Monday, June 14, 2010

Kurumi-Miso (Walnuts Miso Sauce)

Hello,
Here I made a Walnut-Miso Paste, just like I made that Sesame Sauce the other day. It turned out with a miso like paste. And I created a few different ways to use it.



This is the paste, doesn't it look like miso paste? I mixed in a little miso paste in order to give the sauce more flavor and richness. I also used a food processor to mix it all together, and it turned pasty like this quickly. I touched the paste and felt all the fat from the nuts. (a lot, but good fat! if you take with proper portion)


And, the ways I created to use were.....

Sauce for Noodles:
I added some dashi (soup stock) and made a cold noodle's dipping sauce. After I added the dashi, the color turned a whiter beige color. It didn't look like miso paste anymore!
I used a egg noodle, but I believe that Soba or Udon noodle also go along with this sauce, too.
Creamy dressing:
I also added dashi and little salt to make a dressing for leafy salad.

Another dressing:
I tossed with peeled carrots.

I wrapped this paste in a plastic wrap and kept in the freezer. (results To Be Announced)

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Yakisoba - Pleasant Memories Of The Summers Past

Hello,


Lately, I've seen a Yakisoba commercial on TV a few times.
I can say... Yakisoba is one of my favorite dishes to eat, and I always remember the summer time when I was a kid when I eat Yakisoba.....

(imagine if you will)


..... Our family used to go to the beach often during our summer vacation when my sister and I were in grade school. In Japan, there are always some beach house by the ocean, it's called "Umi-No-Ie"( 海の家 ), they have a rest room, shower, changing room, souvenir shop, and cafe and restaurant. In the restaurant, they sell grilled squid or clam, curry and rice, saved ice, corn dog...etc., and there is always Yakisoba in the menu. I don't think I never missed a day when i would ask my parents to have Yakisoba.

When I ate Yakisoba right after getting out from the ocean, I always could taste the sea water with the noodle, because of the sea water dripped from my hair to face and mixed together in my mouth. I still can remember that exact taste :)





It's usually added with a little bit of cabbage, carrots, and onion, that's it. So nutritionally Yakisoba is not a great dish by itself to get a lot of nutrients.
So, I added a lot of spinach, chard, carrots, and cabbage, almost same amount with noodle. I topped with dried shrimp, too.

I wish I had some Beni-Shoga! ( pickled ginger/ you will be surprised by it's bright red color )