eG Foodblog: torakris - Pocky and the geisha

[Radio7]

Hi Kris,

I have always been fascinated with Japanese culture, your blog is a pleasure to read. The cherry blossoms are exsquiste!

I am curious, what would you say is your favorite food currently? What about your children and husband?

I've been learning some Korean through friends, and they suggest that Japanese is the easiest to learn of the far east languages. What is your opinion?

Cheers!

Radio7

[torakris]

I am trying to use up what I have in the house since we are going to be out tomorrow. I wanted to use up the kabocha but wanted to try something new so I started scouring my cookbooks. In the freezer was tupperware with some leftover chickpeas that had already been soaked and simmered and I wanted to use that as well if possible. I hit the jackpot in Claudia Roden's The New Book of Middle Eastern Food with a dish called Tbikhit Qra, a sort of stew with pumpkin and chickpeas. It also contained onions and tomatoes and an optional red bell pepper, all of which I had in the house. The recipe also called for harissa (optional) and I decided to leave it out as the kids might find in too spicy, instead I put the tube on the table to be added by those that wanted it. The recipe also called for some optional parsley to be added at the end but I wanted the fresher flavor of it sprinkled on top.

I liked the taste of the stew but thought it needed a little oomph. I then decided to make a sort of gremolata with the parsley and some preserved lemons (that I preserved myself a couple months ago). This is what I was looking for, it was perfect! I served it over couscous.

the harissa

I also wanted to use the lettuce leftover from yesterday so i pulled a small bit of blue cheese from the freezer along with some smoked salmon and made a lovely salad. It doesn't exactly go with the north African stew but it was good nonetheless, and I have used up most of odds and ends in my freezer...

[torakris]

I am curious, what would you say is your favorite food currently? What about your children and husband?

I've been learning some Korean through friends, and they suggest that Japanese is the easiest to learn of the far east languages. What is your opinion?

←

Favorite food?

That probably changes daily! I have too many favorites and I love everything. If I had to pick one food for a last meal it would easily be yukhwe, the Korean dish of seasoned raw beef. Sometimes I think I was born on the wrong continent....

I just asked my husband and he says his favorite food is beef stew, maybe he was born on the wrong continent as well.

My kids are pretty easy, typical kids food from both continents, curry rice, meat loaf and mashed potatoes, pizza, etc

Mia actually asked me this morning if I could make mashed potatoes for breakfast....

I have studied Japanese, Chinese and Korean (as well as 8 years of French and 5 of Spanish..) and think Japanese is the easiest to pronounce of the Asian ones and Koerean is by far the easiest to read. In terms of grammar Japanese and Korean were pretty similar. Chinese was the hardest for me in reading, pronunciation and grammar.

[helenjp]

That couscous dish looked great! I'm not sure that chickpea dish is in my old edition of MEF though...maybe it's time to update!

[Daddy-A]

I'd almost forgetotten that a non-Diet version of this exists.  I'm pretty sure the non-diet has been all but dropped from U.S. distribution.

They must all be in Japan then.

There is almost no diet here, I have seen diet occasioanlly in stores but almost never in vending machines.

Kris ... my wife "J" and I have really been enjoying this. "J" works with a guy who's wife is from Japan (not sure where exactly) and has forwarded the link to him so they can enjoy a virtual visit back home.

I've heard a lot about the vending machines in Japan and some of the different items they offer. Any chance of a couple pictures of some of the vending machines?

A.

[CaliPoutine]

Hi Kris,

Can you list the prices of the bento boxes you picked up for the kids? What was in the large box that your son picked?

[Blondie]

The Japanese confectionery is called Minamoto.  I loved that place when I used to work in New York (it was close to my office too).  The shop itself was a reflection of the Japanese aesthetic sense - perfectly displayed sweets and snacks, each one also perfectly packaged in beautiful wrapping, and a sense of calm and deliberative contemplation all round.  It was very nice to step in as a respite from the crowds surrounding Rockefeller!  My favorites used to be the bean paste filled pancakes and the jellies with fruit.  I wasn't too crazy about the cakes, though.  And I agree about the revolving selection of offerings in harmony with the changing seasons - cherries, peaches, chestnuts etc.  Lovely!  I am now in Beijing and I wish there was something like Minamoto to soothe the senses.

I don’t spend much time in midtown, but on my way to MoMA yesterday with a friend I almost walked right by Minamoto before noticing the beautiful displays. We stopped in to browse and I picked up a few pieces: cherry, white peach and yuzu. I’ve only tried the cherry (in jelly) thusfar, and it was fantastic.

Has anyone tried making something similar at home? I’ve experimented with some fruit juice/gelatin concoctions with decent, if cloudy, results, intending to use them as a cheese accompaniment or to add interest to presentations. Minamoto’s versions, delicious as they are, cost $3+ a piece, and I’d be happy to get close enough to impress my friends

Kristin, you mentioned using the Toddy cold brew method for your iced coffee. Do you use the commercially available toddymaker? Now that that it's finally iced coffee weather I've been considering trying it, but am trying to avoid purchasing another gadget due to space considerations in my Manhattan micro-kitchen.

[lexy]

There's been a few references to how small your kitchen (and japanese kitchens in general) is. They seem small even by the standards of apartment kitchens in big cities in North America. If this is pretty standard, is it more common in japan to eat out? Otherwise, why the tiny kitchens?

[torakris]

I've heard a lot about the vending machines in Japan and some of the different items they offer.  Any chance of a couple pictures of some of the vending machines?

←

I don't travel much into the areas were some of the more of the "interesting" vending machines are... We will be out today to a couple areas of Tokyo and I will take lots pictures including the vending machines!

[torakris]

Hi Kris,

Can you list the prices of the bento boxes you picked up for the kids?  What was in the large box that your son picked?

←

The large bento was 390 yen (about $3.75) and had a tempura'd fake crab stick, two pieces of karaage (Jaapnese fried chicken and some panko'd thing on a stick (I didn't see what was inside). There were also a couple simmered foods, satoimo (taro--the round ball), carrots, green beans, and konnyaku. There was also some sweetened beans and a slice of omelet. The rice had a sheet of nori (laver seweed) on it.

He ate everything except for the beans, green beans and carrot.

The sandwiches were 241 yen a piece (about $2.30), the little sides were about 150 yen ($1.40) and my noodls with the discount cost about 240 yen ($2.30).

[torakris]

Has anyone tried making something similar at home? I’ve experimented with some fruit juice/gelatin concoctions with decent, if cloudy, results, intending to use them as a cheese accompaniment or to add interest to presentations. Minamoto’s versions, delicious as they are, cost $3+ a piece, and I’d be happy to get close enough to impress my friends

←

maybe the agar agar thread can be of some help

[torakris]

Kristin, you mentioned using the Toddy cold brew method for your iced coffee. Do you use the commercially available toddymaker? Now that that it's finally iced coffee weather I've been considering trying it, but am trying to avoid purchasing another gadget due to space considerations in my Manhattan micro-kitchen.

←

I love my Toddy!

I sort of balked at buying it when I saw the size, but I only pull it out every 2 to 3 weeks, so I keep it a closet most of the time... the carafe stays in the refrigerator.

I have already convinced half my family to try it and they all love it as well.

It is so wonderful to have great tasting cold coffee anytime I want it,

[torakris]

There's been a few references to how small your kitchen (and japanese kitchens in general) is. They seem small even by the standards of apartment kitchens in big cities in North America. If this is pretty standard, is it more common in japan to eat out? Otherwise, why the tiny kitchens?

←

The kitchens ar so small because the houses/apartments are so small. My whole apartment is only 67 square meters (sorry I have no idea how to convert that). To give you an idea though, I can plug in the vacuum cleaner in my living room and vacuum the entire house without unplugging it. I can even hit the farthest corners of the bedrooms as well as the bathroom and the entrance hall.....

take a look at some of these pictures, these are some typical Japanese kitchens. Many kitchens aren't even a separate room, it is just one wall of the main room that has a small counter, a sink and a place for your gas range.

People can feed huge families from these tiny (and often very cluttered) kitchens. My kitchen is very small by American standards but quite large here in Japan....

[torakris]

Sunday morning! I actually slept in to 6:00am today! Everyone else was awake and watching tv by the time I got out of bed......

This morning I am enjoying a (gasp! ) hot coffee!

I finished up my Toddy yesterday and didn't realize I had no more coffee in the house until last night.

so...

I pulled out my individual filter packs, these are quite common here and actually very good.

My husband's cup and my cup

[torakris]

does anyone by chance know anything about the stew I made last night? I have been trying to look for it on google and am coming up blank.

I have also started a thread about it here

The main reason I am asking its that want to know a country of origin. A couple weeks ago my kids and I bought a large wall map and we put stickers on all of the countries that we eat foods from and I am not sure where to put the sticker from last night.

[Hiroyuki]

My whole apartment is only 67 square meters (sorry I have no idea how to convert that).

←

67 m2 = 721.2 sft

(1 m2 = 10.764 sft)

Edit to add:

Our resort condo unit is even smaller, 568.3 sft. We are moving to a new house of about 40 tsubo (1423 sft) this year, which is in the design phase at present.

Edited April 9, 2005 by Hiroyuki (log)

[torakris]

My whole apartment is only 67 square meters (sorry I have no idea how to convert that).

←

67 m2 = 721.2 sft

(1 m2 = 10.764 sft)

←

Thank you!

You can't even imagine how bad I am at math. I can't even use a calculator right!

Sunday breakfast

I am still trying to clean out he house of odds and ends so we had ochazuke and furikake and nori.

I had a mentaiko (spicy cod roe) ochazuke--this was an instant product

for those who are unfamiliar with ochazuke, ocha is tea and basically the hot rice is topped with anything you desire and hot tea is poured over the top. In the instant version there are little granules of tea in the pack so you just add hot water.

Furikake are various sprinkles for your rice.

[SobaAddict70]

Ochazuke thread in the Japan forum.

edit: The furikake thread may also be of interest.

Soba

[torakris]

Today was really the first day we have done anything really fun in a couple months, we tend to stay in when it is cold. We visited modern Tokyo then boarded a futuristic boat to go back to the old days....

We started out trip in Odaiba.

This is probably one of my favorite spots in Tokyo and we go there often, there is so much to do and see, or you don't have to do anything at all just sit in the sand (or on the boardwalk) and watch everyone else go by).

Odaiba seaside park

this is a man made beach right in Tokyo Bay, it is hard to tell from the picture but is stretches in a long c shape and can get extremely crowded in the summer. Some people like to find various shellfish for their dinner....

Julia found a shell and Mia is taking a picture with my husband's cell phone.

We then boarded the Himiko, a brand new boat that travels the Sumida River between Odaiba and Asakusa.

inside

[torakris]

from the boat we saw a couple hanami (cherry blossom viewing) parties

the laundry (like we discussed earlier..

When we got off the boat in Asakusa we were hungry so we ducked into a tiny kaiten (revolving) sushi place that had some really good prices. It was decent but I wouldn't count it among the best I have eaten.... It was cheap though the 5 of us ate for 3600 yen ($35)

some of the dishes

the crisscrossed dishes were 126 yen ($1.25) and the fancy dish with the maguro was 99 yen ($.95)

[torakris]

After lunch we wandered over to Sensoji temple, probably what Asakusa is most famous for...

if you look to the left you will also be able to see th 5 story pagoda

stalls line the street for as far as you can see

food is everywhere... someone even gave some bread to this statue

[torakris]

we picked up some snacks

one of my absolute favorites in anzu ame. Anzu means apricot and ame means candy, these are usually some kind of fruit that are coated in a thick sugar sryup. This stand had a choice of 5 fruits and I chose sumomo (a sort of sour plum), I then got a chance to play a sort of roulette game which I won ans was able to choose another one. I took apricot. These are placed in a block of ice to harden them, but as soon as they are removed they start to melt so you need to eat fast. 150 yen ($1.40) a piece, but I got 2 for the price of 1!

Julia had a chcocolate banana in an ice cream cone (there is actually no ice cream, just whip cream) and if you look really close you will see a pocky stick in the back of it.

Hide had a regular chocolate banana

those were 200 yen a piece ($1.85)

on the way back to the station we couldn't resist the smell of freshly made sembei (rice crackers) and picked up 5 of them at 50 yen a piece ($.45) and ate them hot.

[jhlurie]

The main reason I am asking its that want to know a country of origin. A couple weeks ago my kids and I bought a large wall map and we put stickers on all of the countries that we eat foods from and I am not sure where to put the sticker from last night.

←

At some point we need to see a picture of this map.

[Misa]

Those anzu ame sound tasty! Is the outer layer just corn syrup? (I googled, trying to find out, but it wasn't very helpful.)

[torakris]

Those anzu ame sound tasty! Is the outer layer just corn syrup? (I googled, trying to find out, but it wasn't very helpful.)

←

The outer layer is made with mizu ame, it is thicker and stickier than corn starch and originally was made from rice malt though today it is more commonly made with a potato starch.