Moroccan Eggplant Chickpea Stew

This is a great recipe I adapted from one I saw on the internet. No oil is used to fry so it is lower in fat/calories. My favourite part is the raisins. I was worried I added too many but it was delicious. Don't be stingy with them.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp chopped onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tsp ginger, chopped
2 baby eggplants, diced
1/2 tsp turmeric, ground
1/2 tsp cumin, ground
1/2 tsp coriander, ground
1/2 tsp paprika, ground
1/2 tsp black pepper, ground
1/4 tsp salt
1 16oz can of tomatoes, crushed or diced
1 cup chickpeas, (drained if canned; soaked and boiled if dried)
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp fresh parsley, chopped

Method:
1. Heat water over medium/high heat in a medium sized non-stick frying pan/pot.
2. Add onion, garlic, and ginger and cook for a bit.
3. Add the eggplant and cover. Let cook for a few minutes.
4. Add spices (turmeric through salt) and cook for 1 minute, stirring continuously.
5. Add tomatoes, chickpeas, raisins, and parsley and bring to a boil.
6. Simmer for 15 minutes.
7. Salt and pepper to taste.

Tempeh and Zucchini

I made the tempeh burgers again and saved the leftover marinade. I added the juice of 1 lime and cut up another package of tempeh and marinaded it overnight. The next day I put it in the non-stick pan with a little of the liquid to brown it a bit. I sliced 1 small zucchini thinly on the diagonal and added it to the pan along with the rest of the marinade. I cooked it over medium heat until (almost) all the liquid had evaporated (about 5-8 minutes) and served. It was a delicious small meal. Over rice it would be very filling.

Canada Day Treats

To celebrate Canada Day this year I shared a little treat, straight from Canada, with all of my coworkers. I found some 100% real Canadian maple syrup maple cream cookies and 100% real Canadian maple syrup maple candies at the local health food store. In true Japanese fashion, I got some little clear wrapping bags with red hearts on them and gold twist-ties and made up little bundles. In Japan, you can never just bring in a box of cookies or something, presentation is everything. Everyone was so surprised that the cookies were vegan and asked where they could get some too...

Steamed Tofu and veggies

I was always skeptical of steaming tofu but this recipe was good.

Ingredients:
200 g firm tofu; drained
1/4 cup sodium reduced soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbsp mirin
1 tsp rice wine vinegar
1 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 cup broccoli florets; small
1 cup cauliflower florets; small
1 carrot, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp sliced negi

Method:
1. Combine mirin, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce in a small bowl.
2. Cube tofu and place on a sheet of aluminum foil.
3. Fold the foil into a leakproof bowl. Pour in the marinade mixture and fold the foil into a packet tightly sealed.
4. Pour a small amount of water into a saucepan and put over medium-high heat. Place the veggies (including the negi) and the tofu packet in a steamer (or metal strainer) and place on top of the saucepan with a lid over them.
5. When veggies are tender but not mushy, turn onto a plate. Open the tofu packets and pour the contents over the veggies.
6. Serve hot.

A few new finds

Here are some interesting new things I found at local shops:


This is a watery gelly-like dessert. You get the liquid with the konniyaku strips in it and a separate packet of sweeteners/flavours. You pour the sweetener into the water and enjoy. It was a big strange actually with a very gelly-like texture and VERY sweet (but you can adjust that depending on how much of the black stuff you put in). Overall, not bad. I would get it again if I were in a pinch.


I was in a regular old grocery store yesterday and found vegan belgian chocolate! made with rice milk and marketed as Lactose Free. Look for it in your town too!



Soyatoo's Soya Schlag Creme (Topping Cream) was a wonderful discovery. This was at my local health food store and so delicious. You just have to whip it a bit in a bowl before serving. It says to use an electric mixer but I just used a fork for a minute or so and it worked fine.


The Vegan Ronin gave me a tip for a vegan ice cream available outside health food stores. It is called IV and they have a line with 5 different flavours including black sesame, mango banana, and maple vanilla. mmmm... Check out their website here.

Blueberry Crepes

Easy recipe just made with regular pancake mix, soy whipped cream, and fresh fruit.

Ingredients:

200g pancake mix
3/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 cup soya whipped topping
1 pint of fruit

Method:

1. Mix pancake mix, soy milk, and baking powder in a large bowl until smooth and battery. I added some more water to get it really thin so it is easier to spread thin in the pan (making crepes and not flapjacks).
2. Heat non-stick fry pan over medium heat. Pour in batter and immediately spread as thin as possible. Flip.
3. Add soya whipped topping and fruit.
4. Roll.



DELICIOUS!!

Vegan Banana Cake

I didn't oil the pan as I have a non-stick cake pan. Also, I used raisins instead of chocolate chips and just placed a few walnuts on top as a garnish.

Otherwise, exactly reproduced from: http://www.grouprecipes.com/6118/vegan-banana-cake.html

Ingredients:
3 Ripe Bananas
1/4 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 teaspoon Salt
Replacer equal to one egg (+ water to package direction - 1tsp to 1T)
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 1/2 Cup Soft Whole Wheat Flour
1 teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 teaspoon Baking Soda
1/2 Cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Pieces
1/2 Cup Broken, Toasted Pecans (optional)

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 350º.
2. In a large mixer, cream the bananas with the oil, sugar and vanilla.
3. Prepare the egg replacer as to the package directions and add it and the salt to the banana mixture.
4. Once well combined, add the baking powder and soda, followed by the flour, adding it in two batches, followed by the chocolate and pecans (if using)
5. Oil and dust a 8″ round pan with flour. Pour in the batter and bake on the middle rack for about 40 -45 minutes.
6. Check bounce at the center of the cake or insert and remove a toothpick. The cake is moist but it should come out fairly clean.

This recipe will also make a great loaf (55 - 65 minutes), 12 muffins(18-20 minutes) or 18 mini muffins (about 15 minutes).

Grilled Tempeh Burgers

Tempeh is definitely my favourite food now and especially since I have found a store in Kofu that sells it (300 yen for 120g--but it is well worth it!) These burgers are the most delicious I have had since leaving Byron Bay and the gorgeous beet, soynaise and sweet chilli lentil burgers of Fundies Cafe. I made some modifications to make it lower in calories and it was just as good! Makes 2 burgers.

Modified from the following website: http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=458797

Ingredients:
120g package tempeh
water
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 tsp grated peeled fresh ginger
Dash chilli powder
1 garlic clove, minced
4 slices thick wholegrain bread

ketchup
1 tomato, sliced
2 slices onion
1/2 cup alfalfa sprouts

Method:
1. Slice tempeh widthwise so you have two thin squares
2. Combine garlic, ginger, chilli powder, soy sauce, and oil in a small tupperware container (I used a square ziploc one and it was the perfect size).
3. Add a bit of water.
4. Add tempeh and put in enough water so the marinade just covers the tempeh (this is why a container with a smaller base is better.)
5. Marinade over night or for a few hours at least.
6. Heat a non-stick frying pan over maximum heat.
7. Cook tempeh in marinade until outside starts to brown (/blacken) and liquid is mostly evaporated.
8. Place tempeh and veggies on bread, top with ketchup and another slice of bread.
9. Enjoy.

The second time I made these I tried not using oil at all and the burgers really didn't soak up the flavour as much. I am not expert on marinades, but it seems the oil is really a necessity.

Vegan Omlets

I have to say, I tried the Vegan Ronin's Omlet recipe and it didn't work at all for me. I don't think I put in enough flour. The flavour was great but it turned out more like runny scrambled eggs. I will try it again until I succeed and post the amounts I use here.

To be continued...

Chickpea Soba Salad

A great, well-balanced, and tasty meal for two. Some veggies, some protein, some calcium (sesame seeds). It's got it all.

Ingredients:
100g soba, cooked and cooled
1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight and boiled for 1 hour if from dry, drained and rinsed if canned
1 carrot, grated
1 Tbsp purple onion, chopped
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 stalks celery, chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp vinegar (balsamic, rice, white, whatever you've got)
2 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
garlic powder to taste

Method:
1. Combined ingredients in a large bowl.
2. Mix well and serve cold.

Hijiki with Shredded Carrot

This recipe is really not a tasty one. It is pretty bland and is not a dish I crave but it is very healthy and small quantities will make a great side dish to a meal rich in flavour.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried hijiki, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes and strained/pressed.
1 carrot, grated
1 Tbsp sesame seeds
1 tsp soy sauce

Method:
Combine ingrients in a large bowl and serve.

Shortbread Stamp Cookies

Very good, lifelike vegan shortbread.

Ingredients:
1 cup vegan margerine
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 1/4 cup flour

Method:
1. Preheat oven to 177C (350 F).
2. Cream margerine and brown sugar.
3. Add in flour.
4. Mix until well-mixed.
5. Form 1" balls.
6. Roll in some extra sugar (optional).
7. Place on a cookie sheet about 2" apart and flatten with a fork (dipped in warm water) to about 1/4" thick.
8. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 177. (I have found this time bang on. Keep a close watch though).

I recently picked up some cherry blossom shaped vegetable cutters and I used them as cookie-cutters to make a cute treat for a friend's going away. Instead of flattening with a fork, I rolled the dough out and cut out two circles for each cookie. I then cut out the center of one with a cherry blossom cutter. I covered the bottom circle with strawberry jam and then placed the other one on top. If done when the cookies are still warm, they will stick together very well leaving a beautiful bright red cherry blossom in the center of your shortbread sandwich.

These cookies can also be rolled out and cut into fingers, or into a traditional scored pie shape.

Homemade Ethiopian-inspired Flatbread Pancakes

This recipe was invented as I was making a 1/4 batch of tortillas without really paying attention. I 1/4 all of the ingredients except the water... Great stretchy bread though, very good for wraps.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 cup warm water

Method:
1. Stir dry ingredients.
2. Gradually mix in shortening.
3. Add water (should look like pancake batter).
4. Pour into a (lightly greased or non-stick) frying pan over medium heat until solid and lightly browned.

Homemade Tortillas

Easy peasy recipesy. Makes 12 tortillas.

Ingredients:
4 cups flour
2 tsp salt
4 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp vegetable shortening
1 1/2 cups warm water

Method:
1. Stir dry ingredients.
2. Gradually mix in shortening.
3. Add enough water to make a soft but not sticky dough.
4. Knead for 5 minutes.
5. Roll into 6" rounds 1/8" thick.
6. Place in a (preferably non-stick) frying pan over medium heat until lightly browned.

Cold Soba Salad Wraps

This is equally good as a wrap or just a pasta salad.

Ingredients:
100g soba noodles, cooked and chilled
1 yellow pepper (red or orange are good too), chopped roughly
1 small eggplant, diced
10-15 stalks mini asparagus
1/2 peice negi, chopped roughly
1/2 cup broccoli, chopped roughly
1-2 Tbsp oily sesame salad dressing
4 tortilla wraps



Method:
1. Place all veggies on a roasting pan. Drizzle with salad dressing.
2. Place in the oven on broil or a toaster oven until slightly browned.
3. Using a fork to hold them steady, chop veggies into smaller peices.
4. Mix veggies with soba noodles.
5. Place some filling on each tortilla and wrap.

Satsumaimo Rice

mmmm...

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 cup water or just less
1/4 cup satsumaimo, diced
1-2 Tbsp soy sauce

Method:
1. Combine rice, water, and satsumaimo in rice cooker and cook.
2. Add soy sauce and eat.

Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing

Really simple concept but, believe it or not, I had to be told about this one before I thought to make it.

Ingredients:
4 cups romaine lettuce, ripped into small bits and washed thoroughly
1 tomato, diced
1 cucumber, sliced diagonally
1/2 yellow pepper (orange or red are good too), julienne
1/2 peice negi, diced
200g tofu, well-drained and cubed
sesame dressing to taste

Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in a huge bowl and eat. The longer it sits the better.

When buying salad dressings, always be careful of katsuo (fish flavouring). It is in almost everything! I am going to post a homemade sesame dressing recipe for this salad soon.

Roasted Satsumaimo with Brown Sugar

Satsumaimo (Japanese sweet potato) is quickly becoming my favourite vegetable. It is the star of the Zosui recipe I posted a little while ago and I wanted to find some other easy and delicious recipes which employ this wonderful yam. Here is a really easy and delicious take on an old Western classic.

Ingredients:
satsumaimo
brown sugar
oil or vegan margarine

Method:
1. Slice Satsumaimo and place in a (preferably non-stick) oven-save pan.
2. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with brown sugar to taste.
3. Put in 210 degree (C) oven.
4. Flip slices at least once. Cook for around 15-20 minutes or until soft and browned.
5. Eat.

Kanpyo Makizushi

It's time I posted a quick and easy method for another Japanese classic. I used to make veg sushi at home and always had huge rolls with avocado, carrot, tofu, etc. Here I have gotten used to the half size, one filling rolls. Easy to eat and quick to make. I have mostly had kanpyo (marinated gourd) sushi here. And guess what? You can get pre-sliced and seasoned packets of kanpyo that are the perfect size for a delicious makizushi roll.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup uncooked white rice
1 1/4 cups water

4-5 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
8 strips of kanpyo
2 sheets of dried nori, cut in half
soy sauce
pickled ginger (optional)

Method:
1. Combine rice and water in rice cooker and cook for around 20 minutes.
2. Mix rice vinegar and sugar until mostly dissolved (heating helps dissolve) and stir into rice.
3. Spread rice mixture in a thin layer on the nori sheet.
4. Place two strips of kanpyo lengthwise to one side.
5. Roll. Cut. Serve with soy sauce and pickled ginger.

Makes 4 rolls (about 16-20 pieces)

Mixed Vegetable Zosui

A really fast, tasty, and traditional Japanese dish. It is known as Japanese gruel and often has bits of left over, probably rotting fish thrown in too. This is great to use up any leftovers or vegetables about to turn. mmmm...




Ingredients:
3 cups cooked rice (brown or white)
4-5 konbu dashi
2 Tbsp sake (I used mirin)
1/2 to 1 tsp salt (to taste)
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2-3 cups vegetables, sliced
1/4 cup green onions (or negi), sliced

For veggies I used Japanese sweet potato, mini asparagus, snow peas, and enoki mushrooms. I also accidentally put in half the amount of rice required but it was still good.

The recipe says that good veggies to use are: broccoli, asparagus, sweet potato, green beans, snow peas, squash, renkon, leek, carrots, mushrooms, etc. It says NOT to use cabbage, lettuce, avocado, tomatoes, cucumbers, or beets.

Method:
1. Combine the dashi, rice, sake, salt, soy sauce, and hard vegetables in a pot and bring to a boil.
2. Add other vegetables in order of length it requires for them to cook.
3. Serve.

Thai Tempeh with Lime Sauce

I served this recipe on a bed of brown rice with a side of steamed fiddleheads, mini asparagus, and sugar peas. Delicious!!



I wish tempeh was more widely available in Japan. I got it from a health food store in Tokyo. It wasn't expensive but Tokyo isn't extrememly accessible for me! If you can't find tempeh you can use tofu (I did this today with the leftover marinade). It is a different flavour (of course) but also good. I prefer the tempeh but really it is just a delicious sauce! Everything else has been modified to work with the ingredients available in Japan.

Ingredients:
240 g tempeh, cut into strips about 1" thick x 2" wide
1/4 cup lime juice (I supplemented it with half lemon juice)
1 tsp lime rind, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon rind, finely chopped
1 tsp ginger, finely chopped
1 large garlic clove, finely chopped
1 chilli pepper, seeded and finely chopped
1 tsp sesame oil
1 Tbsp brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
Vegetable oil for frying

Method:
1. Combine lime/lemon juice, lime rind, lemon rind, ginger, garlic, chilli, sesame oil, brown sugar, and soy sauce.
2. Marinate tempeh. My recipe said over night but I only marinated mine for about 20 minutes and it was delicious.
3. Heat oil in a frypan on medium high heat.
4. Fry tempeh.
5. Serve!

The recipe then said to heat the remaining marinade with another tablespoon of sugar or so and make a thick sauce but mine didn't really thicken. I just drizzled a bit on the veggies. The sauce is a bit tart (even with the extra sugar) so don't over do it.

Garam Tofu Stirfry

Yet another last minute throw it together invention. I use a frozen corn, peas, and carrot mix a lot because they are quick and easy but fresh veggies are welcome too, of course.

Ingredients:

3/4 cup brown rice, uncooked
1 1/2 cups water

400 g tofu, drained and blotted
1 cup frozen mixed veggies
1 tsp garam masala (adjust to taste)
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp oil

Method:

1. Combine rice and water in rice cooker and cook for 35 minutes.
2. Fry tofu on medium high heat until browned.
3. Add soy sauce.
4. Add veggies (still frozen is ok).
5. Add spices.
6. Enjoy!

Lentils and Rice

Another good, quick meal with what is on hand. Lentils can be found very cheaply at many specialty stores. A large percentage of the immigrant population in Japan comes from South America so there are many Brazilian or Peruvian stores where dried beans and other legumes as well spices abound. That is also where I got the coriander which is not used at all in Japanese cooking and thus is not available at all in regular Japanese stores.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup brown rice
1 cup lentils
3 cups water
1 clove garlic, minced
2 inch piece of negi, chopped
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/4 tsp cumin

Method:
1. Combine rice, lentils, garlic, onions, and water in rice cooker and cook for 30-40 minutes.
2. Combine soy sauce, mirin, coriander and cumin in a large bowl.
3. Add the rice, lentils, onions, and garlic mix and stir well.

Of course, if you have the money for fresh vegetables and other luxuries, you can add whatever you like. Again, this makes one very large, very filling serving or two small ones.

Estimated nutritional info:
Energy: 740Cal, Carbs: 140g, Fat:3g, Protein: 42g

Vegetable and Chickpea Rice

I have officially run out of the money that I had budgeted for this month and, in an effort to avoid withdrawing extra funds, I have become very creative with the few bits of food I have left in the kitchen. Here is a quick and easy recipe.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice
1 cup water
1 inch piece of negi, sliced
1 cup chickpeas, after having been reconstituted (soaked overnight and boiled for 1 hour) and drained
1 cup frozen mixed veggies (I used a corn, peas, and carrot mix)
1 tomato, diced
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp mirin

Method:
1. Combine the rice, water, and negi in a rice cooker and cook.
2. Combine the frozen veggies and some water in a pot and heat until thawed.
3. Scoop rice into a bowl and add all other ingredients.
4. Stir and serve.

This recipe makes a large serving for one person. But is very healthy and will fill you for the whole day!! Other veggies can be added or substituted in as you like, of course.

Estimated nutritional info:
Energy: 676Cal, Fat: 6g, Carbs: 138g, Protein: 23g

Miso Soup with Tofu

After 5 months of living in Japan and cooking Japanese food, I finally decided to try my hand at one of the essential staples of the Japanese diet: Miso Soup. Many people eat rice and miso soup at every meal. At the very least it is consumed at least once per day. This recipe was so easy and delicious that it will definitely be added my list of regular dishes. This recipe makes about 4-5 bowls. I have 2 bowls with a small bowl of brown rice as a whole meal.

Ingredients:
5 cups of water
1 tube (8 g) of kombu powder
5-8 dried shitake mushrooms, sliced
340g tofu, cubed
4-5 Tbsp miso paste (mine was the white variety--ie, from rice)
2 inch piece of negi, sliced

Method:
1. Bring water, kombu, and mushrooms to a boil. Simmer until mushrooms are totally soft. (This is an instant dashi broth--real Japanese chefs are probably turning over in their graves).
2. Take out a small bowl of the broth. Mix the miso paste into the extracted broth until smooth.
3. Pour the miso/broth mixture back into the pot. Add the negi and tofu. Simmer for a few minutes more.
4. Serve hot!

DO NOT LET THE SOUP COME TO A BOIL AFTER ADDING THE MISO.

Estimated nutritional info for the whole pot:
Energy: 762Cal, Fat: 35g, Carbs: 62g, Protein: 66g

Miso Dressing

This is a delicious and simple Miso salad dressing recipe. It can also be used as a sandwich sauce or dip. I have taken to eating the veggies from the Naan Bread Sandwiches minus the naan bread (and with the avocao cubed instead) with this drizzled over it. This is a much cheaper and more genuine way for me to dress everything (as opposed to the imported Thai sweet chilli sauce on which I had been relying).

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp miso paste (light or white)
2 Tbsp sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup oil

Method:
1. Combine the vinegar and sugar and mix well.
2. Add the miso paste and whisk until blended smoothly.
3. Add the oil and whisk until emulsified.

Estimated nutritional info for this entire recipe:
Energy: 754Cal, Carbs: 61g, Fat: 57g, Protein: 4g

I am working on modifying this so it is a bit lower in calories!!

Better Recipe for Raw Spring Rolls

I have improvised the original recipe to find a much tastier combination. Also, these fruits and veggies are cheaper in Japan than those listed in the original recipe.

Once the rice paper wrappers are soaked, they are not as delicate as they look. It is when they are still hard that they can crack and cause you problems later!! Be careful how they are stored. I think I put something heavy in the middle of mine while in the cupboard and it did a number on them...

This recipe makes 12 spring rolls and serves two people as the bulk of a meal.

Ingredients:
12 round rice paper wrappers
50g rice vermicelli noodles
1 persimmon, peeled and cut into thin strips
1 carrot, cut in half and into thin strips
1/2 red pepper, cut into thin strips
1 inch piece of negi, thinly sliced
2 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce
soy sauce for dipping

Method:
1. Place the vermicelli in a large bowl, cover with boiling water, and leave for at least 5 minutes (there is no harm in waiting longer). Then strain and cut in half.
2. Add the persimmon, carrot, red pepper, onion, and sweet chilli sauce and mix well.
3. Soak the rice paper wrappers in warm water according to the directions (usually 20-30 seconds).
4. Lay wrappers out flat on the counter and place some of the filling in the middle. Fold the sides of the wrapper in and then roll from the bottom to the top.
5. Repeat until all the filling is gone.
6. Serve cold with soy sauce for dipping. Best if eaten within a few hours of making or they might actually dissolve entirely...

Chirashi Zushi

This is certaily not what most people think of when they hear the word "sushi." There is no fish and not even any seaweed! This dish is essentially just a bunch of seasoned veggies mixed with seasoned sushi rice. Delicious! This recipe serves 2-3 people.

Ingredients:

rice:
2 1/2 cups uncooked sticky rice
5 cups water

rice seasoning:
5 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt

veggies:
3 dried shitake mushrooms, rehydrated and cut into strips
1 medium renkon, peeled and sliced (optional)
1 abura age, rinced in boiling water and cut into strips
1 carrot, cut into strips
1 small gobo, peeled, cut into strips, and soaked for 5 minutes
1 cup bamboo, cut into strips

veggie seasoning:
3 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp mirin
1 1/2 cups water

garnish: pickled ginger to taste, cut into small strips

Method:
1. Combine rice and water in a rice cooker and cook for 30 minutes.
2. Heat ingredients for veggie seasoning in a medium saucepan until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add veggies and simmer until almost all the liquid has evaporated (10-20 minutes).
4. Mix ingredients of rice seasoning. When rice is finished, add rice seasoning to rice and mix well.
5. Mix veggies with rice in a large serving bowl and garnish with pickled ginger. Serve at room temperature.

Inari Sushi

These seasoned deep-fried tofu pockets filled with sushi rice have become a staple of my diet. They are so quick, easy, and delicious that I make these for breakfast every morning!

Ingredients:
1/2 cup uncooked white sticky rice
1 cups water
1 tsp brown sugar
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
4 inari age pockets (see glossary for details)

Method:
1. Combine the rice and water in a rice cooker and cook.
2. Combine the vinegar and sugar in a small bowl and mix well.
3. When rice is finished cooking, pour the vinegar and sugar mixture over the rice and mix in while fanning the rice or blowing on it (this is supposed to make the vinegar less pungent and helps to make the rice look better).
4. Carefully open the inari age pockets and fill with the rice.
5. Garnish with pickled ginger.

Estimated nutritional info:
Energy: 260Cal, Carbs: 46g, Fat: 5g, Protein: 8g

If you can't find inari age, you can use abura age pockets rinced in boiling water and then boiled in a mixture of about 1 cup water, 1/2 cup soy sauce, and 1 cup sugar. The exact proportions are difficult to measure. You will just have to mess around with it until it is not too salty and not too sweet.

Japanese Cooking Glossary

Traditional Japanse cooking does not use an oven. For this reason, most Japanese houses and apartments (including mine) do not have an oven. This has been a difficult adjustment for me.

Certain ingredients common in many cooking styles around the world are not used in Japanese cooking and thus not available anywhere in Japan. The one I have had to omit the most in all the non-Japanese recipes I have made here is coriander (or cilantro). It is available dried at larger grocery stores and foreign import stores but I have yet to see it fresh anywhere in the country.

Abura Age (あぶらあご): Deep-fried tofu pockets that are very versatile. They can be boiled in soy sauce and sugar and filled with sushi rice to make inari sushi (see inari age below). They can also be added to soups and stews and almost anything else for a boost of deep-fried protein. They should be rinced in boiling water before use to make them a bit less oily. Age (pronounced ah-gay) means deep-fried in Japanese.

Daikon (だいこん): Tranlated as long radish, daikon is a huge white root with a green top. Grated, it is often used as a garnish. It helps with digestion and so after meals, it is often eaten just boiled in a soy sauce broth. This is a tasty vegetable but I don't buy it anymore because it stinks up the fridge, especially if refrigerated cooked.

Gobo (ごぼ): Translated as burdock root, this is a root that grows in many countries but is only eaten in Japan (as far as I know). You should always peel it and soak it in water for 5 minutes before cooking. I have no idea why. This vegetable is really slimy and slippery to work with when it is raw but is really tasty (and no longer slimy at all) when cooked.

Inari Age (いなり あげ): These are abura age pockets that have already been prepared for making inari by being seasoned with soy sauce and sugar in a perfect ratio. They are usually only around 100 or 200 yen for 10 and make cooking inari SO much easier. Not sure if these are available overseas.

Koji (こうじ): Soybeans (intentionally) infected with mold. It’s sold in supermarkets and looks kind of like tempeh. It’s not tempeh! It’s used in making homemade sake, mirin, and natto.

Mirin (みりん): is essentially a sweet cooking sake. It is available in the soy sauce/rice vinegar section of grocery stores in Japan and is probably available at Asian grocery stores overseas as well. It can be substituted with regular sake and a bit of sugar or just sugar and water.

Negi (ねぎ): Translated as welsh onion, negi is basically a huge scallion (or spring onion) with a stronger flavour. In size they are about halfway between a scallion and a leek but the the flavour and texture are definitely closer to scallion. It can be replaced by almost any members of the onion family.

Okara (おから): The bran of soy beans filtered out of the soy milk in the process of making tofu. It is bland but very nutrious and has the texture of desiccated coconut. You can get it from supermarkets and tofu shops. It is very cheap and I have even of stores where you get it free with purchase of tofu. Apparently it is a good base for veggieburgers.

Renkon (れんこん): Translated as lotus root, renkon is a circular root with tube-like holes inside extending the whole lenth of the root. It therefore has a very strange look when it is cut. Renkon should be boiled in water with a bit of vinegar to keep it from turning blue when you cook it. I don't really like renkon because it never really seems cooked. It is always crisp and tastes raw.

Soba (そば): This is simply buckwheat. It is most commonly seen in its noodle form which can be purchased fresh, hard, or even pre-cooked. The noodles are very tasty, healthy, cheap, and widely available. Soba can also be made into a tea (sold hot or cold), flour, etc.

Yuba(ゆば): The skin that forms on the top when boiling down soymilk. Widely available although sometimes can be expensive. Many and varied cooking applications.

Naan Sandwiches

Bizarrely, one of the only breads I have found here that is vegan is naan bread which I am able to buy at the local grocery store for 98 yen each! It is delicious though and this is the sandwich that has become one of my favourite quick and easy meals. The sandwich pictured is topped with broccoli sprouts.

I have to warn you that it is pretty messy (especially the more veggies you add). Leaving it open-faced can minimize the mess a bit. This recipe makes 2 sandwiches, a big meal even for me...

My local grocery store has stopped selling the vegan variety of naan so I can't make this sandwich anymore but I have just gotten a recipe for homemade naan that I am going to try as soon as I come back from Thailand (Aug 20).

Ingredients:
2 naan breads
1 avocado
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
sprouts to taste, any variety will work
1 tomato, sliced
1 Lebanese cucumber, cut in half and sliced lengthwise into about 6-8 slices
1 inch piece of negi (or a few slices of any type of onion), sliced on the diagonal (if using onion sprouts, omit negi)
1 Tbsp sweet chilli sauce

Method:
1. Put each naan bread in the toaster oven for 4 minutes (not to toast, just to soften).
2. Mash the avocado in a bowl and add the balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt (if you have it--I don't).
3. Place half the avocado mixture on the lower half of each naan bread. Top with negi, sprouts, sweet chilli sauce, cucumber, and tomato (I find that order to be the least messy).
4. Fold the naan bread over and enjoy.

Estimated nutritional info for ONE SANDWICH:
Energy: 437Cal, Carbs: 64g, Fat: 17g, Protein: 13g