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Japanese foods--Wagashi

torakris

By torakris
in Japan: Cooking & Baking

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sanrensho

sanrensho

Posted
Posted
Is this kasutera? My mother knows a little Japanese and she tells me they call this Honey Cake.

Yes, it's kasutera or "Castella Cake" as it's usually rendered in English. Mmm, I'm getting hungry already.

Baker of "impaired" cakes...
torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

yes that picture looks like castera to me too.

I am glad you are enjoying our forum! :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

dorayaki!

gallery_6134_1003_34532.jpg

left: ume, with ume flavored shiro an (white anko paste) and a sweetened green ume

right: regular anko with a candied chestnut

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

sanrensho

sanrensho

Posted
Posted
dorayaki!

I have to say, I almost cringed when I saw your dorayaki denuded like that. I think a simple cross-section photo would have sufficed.:raz:

Baker of "impaired" cakes...
torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted
dorayaki!

I have to say, I almost cringed when I saw your dorayaki denuded like that. I think a simple cross-section photo would have sufficed.:raz:

I have to admit I sort of cringed when I saw the picture as well.... :hmmm:

it gives them sort of a fast food look...

it didn't really feel that way when I was taking the picture though..

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

  • 3 months later...
SuzySushi

SuzySushi

Posted
Posted

I'm resurrecting this thread because I just discovered a wonderful source for fresh wagashi in Honolulu: a shop called Kansai Yamoto, located on Kapiolani Blvd. a block away from Ala Moana Center, with a small stall in the shopping center itself. We found their fresh daifuku in our local supermarket, and I must say it's some of the best wagashi I've ever tasted. We're now eager to work our way through their menu! I bought the traditional daifuku, but they also make new-wave versions like ichigo (with fresh strawberries), chocolate, green tea, and kona coffee.

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

Kiem Hwa

Kiem Hwa

Posted
Posted
I'm resurrecting this thread because I just discovered a wonderful source for fresh wagashi in Honolulu: a shop called Kansai Yamoto, located on Kapiolani Blvd. a block away from Ala Moana Center, with a small stall in the shopping center itself. We found their fresh daifuku in our local supermarket, and I must say it's some of the best wagashi I've ever tasted. We're now eager to work our way through their menu! I bought the traditional daifuku, but they also make new-wave versions like ichigo (with fresh strawberries), chocolate, green tea, and kona coffee.

Ohhh....I didnt know that Kansai Yamato had a shop...I only know about thier Ala Moana stall. Does the shop have more things than the stand??

SuzySushi

SuzySushi

Posted
Posted
Ohhh....I didnt know that Kansai Yamato had a shop...I only know about thier Ala Moana stall.  Does the shop have more things than the stand??

I haven't been to the shop yet... I only know the abbreviated offerings in our supermarket and the Ala Moana stall. But their shop menu is online at their website. It looks like they have more varieties. My husband is going there on a reconnaisance mission when he's in town Tuesday! :biggrin:

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

Kiem Hwa

Kiem Hwa

Posted
Posted

Bashoudo is at Shirokiya Honolulu again. This time, not only did they have warabi-mochi, but also an assortment of kanten products.

I tried the tokoroten, which is a block of seaweed-gel sliced into noodle-like strands, and this one was served with a vinegar sauce that had a kind-of ume flavor (it wasnt sweet). Very interesting texture, it was fun to slurp up these interesting "noodles". I wonder... is tokoroten usually served with the vinegar sauce or other types of sauces? Id be interested in trying it with a sweet sauce like kuromitsu or a matcha sauce.

Ive been curious about trying this since I saw it on Next Stop Discovery (Burari) television show. A block of gel was shoved through a sieve-like block, so it was sliced into fat noodles.

So what is the difference between the name of the kanten-noodles I had and the tokoroten described below?

A search in my Online Japanese Translator revealed two Kanji for tokoroten, both meaning gelidium jelly.

心天

心太

This website shows a picture of tokoroten and mentions it is made out of tengusa.

http://www.sumitomo.gr.jp/english/discover...d/food93_1.html

Kanten and agar-agar are made from different types of seaweeds.

Kanten:  Tengusa and ogonori

Agar-agar:  Suginori and minomata

Source (Japanese only):

http://www.kantenpp.co.jp/info/faq01.php?faq_catcode=6

See under Q09.

Kanten is made by purifying tokoroten by exposing it to the cold.

Me ga ten library (Japanese only):

http://www.ntv.co.jp/megaten/library/date/03/02/0202.html

Obachan makes tokoroten from scratch:

http://kokonuggetyumyum.blogspot.com/2005/...ar-noodles.html

prasantrin

prasantrin

Posted
Posted

It's shugaku ryoko season at my school. Yesterday was the final day, with the J1 (7th grade) and S3 (12th grade) going to Kyoto (on separate trips). I had to tag along with the S3 girls, but lucky me, we made wagashi! Each could choose which type to make--nama yatsuhashi, yakiyatsuhashi, ichigo daifuku, and the tea ceremony red bean type--I can't remember what they called it--narikiri or something like htat. I made the latter, and it was so easy! Of course, to make really beautiful ones, one needs patience and a fine hand, neither of which I possess, but I think I did a pretty good job.

Pictures will be posted later, but probably not to e-Gullet, as I find Image Gullet to be a pain in the butt.

SuzySushi

SuzySushi

Posted
Posted
It's shugaku ryoko season at my school.  Yesterday was the final day, with the J1 (7th grade) and S3 (12th grade) going to Kyoto (on separate trips).  I had to tag along with the S3 girls, but lucky me, we made wagashi!  Each could choose which type to make--nama yatsuhashi, yakiyatsuhashi, ichigo daifuku, and the tea ceremony red bean type--I can't remember what they called it--narikiri or something like htat.  I made the latter, and it was so easy!  Of course, to make really beautiful ones, one needs patience and a fine hand, neither of which I possess, but I think I did a pretty good job.

Pictures will be posted later, but probably not to e-Gullet, as I find Image Gullet to be a pain in the butt.

Ohhh.... ohhhh.... I :wub: yatsuhashi!!! Could also post the recipes??? Pretty please???

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

JumblyJu

JumblyJu

Posted
Posted
I'm resurrecting this thread because I just discovered a wonderful source for fresh wagashi in Honolulu: a shop called Kansai Yamoto, located on Kapiolani Blvd. a block away from Ala Moana Center, with a small stall in the shopping center itself. We found their fresh daifuku in our local supermarket, and I must say it's some of the best wagashi I've ever tasted. We're now eager to work our way through their menu! I bought the traditional daifuku, but they also make new-wave versions like ichigo (with fresh strawberries), chocolate, green tea, and kona coffee.

I wish I knew they sold mochi at their Kapiolani location. I'm only familiar with their back door as that's where the parking is.

And it looks like November 1 they're moving to 99 Ranch.

SuzySushi

SuzySushi

Posted
Posted
I wish I knew they sold mochi at their Kapiolani location.  I'm only familiar with their back door as that's where the parking is. 

And it looks like November 1 they're moving to 99 Ranch.

Relocating to, or opening a third location? (My husband didn't make it to town on Tuesday.)

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

JumblyJu

JumblyJu

Posted
Posted
I wish I knew they sold mochi at their Kapiolani location.  I'm only familiar with their back door as that's where the parking is. 

And it looks like November 1 they're moving to 99 Ranch.

Relocating to, or opening a third location? (My husband didn't make it to town on Tuesday.)

Relocating. That whole area is scheduled to be demolished. Taiyo and So Gong Dong have already found other locations.

helenjp

helenjp

Posted
Posted

Prasantrin, sounds like "nerikiri".

I was surprised to find that nerikiri are much less popular here in eastern Japan than in Osaka/Kyoto.

It's not hard (just somewhat time-consuming) to make the white-bean an that is used as the basis for many nerikiri.

My DH thinks it is a scandalous extravagance, but I sometimes take my boys to the local wagashi shop to choose one each, and to explain the different types - they don't taste anything like the supermarket versions, and I think they're an all too precarious part of Japanese food culture!

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

  • 3 weeks later...
Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki

Posted
Posted

On Nov. 3, my family went to Shiozawa Sangyo Matsuri (Industrial Fair), which is held every year on this day (Bunka no Hi or Culture Day) on the premises of Imaizumi Museum (Japanese only).

My son and daughter participated in the wagashi making workshop, offered free of charge.

gallery_16375_5_63332.jpg

Wagashi made my my son (shown at the bottom)

gallery_16375_5_32763.jpg

My daughter's turn:

gallery_16375_5_57583.jpg

My blog
helenjp

helenjp

Posted
Posted

Would you believe I was so obsessed with wagashi that I actually carved a mold like those in Hiroyuki's photos :laugh: .

What a wonderful experience for kids though. (Now I'm thinking to myself that perhaps I could make some koshi an, and a pumpkin and white bean an and get my kids involved.... I think we could make a reasonable pumpkin shape with saran wrap and a piece of string :cool:

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

JasonTrue

JasonTrue

Posted
Posted

I don't make a lot of wagashi but I've made two attempts at kurikinton recently. This one turned out better-textured than the last one, but there's a lot of room for interpretation on the best texture for kurikinton. I like both the dry and moist types. This one is very moist.

I posted approximate details on how to make homemade Kuri-kinton on my blog.

kurikinton_20025_2D640w.jpg

Jason Truesdell

Blog: Pursuing My Passions

Take me to your ryokan, please

  • 4 weeks later...
torakris

torakris

Posted
  • Topic Starter
Posted

I picked up the pack of seasonal wagashi from a local shop

gallery_6134_1960_6825.jpg

top left: satsumaimo (sweet potato) ohagi

top right: kabocha youkan

bottom left: kaki (persimmon) mochi

bottom right: usagi (rabbit) mochi

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

Culinista

Culinista

Posted
Posted

OK, this thread has made me SERIOUSLY hungry for wagashi.

BTW, years ago I had a fantastic kuri manju made at a stand while you wait near Asakusa in Tokyo. They did not keep at all-an hour later, and the special texture was completely lost. Anyone know what I am talking about and if I can find it again? I've been back many times and wandered the streets, but I haven't found it.

  • 1 month later...
Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki

Posted
Posted

In her recent, fabulous foodblog, helenjp showed us her home-made hanabira-mochi.

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showto...dpost&p=1096189

My sister-in-law visited us yesterday, and kindly gave us this box of wagashi:

gallery_16375_5_68256.jpg

Sho (pine), chiku (bamboo), and bai (plum) wagashi and rabit ones.

Surprisingly, the box also contained several hanabira-mochi. It had white an in it.

gallery_16375_5_20412.jpg

My blog
helenjp

helenjp

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'll post a photo to go with this later, but the other day I unwisely told my kids to pick one pack of snacks each for the week...and one of them came up with Akita Morokoshi. My husband groaned, but they weren't expensive, so in they went.

gallery_7941_961_8327.jpg

Not expensive! :biggrin: . Turns out there was a good reason for that.

Apparently made to reward the leaders in some military campaigning or scheming, they seem to belong to the great tradition of military cooking - making artful use of stuff that didn't get thrown out fast enough!

The "morokoshi" doesn't refer to "corn" here, but "moro-moro no kashi wo koshita mono" (better than all other confectionery). They are made from azuki bean skins (Ever wondered what to do with them after you've sieved cooked beans for koshi-an bean jam? Now you know.) and sugar, pressed together and molded like rakugan, turned out, and baked till hard and a bit toasty-tasting on the outsides. However, they have a distinictive harshness to the taste. I think the modern ones might be azuki bean powder rather than just the skins??? :hmmm: .

Edited by helenjp (log)

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

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