Hiyashi Nasu: Chilled Eggplant and Tomato Salad

19Aug09

This salad is another favorite from last summer! It doesn’t look beautiful, but don’t be deceived because it tastes lovely. Steaming the eggplant makes it sweet and creamy, without adding fat. The light dressing is flavored with ginger and sesame and is perfect to bring out the sweetness of the vegetables.

Filed under: Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Mushimono, Salads, Dressings, and Sauces, Steaming, Tsukemono, Vegetables, Yakimono   |  1 Comment
Tags: eggplant

Another Versatile Summer Recipe

19Jul09

Tori nambon-zuke (chicken in spicy vinegar marinade) is another favorite of mine. This Portuguese-influenced recipe is very useful for your summer repertoire because it can be prepared ahead of time—in fact it will keep as long as five days in the refrigerator—and can be served hot or cold.

Filed under: Grilling and Pan-Frying, Tsukemono, Western Influenced food, Yakimono, chicken   |  2 Comments
Tags: summer recipes

Asparagus Tsukemono

02May09

Asparagus with Lemon and Onion
from “Easy Japanese Pickling
serves 4
page 19

a large bunch of asparagus
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
4 Tablespoons vinegar
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 onion, thinly sliced
thin lemon slices

Blanch asparagus. Spread out in a colander to cool. Cut into [...]

Filed under: Japanese Food, Pickles, Tsukemono, Vegetables   |  2 Comments

Summer Squash Namul

06Feb09

Last year I did a recipe test called Hobak Namul. I did not think about the name of the recipe at the time, but now I’ve learned that “hobak” is a Korean squash with green skin and yellow flesh. I’ve never seen one! Namul is a Korean term for a seasoned vegetable dish. The test recipe used green and yellow summer squash, but here I’ve used only yellow squash, with carrots.

Filed under: Asian Cooking, Pickles, Salads, Dressings, and Sauces, Vegetables   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: namul, zucchini

Senmaizuke Turnip and Kombu Tsukemono

05Feb09

The most common turnip (Tokyo turnip) in Japan is only about 2 inches in diameter, but the Kyoto turnip (shougoin kabu) is extraordinarily large and is used for the famous senmaizuke pickles, which translates literally as thousand sheet pickles and that is exactly what they look like. Pickling them is a traditional preparation for winter around Kyoto. The thin slices are layered in barrels with salt and weighted for several days. This recipe is a quick version—it takes only a few hours.

Filed under: Japanese Food, Tsukemono, Vegetables   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Japanese Recipes, Tsukemono, turnips