one’s stamina in summer, especially, as far back as the 3rd Century. It does help digestion.

-Preservation is done best by wrapping in kitchen paper inside the fridge. Can be safely kept for 10 days.

TIPS:

-Choose firm and “tight” specimens. When cutting them through the the leaves should stick tightly to eah other.

-Choose specimens with a nice and bright colour, well-rounded and compact in shape.

VARIETY:

Myoga Take/”Myoga Bamboo”

Myoga Take are the young stems of myoga which are also edible.

RECIPES:

Myoga pickled in miso paste

Myoga can be pickled in many manners with miso, sweet vinegar, etc. on ots own or together with other vegetables.

It can be made into great vegan or omnivore sushi rolls!

How about those sushi nigiri?

Great, thinly chopped on tofu!

Actually, the possibilities are endless!

HEALTH FACTS:

-Combined with yam, or with shiso/perilla leaves, or with cabbage, or with leek, helps restore appetite, helps combat ageing and prevent cancer.

-Combined with wakame seaweed, or with mackerel, or with sardines, or with tofu, helps prevent high blood pressure and heart diseases, and has a general beneficial health influence.

-Combined with eels, or with oyters, or with garlic, or with onions, helps restore health, prevent cancer and provide for stamina.

-Combined with cucumber, or with celery, or with oysters, or with gourd, helps with body elimination and prevent kidney diseases.