 “Nanakusa gayu” (7 spring weed congee) According to Wikipedia, “The seventh of the first month has been an important Japanese festival since ancient times. The custom of eating nanakusa-gayu on this day, to bring longevity and health, developed in Japan from a similar ancient Chinese custom, intended to ward off evil. Since there is little green at that time of the year, the young green herbs bring color to the table and eating them suits the spirit of the New Year.” As well as it is for resting & healing the hard worked stomach from the new year’s rich, festive food. I can’t have the plants until spring in Vancouver, but wait! Found some green plants outside. However..I don’t have that much desire to go to wet forest ( Vancouver is rain almost all winter). So that I made western version of the congee - less number of plants but I’d call “Nanakusa” risotto. My method is hybrid of risotto & cooking rice in Japanese style. Japanese cook rice very thoughtfully. Control the heat, water- all for the texture of rice. I found the idea of Risotto is a bit similar to japanese rice cooking method because Italians really think about the texture of rice and the liquid.  Nanakusa risotto - Yeld for 2people <Ingredients> Onion 1/4 piece, small diced Garlic I clove, minced Carrot 1 inches Julian Radish red or white with top 1 piece, radish top : chopped. Raddish : Very thinly sliced Rapini 2-3 pieces cut in 1 - 2 inches Watercress cut in 1-2 inches (If you can find dandelion leaves, that’s great adding too) Rice 1cp Dashi stock 2Lb Evo 2 TB or more Nutritional yeast 1/2 tsp Coconut oil or evo to finish(2TB or as you like) Salt to taste <Method> Put oil in a frying pan, on medium high heat, stir fry the onion and a little bit of salt until slightly caramelized. Add rice and toast them until the rice mixture have gotten good smell, then lower the heat as medium heat. Add dashi stock carefully at first, little by little. You will continue keeping adding liquid, about 1cup each time. At first 15 min, on medium heat and sort of boil the rice to be fluffed up them but keep stirring. Then change the heat to medium low heat . Keep stirring, wait to add next ladle until the rice absorbed the liquid. Keep adding the liquid, at this point (photo), lower the heat. Keep stirring sometimes but not too often to avoid breaking the rice. When the rice get your desired point(aldente or whatever), as well as until the sauce gets creamy, add seasoning.
Nutritional yeast and salt, add rapini, to get them slightly to be cooked. Add carrot, chopped radish top. Lastly add water cress and sliced radish. Finish salt, coconut oil. Add “good amount” of salt is a key point since the vegetables are just slightly cooked, the moisture would thin out the saltiness. Bonnapetito.
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 Happy new year to all. I was abundant this blog for a while.. It have been crazy busy for two month. So new year. In Japan we have several new year dishes.Osechi is a new year meal that traditionally in beautiful wooden boxes, every component has meanings. I made some of them as vegan last year. See my last year's post. So this year. I didn't have time to make a big project so just had a "new year's mochi soup". We have this soup on the new year's day morning. Mochi sounds difficult to handle? You don't need to pound sticky rice or don't need to buy square shaped dried mochis. You just need sticky rice powder. Here is an easy recipe. New year's mochi soup Yield : 2 <Ingredients> Mochi: Sticky rice powder 1cp Water 1/2 -3/4cp A pinch Salt to taste. The soup is going to be salty so not too much. Ice bath in a bowl Soup Dashi stock 1L Click to see how to make. Carrot small piece, thin juliene Green onion small piece, thin juliene Boiled green vegetables (if you desired) for garnish Salt for taste.Very good amount. <Method> Heat up the dashi until boiling. Add good amount od salt, taste like right before sea water (but drinkable) and stop heating. Salty soup makes the mochi taste better. Make the mochi. Boil water in a small pot for boiling mochi. In the mean time add sticky rice powder and salt in a bowl, adding water little by little with mixing the dough by hands. As we often use the word for the texture of the dough, "until the softness of your earlobe" . Then start making the shape. There's no rules but small round, flat shapes are easy to cook. Get the ice bath bowl near you. Put shaped mochi dough in the boiling pot and wait until they are floating. After floating, wait about three minutes and take them into the ice bath. If you desired, you can torch the mochi to increase the fravor. Add vegetables and mochi in a small soup bowl, and pour hot dashi liquid over. Bonnapetito. |
AuthorTomoko Tahara A.K.A.#cookhatter Archives
January 2019
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Links<Restaurans in Vancouver>
The Acorn : Vegetarian restaurant The birds and beets : Cafe Pizzeria bufala:Pizzeria Cacao Vancouver:Modern latin The mackenzieroom:Modern coastal Pourhouse:Bar Pizzeria farina:Pizzeria <Cafes> Birds and beets <Food suppry> Tempea food: tempeh maker <Restaurant in Japan> Bon Gout: Bakery and wine Bar Pancho:Spanish tapas Takanoya :Gastro pub |
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