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Category: Japanese Foods

Published on Leave a comment on Special plates for a New Year

For celebrating a coming new year,
we Japanese make special plates on Dec. 31.
we set them in 2~3 boxes (at the right side) stacked vertically.

At the left side, wood cups and Sake-pitcher.

Open the boxes!


Each food materials have special meanings!

Watch the box at the left down.
For example,

White & Red Kamaboko (made of fish meat)
These 2 colors combination is a symbol of the celebration.

Kazunoko (Fish eggs)
Hoping many babies who will lead your family permanently in the future.

Kobu-maki (Seaweed)
The pronunciation of Kobu is similar to Yorokobu, which means 'pleasure' in Japanese.

Next, watch the right side above.

Kinton (made of chestnuts and sweet potatoes)
This gold color images gold coins, so, you will be a rich man!

Kuromame (black beans)
'mame-mame' means 'keep healthy and work well'

Tazukuri (very small fish)
'Ta' means 'farm' and 'zukuri' means 'making'
Many years ago, this small fish was useful as fertilizer.
Hoping good harvest in the farm.

Lastly watch the left above.

Renkon (vegetable with holes)
Through these holes, you can see the future well!

Gobho (Root vegetable)
Your life will be stable like the roots of Goboh which extend toward to the ground deeply.

Takenoko (Bamboo child)
Because Bamboo trees grow up very fast and straight,
hoping the children grow healthily same as Bamboo!

Published on Leave a comment on Making Miso (Japanese special seasoning)

Have you ever tasted 'Miso Soup' ?
You can surely find this menu in Sushi or Japanese restaurants.

Now, let's try to make 'Miso' by ourselves.
Easy but it takes much time. Let's enjoy!

Soy beans kept in the water for 1 night for softening

Prepare soy beans and boil
until you can easily crush them by your fingers!

Mash the soften beans till the paste!

Mix well mashed beans and Kouji (molted rice) and sea-salt.
Lastly, for escaping mold, put sea-salt on the top.

This working, you have to do during the cold winter.

And...you have to wait more than half a year for ferment over hot summer.
In August (Mid summer in Japan), open the lid!

White one is mold

Woh! Good condition!
Remove the white mold carefully and mix well again.
And close the lid again and keep it until the new winter coming!

We are preparing home made Miso in our guest house.
Please try to make Miso-Soup by yourselves.

In the near future, we will teach you its soup recipe.
We have many variations for Miso-Soup with vegetables.
And off course, good for your health, because of made from soy beans.

Bye.

Published on Leave a comment on How about eating Bamboo-Child?!
Welcome to Bamboo Forest of our guest house!

Every early spring, we are expecting to eat Bamboo-Child hidden under the ground!
Have you ever eaten them?

Bamboo trees grow very fast,
so, the period of digging them is very limited.
Bamboo trees over the ground are too firm to eat.
Only soft Child is suitable for eating.

But, it is very difficult to find Bamboo-Child hidden under the ground.
Additionally, its roots are very hard to dig up.
That's why, it's special for us!

Oh! for 1 hour, just this 1 piece!

Next, peel the skin and boil them.

You must boil them as soon as possible, for good taste!

My favorite cooking of Bamboo-Child as below:

Nuta

Green onion & Bamboo-Child both only boiled.
And add 'Miso' with Sugar, Vinegar & Mustard.

Do you know Miso? which is multi seasoning made from soy beans.
Without this seasoning, we cannot cook anything! very important item!

Uhmm... Delicious!
Next spring, join us to dig and cook and eat!!

We Japanese love Bamboo-Child
but love Bamboo-Adult(?), too!
Because It' s very useful !
On the other page, refer to its special talents.

Bye.