Category Archives: Tofu
Tofu Spaghetti: disguise or delicious?
This is a vegetarian wafu spaghetti dish with flavors similar to Japanese spaghetti Napolitan. The sauce is flavorful if somewhat soupy, though I’ll note that we ran out of the liquid before we finished the tofu and vegetables!
This is a quick an easy meal to get on the table when you are busy with searching for your “perfect” new house…
Tofu Spaghetti: disguise or delicious?
This is a vegetarian wafu spaghetti dish with flavors similar to Japanese spaghetti Napolitan. The sauce is flavorful if somewhat soupy, though I’ll note that we ran out of the liquid before we finished the tofu and vegetables!
This is a quick an easy meal to get on the table when you are busy with searching for your “perfect” new house…
Sesame Tofu Salad Dressing: Shira-ae
Japanese salads are not usually made with raw vegetables; aemono are usually made with lightly cooked vegetables. The dressings usually do not contain oil but are prepared with vinegar, citrus juice, miso, ground nuts (walnuts), sesame, or other flavors. Shira-ae—white salad—is a traditional Japanese salad dressing in which tofu is blended with sesame paste and sometimes miso.
This salad can be made all year ’round by varying seasonal vegetables or even fruit! Konyaku, carrots, fresh or dried mushrooms (cloud ear, shiitake, shimej (use imagination!), lotus root, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, burdock, spinach, chrysanthemum leaves, of other leafy-green vegetables, sweet potatoes, wakame or hijiki… Mango, papaya, apple, cantaloupe, persimmon…
Sesame Tofu Salad Dressing: Shira-ae
Japanese salads are not usually made with raw vegetables; aemono are usually made with lightly cooked vegetables. The dressings usually do not contain oil but are prepared with vinegar, citrus juice, miso, ground nuts (walnuts), sesame, or other flavors. Shira-ae—white salad—is a traditional Japanese salad dressing in which tofu is blended with sesame paste and sometimes miso.
This salad can be made all year ’round by varying seasonal vegetables or even fruit! Konyaku, carrots, fresh or dried mushrooms (cloud ear, shiitake, shimej (use imagination!), lotus root, tomatoes, green beans, asparagus, zucchini, burdock, spinach, chrysanthemum leaves, of other leafy-green vegetables, sweet potatoes, wakame or hijiki… Mango, papaya, apple, cantaloupe, persimmon…
no go ma po to fu
“The grand thing about cooking is you can eat your mistakes.” — Julia Child
The other day, I had a craving for mapo tofu. I wanted an easy to make dinner, which would not dirty too many dishes. Hey! I like a bit of spice in my life! As it happened, it was a simple thing that caught me unaware.
This recipe uses cornstarch as a thickening agent. Cornstarch is a flour made by grinding the endosperm of dried corn kernels, much the same way that wheat flour is made.
√ Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of wheat flour and it produces a clearer sauce.
√ An acidic liquid (juices, vinegars, wines), weakens its thickening power by about half.
√ It is best to mix it with water before incorporating it into a sauce, as it clumps easily.
√ If the sauce is overheated, or overstirred, it will begin to breakdown and lose thickening power. If you freeze a sauce thickened with cornstarch, it will become ‘spongy.’
no go ma po to fu
“The grand thing about cooking is you can eat your mistakes.” — Julia Child
The other day, I had a craving for mapo tofu. I wanted an easy to make dinner, which would not dirty too many dishes. Hey! I like a bit of spice in my life! As it happened, it was a simple thing that caught me unaware.
This recipe uses cornstarch as a thickening agent. Cornstarch is a flour made by grinding the endosperm of dried corn kernels, much the same way that wheat flour is made.
√ Cornstarch has twice the thickening power of wheat flour and it produces a clearer sauce.
√ An acidic liquid (juices, vinegars, wines), weakens its thickening power by about half.
√ It is best to mix it with water before incorporating it into a sauce, as it clumps easily.
√ If the sauce is overheated, or overstirred, it will begin to breakdown and lose thickening power. If you freeze a sauce thickened with cornstarch, it will become ‘spongy.’
Natto Spaghetti
Natto spaghetti is a very Japanese version of a non-traditional food.
Spaghetti Napolitan is an example of the Japanese imitating Western spaghetti. It was invented after World War II in Yokohama at the Hotel New Grand where GHQ (including General MacArthur) were staying. A chef was attempting to serve some Western-like foods when he came up with the idea of making spaghetti with ketchup. Wafuu pasuta or wafuu supagetti is popular in homes and kissaten (small cafés) all over Japan.
The concept of wafu spaghetti expanded in the 70′s when foods that are usually eaten with white rice were mixed into or put on top of spaghetti.
Natto Spaghetti
Natto spaghetti is a very Japanese version of a non-traditional food.
Spaghetti Napolitan is an example of the Japanese imitating Western spaghetti. It was invented after World War II in Yokohama at the Hotel New Grand where GHQ (including General MacArthur) were staying. A chef was attempting to serve some Western-like foods when he came up with the idea of making spaghetti with ketchup. Wafuu pasuta or wafuu supagetti is popular in homes and kissaten (small cafés) all over Japan.
The concept of wafu spaghetti expanded in the 70′s when foods that are usually eaten with white rice were mixed into or put on top of spaghetti.
Natto! Fermented Soybeans
“Do you eat natto?” is a question Japanese ask foreigners. Natto is nebe-nebe : sticky, slimy, slippery, and scary. I dare you to eat natto; it smells like stinky socks, ammonia, bleu cheese, or dark coffee.
Information from SoyInfo Center, where you can read an exhausive article about the history of natto in Japan.
Natto! Fermented Soybeans
“Do you eat natto?” is a question Japanese ask foreigners. Natto is nebe-nebe : sticky, slimy, slippery, and scary. I dare you to eat natto; it smells like stinky socks, ammonia, bleu cheese, or dark coffee.
Information from SoyInfo Center, where you can read an exhausive article about the history of natto in Japan.
Kimchi Udon
As often happens, I was sidetracked
by noticing something I was not looking for.
Home cooks take some thing from here, another from there, adapting a dish to suit specific tastes… a loving evolution of adding and changing, and making food that is delicious especially for the diner!
Not in a million years would I have thought of combining kimchi and udon. But you know, it is a delicious combination!
Kimchi Udon
As often happens, I was sidetracked
by noticing something I was not looking for.
Home cooks take some thing from here, another from there, adapting a dish to suit specific tastes… a loving evolution of adding and changing, and making food that is delicious especially for the diner!
Not in a million years would I have thought of combining kimchi and udon. But you know, it is a delicious combination!
Gomadofu: Chilled Sesame Squares
I had planned to make goma dofu during the summer. Goma dofu is a tofu look-alike made with Japanese sesame paste (neri-goma) and, depending on the recipe author, arrowroot starch, kudzu powder, or potato starch. At the end of June, I cut three ½-gallon milk cartons to make 4-inch square molds. But I didn’t make the recipe then. J. kept asking me why I was saving these cut-off milk cartons and were they not just trash? During July and August, I’d put a jar of water with a piece of kombu to sit for an hour, as in the first step of the recipe. But things happened, and the hour became overnight, or a couple of days, or a week. J. was curious about the “science experiments” in the fridge… I don’t know how many pieces of kelp soaked in water that I put down the drain. Now it’s October, and here is a recipe worthy of a hot summer day!
Gomadofu: Chilled Sesame Squares
I had planned to make goma dofu during the summer. Goma dofu is a tofu look-alike made with Japanese sesame paste (neri-goma) and, depending on the recipe author, arrowroot starch, kudzu powder, or potato starch. At the end of June, I cut three ½-gallon milk cartons to make 4-inch square molds. But I didn’t make the recipe then. J. kept asking me why I was saving these cut-off milk cartons and were they not just trash? During July and August, I’d put a jar of water with a piece of kombu to sit for an hour, as in the first step of the recipe. But things happened, and the hour became overnight, or a couple of days, or a week. J. was curious about the “science experiments” in the fridge… I don’t know how many pieces of kelp soaked in water that I put down the drain. Now it’s October, and here is a recipe worthy of a hot summer day!
Mabo Tofu Japanese Style
http://1tess.wordpress.com Chinese food is popular in Japan. The seasonings are adjusted to Japanese tastes: sweeter and less spicy. The Chinese use oyster sauce and lots of garlic to make sauces for fish and meats. The Japanese use only rice and
Mabo Tofu Japanese Style
http://1tess.wordpress.com Chinese food is popular in Japan. The seasonings are adjusted to Japanese tastes: sweeter and less spicy. The Chinese use oyster sauce and lots of garlic to make sauces for fish and meats. The Japanese use only rice and
Dengaku: Miso Grilling Sauce
The characters of the word “dengaku” (田楽) mean rice paddy plus harmony or music or play.
In medieval Japan, public entertainments called dengaku were part of agricultural festivals such as the during new year celebrations or during the rice planting season. The dancers or acrobats were called dengaku hoshi who cavorted on single short stilts. During the festivities, small cakes of tofu were grilled, with miso, on short flat skewers shaped somewhat like the stilts. The tofu dish took its name from the stilts.
Dengaku: Miso Grilling Sauce
The characters of the word “dengaku” (田楽) mean rice paddy plus harmony or music or play.
In medieval Japan, public entertainments called dengaku were part of agricultural festivals such as the during new year celebrations or during the rice planting season. The dancers or acrobats were called dengaku hoshi who cavorted on single short stilts. During the festivities, small cakes of tofu were grilled, with miso, on short flat skewers shaped somewhat like the stilts. The tofu dish took its name from the stilts.
Japanese Summer Stir-Fry: Natsuyasai no Mamemiso Itamame
Both Mr. Tess and I forgot that I made this recipe in May.
He said it was a very good dinner. Must have been delicious,
because I made it twice.
Perhaps adding some lovely green beans and tofu made it seem unique.
Japanese Summer Stir-Fry: Natsuyasai no Mamemiso Itamame
Both Mr. Tess and I forgot that I made this recipe in May.
He said it was a very good dinner. Must have been delicious,
because I made it twice.
Perhaps adding some lovely green beans and tofu made it seem unique.
Sanuki Udon with Mushrooms and Atsuage
To go with the simmered mushrooms I made some udon. Another topping on my udon was atsuage, fried tofu or tofu cutlet.
Sanuki Udon with Mushrooms and Atsuage
To go with the simmered mushrooms I made some udon. Another topping on my udon was atsuage, fried tofu or tofu cutlet.
Simmered Spinach and Fried Tofu
Greens! Mr. Tess loves greens and I’ve not been cooking them lately. This home-style Japanese recipe is a fine way to prepare a hearty healthy green side dish. Ms. Shimbo suggests using mustard greens rather than the more common spinach, and it certainly provides more flavor and texture. I think rainbow colored chard would be interesting to try as well.
Simmered Spinach and Fried Tofu
Greens! Mr. Tess loves greens and I’ve not been cooking them lately. This home-style Japanese recipe is a fine way to prepare a hearty healthy green side dish. Ms. Shimbo suggests using mustard greens rather than the more common spinach, and it certainly provides more flavor and texture. I think rainbow colored chard would be interesting to try as well.
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