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eG Foodblog: torakris - a week of fun in Japan

torakris

By torakris
in Food Traditions & Culture

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torakris

torakris

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I like kuri okowa (glutinous rice plus chestnuts) much better than kuri gohan (ordinary rice plus chestnuts).

I usually make mine with a mixture of regular rice and mochi-gome (glutinous rice) in 2:1 proportions

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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English writing is everywhere in Japan, like it has been said it is mostly decorational.

engrish.com is a great site and every time I look at it I wonder why these companies don't get someone to check some of this stuff before they print it out on millions of boxes....

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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I have eaten breakfast!

I made myself a bowl of Quaker instant oatmeal (plain) with some dried cranberries tossed in for flavor.

gallery_6134_184_1097105378.jpg

yeah, I pulled out my fancy china for you guys.... :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Hiroyuki

Hiroyuki

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I usually make mine with a mixture of regular rice and mochi-gome (glutinous rice) in 2:1 proportions

My wife sometimes mixes glutinous (mochi) and regular (uruchi) rice together, and sometimes she has to, because rice is always sold by the kilogram, but we measure it by the gou (1 gou = 180 ml), so we always have some glutinous rice left, right?

My blog
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lamb

lamb

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Kris,

I can't even begin to tell you how much I enjoyed your New Year's blog and how I am enjoying this one as well. As the mom to two teenagers on a different continent, I look forward to hearing what you are preparing for your kids. I laughed when you said that they demanded snacks at 3 pm. I can certainly empathize with that! My kids are like bottomless pits, my 17 year old son eats EVERYTHING and my 14 year old athlethically inclined daughter gives him a run for his money.

By the way, I have the same cereal bowl!! Corny the Rooster is at the bottom of mine :raz:

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JennyUptown

JennyUptown

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I haven't visited General Food Topics for awhile so imagine my surprise, finding a new blog from torakris. First I figured someone had bumped up the old one (which would be cool), but then I realized it was a whole new deal (even better!).

Food-talk is great, but we need updated kid photos. Yours are the cutest.

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torakris

torakris

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Kris,

By the way, I have the same cereal bowl!!  Corny the Rooster is at the bottom of mine  :raz:

the bowl is actually a set of 4 that my mom sent me about 8 or 9 years ago when i was complaining that the Japanese all use "real" bowls/dishes for kids food and I was ahving a hard time finding plastic kids stuff...

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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gus_tatory

gus_tatory

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umm. best. food. blog. ever.

(no offence at all to the other talented, committed food blog writers... :smile: )

Kristin: I did a lemon-grapefruit juice/yuzukoshou (Japanese citrus and pepper) marinated, then bbq'd chicken--amazing.

actually no; the best blog ever would be your osechi ryouri (New Year's food) blog that is linked to on page 1 of this thread. :biggrin:

Edited by gus_tatory (log)

"The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears, or the ocean."

--Isak Dinesen

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helenjp

helenjp

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Just for next time, you can buy those wretched protractor and triangle sets at convenience stores. Especially at convenience stores located near schools...heh heh. Also spotted in 100-yen shops.

Liked the curry close-ups! What other veges do you serve with curry? My husband is rather narrow-minded about what vegetables go in curry (basically, none), but he does like shiitake.

The kids and I eat our curry all razzle-dazzle early in the evening, and reserve the knock-kneed, buck-toothed ingenue version for Papa to come home to later in the evening. :laugh:

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

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torakris

torakris

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Just for next time, you can buy those wretched protractor and triangle sets at convenience stores. Especially at convenience stores located near schools...heh heh. Also spotted in 100-yen shops.

Liked the curry close-ups! What other veges do you serve with curry? My husband is rather narrow-minded about what vegetables go in curry (basically, none), but he does like shiitake.

The kids and I eat our curry all razzle-dazzle early in the evening, and reserve the knock-kneed, buck-toothed ingenue version for Papa to come home to later in the evening.  :laugh:

I actually ended up buying it at the 100 yen shop!!

I am sort of picky about my Japanese curry and will only put potatoes, onions and carrots in. I like the shredded lettuce for serving, it eliminates the need for a salad. :biggrin:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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I taught a cooking class today, I had 6 students which is about average, I won't take more than 8 as I do this in my house.

We cook the food and eat it for lunch, today we made a tomato and mozarella tart

gallery_6134_184_1097134074.jpg

chicken thigh baked with 20 cloves of garlic, lemon and white wine

gallery_6134_184_1097134089.jpg

dessert was oranges in a caramel sauce, you may have seen me practicing this a couple of days ago....

gallery_6134_184_1097134112.jpg

I also just had a snack of Club crackers topped with mascarpone cheese and an espresso sauce. This was made by oneof the women in my apartment and she brought it out as a snack for all of the mothers to share. Us mothers hang out all day long and just chat away! :biggrin: the mascarpone cheese is a Japanese brand that is actually pretty good and it is sold with this little packet of espresso flavored sauce. I didn't really care for the combination with a Club cracker....

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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IT IS ALMOST 5PM AND I HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO MAKE FOR DINNER!!!!

This always happens after my cooking classes, I have spent all day cooking and don't feel like going back in the kitchen......

It doesn't help that I haven't planned my weekly menu yet....

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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helenjp

helenjp

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None of yesterday's curry left?

(I just fed my kids some oyaki that we got free at a bread shop that just opened up, hoping that will hold them long enough for me to meet a translation deadline before I grill some salted mackerel that I bought to make a quick dinner...just not quick ENOUGH on a day like this!).

That tomato tart looks wonderful...

Helenjp

* Pickles foodblog

* New Year foodblog

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daniellewiley

daniellewiley

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I can't imagine an Asian store NOT carrying it!

There are various brands, House, S&B, etc and different heat levels, on either the front or back of the box their is usually a heat scale ranging from like 1 to 5 or 6. 1 being the mildest, the one I used today is a chuu-kara (中辛) type and that is medium or a level 3.

The mildest ones should say ama-kuchi (甘口） and the spiciest will say kara-kuchi (辛口).

What are the ingredients? I'd love to try it, but I'm allergic to fish, and I worry that I wouldn't be able to read the label well enough to discern any fish ingredients such as bonito, etc.

Great blog, by the way - I'm loving it! My husband would love one of those bento boxes with the carrying case. He'd probably use it for cereal, milk, and fruit, but he'd be so excited to have it. Does it keep food hot/cold?

Danielle Altshuler Wiley

a.k.a. Foodmomiac

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torakris

torakris

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What are the ingredients? I'd love to try it, but I'm allergic to fish, and I worry that I wouldn't be able to read the label well enough to discern any fish ingredients such as bonito, etc.

Great blog, by the way - I'm loving it! My husband would love one of those bento boxes with the carrying case. He'd probably use it for cereal, milk, and fruit, but he'd be so excited to have it. Does it keep food hot/cold?

I didn't think there would be fish in it, but there is is the one I used yesterday. There is something called たん白加 水分解物 and in parantheses lists katsuo (bonito) as well as iwashi (sardines). I have no ideas what those characters mean though and am unable to find an English translation in any online sources....

Hiroyuki? Helen? anyone?

As to the thermos style bento, it can be used for either hot or cold, it is really convenient.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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...hmmm without checking, I'd say "hydrolized protein".

Sound plausible?

sounds good, unfortunately I would need a dictionary to figure that word out as well..... :blink:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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With the undokai (sports day) coming up 3 year old Hide has been practicing a lot for the big day. Around 5pm he seemed tired so I put him in the bath and when he came out he asked for a piece of bread because he was hungry, I knew he wouldn't make it to dinner, he actually fell asleep still clutching part of the bread in his hand. :biggrin:

gallery_6134_184_1097146752.jpg

In the picture you can also see the bald spot above his ear from when I taped some gauze to his head to cover up a cut....oops..... :unsure:

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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Well I have an official cold and now I have lost my voice, it is a good thing I don't need to talk for this blog.....

So while cooking dinner I was drinking about two cups of a mix fruit juice, oh yeah, dinner......

gallery_6134_184_1097146775.jpg

I had some chicken thighs so I sauteed them and then added the leftover sauce from the chicken we made at lunch. :shock: I also roasted potatoes and carrots, I LOVE roasted carrots and could probably eat them everyday, I also sliced up an avocado and sprinkled it with salt and lime juice.

I am trying not to use too much rice because I am almost out and the store I want to buy it at is have triple points on Sunday. I can get 12 points just from the bag of rice, it is better than no points at all.....

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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torakris

torakris

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my MIL came over as we were sitting down to dinner and brought a container of ika no shiokara (squid fermented in its own guts) that my FIL had just made and a matcha (green tea) chiffon cake from Costco, well, 3/4 of it.

I will save the squid for tomorrow since we had no rice tonight and I am munching on the cake as I type along with more juice, I also just ate a vitamin C candy that Mia gave me because she is worried about my cold. :rolleyes:

the cake and the juice

gallery_6134_184_1097146796.jpg

I really like this juice, it is from South Africa and contains mango, papaya, guava, pineapple, apple, grape, nashi and passionfruit.

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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hillvalley

hillvalley

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Okay, I'll be the first to say it, That [picture is adorable!!! One for the photo albums.

I was surprised to see the avocados. Are they common in Japan? Have they worked their way into Japanese cooking. Please tell me you can't get a California Roll over there.

I too have a cold and, inspired by your blog, have been drinking miso soup all week. Feel better.

True Heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic.

It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost,

but the urge to serve others at whatever cost. -Arthur Ashe

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torakris

torakris

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He make look angelic in that picture, but this is the real Hide

gallery_6134_184_1097148939.jpg

eating with a friend...

avocados are being quite popular here recently, I can find them at any grocery store hear my house, however when I talk to me neighbors they always say they never buy them because they don't know what to do with them, but obviously someone is buying them!

Kristin Wagner, aka "torakris"

 

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Phish

Phish

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Liked the curry close-ups! What other veges do you serve with curry? My husband is rather narrow-minded about what vegetables go in curry (basically, none), but he does like shiitake.

Helen, some of the vegetables i like to use in curry are okra, sweet potato and most ground vegetable... they hold their shape well and absorbs the flavour nicely! :smile:

Well I have an official cold and now I have lost my voice, it is a good thing I don't need to talk for this blog.....

I am trying not to use too much rice because I am almost out and the store I want to buy it at is have triple points on Sunday. I can get 12 points just from the bag of rice, it is better than no points at all.....

:sad: I hope you get well soon... you wouldn't want to be a sick mother on sports day!!

Pardon my idiocy, but what's with the point system?? :huh:

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