Zucchini/Pumpkin Flower Pancakes

Taking a break from the usual and enjoying the last vestiges of summer in these latitude I thought I would share an old family recipe.

Old as in "Old Country" old.

Zucchini/Pumpkin Flower Pancakes

In general, zucchini flowers are more delicate.  We prefer the hardier pumpkin flowers but this recipe applies to both with the only adjustment being that you should use some more flowers if using zucchini flowers to make up the lack of bulk.


Rinse the flowers gently and lightly pat dry, then leave to dry a little more on a paper or cloth towel.   (Wash and Use the same day!)

In a bowl mix together:
1 egg
1 finely chopped onion
1/2-1 tsp baking powder (2 tsp if using my WF/GF flour or similar mixture. link later )
LOTS of chopped, fresh parsley
1/2-1 cp of Parmesan, Pecorino Romano, or Asiago cheese.  Depends on how much batter you are making. (I prefer Asiago or a Asiago-Pecorino Romano combination for the creaminess compared to just straight Parmesan or Pecorino)

Enough flour to make a batter the consistency of pancake batter.
Some milk. (cow or rice.  do not recommend soy for this recipe.)

Lastly, add cut up flowers and mix gently.  (Kitchen scissors recommended for cutting the flowers.)

Then just cook like a pancake!
Nicest if you can cook with actual Olive Oil or an olive oil cooking spray.

* this batter can be frozen.


Cheers! (^_-)-☆

Thanks again for stopping into my little corner of the 'net, and Happy Browsing!!  

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself. All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Happiness is....

getting a paycheck ON TIME
and in the PROPER AMOUNT.

(The way this place is I was naturally suspecting some funny business in this department too.)

Of course, nothing but NOTHING beats a warm fuzzy tunneling through the covers to sleep on your feet at night, but a paycheck is not so bad either. Particularly when you had been balancing how to spend the last 500 yen (about 5 USD) for the past 2 weeks.

In this case, I immediately went out and bought myself a rainbow of happiness.


And there were even more soy milk flavors not shown that I haven't tried yet!!
New ones included oshiruko (sweet red bean soup) and sweet potato flavor in addition to my old favs Vanilla, Chocolate, and the #1, Black Sesame Seed.

If one rainbow is good, surely two must be better.


Yes, a rainbow of sake you could never find anywhere else but in a Japanese supermarket. My old faithful companion, straight up sake by Gekkeikan is on the far right in a double size bottle this time thanks to the spiffy paycheck, but then I added some new friends to the gathering. I had been feeling it was long due time to venture into new frontiers..

On the far left is traditional sweet Umeshu made from local ume fruits (this area is either the top ume producing area in all of Japan or the second one down.), next a blend of sake known as Nigori-zake as it is nigotteiru or "muddied" by the rice, followed by a bottle of gently sweet sake as stated by the cute bunny on front. (Yeah, it was the bunny that ultimately sold me. Also, it added confidence knowning that it too is made by Gekkeikan.)

I shall report my taste findings in the future, if only for my own record.


Cheers! (^_-)-☆

Thanks again for stopping into my little corner of the 'net, and Happy Browsing!!

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself. All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

East meets West: Miso Pizza!

What could be better on a cold winter night than a union of two greats - Miso and Pizza!

Mix miso sauce and set aside.
[合わせみそ]
2 TB White Miso
2 TB Red Miso
1 TB Sake
1 TB Mirin (real not the imitation mirin-flavoring)
2 TSP Sugar
1 TSP Tamari


Version 1:
Spread the above miso sauce on a rice-based pizza shell.
Sprinkle with red pepper flakes!

Top with the following cheeses:
1 layer provolone, 1 layer mozzerella.

* Baking time dependent on pizza shell. For Udi's which I recommend, 7-10 minutes @ 350F.


Version 2:
Spread the above miso sauce on a rice-based pizza shell.
Sprinkle with one drained mini can of water-packed tuna (about 80g)
Use lots Habenero White cheese!

* Baking time dependent on pizza shell. For Udi's which I recommend, 7-10 minutes @ 350F.



Cheers! (^_-)-☆

Thanks again for stopping into my little corner of the 'net, and Happy Browsing!!

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself. All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Ginger Sautee for the Lazy

Yeah, after working until 10PM at night 5 nights a week I want to come home and cook! and chop!♪ and slice!♪!

As much as I personally enjoy experimenting in the kitchen...
NO.
However, given the hideous, suicide-inducing weather I thought I would introduce something to keep you a little warm er, inside and out. (Ginger is traditionally considered a warming food in several respectable ancient cultures. Indian and Japanese being just two of them.)

Shouga-yaki （生姜焼き）is traditionally done with pork and real ginger (Shouga, 生姜) and the real stuff makes all the difference but our priority here is TIME and using what's usually left around the kitchen.

1/4 tsp Tamari　
1/4 tsp Mirin (the real stuff not the fake-Mirin.)
2-3 TSP　Prepared Tube Ginger
1/2 white onion
400g Momen (Firm tofu in the US)
6 leaves, Hakusai (白菜)

1. Chop onions to whatever size you have the energy for and cook until half-translucent in a little veggie oil.

2. You'll need to chop the tofu up nice and small though. Although you can do it in advance - chop, freeze, and then use the defrosted tofu bits later. (I should probably write how to successfully do that later.)

3. Throw everything BUT the Hakusai in the frying pan and cook 5 or so minutes so the tofu absorbs the goodness.

4. While cooking, slice the Hakusai into about 3cm wide strips. (Hint: Just pile all the leaves on top each other and hack away. You're not showing on the Food Network.)

5. Toss in thicker ends of Hakusai - cook about 1 minute. Then toss in leafy ends of Hakusai - cook about 1 minute.

♪☆♪FIN♪☆♪

It seems like a lot now that I write it, but if you do it a few times, it's like MaGic.


Cheers! (^_-)-☆

Thanks again for stopping into my little corner of the 'net, and Happy Browsing!!

All translations copyrighted and owned by myself. All copyrights of their respective owners. No part of this web site may be produced, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the written permission of the copyright owner.

Collards with Lentils, Tomatoes

Yummy , Quick, and very mild for an Indian dish.

veggie oil, as needed 2-3 TB
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1+1/2 teaspoon garlic (chopped, not powder)
2 teaspoons garam masala
1/2 teaspoon salt

Put all ingredients above into a deep cooking pot and cook until onions transparent, but not limp or soft.

Then add, stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes for flavors to absorb.
1 (15-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes
1 cup red lentils

Add 2 cups water and as much of the collard greens as you can fit.
half of 1 bunch collard greens (thick stem tips removed. leaves sliced into 1-inch-thick ribbons.)

Cook 15 minutes covered at which point the greens will have cooked down.
Cook 15 minutes more and keep adding more greens until all are added. Stir in well.

Serve with jasmine (best) rice or basmati.


Cheers! (^_-)-☆

Thanks again for stopping into my little corner of the 'net, and Happy Browsing!!

wheat woes

Yes, thank you.
Someone qualified pointing out how harmful wheat (food) allergies are.

Gluten Sensitivity and the Impact on the Brain

What can one say?
One of the reasons I hate living in the US is the blatant disregard for people suffering from wheat/gluten allergy. And at the same time, America is a wheat and meat based food culture. In other words, everything from chocolate to coffee (flavored) is CONTAMINATED.
That is unless you want to cough up 3-4 times the $amount$ for 'safe' food with 1/3 the equivalent taste.

But worse than the price gouging is the outright mean ignorance.
Just see what happens if you suggest to the mother of a shellfish allergy child, "Oh, it's not that bad. She can eat a little."
Or even better, "Ugh, you're just making it up."
(really)

I have never met this kind of mean, arrogant ignorance in Japan or Korea (and Korea, in general, is an angry, angry country) so I can only attribute it to the culture here. Personally, I always suggest that before insulting another person, get your facts straight first before you show how much of a self-centered idiot you really are.
But that's just me. I like to be soundly armed. (^_-)-☆


Cheers!
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DOUBLE Chocolate Chip Cookies

As much as I scoff @ the whole concept of letting desserts sit for xxx minutes...blahblah before consumption, in this case you really DO need to let them sit at least 5 minutes before attempting or you are just going to get a handful of crumbs to eat. (The cookie will "settle" and hold together after the wait period though.)

OR!
You could just scoop one up really quick and toss it in the freezer for 2 minutes like I did.
nummers.

3/4 cup raw sugar
1/2-3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
3 tablespoons milk (cow, soy, rice...)
2 teaspoons of vanilla extract
1/8 cup starch (tapioca, potato, corn...)
-----
1/4 cup of cocoa powder
1 3/4 cup of flour (regular or your own wheat/gluten free concoction)
1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2-3/4 cup MINI chocolate chips

. Preheat the oven to 350ºF.

. Whisk together the sugars, oil, milk, vanilla and starch until smooth and dissolved.

. Mix in flour, cocoa, baking powder and chocolate chips.

. Resulting batter is extremely dry! Scoop and mold into golf ball sized balls in hands. (Your fingers will get a workout here.) Then flatten with fingers on greased cookie sheet.

. Bake for 10-14 minutes. Makes a perfect 24..


Cheers! (^_-)-☆

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In search of the perfect muffin

A traditional comfort food 4 most Americans - a piping-hot muffin fresh from the oven.

This recipe is both simple and fast.
AND works perfectly in those spiffy space-efficient micro+ovens popular throughout Asia.

2 cups flour (regular or wheat/gluten free concoction)
1/2 cup raw sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
------
3/4 cup milk (soy, cow, rice...)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 tablespoon ground black irigoma + 3 tablespoons of water


.Preheat oven to 200C (about 400F).

.Mix all dry ingredients in one bowl. wet ingredients in a second smaller bowl.

.Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture all at once. Stir just until combined and do not over-mix.

.Add batter into a muffin pan and fill until 2/3-3/4 the way full and cook for 15-20 min.

Thanks to vegweb 4 the inspiration.

Enjoy! (^_-)-☆

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Lentil Lovers!

No matter who I make this for, it always comes out a winner. Very simple, very few ingredients, but such a wonderful medly.

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon coriander
1/2 large vadalia onion, sliced
3 tablespoons of butter (ghee best)
1 teaspoon of salt (do NOT omit)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Cook the above ingredients together until the onions are slightly browned.

Add
1/2 cup green mung dal beans
2.5-3.5 cups water

Cook for 30 minutes.

Then add
1/2 cup red lentils

Cook for another 30 minutes. Add more water as necessary, but not more than 3.5 cups total.


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"Chicken" Chaat

Since I mentioned this recipe previously here and I do make it CONSTANTLY (I can't help it. It's really good and really quick to whip-up. ), I thought I would post my recipe for "Chicken" Chaat:

400 grams of firm yaki doufu (or 200 grams each of momen and yaki doufu)
200 grams of shirataki (optional, but highly recommended)
3/4 tsp of salt
3/4 tsp ground hot pepper
1 tsp of ground garlic
4 tsp of ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

3 Tbsp real lemon juice
4 Tbsp of salt-free butter or ghee

Toss all in a semi-deep pan and cook while stirring over low for about 10 minutes.
You can eat it right away, but as with all Indian food, it tastes best if it has the chance to absorb the flavor for a few hours or over nite. :)

-Best served over Basmati or Jasmine rice-

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The Ubiqutous, Lurking Soybean

Tofu...
You can't swing a dead cat without here hitting a block of tofu. (Monty Python as a veg*n)

I like Tofu, but I have discovered that the Japanese view of how to use tofu is very, very limited to the confines of their "shokubunka"-food culture. Frankly, I've made wonderful sweet potato pies, chocolate-pumpkin-goodness pies, tofu tacos, tofu italiano with red wine and maitake mushrooms, numerous casseroles, and an infinite number of curries all with that one special ingredient, TOFU. Besides, tofu gets a chicken-like texture if you freeze it (sliced) and then defrost it. I LOVE that in my Tofu Chaat, formerly "Chicken Chaat" recipe. <3<3

I'M NOT A VEGAN! WHY SHOULD I USE IT??
Even if you aren't a veg*n of some sort, tofu is super-cheap compared to beef or chicken in Japan (on the order of half price of meat for the same weight!) and as such, worth a try. There's also the added benefit of disposal. Garbage in Japan is strictly separated and "nama", or "raw" garbage is picked up at most 2 times a week.
Where does it stay in the meantime??
In your apartment. You can NOT leave your trash outside your door, or in the hall, or somewhere else. It goes out on trash day and ONLY trash day.
Nothing like the smell of rotting meat wafting into your apartment from outside on your balcony in the spring and summer. (I was a carnivore the first 2 years here. I *know*.)
Tofu, on the other hand... Well, you get the picture. There's no "bad" pieces, or the blood-soaked towels that sit under the meat to soak up the "juices", or grease, so nothing to throw out in a bag except the plastic container it came in.

I loathe cleaning and I like cheap (when it's HEALTHY) so it's win-win for me! Anyway, give it a try. It's cheap and not pumped full of bovine growth hormone or antibiotics. ;)

A GARDEN FULL OF TOFU:
Momen:
We would call this "Firm" in the USA. Good for stirfry or slicing and baking. Will break apart with hard stirring like in a curry.

Kinu:
We would call this "Silk" in the USA. Breaks apart the minute you try to handle it. Only good for baking and hiding it in other foods as it can be easily and completely crushed into a white...paste. This is due to the higher water content of Kinu tofu.

Yakidofu:
Cooked or Lightly Fried tofu. Great for most main-dish recipes. More compressed (less water) than Momen; and due to the slight pre-cooking, more meatier in texture and taste.
WARNING: The consistency of Yakidofu is entirely dependent on the manufacturer. I've bought yakidofu that held together only as well as momen, but the good stuff is far more compressed (less water), and can take a good beating when you put it in curries.

Agedofu:
Deep fried tofu that is hollowed out for use as a "shell" for stuffing. Never used it myself because of the deep-frying.

HOW SHOULD I USE IT??
Besides, the basic pointers I gave up in the "GARDEN.." section, I would suggest this site. My favorite recipe and veg*n "support" site: vegweb.com


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Chocolate ER

Between, the oppresive heat, the typhoons, and the snow, one is often reluctant to venture outside. (Or maybe just smart enough to not want to.)

However, the chocolate-yin has no regard for the rest of the body's comfort; it is inexorable...unquenchable.

So, to that end, I have devised what I call my "ER Brownie Fix" recipe for that quick choco fix:

1 mashed banana (small)
1/4 cp sugar
1 cp flour (For those that need wheat/gluten free use 1/4 cup tapioca flour and 3/4 cp "white" sorghum flour plus 1-2tspn baking powder)
1/4 cp of oil
1/2 cp of honey
1+1/2 tspn baking powder or soda
1+1/2 tspn vanilla
4 TB powdered coco
1/2 cp mini choco chips (optional. But is it really an option???)

mix in microwaveable bowl then sprinkle with choco chips and microwave for 4-6 minutes on low than another 4 minutes on high!!! (If you don't have that option on your micro, cook while watching for 5-8 on high/regular setting.)

**if the brownies gets hard after cooling down, a simple 10-20 second reheat will do the trick. I also find it very nice if you splash some Bailey's or Chocolate liqeur on top of those puppies before you reheat them. ;>

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