Grilled Banana Experience with Sour Soy Cream & Balsamic Vinaigarette

Honestly, I do not have sweet teeth; I prefer to order a glass of wine to a pretty-looking dessert at the restaurant.

"...no, I don't need a dessert menu.  Can I have a wine list please."

Anyway, here is my attempt to expand my horizon.  A recipe for a Vegan dessert.   

Grilled banana experience with sour soy cream & Balsamic Vinaigrette

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 cup mung beans

3/4 Soy milk

3 tbsp Kanten, dissolved in warm water

2 banana

1 lime

4 tbsp Honey

Salt, as you wish

Balsamic Vinaigrette (fruity one), as you wish

 Methodology:

1. Boil mung beans in low-mid heat with a bit of salt in it until the texture softens.  Drain the beans well, then put the beans back into the pot with soy milk and Kanten and simmer.  Stir well to blend the beans, soy milk, and Kanten.  Add honey, at the end.

2. Brush lime juice on Banana (...I was hoping that this will prevent discoloration of banana.)  Then, grill until the color changes to very light brown.  Place grilled banana at the bottom of containers, then add 1 on top of the grilled banana.  Cool the containers in a fridge for several hours until the texture and flavor settles.

This recipe makes 2 of this which serves approx. 4-6 people.

I recommend this to be served with Sour soy cream and fruity Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Thank you for reading my blog!

Coming soon!  A recipe for Sour soy cream.

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!!

What's SHIO KOJI? Super LIVING Food From Japan

Shio Koji (salted rice malt) is a LIVING condiment made of KOJI (fermented malted rice typically used to make sake and miso), salt and water.  Recently it has gained popularity in Japan due to its ability to enhance UMAMI flavor in foods and its health benefits.  Shio Koji is a full of ENZYME.

Ingredients:

570g KOJI

170g salt

850ml water

Methodology:

Mix all ingredients in a bin, then leave it in room temperature.  Please stir the mix once a day for fermentation.  It takes 1 week - 2 weeks to be ready for use.  Keep it in a fridge where the fermentation process continues.

Day 2 - KOJI and water are still isolated.

Day 10 - smells like sweet sake.  Blended and creamy texture.

Some trials and errors (^^) with my my new toy = SHIO KOJI. 

 

SHIO KOJI TOMATO - 5 ripe tomatoes & 1 large hot pepper marinated with 3 tbsp shio koji.

GRILLED SANDWICH with SHIO KOJI TOMATO, banana, and hot pepper with balsamico.




GRILLED PEPPER with SHIO KOJI.  Plated on the bed of diced egg plant, sweet tomato, and glazed garlic.  (PLS remove the seeds of hot pepper.  EXTREMELY hot with seeds.

Thank you for reading my blog!

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!! 

PROPER & STICKY. Natto, Super Living Food From Japan

Everyone dreams of eating his/her favorite food until his/her stomach is extremely FULL.

What is your favorite food? 

For me...

It's NATTO = soy beans FERMENTED with LIVING micro organism.

Natto is characterized by its pungent cheese-like smell and addicting flavor.  It's extremely STICKY!

Natto is loaded with health benefits such as reducing blood clotting, risk of cancer, Alzheimer's disease... etc, etc...

Most importantly, it is YUMMY!

Today, my dream came true - Making Natto in my kitchen and eat Natto until...whatever.

Ingredients:

400g soy beans

1 pack of Natto (50g) from Japanese grocery store. 

3 packs of Natto was approx. $2.90.  The price spiked after the earthquake in 2011.

Methodology:

1. Clean soy beans well, and soak overnight.  I soaked the beans for over 12 hours until the size almost doubled.

2. After the soaking process, boil in low-heat until the texture softens.  In my case, the boiling time was 8 hours. 

Some people steam the beans instead of boiling.

3. Drain well. Add 1 pack of Natto while the beans are hot. Mix well.  The purpose is to spread Natto culture to boiled beans evenly.

50g of pre-made Natto can produce 400g of Natto or even more.

4. Cover a container with aluminum foil with holes.  (Natto needs some air for proper fermentation.)  Place it inside of a pot (I used my Dutch Oven) and place a lid with a bit of space for breathing.  Turn on the oven to 200 degrees for a few minutes, then turn it off.  Once the temperature drops to "hot yoga" level, place the pot in the oven.  

A key is to keep the pot in "hot yoga" temperature for 24 hours.

So, adjust the temperature by turning on and off the oven.

Natto needs air because it is ALIVE.

5. After 24-hour of "hot yoga", keep the pot in room temperature for 12 hours.  (At this point, close a lid of the Natto container.)

See outer skin is a bit dry after hot yoga?   Stickiness started to emerge - a sign of fermentation.  Hooray!

6. Place the container in a fridge for another 2 days for more fermentation.

Finally, here comes home-made NATTO!

Addicting!

 The result? 

...mmm...

STICKY and loaded with UMAMI flavor, as Natto should be (^^)

In Japan, some people add various toppings to Natto such as cheese, kimche, raw egg, okura ....also use Natto for making omelet, pancake, curry, etc...

 My favorite is to add choped green onion, soy sauce and mustard. No rice.

What is your favorite way of eating Natto?

Thank you for reading my blog!

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!! 

Brown Rice Porridge

In Japan, rice flour was traditionally used for making confectionaries. There is a health benefit for using rice flour as rice flour absorbs less oil than regular flour.  So, I used brown rice flour for deep frying and porridge.  here comes brown rice porridge with toppings to satisfy both Vegan and shrimp eaters.   

Ingredients:

1 cup brown rice flour

6-7 cups water

Dried kelp (for umami flavor)

6 pinches of Salt

Extra virgin olive oil

Lime pepper 

Large hot peppers

Shrimp

1 green onion, chopped.

 Methodology:

1. In a pot, simmer water and dried kelp for 20-30 minutes.

2. Remove kelp and stir in brown rice flour.  Simmer for 20 minutes.

3.  Shrimp - remove shell and vein, and separate a head from a body.

Large hot pepper - cut and remove seeds from inside.

Lightly coat shrimp and hot peppers with brown rice flour.  Fry in olive oil until the outer gets crispy.        

4.  Sprinkle green onion and lime pepper. Add shrim and/or hot pepper of your choice. 

Thank you for reading my blog!

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!!

Playing With LIME Pepper

So, I got my new toy, LIME PEPPER (^^) 

Some creations with my new toy.

See through daikon skin with bloody tomato sauce.  A sprinkle of lime pepper. 

Brown rice with salty kelp & daikon noodle saturated in Japanese plum sauce.  A sprinkle of lime pepper.

"I love hot spring"

Thank you for reading my blog!

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!!

The Making of Yuzu pepper?...No, Lime Pepper

Yuzu pepper is one of my favorite ingredients.  In Hell's Kitchen, it is difficult to find fresh Yuzu.

So why don't I use LIME, instead?

Simmered daikon with Japanese red pepper.  Sauteed mushroom.  Eggplant noodle coated with brown rice.  Serve with LIME pepper.

Ingredients: 5 ORGANIC lime (Highly recommended to use organic lime to avoid intake of pesticides absorbed in lime skin)

10 Thai chili pepper (extremely spicy despite of its size)

3 tbsp sea salt

2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Most importantly, your patience

Patience or violence?

Methodology:

1. Just glaze lime skin only kindly with a bit of violence in your mind.

Don't ever ask them "are you going bold?"  "Do you need to talk about it?"

2. Add salt, chopped Thai chili pepper, lime juice (1 lime only), extra virgin olive oil.

3. Leave it in a fridge for 3-4 days.

Salty, spicy, and citrusy!

I use it for anything - noodle, tofu, salad dressing... etc.  Find a way to enjoy lime pepper, and please make sure to share your experience with me!

Daikon radish in a hot tub.  "~~ feels good~~"

Eggplant in noodle shape.  Mushroom wating for olive oil spa "treatment."

Thank you for reading my blog!

One recipe! One day!!  (Actually this is my 2nd recipe of today)

Have a nice day!!!

Summer & Spring Veggies as Lego Bricks

Here are two recipes.  When I create my own recipes, my priority is usually (1) flavor, (2) availability of ingredients, and (3) presentation.  Today, I focused on presentation by playing with veggies as "LEGO"bricks, then thought of flavors.  Reminded me of xxx years ago when I, as a kid,  played with a pot and wood blocks - pretended to be a chef in the kitchen. Enjoy!

SPRING & SUMMER VEGGIES SUNBATHING IN CENTRAL PARK

 (1) 2 Slices of eggplant: cook with salt & pepper, and extra virgin olive oil in high heat, til it gets lightly burnt.
1/4 fuji apple, sliced: roast in the oven with a sprinkle of salt and extra virgin olive oil.
Serve with Tofu mayo and/or honey miso dressing.
 

(2) 3 pieces of Brussel sprout - boil in salted water.  Serve with extra virgin olive oil & paprika power and/or smashed garlic dressing. A recipe for smashed garlic dressing is coming soon.

(3) 1 slice of eggplant, sliced like a noodle: boil in salted water.  Marinate with ponzu sauce.  Topped with a sprinkle of sesame seeds.

TOMATO RISOTTO WITH THAI JASMINE RICE

EGGPLANT FRITTERS WITH BROWN RICE

SPICY BRUSSEL SPROUT

TOMATO RISOTTO WITH THAI JASMINE RICE: mix 1cup Thai Jasmine rice and 2 cups water and simmer in low heat.  Slice 1/4 onion and chop 1 tomato, then add to a pot. Add salt & pepper.

EGGPLANT FRITTERS WITH BROWN RICE: Approx. 1 slice of eggplant.  Slice up in noodle shape.  Lightly coat with 1/2 tbsp brown rice power and a bit of salt, then cook it in extra virgin olive oil till outer texture gets a little bit crispy. 

SPICY BRUSSEL SPROUT: 2 brussel sprouts.  Cook with 1 clove of garlic in extra virgin olive oil in low-mid heat.  Add paprika power at the end. 

Thank you for reading my blog!

One day, One recipe!!

Have a nice day!!!