Veg Resource: Vegan Japanese
MUSHINASU
(Steamed Eggplant)
(Serves 4)
Any leftovers can be left in the sauce for one day.
4 or 5 3/4 pound Oriental eggplants (the long, purplish ones) or 2 one-pound European-type eggplants
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 Tablespoon chopped onions
1 Tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 to 1 Tablespoon rice syrup
Cut away the tops and bottoms of the eggplants. Steam them gently 5-7 minutes, or until soft. Test with a toothpick or bamboo skewer. When eggplants are done, let them cool. When they're cool, cut them into quarters, lengthwise. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then spread the cool eggplants around a flat plate to form an 8-pointed star. Combine the sauce ingredients and pour all over the eggplants. Serve with hot rice at room temperature.
Total calories per serving: 78
Fat: 2 grams
Monday, March 13, 2006
Jamaican Yam Casserole
Jamaican Yam Casserole
* 1 (16 oz.) can yams, drained
* 1/2 med. banana, thickly sliced
* 1/4 c. orange juice
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/8 tsp. pepper
* 2 tbsp. pecans, coarsely chopped
* 2 tbsp. toasted flaked coconut
In a greased 1 quart casserole dish, arrange yams and banana.
Pour juice over all.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Top with pecans and coconut.
Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Yield: 2 servings.
* 1 (16 oz.) can yams, drained
* 1/2 med. banana, thickly sliced
* 1/4 c. orange juice
* 1/2 tsp. salt
* 1/8 tsp. pepper
* 2 tbsp. pecans, coarsely chopped
* 2 tbsp. toasted flaked coconut
In a greased 1 quart casserole dish, arrange yams and banana.
Pour juice over all.
Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Top with pecans and coconut.
Bake covered in a 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.
Yield: 2 servings.
Jamaican Jerk Tempeh
Jamaican Jerk Tempeh
* 3 large cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only)
* 1/2 small habanero chile, seeded and minced (use gloves or coat fingertips with oil first and don't touch your face)
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 tsp allspice
* 1 1/2 tsp thyme
* 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tbs lemon juice
* 3/4 cup apricot juice (can substitute with something like peach/mango juice or apple juice)
* 2 tbsp PURE maple syrup
* 2 8 oz packages tempeh, each cut into 10 thin strips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare marinade: In medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except for the tempeh. Pour into large shallow baking dish.
Add tempeh, turning to coat. Cover and bake, 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
My notes: I put the habanero, garlic and ginger into the food processor instead of mincing them buy hand. actually, I throw everything but the tempeh into the processor and blend it up until smooth. but it is nice to have the scallion slices if you are into it. i cook for people who say they don't like scallions so I whir them up so they don't notice them but we still get the flavor from them.
* 3 large cloves garlic, minced
* 1/4 cup minced fresh ginger
* 1/4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white and light green parts only)
* 1/2 small habanero chile, seeded and minced (use gloves or coat fingertips with oil first and don't touch your face)
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1 1/2 tsp allspice
* 1 1/2 tsp thyme
* 1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* 2 tbsp olive oil
* 1 tbs lemon juice
* 3/4 cup apricot juice (can substitute with something like peach/mango juice or apple juice)
* 2 tbsp PURE maple syrup
* 2 8 oz packages tempeh, each cut into 10 thin strips
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare marinade: In medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients, except for the tempeh. Pour into large shallow baking dish.
Add tempeh, turning to coat. Cover and bake, 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving. Serves 6.
My notes: I put the habanero, garlic and ginger into the food processor instead of mincing them buy hand. actually, I throw everything but the tempeh into the processor and blend it up until smooth. but it is nice to have the scallion slices if you are into it. i cook for people who say they don't like scallions so I whir them up so they don't notice them but we still get the flavor from them.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Japanese Vegan Ideas/Thoughts on Food
Vegie Tokyo
Soy Products
Besides tofu, the Japanese have a variety of soy products. Whether you are a tofu lover or not, these foods would give you an opportunity to explore the "New World of Soy."
Abura-age (deep-fried tofu)
The shape is flat/thin and rectangular. In Japanese, abura means oil and age means deep-fried. It is essential for making inari-zushi, a kind of sushi. (See the miscellaneous section below.) Also abura-age is good for miso soup, udon, and stir-frying with vegetables. Before cooking, pour boiling water over abra-age to remove excess oil. For preservation, keep it in a refrigerator.
Atsu-age (deep-fried tofu)
Compared to abura-age, atsu-age looks more tofu-like. Atsu means thick, and its inside remains raw. The Japanese eat atsu-age with soy sauce and grated ginger. Otherwise, simmer or stir-fry it with vegetables. For preservation, keep it in a refrigerator.
Koya-dofu (freeze-dried tofu)
The texture of tofu becomes spongy in the process of being boiled, frozen, dried, and thawed. Generally, it is known as Koya-dofu (Koya is the famous Japanese Buddhists' sacred mountain, and the Buddhists made freeze-dried tofu in their own way), but kori-dofu and shimi-dofu (kori and shimi mean frozen) are the same. Being simmered with kombu, soy sauce, and sake, Koya-dofu becomes a savory dish. When you use the product, follow the package instructions. Can be stored on the kitchen shelf.
Kinako (parched soybean flour)
Usually kinako (literally meaning is yellow-colored flour) is used in making Japanese sweets, by mixing with sugar. The easiest homemade Japanese sweet is baked (or boiled) mochi (rice cake) with the sweet kinako mix. Adding kinako in hot soymilk would be a hearty option. Store it on the kitchen shelf.
Edamame (young soybean)
This green-colored vegetable seems to have become fashionable in the U.S., though it has long been a casual snack in the summer for the Japanese. Just boil edamame and scatter a pinch of salt over it. You can add boiled edamame (remove the pod) in stir-fried vegetables.
Noodles / Pastas
Practically no one dislikes noodles/pastas, so I strongly recommend trying fabulous Japanese pastas!Besides tofu, the Japanese have a variety of soy products. Whether you are a tofu lover or not, these foods would give you an opportunity to explore the "New World of Soy."
Udon (wheat noodles)
Udon (available dried, partly cooked, and instant) is gaining popularity in the U.S. as in Japan. The ingredients are wheat, water, and salt. You need to check the soup, which may be packed with partly cooked and instant udon, to see if it contains bonito. Udon is served in a bowl of soup (usually made from the Japanese dashi soup stock, soy sauce, sake, and mirin) with chopped long green onion, wakame seaweed, cooked abura-age, and so on. In the classic, easy style, udon is cooled down in the water after boiled, then drained and served with soy sauce. If possible, add some garnish such as grated ginger and/or chopped long green onion. Stir-frying the noodle with vegetables is also fine. Be sure to boil udon Al dente.
Soba (buckwheat noodles)
While the people in the western part of Japan tend to prefer udon, soba is enthusiastically eaten in the eastern area. You can serve soba the same way as udon, but stir-frying, which some American restaurants do, is not the authentic Japanese style. Al dente is much more important for boiling soba than udon.
Somen (thin wheat noodles)
Somen is a light dish and is best for eating between meals, for a midnight meal, or for a hot summer day's lunch. It doesn't take time to cook somen, so it's good for a busy person, too. Eat it the same way as udon. Okinawan (the southern islands of Japan) people often stir-fry somen with vegetables and tofu.
Hiyamugi (thin wheat noodles)
The difference between hiyamugi and somen is that the latter is thinner. You can cook hiyamugi the same way as udon/somen.
Ramen
I believe that American people also love this world-popular noodle. Unfortunately, I could find only one vegan variety among major commercial ramen noodle makers' products: Oriental, Nisshin TOP Ramen. Also, at natural food stores, you may be able to get some of the health-conscious vegetarian/vegan ramen noodles.
*You may find readymade udon/soba tsuyu (the soup) in the shelf at the stores, but don't forget to check to see if it contains bonito before you buy it.
Seaweeds
Surrounded by the sea, Japanese created various ways of cooking seaweed over several thousand years. Most seaweed is sold dried, so it has a long shelf life.
Nori (laver)
Nori is known as an essential item for sushi. Being pressed and dried, it is sold as a sheet. You may find two types of nori: plain or seasoned. When you choose the latter, check to see if it contains bonito. Also, there is Korean nori, which is roasted, oil-brushed, and seasoned with salt. Besides sushi making, nori has versatile usage: wrapping a rice bowl, adding to Japanese noodle dishes, stir-frying with vegetables, putting over salad, and so on. You should keep nori dry.
Wakame
Wakame is an all-round type seaweed. You can add it to miso soup, Japanese noodle dishes, and salad. Sauteing it with a little sesame oil would be delicious, too. Follow the package instructions when you use wakame.
Kombu (kelp)
It is indispensable for making Japanese soup stock, dashi. You should buy thick, straight kombu, if you want excellent soup. After using for making dashi, you can cook kombu by stir-frying or simmering it with vegetables.
Hijiki
Short (about a half-inch), black hijiki seaweed becomes tasty by stir-frying. Simmered hijiki (slightly pan-fried) with soybeans is one of many popular Japanese home-style dishes. Also, you can put some (reconstituted) in when you cook rice.
Tororo-kombu
It is pale green, soft kombu shavings with vinegar flavor. You don't need any preparation for using tororo-kombu. Just put it on Japanese noodle dishes, salad, and so on. It makes great (and also easy!) soup with boiling water and soy sauce.
Ao-nori (green laver)
You may have noticed that ao means green. Generally, it is sold as a powder. Use ao-nori the same as spices such as basil. Scatter it over pastas, salad, stir-fried vegetables, ramen noodles, udon, somen, and anything else you like.
Kanten (agar-agar)
Kanten is also called "vegetable gelatin." It is made from tengusa (a kind of seaweed), and available in powder and twig forms. You can substitute kanten for gelatin. Follow the package instruction when you use it.
Dried Food
There are a lot of useful provisions among the dried food, kanbutsu. Even if your refrigerator is empty, these items will make a great dish with little effort.
Hoshi Shiitake (dried shiitake mushroom)
The same as kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms make tasty dashi soup stock. After making the soup, you can also cook them by braising them with soy sauce and sake rice wine. Hoshi Shiitake is good for topping on noodles, stir-frying with vegetables, and so on.
Fu (wheat gluten)
There are two types of fu: raw and dried. The raw type is rarely available in the U.S., still you can use the dried fu, which is very helpful for vegetarian cooking. The difference between fu and seitan (Chinese style wheat gluten) is its shape. Fu is made into miniature forms often like leaves or flowers, and sometimes is beautifully colored. On the other hand, seitan has a simple figure. Also, the texture of fu is smoother and softer than that of seitan. Put the dried fu into any kind of soup; simmer it with vegetables; and stir-fry it after reconstitution.
Kikurage (cloud ear mushroom)
Kikurage is darkbrown-colored tree fungus. To use, reconstitute it in warm water first. Kikurage itself doesn't have taste, but people are fond of its gelatinous texture. Stir-frying with vegetables and soy sauce is recommended. Using it in soup is fine, too. The Chinese make sweet desert with kikurage (very expensive white type.)
Harusame (mung bean noodle)
Mung bean harusame is Chinese style, but now most Japanese use it instead of Japanese harusame (made from potato starch), because it is convenient for many types of dishes. (Japanese harusame is easily melted in hot water, so it is not appropriate for soup.) For the name harusame (spring rain), the food has a delicate, soft shape and taste. Before using, boil harusame and stir-fry with vegetables or make soup.
Kampyo (dried gourd strip)
It is popular under the name of sushi, kampyo-maki. Kampyo is one of the main fillings of sushi. The original texture and appearance is soft and cream-colored, but usually kampyo is cooked with soy sauce, dashi soup stock, and sugar, and the color changes to brown. To use, follow the package instructions.
Yuba (soymilk skin)
Yuba is one of the most useful foods in Japanese Zen Buddhist cuisine (vegan). Just put yuba in the soup. Otherwise, reconstitute it in the water and use for stir-fried dishes or salad.
Japanese Pickles
Because rice is our staple food, the Japanese created their own unique pickles, tsukemono, to eat with a lot of rice. Keep tsukemono at a cool room temperature or in a refrigerator. Some packaged tsukemono may contain bonito extract, so check the ingredients before you buy them.
Umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum)
Japanese think of umeboshi, the best-known tsukemono, as a kind of food medicine. White rice porridge with umeboshi is a typical dish for sick people. In the summer, we put an umeboshi in cooked rice to prevent it from going bad. Umeboshi in a rice bowl (onigiri or omusubi) is also a popular lunch. Because of its strong tart flavor, umeboshi can be used as a condiment. The flesh of umeboshi is good for making dressing, tasty dips, and so on.
Beni-shoga (red pickled ginger)
Beni-shoga is used as a garnish for sushi (usually inari sushi) or fried noodles.
Takuan (pickled daikon)
Regular commercial Takuan is yellow-colored. To serve it as an accompaniment to rice, just slice. To cook, cut it into small pieces, then stir-fry with vegetables. Takuan adds a very strong flavor to a dish.
Condiments
You can create very Japanese-like tastes with American condiments by only using soy sauce. Nevertheless, the same that olive oil is essential for Italian dishes, the following Japanese condiments are definitely preferable for Japanese cooking.
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
You may find several types of miso: light brown, white, and dark brown. The first one is the most useful for its relatively mild flavor, but if you like sweet miso, choose the white type. Dark brown miso is strong and very salty, so it is good for those who love spicy taste. Besides miso soup, this luscious no-cholesterol paste can be used for seasoning stir-fried vegetables, making sauce or dressing, etc.
Sake (Japanese rice wine)
For cooking, buy cheap or cooking sake. If you can't find Japanese sake, Chinese rice wine may become the substitute. It adds a savory flavor to dishes in simmering or stir-frying.
Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
Teriyaki's rich taste comes mainly from soy sauce and mirin. Also, mirin adds the shiny appearance to a dish.
Su (Japanese vinegar)
If you love to cook sushi, I strongly recommend getting su, instead of using white vinegar. The taste will be much closer to that of restaurants' sushi. Sushi-su is the best for making sushi, but you need to check the ingredients. Other types of su are vegan. You can use su like western vinegar, for making dressing and so on.
Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
This green, hot spice is known as the garnish of sushi. (Never mistaken it as avocado paste.) It is available as powder or paste in tubes. Besides sushi's garnish, wasabi can be used in homemade dressing or sauce.
Karashi (Japanese mustard)
Karashi is hotter than western mustard. It is available as powder or paste in tubes. It is used as a garnish for oden (Japanese hodgepodge), and can be added to dressings or sauce.
Shichimi or Ichimi Togarashi (Japanese chili)
These Japanese hot peppers are suitable for sprinkling over noodles, miso soup, and stir-fried vegetables. Shichimi means seven tastes, and this type of chili is mixed with six other spices like black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, and so on. Ichimi means one taste, so it consists of only Japanese chili pepper.
Rice / Rice Product
In Japanese dishes, Japanese rice is preferable. Please don't substitute long-grain American rice for Japanese rice, if possible. Italian risotto rice, even it is short-grain, should be avoided, especially when you cook sushi.
Rice
Japanese rice is stickier and moister than long-grain rice. Before cooking, stir the rice vigorously in water in a bowl with your hand. Change the water repeatedly until it becomes almost clear. Drain the rice in a colander and put it into a saucepan. Soak the rice in the water, if possible, more than 30 minutes. (If you don't have plenty of time, 10 minutes is the least, and add a teaspoon of sake.) The popular brands of Japanese rice available in the U.S. are KOKUHO and NISHIKI rice.
Mochi-gome (glutinous or sweet rice)
This stickier type of rice is used for making sekihan (rice with azuki beans, a Japanese celebratory dish) and some Japanese sweets like ohagi (rice bowls covered with azuki bean paste.) It takes much more time for preparing and cooking than regular rice, so follow the package instructions when you try mochi-gome.
Mochi (rice cake)
It is made from mochi-gome, steamed and pounded into a paste, so the texture is very sticky and chewy. Baked mochi is a good ingredient for Japanese soup. Dipping baked mochi in soy sauce and wrapping it with nori is also a popular way to prepare it. Korean mochi is different from Japanese mochi, and it is more similar to manju, sweet bun.
Miscellaneous
Following is a list of vegan Japanese foods, which you shouldn't miss trying whenever you encounter them at a store.
Inari-Zushi (sushi wrapped with abura-age)
Inari-zushi is one of the few sushi which vegetarians can eat. The sushi rice is stuffed in abura-age, seasoned with soy sauce and so on. (Just in case, check the ingredients to see whether the seasonings include bonito extract.) Inari means the god of harvest and people believed that foxes, also believed as the servants of inari, loved abura-age. This type of sushi is a casual, homemade dish.
Konnyaku (Brick formed gelatinous paste made from the arum root, a kind of taro)
The gray-colored konnyaku has a chewy texture and no taste itself. It is good for simmering, stir-frying, and so on. White, noodle-like figured konnnyaku is called shirataki, and can be used as same as konnyaku.
Azuki bean
Azuki (also written as adzuki) is a red, small bean. The Japanese are fond of azuki as a sweet paste (an or anko). When you cook it, follow the package instructions. Canned boiled azuki is easy to use.
Senbei (rice cracker)
Generally, senbei, crispy rice cracker, is brushed with only sweetened soy sauce. But sometimes, unfortunately, it may have fish ingredients for seasoning. Please check the package before you buy it.
Manju (sweet bun)
Manju is made of rice- or wheat-flour with sweet azuki bean paste. Manju in Chinese dishes is sometimes filled with pork (buta-man), so please check the ingredients when you pick it up.
Cha (tea)
Mainly, Japanese tea, cha, is green tea (ryoku-cha), but it is different from Chinese green tea, which is easily available in the U.S. The cha leaves are dried without fermentation, while Chinese tea is semi-fermented. Cha has several variations: gyokuro (the highest-rank, very expensive), sen-cha (regular type), ban-cha (for daily use), genmai-cha (mixed with roasted brown rice, for daily use), and hoji-cha (freshly toasted, also for daily use). For hot summer days, cold mugi-cha, roasted barley tea, is very popular in Japan. You can buy these cha as leaves, tea bags, or canned.
Soy Products
Besides tofu, the Japanese have a variety of soy products. Whether you are a tofu lover or not, these foods would give you an opportunity to explore the "New World of Soy."
Abura-age (deep-fried tofu)
The shape is flat/thin and rectangular. In Japanese, abura means oil and age means deep-fried. It is essential for making inari-zushi, a kind of sushi. (See the miscellaneous section below.) Also abura-age is good for miso soup, udon, and stir-frying with vegetables. Before cooking, pour boiling water over abra-age to remove excess oil. For preservation, keep it in a refrigerator.
Atsu-age (deep-fried tofu)
Compared to abura-age, atsu-age looks more tofu-like. Atsu means thick, and its inside remains raw. The Japanese eat atsu-age with soy sauce and grated ginger. Otherwise, simmer or stir-fry it with vegetables. For preservation, keep it in a refrigerator.
Koya-dofu (freeze-dried tofu)
The texture of tofu becomes spongy in the process of being boiled, frozen, dried, and thawed. Generally, it is known as Koya-dofu (Koya is the famous Japanese Buddhists' sacred mountain, and the Buddhists made freeze-dried tofu in their own way), but kori-dofu and shimi-dofu (kori and shimi mean frozen) are the same. Being simmered with kombu, soy sauce, and sake, Koya-dofu becomes a savory dish. When you use the product, follow the package instructions. Can be stored on the kitchen shelf.
Kinako (parched soybean flour)
Usually kinako (literally meaning is yellow-colored flour) is used in making Japanese sweets, by mixing with sugar. The easiest homemade Japanese sweet is baked (or boiled) mochi (rice cake) with the sweet kinako mix. Adding kinako in hot soymilk would be a hearty option. Store it on the kitchen shelf.
Edamame (young soybean)
This green-colored vegetable seems to have become fashionable in the U.S., though it has long been a casual snack in the summer for the Japanese. Just boil edamame and scatter a pinch of salt over it. You can add boiled edamame (remove the pod) in stir-fried vegetables.
Noodles / Pastas
Practically no one dislikes noodles/pastas, so I strongly recommend trying fabulous Japanese pastas!Besides tofu, the Japanese have a variety of soy products. Whether you are a tofu lover or not, these foods would give you an opportunity to explore the "New World of Soy."
Udon (wheat noodles)
Udon (available dried, partly cooked, and instant) is gaining popularity in the U.S. as in Japan. The ingredients are wheat, water, and salt. You need to check the soup, which may be packed with partly cooked and instant udon, to see if it contains bonito. Udon is served in a bowl of soup (usually made from the Japanese dashi soup stock, soy sauce, sake, and mirin) with chopped long green onion, wakame seaweed, cooked abura-age, and so on. In the classic, easy style, udon is cooled down in the water after boiled, then drained and served with soy sauce. If possible, add some garnish such as grated ginger and/or chopped long green onion. Stir-frying the noodle with vegetables is also fine. Be sure to boil udon Al dente.
Soba (buckwheat noodles)
While the people in the western part of Japan tend to prefer udon, soba is enthusiastically eaten in the eastern area. You can serve soba the same way as udon, but stir-frying, which some American restaurants do, is not the authentic Japanese style. Al dente is much more important for boiling soba than udon.
Somen (thin wheat noodles)
Somen is a light dish and is best for eating between meals, for a midnight meal, or for a hot summer day's lunch. It doesn't take time to cook somen, so it's good for a busy person, too. Eat it the same way as udon. Okinawan (the southern islands of Japan) people often stir-fry somen with vegetables and tofu.
Hiyamugi (thin wheat noodles)
The difference between hiyamugi and somen is that the latter is thinner. You can cook hiyamugi the same way as udon/somen.
Ramen
I believe that American people also love this world-popular noodle. Unfortunately, I could find only one vegan variety among major commercial ramen noodle makers' products: Oriental, Nisshin TOP Ramen. Also, at natural food stores, you may be able to get some of the health-conscious vegetarian/vegan ramen noodles.
*You may find readymade udon/soba tsuyu (the soup) in the shelf at the stores, but don't forget to check to see if it contains bonito before you buy it.
Seaweeds
Surrounded by the sea, Japanese created various ways of cooking seaweed over several thousand years. Most seaweed is sold dried, so it has a long shelf life.
Nori (laver)
Nori is known as an essential item for sushi. Being pressed and dried, it is sold as a sheet. You may find two types of nori: plain or seasoned. When you choose the latter, check to see if it contains bonito. Also, there is Korean nori, which is roasted, oil-brushed, and seasoned with salt. Besides sushi making, nori has versatile usage: wrapping a rice bowl, adding to Japanese noodle dishes, stir-frying with vegetables, putting over salad, and so on. You should keep nori dry.
Wakame
Wakame is an all-round type seaweed. You can add it to miso soup, Japanese noodle dishes, and salad. Sauteing it with a little sesame oil would be delicious, too. Follow the package instructions when you use wakame.
Kombu (kelp)
It is indispensable for making Japanese soup stock, dashi. You should buy thick, straight kombu, if you want excellent soup. After using for making dashi, you can cook kombu by stir-frying or simmering it with vegetables.
Hijiki
Short (about a half-inch), black hijiki seaweed becomes tasty by stir-frying. Simmered hijiki (slightly pan-fried) with soybeans is one of many popular Japanese home-style dishes. Also, you can put some (reconstituted) in when you cook rice.
Tororo-kombu
It is pale green, soft kombu shavings with vinegar flavor. You don't need any preparation for using tororo-kombu. Just put it on Japanese noodle dishes, salad, and so on. It makes great (and also easy!) soup with boiling water and soy sauce.
Ao-nori (green laver)
You may have noticed that ao means green. Generally, it is sold as a powder. Use ao-nori the same as spices such as basil. Scatter it over pastas, salad, stir-fried vegetables, ramen noodles, udon, somen, and anything else you like.
Kanten (agar-agar)
Kanten is also called "vegetable gelatin." It is made from tengusa (a kind of seaweed), and available in powder and twig forms. You can substitute kanten for gelatin. Follow the package instruction when you use it.
Dried Food
There are a lot of useful provisions among the dried food, kanbutsu. Even if your refrigerator is empty, these items will make a great dish with little effort.
Hoshi Shiitake (dried shiitake mushroom)
The same as kombu, dried shiitake mushrooms make tasty dashi soup stock. After making the soup, you can also cook them by braising them with soy sauce and sake rice wine. Hoshi Shiitake is good for topping on noodles, stir-frying with vegetables, and so on.
Fu (wheat gluten)
There are two types of fu: raw and dried. The raw type is rarely available in the U.S., still you can use the dried fu, which is very helpful for vegetarian cooking. The difference between fu and seitan (Chinese style wheat gluten) is its shape. Fu is made into miniature forms often like leaves or flowers, and sometimes is beautifully colored. On the other hand, seitan has a simple figure. Also, the texture of fu is smoother and softer than that of seitan. Put the dried fu into any kind of soup; simmer it with vegetables; and stir-fry it after reconstitution.
Kikurage (cloud ear mushroom)
Kikurage is darkbrown-colored tree fungus. To use, reconstitute it in warm water first. Kikurage itself doesn't have taste, but people are fond of its gelatinous texture. Stir-frying with vegetables and soy sauce is recommended. Using it in soup is fine, too. The Chinese make sweet desert with kikurage (very expensive white type.)
Harusame (mung bean noodle)
Mung bean harusame is Chinese style, but now most Japanese use it instead of Japanese harusame (made from potato starch), because it is convenient for many types of dishes. (Japanese harusame is easily melted in hot water, so it is not appropriate for soup.) For the name harusame (spring rain), the food has a delicate, soft shape and taste. Before using, boil harusame and stir-fry with vegetables or make soup.
Kampyo (dried gourd strip)
It is popular under the name of sushi, kampyo-maki. Kampyo is one of the main fillings of sushi. The original texture and appearance is soft and cream-colored, but usually kampyo is cooked with soy sauce, dashi soup stock, and sugar, and the color changes to brown. To use, follow the package instructions.
Yuba (soymilk skin)
Yuba is one of the most useful foods in Japanese Zen Buddhist cuisine (vegan). Just put yuba in the soup. Otherwise, reconstitute it in the water and use for stir-fried dishes or salad.
Japanese Pickles
Because rice is our staple food, the Japanese created their own unique pickles, tsukemono, to eat with a lot of rice. Keep tsukemono at a cool room temperature or in a refrigerator. Some packaged tsukemono may contain bonito extract, so check the ingredients before you buy them.
Umeboshi (pickled Japanese plum)
Japanese think of umeboshi, the best-known tsukemono, as a kind of food medicine. White rice porridge with umeboshi is a typical dish for sick people. In the summer, we put an umeboshi in cooked rice to prevent it from going bad. Umeboshi in a rice bowl (onigiri or omusubi) is also a popular lunch. Because of its strong tart flavor, umeboshi can be used as a condiment. The flesh of umeboshi is good for making dressing, tasty dips, and so on.
Beni-shoga (red pickled ginger)
Beni-shoga is used as a garnish for sushi (usually inari sushi) or fried noodles.
Takuan (pickled daikon)
Regular commercial Takuan is yellow-colored. To serve it as an accompaniment to rice, just slice. To cook, cut it into small pieces, then stir-fry with vegetables. Takuan adds a very strong flavor to a dish.
Condiments
You can create very Japanese-like tastes with American condiments by only using soy sauce. Nevertheless, the same that olive oil is essential for Italian dishes, the following Japanese condiments are definitely preferable for Japanese cooking.
Miso (fermented soybean paste)
You may find several types of miso: light brown, white, and dark brown. The first one is the most useful for its relatively mild flavor, but if you like sweet miso, choose the white type. Dark brown miso is strong and very salty, so it is good for those who love spicy taste. Besides miso soup, this luscious no-cholesterol paste can be used for seasoning stir-fried vegetables, making sauce or dressing, etc.
Sake (Japanese rice wine)
For cooking, buy cheap or cooking sake. If you can't find Japanese sake, Chinese rice wine may become the substitute. It adds a savory flavor to dishes in simmering or stir-frying.
Mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
Teriyaki's rich taste comes mainly from soy sauce and mirin. Also, mirin adds the shiny appearance to a dish.
Su (Japanese vinegar)
If you love to cook sushi, I strongly recommend getting su, instead of using white vinegar. The taste will be much closer to that of restaurants' sushi. Sushi-su is the best for making sushi, but you need to check the ingredients. Other types of su are vegan. You can use su like western vinegar, for making dressing and so on.
Wasabi (Japanese horseradish)
This green, hot spice is known as the garnish of sushi. (Never mistaken it as avocado paste.) It is available as powder or paste in tubes. Besides sushi's garnish, wasabi can be used in homemade dressing or sauce.
Karashi (Japanese mustard)
Karashi is hotter than western mustard. It is available as powder or paste in tubes. It is used as a garnish for oden (Japanese hodgepodge), and can be added to dressings or sauce.
Shichimi or Ichimi Togarashi (Japanese chili)
These Japanese hot peppers are suitable for sprinkling over noodles, miso soup, and stir-fried vegetables. Shichimi means seven tastes, and this type of chili is mixed with six other spices like black sesame seeds, poppy seeds, hemp seeds, and so on. Ichimi means one taste, so it consists of only Japanese chili pepper.
Rice / Rice Product
In Japanese dishes, Japanese rice is preferable. Please don't substitute long-grain American rice for Japanese rice, if possible. Italian risotto rice, even it is short-grain, should be avoided, especially when you cook sushi.
Rice
Japanese rice is stickier and moister than long-grain rice. Before cooking, stir the rice vigorously in water in a bowl with your hand. Change the water repeatedly until it becomes almost clear. Drain the rice in a colander and put it into a saucepan. Soak the rice in the water, if possible, more than 30 minutes. (If you don't have plenty of time, 10 minutes is the least, and add a teaspoon of sake.) The popular brands of Japanese rice available in the U.S. are KOKUHO and NISHIKI rice.
Mochi-gome (glutinous or sweet rice)
This stickier type of rice is used for making sekihan (rice with azuki beans, a Japanese celebratory dish) and some Japanese sweets like ohagi (rice bowls covered with azuki bean paste.) It takes much more time for preparing and cooking than regular rice, so follow the package instructions when you try mochi-gome.
Mochi (rice cake)
It is made from mochi-gome, steamed and pounded into a paste, so the texture is very sticky and chewy. Baked mochi is a good ingredient for Japanese soup. Dipping baked mochi in soy sauce and wrapping it with nori is also a popular way to prepare it. Korean mochi is different from Japanese mochi, and it is more similar to manju, sweet bun.
Miscellaneous
Following is a list of vegan Japanese foods, which you shouldn't miss trying whenever you encounter them at a store.
Inari-Zushi (sushi wrapped with abura-age)
Inari-zushi is one of the few sushi which vegetarians can eat. The sushi rice is stuffed in abura-age, seasoned with soy sauce and so on. (Just in case, check the ingredients to see whether the seasonings include bonito extract.) Inari means the god of harvest and people believed that foxes, also believed as the servants of inari, loved abura-age. This type of sushi is a casual, homemade dish.
Konnyaku (Brick formed gelatinous paste made from the arum root, a kind of taro)
The gray-colored konnyaku has a chewy texture and no taste itself. It is good for simmering, stir-frying, and so on. White, noodle-like figured konnnyaku is called shirataki, and can be used as same as konnyaku.
Azuki bean
Azuki (also written as adzuki) is a red, small bean. The Japanese are fond of azuki as a sweet paste (an or anko). When you cook it, follow the package instructions. Canned boiled azuki is easy to use.
Senbei (rice cracker)
Generally, senbei, crispy rice cracker, is brushed with only sweetened soy sauce. But sometimes, unfortunately, it may have fish ingredients for seasoning. Please check the package before you buy it.
Manju (sweet bun)
Manju is made of rice- or wheat-flour with sweet azuki bean paste. Manju in Chinese dishes is sometimes filled with pork (buta-man), so please check the ingredients when you pick it up.
Cha (tea)
Mainly, Japanese tea, cha, is green tea (ryoku-cha), but it is different from Chinese green tea, which is easily available in the U.S. The cha leaves are dried without fermentation, while Chinese tea is semi-fermented. Cha has several variations: gyokuro (the highest-rank, very expensive), sen-cha (regular type), ban-cha (for daily use), genmai-cha (mixed with roasted brown rice, for daily use), and hoji-cha (freshly toasted, also for daily use). For hot summer days, cold mugi-cha, roasted barley tea, is very popular in Japan. You can buy these cha as leaves, tea bags, or canned.
Friday, March 03, 2006
Rum Cake
Rum Cake
Ingredients
1 pound. butter
4 cups flour (sifted 4 times)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark sugar
3 tablespoons browning
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Jamaican white rum
2 cups port wine
8 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup cherry diced
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon rose water
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon. almond essence
2 ounces dried papaya (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped dates
Directions
1. Place chopped fruits, raisins, cherries, dates in a saucepan and cover with port wine.
2. Heat over stove until raisins are slightly puffed. Allow to cool and stand in a refrigerator for at least one day.
3. Drain wine from fruits. Combine with rum to make 1/2 cup. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and both sugars add eggs, nutmeg, vanilla and cloves.
4. Mix together with flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add browning, then rum and wine.
5. Add in prepared fruits, almond essence, rose water. Line bottom of baking pans with wax paper.
6. Use butter to grease paper and inside of pan. Then lightly dust with flour. Place cake mixture into prepared baking pans.
7. Bake at 325 to 350 degrees until a pick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack.
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Baking time: 1 1/4 hrs
Serves: 8
Ingredients
1 pound. butter
4 cups flour (sifted 4 times)
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup dark sugar
3 tablespoons browning
1 1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup Jamaican white rum
2 cups port wine
8 eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 cup cherry diced
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon rose water
1/2 cup raisins
1 teaspoon. almond essence
2 ounces dried papaya (chopped)
1/2 cup chopped dates
Directions
1. Place chopped fruits, raisins, cherries, dates in a saucepan and cover with port wine.
2. Heat over stove until raisins are slightly puffed. Allow to cool and stand in a refrigerator for at least one day.
3. Drain wine from fruits. Combine with rum to make 1/2 cup. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream the butter and both sugars add eggs, nutmeg, vanilla and cloves.
4. Mix together with flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Add browning, then rum and wine.
5. Add in prepared fruits, almond essence, rose water. Line bottom of baking pans with wax paper.
6. Use butter to grease paper and inside of pan. Then lightly dust with flour. Place cake mixture into prepared baking pans.
7. Bake at 325 to 350 degrees until a pick inserted comes out clean. Let cool in pan for about 10 minutes, then cool on wire rack.
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Baking time: 1 1/4 hrs
Serves: 8
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Karen's Yummy Cookies
Cranberry Hootycreeks
Submitted By: Susan O'Dell
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Yields: 18 servings
"A beautifully festive cookie in a jar recipe. These make great gifts." INGREDIENTS:
5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:
Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.
Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.
allrecipes.com
Nutrition facts (per serving)
Calories (kcal) 127
Protein 1.8g
Cals from Protein 5%
Total Fat 4.2g
Cals from Fat 29%
Carbohydrates 20.9g
Cals from Carbohydrates 65%
Fiber 1g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 106mg
Submitted By: Susan O'Dell
Prep Time: 25 Minutes
Ready In: 25 Minutes
Yields: 18 servings
"A beautifully festive cookie in a jar recipe. These make great gifts." INGREDIENTS:
5/8 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped pecans
DIRECTIONS:
Layer the ingredients in a 1 quart or 1 liter jar, in the order listed.
Attach a tag with the following instructions: Cranberry Hootycreeks 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. 2. In a medium bowl, beat together 1/2 cup softened butter, 1 egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until fluffy. Add the entire jar of ingredients, and mix together by hand until well blended. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheets. 3. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges start to brown. Cool on baking sheets, or remove to cool on wire racks.
allrecipes.com
Nutrition facts (per serving)
Calories (kcal) 127
Protein 1.8g
Cals from Protein 5%
Total Fat 4.2g
Cals from Fat 29%
Carbohydrates 20.9g
Cals from Carbohydrates 65%
Fiber 1g
Cholesterol 1mg
Sodium 106mg
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