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Field peas called ‘sayaendoo’ are often used to garnish dishes. They are cooked quickly and then put in cold water to keep their bright colour.
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Shiratama-ko, or Shiratama flour, is a sticky rice flour. When used for the dumplings, it has a smooth texture. It does not become hard even when chilled.
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Did you know that there are two types of Matcha? Koicha and Usucha. The frothy kind that you usually have the opportunity to drink, is a light, thin tea called usucha. Koicha is what you drink after a meal at a formal tea ceremony, before the thin tea, and is very thick.
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Did you know that there is a rule for the size of seaweed, nori? Basically, full size nori is 21cm x 19cm and half or quarter size nori is used for temaki sushi. Our size and hand rolling method are… Please look forward to your lesson experience!
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This is our fermented rice bran bed, called ”Nuka-doko’. Nuka means a rice bran, doko means a bed. A fermented rice bran pickle is a type of traditional Japanese pickled vegetable. In our house, nuka-doko is stirred every morning to encourage fermentation. Cucumbers are best left to pickle overnight.
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Koso-genmai, or Enzyme Brown Rice, is brown rice with red beans and salt that is cooked soft at the high temperature and pressure and then kept warm at a suitable temperature during the maturing process. It is highly digestible and absorbable, and is expected to help regulate the intestinal environment.
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The dashi stock for a miso soup can be made in a wide variety of ways using a variety of ingredients. We use ‘iriko’ or dried small sardines, which are lightly roasted in a pan and ground in a mill to a powder.
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Aemono, or dressed vegetables, is one of the most popular side dishes at home. Dressings vary and can be made from tofu, sesame seeds, miso, Japanese mustard or soy sauce. In our home, we usually use quick boiled and squeezed greens dressed with Japanese mustard, ponzu “a sauce made from soy sauce and citrus juice” and olive oil.
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Wasabi is often called ‘Hon-wasabi’ to distinguish it from horseradish. Wasabi paste is a dried and powdered wasabi or horseradish, a product that has been adjusted and processed by adding water, sugar and oil to horseradish. It is sold in tubes and is commonly used in homes.
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Obake is an old historical event held on Setsubun, the day before Risshun, on 3 February. People dress up in costumes to scare off the demons and bring good luck for the year. It is a culture that remains in the geisya hanamachi area.