Japanese Potato Salad

Our first attempt to make Japanese Potato Salad, all on our own, with out our friend M who showed us how over the New Year weekend.

Peel and boil the potatoes.  

Drain and continue to heat until they get powdery on the outside.

Julienne white onion, carrots and cucumber.  

Chopped up hard boiled eggs and crispy bacon are optional.

Squirt Japanese mayonnaise and mix. 

Ta-da! 

Although we like the result, we skipped the butter this time, and wondering if that's the reason it doesn't quite taste like store bought JPS that J likes.

Next time we plan to try without the bacon and eggs.  (oh, I was just corrected:  We'll omit the bacon, but leave the eggs.  We like the eggs in it.)

Satoimo = Japanese Taro

This is my first time cooking these hairy balls that are SATOIMO, Japanese taro.  About to wash and blanch in boiling water for 3 minutes, in order to peel them easily. Let's see what happens.

Well, not all of them peeled as easily as the one pictured above, but the technique has merits.  I had to boil them longer than 3 minutes, so I recommend starting to time once the water returns to boil with the satoimo in pot.


Boiling for few minutes cooks the outer layer just enough to activate the slimy texture.  Then, quickly cool them in ice-water, just enough to handle them in your bare hands, and push-slide the tough skin off.  Important: this is a preparation stage, and satoimo is NOT thoroughly cooked through yet.


Then, so what you like with them as you would use any potato.  I added them into oden (Japanese hot pot) tonight.


Wishing you all a warm and cozy comfortable years end 2010. and peace and prosperity in 2011.


Love, 


C & J

Nippon

Oh, the last night of Japan 2010 trip. Each bite, each flavor, each light, each movement... countdown continues. I love Japan. I love the Japan that I reconnect. I love the Japan that lets me feel so much vastness in the littlest things. I love the Japan that is so integrated with nature. I love the Japan that reminds me how to live with the seasons. I love this Japan so much.

Hokkaido Gourmet Food Fair

As Honest Man and I were getting home, we passed a neighbor with a young lady 6 years of age, named Chy-chan. They were on their way to Mitsuwa, to eat special ramen served during Hokkaido Gourmet Food Fair. Food! Ramen! Can we go with you?! We quickly ran to the house with jingling keys in hand, opened the door, put down our belongings and must keep cool items in the fridge, and ran back out to meet them again at the lobby. What a fortuitous timing. Five of us squeezed into Chy-chan's dad's car, and oh boy, all of us were excited! It was a quick drive down the hill, and as we approached our destination we naturally formed a group of three. Dad to park the car, Chy-chan's mom and I to get in line and order the ramen, and Chy-chan and Honest Man to go hunt for seats. All worked out very well, and the result is what you see above.

Afterwards, we strolled the store, and viewed local foods of Hokkaido, the big northern island of Japan. Below are couple of yummy seafood from the region. Sazae (Turban Shell) looked so yummy. I've only had it a few times in my life, the best was when I was a kid and my mother an I were on a little tour boat somewhere, and we got to a little island off the main land, and there were few fisherman cooking and having lunch at the shore. I was curious enough to ask what they were eating, and they were cooking some freshly found sazae on a makeshift grill, and they treated me to one. It was the best, and probably spoiled me for the rest of my life. The atmosphere, and the company one is with, the generous heart, that makes food taste so much better and upgrades life. The other photo shows Kegani (Hairy Crab) which is also a specialty of the region. I don't have any memory of eating one, but they looked very good. I'd like to try it one day, in Hokkaido.

Sazae (Turban Shell)

Kegani (Hairy Crab)

My great grandmother is from Hokkaido, and I haven't been there yet. I think something is telling me my visit to Hokkaido is coming up soon. From chit-chats with grandma this summer and listening to old family history, to meeting calligraphy artist Souhu, to this food fair, Hokkaido is blinking in front of me like advertisements. (Also Norway, for that matter, but that's another story.)

Until next time, eat well and choose happiness!

Soufu Honda And Her Brush

Soufu Honda is an amazing calligraphy artist from Hokkaido, Japan! I met her for the first time today at Kinokuniya Book Store by Bryant Park in NYC. She was performing her art in partnership with Anything who exhibited their product of maekake, a traditional work apron. To my delight, the small exhibition in the middle of bookshelves was very engaging and I felt very appreciative of encountering this event. Soufu has been practicing calligraphy since she was two years of age, and she further studied the history of calligraphy in university, and she's an enthusiastic wiz who entertains and educates about original meaning or intention behind the characters of kanji.

For my husband's created word いとい (pronounced ee-toh-ee), a Japanese equivalent to BFF, Soufu selected a kanji character 絆 (pronounced ki-zu-na) representing the bond between friends. You can see my husband in the moss green shirt, and Soufu intently writing the character.

I must say, Honest Man looks real good in his maekake! Eh, my husband doesn't usually look like such a nerd. Only when he deliberately tries to look like a nerd, like he was doing for this picture.

Japanese Instant Spaghetti Sauces

My sister was visiting us, and one night we decided to have spaghetti with Japanese Instant Spaghetti Sauces for dinner.  From left: Squid Ink, Natto, Tuna Shoyu.  

My sister tried the Squid Ink, and it was not terrible, just garlicky.  Her lips and teeth wee all black, so I had to try it, too.    My husband was laughing every time he looked up at us.

I tried the Natto, the fermented soy bean.  My husband can't stand the smell, he would not touch it.  My spaghetti had the natto slime, had distinct natto fragrance and flavor, but it was rather boring.  I will not buy it again, even though I love natto.

My husband selected the Tuna Shoyu.  We actually had this before, and it was good.  He wanted to make sure his dinner was edible.  Tuna sauce with a hint of soy sauce, it's yummy!

Blue Bird at Golden Pavilion

A Family Tradition

When I was a child living in Kyoto, Japan, I had a pleasure of being surrounded by my parents creative whimsy. The day after Luner New Year celebration in February 3rd, (In Japan the ceremonial date is fixed.) I would find a new addition of fired clay figurines or masks in the garden or attached to exterior of the house, or sometimes inside the home. This year, I was finally able to aim our bi-annual trip to Japan and participate in the big midnight bonfire which is the highlight of the ceremony. Here, people toss old wishes or protective charms of the year past, any old memories you want to forget into the fire, to purify and have its spirit renewed. Just before dawn, I woke up and walked back to the fire, and with several others picked through the calmed fire and ashes to see my luck would produce those figurines and masks from my happy childhood. The pictures above, are some of the treasures we found and carried back to New Jersey.

Delivery

Look at this delicious food, Nabeyaki Udon in a cast iron pot with wooden lid, and Yamakake Soba in a nice ceramic bowl. These are delivered food in Japan. A deliveryman with a special scooter with built on balancing rack on back. I LOVE THIS FACT THAT THERE'S NO STYROFOAM INVOLVED! No trash, all reusable except for wooden chopsticks and a plastic wrap. This is what I wish for all food delivery system to function.

Japanese Garden

I love this photo of a small Japanese garden in Kanazawa.

Drying Fish

Look at these red snappers! We were in Atami, and saw them on the side walk, across from a fish delicacy store. Wow, I've never seen anything like this! Red Snapper is considered auspicious in Japan, and there they were!!

Japanese Food Display

Various food displays from Japan. First photo shows a range of regular daily Japanese food, not all sushi and sashimi. Second photo shows more traditional or seasonal food. (bonus surprise here is that this one is made of fabric!) Third photo shows fancy versions of okonomiyaki. Fourth and the last photo shows stuffed meatloaf (?)... To me, a lot of Japanese food is like American, French, German, Indian recipes that are revised with Japanese flavors to taste. Have you ever had Japanese curry? It's so yummy!!!

Kyoto

I like this photo. It accidentally captured how I often find myself feeling, in motion, frozen, reminding myself to go one step at a time, and somehow at peace.