Author Archives: Anne

The Springform That Wouldn’t Budge + Tuesday’s Dinner

Good olive oil….but we’ll get to this later

With the weather being so cool lately (I know, I know- it isn’t so bad LA girl!)I thought I’d bake something for my coworkers. I’d bake it for myself but the chances of my husband and I spending the better part of our waking hours eating all of it prevents me from keeping an entire cake in the house. I had found a recipe for a berry cake on a blog and didn’t really pay much attention to the actual recipe since I was completely smitten by the lovely photo that accompanied it. I printed it out and knew I’d found the sweet treat that would take shape in my kitchen the following weekend.

I was talking to my best friend on the phone as I gathered the ingredients so I wasn’t paying too much attention to the fact that the cake started with 3 sticks of butter. And yes, I said started with…..and continued with the addition of a block of cream cheese and six eggs. By this time I was off the call and my mind really started to focus in on the 3 cups of sugar (yeeps!) that followed , I thought, “What am I making? ” See what happens when you fail to show the proper reverence demanded by baking? Not wanting to waste the truckload of ingredients already in the bowl (and, admittedly, curious about what this butter-laden cake might taste like!) I continued. After all was said and done, the batter came almost to the top of my 9-inch springform pan. I topped it with the berries and crumble and heaved it into my oven.

An hour later, the cake still wiggled tremendously so I kept it in for another 20 minutes. I checked again, and it still moved like a water balloon. I went through this routine a couple more times until the total baking time was over two hours at which point it finally seemed set. The entire house smelled like a bowl of vanilla buttercream and I set the nearly 5 pound cake (I’m guesstimating!) on the table to cool a bit before unmolding. After 20 minutes, I clicked the hinge on my springform and prepared to see the entire cake in it’s naked beauty when…..nothing. The sides of the pan did not move. I pulled on both sides with all my strength- NOTHING! My husband put forth a mighty effort but the thing refused to move even a millimeter. I finally reached into our tool drawer and used two pairs of pliers (what is this, American Chopper?) to get a good grip on each side, all to no avail. My springform had failed me for the first time and was ready to retire, apparently. Too bad it didn’t tell me before I poured a gallon of batter into it.

I let the cake cool a bit more and decided to simply flip the cake onto a plate upside down, then invert back onto another platter. It worked, thank goodness. The crumble even managed to stay on.

I don’t WANT to come OUT! Leave ME!

So, how was the cake? The sides of it had turned quite dark due to the long baking time and high butter/sugar content, but the inside was a golden yellow. Slicing through it felt like cutting through a massive chunk of fudge- the density was incredible. I must admit, it tasted more like sweet butter than any pound cake I’d ever eaten. I allowed myself a very, very thin slice (which probably contained the a day’s worth of calories) before doling it out to my coworkers, who were delighted. That said, I don’t think I’ll ever be making this cake again. I’m no health nut, but it’s almost….morally reprehensible to make a cake of that buttertude. Actually, I just don’t feel like baking anything that requires two hours in the oven and a virtual grocery store’s worth of ingredients ever again.

Onto dinner last night. I’d been dreaming of a white bean and arugula combination of some sort and put together this simple dish. Whole wheat pasta with garlic, arugula, white beans and parmesan. Drizzled with a bit of extra virgin olive oil, it was a nice combination of nutty flavors and I realized how much I love creamy white beans. If any of you have a great recipe for escarole & white bean soup, please pass it my way!

Quite a refreshing change of pace from the Granddaddy Butter Cake- my affectionate nickname for the big lug.

Baking,Pasta dishes

I Won’t Breathe On You: Ina Garten’s Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic

Every weekend, I look forward to sleeping in (which, for me is usually 8:30 AM), brewing a big pot of coffee and tuning into the Food Network. Sometimes I’ll view the butter-drenched cookery of Paula Deen, other times I may see what budget eats Dave Lieberman is creating. There are only a couple things I MUST do when it comes to watching the Food Network on the weekends- 1) Avoid Sandra Lee or Rachel Ray like the plague and 2) Watch Barefoot Contessa. I love the nice, low tone of Ina Garten’s voice as she whips up beautiful meals made with fresh ingredients. Some of her food is a bit on the heavy side, yes, but at least she makes it with fresh cream and locally bought cheese. Don’t you love how everything is just fabulous, or how almost everything she makes is for her dear husband because “Jeffrey’s going to love it?” I’m sure I’d love pretty much anything if I lived in that beautiful Hamptons house, being waited on hand and foot….but the food really does look very appetizing.

There are quite a few of her recipes I’ve been meaning to make, but none more appealing than her Chicken with Forty Cloves of Garlic. It seems like the perfect cold weather food, and with all of the rain/cold we’ve been having (I know I know- I’m a whiny Los Angelino with nothing to complain about) I thought it’d be perfect for dinner. I love anything that is made in one pot and left to simmer in the oven or on the stovetop while the smells permeate the house, and this is that kind of dish.

The chicken is so easy to make- just brown the chicken, remove from pan. Then add the garlic to the fat (I drained all but 1 TBS of fat before adding the garlic- the recipe does not say to do this but really….you don’t need all of it) and brown. Deglaze the pot with congnac, add the chicken, herbs and white wine and simmer for 30 minutes. Make a roux with some of the liquid and flour, add back to the pot and finish off with a bit of cream. You can find the recipe in full here.

Browning the chicken

Add the wine

After adding roux

The flavor of the wine mixed with the garlic and cognac was so deep and delicious. The garlic cloves end up being soft and sweet. I served it with grilled ciabatta which we smeared the garlic cloves on and added an herb salad (Trader Joe’s makes an amazing bagged herb salad with mixed greens, dill, Italian parsley, etc)to make the meal complete.

Grilled bread to sop up the gravy and garlic

Dinner is served

As Ina would say “How bad can THAT be?”

Chicken dishes,Cooking

Something Out Of Nothing Meme, hosted by Toast

I’m afraid I am late in posting and submitting this entry but hopefully it will be added to the roundup! About a month a go, I had seen a recipe for steamed pork buns on bakingsheet and couldn’t wait to try them. When I was living in Tokyo, I’d go to 7 Eleven and pick up a “niku man” (meat bun) which came in many flavors- the traditional pork, curry, pizza (!!), taco and chicken. ALL of them were great and it was just nice to hold the steaming hot bread in my hands as I walked home in the cold.

Ingredients for filling

Although I followed the dough recipe to the letter, I made up my filling since I had a bunch of stuff I needed to use. Thus, the idea for making this the “something out of nothing” entry. We’ll call it Steamed Chicken Buns. I had two whole chicken legs left over from the pack I bought for the lemon chicken I made last week, so I boiled them and shredded the meat. I diced some green cabbage and white onions and sautéed them until they were soft. In a large bowl, I combined the meat, cooked cabbage/onion mixture, chopped green onions, chopped cilantro, bottled hoisin sauce, garlic chili sauce, sesame oil and soy sauce to make the filling.

Chicken filling

Putting filling in the dough

Fold dough over filling and pinch to seal

All ready for steaming

Nic was right in saying that this dough was an absolute dream to handle. The prospect of making your own steamed buns may seem daunting, but it really was so easy. You probably have all of the ingredients for the dough in your pantry and refrigerator, and you can fill it with whatever you like. Have some leftover curry? Perfect. Leftover kung pao chicken or other Chinese takeout? Use it in this dough. It’s the perfect way to make something out of, well, nothing!

Before…..

After

Mmmmmmm

The end

Meme,Cooking

BBQ’d Salmon Sandwich & Asian Slaw

Still wanting to “eat clean” this week (before the weekend debauchery that will no doubt ensue after a long working week), I made BBQ’d salmon sandwiches and Asian slaw for dinner last night.

I’ve had a head of cabbage and one small daikon in my refrigerator for almost a week and didn’t want them to go to waste. At first I thought about making a big pot of miso soup with them but it just isn’t something you’d eat a big bowl of, like chicken vegetable or something, so that idea got vetoed. On my way home from work I kept thinking of my options. “What would go well with salmon? Should I braise my cabbage? Will I be able to find the shredding device for my mandoline? Should I stop daydreaming about food and pay attention to weaving in and out of LA traffic?”

When I got home I started on the slaw. First I shredded the cabbage and cut thin juliennes of the daikon. Next I made a dressing of rice wine vinegar, sugar, sesame oil and soy sauce and tossed it in with the veggies. After letting it sit for about 10 minutes, I added some green onions and chopped cilantro to finish. It looked and smelled so fresh and delicious that I couldn’t wait to eat it…but I still had the main course to do.

I took the defrosted salmon (Trader Joe’s has some very decent frozen fish) out of the fridge and put it into the broiler before basting it with my friend’s famous BBQ sauce- the Kelso Q. He’s actually ranked in California for his ribs and other smokey edibles and has a yearly BBQ where he grills up everything from whole turkeys to brisket. As a parting gift for coming and eating all of this free food (cos you know, YOU should be THANKED!), you get a bottle of the Kelso Q. Anyway, it makes anything taste better and I love the combination of buttery salmon with the sweet and spicy sauce. After toasting a couple slices of multigrain bread, I built the sandwich with the salmon, sliced onions, lettuce and a touch of Kewpie Mayo.

Here’s the finished product- the flavors of the sandwich went really well with the refreshing slaw- I would definitely make this again and it’s a great way to use up leftover veggies. This sandwich would be great with some added avocado and a few sprigs of cilantro as well.

Now onto the weekend! Happy Friday.

Healthy Cooking,

Turkey Larb

Sometimes you just need a little green in your system. After a night of Truffled Mac ‘N Cheese, Orecchiette w/ Roasted Fennel, Red Peppers and Burrata, Ceasar Salad, a basket of garlicky shoestring fries, several glasses of wine and several trips through the bread basket (no no- I didn’t eat ALL of that alone…four of us shared a bunch of stuff) at Blair’s, I felt like eating something light and clean.

Ingredients

I’d found a recipe for Thai Pork Salad with Cilantro and Mint on Epicurious about a month ago and saved it for an occasion such as this. Larb, which is basically what this dish is, is something I order often from Thai restaurants and I’ve always loved the flavor. I read the user comments and made some adjustments. Instead of pork, I used ground turkey and added ginger since the original recipe didn’t call for it. I also substituted chili garlic sauce for the cayenne and rice powder for breadcrumbs (?!). It was quick and easy to put together, and the perfect antidote to the rich meal I’d eaten the night before. The combination of the fresh lime, salty fish sauce, bright mint and cilantro with the lean meat was so delicious- a taste of summer in our relatively cool Los Angeles spring.

I just served it with some steamed snow peas drizzled with a tiny bit of toasted sesame oil, sea salt and sesame seeds- a nice, quick weeknight meal.

Snow peas w/ sesame

I’m looking forward to the leftovers for lunch today….speaking of which, it’s time to eat!

Turkey Larb in Lettuce Cups
(adapted from Thai Ground Pork Salad with Mint & Cilantro from Gourmet Magazine, June 1999)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 TBS fresh mint, chopped
2 tsp grated ginger
1 white onion, chopped
1 lb ground turkey
4 tablespoons fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons of toasted rice- ground
1 1/2 tablespoons Asian fish sauce (preferably naam pla)
2 tsp chili sauce w/ garlic
3 TBS chopped roasted peanuts (optional)

Lettuce or cabbage leaves for wrapping.

Note: To get the ground rice- simply take white rice and toast it in a dry pan until the rice gets brown. Put it in a coffee grinder to make a fine powder.

Take the ground turkey and put in a pot with 2 TBS of the lime juice- cover with cold salted water and bring to a simmer- use a fork to break up the meat. Cook until meat is just done- about 3 minutes after it starts to simmer rapidly. Drain well in a sieve.

Put turkey in a large bowl with the remaining 2 TBS lime juice and all of the herbs, ginger, onion, rice powder, fish sauce, chili sauce and peanuts (if using). Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve with lettuce cups.

Low carb, Cooking

Lemon Chicken

Volcano smoke? No! Cauliflower!

I spend a good deal of my day reading food blogs (er, at home of course…not at work!). I’m constantly inspired by the writings, photos and recipes put out there by fellow bloggers. There are so many recipes and so little time to make and eat them all that at times, it’s overwhelming! Every time I spy a gorgeous photo like this one, I print out the recipe, stuff it in my bag and start daydreaming of a fantastic brunch party at my house filled with friends and family just “ooooohing” and “ahhhhhhhing” about the fabulous food. Although I have good intentions to cook things I find on other blogs, lack of time (in general) and organization (mine) usually results in the recipe finding it’s way to the bottom of my bag, temporarily forgotten and left to wait for rescue.

I found out the other day that there is hope for me just yet. All bad habits are made to be broken, and I may be well on my way to actually using those beloved recipes instead of just taking them home. You see, the other night we had a nice dinner of the Lemon Chicken I had seen on The Wednesday Chef. After reading about how The Wednesday Chef’s beau proclaimed this chicken as the best thing she’d cooked for him EVER (which is quite something if you look at all of the delights that this lady has created) I knew I had to try it for myself. I bought my Costco-sized package of whole chicken legs (because it only came in the gianormous size) and eagerly trotted off to my kitchen to get to work.

Browning the chicken

It really is a simple recipe- season chicken, brown, finish off in oven, deglaze pan with lemon juice, add creme fraiche and drizzle over meat, sprinkle with lemon zest. It was so fresh and lightly creamy- we loved it, as did our house guest who remarked, “ZESTY!” Paired up with sides of mashed cauliflower and sauteed mushrooms, it made a comforting yet elegant meal.

Somewhat unappetizing photo of Lemon Chicken, sauteed mushrooms and mashed cauliflower

One recipe down….150,000 to go!

Low carb, Cooking

Annibirthday dinner at Maison Akira, Pasadena

Since my dad’s birthday and my parents’ anniversary are a day apart, we pretty much always combine the celebration into one event. This year, my dad chose his favorite, Maison Akira in Pasadena. My parents, sister, husband and I arrived promptly at 6:30 pm on Saturday, giddy with anticipation.

Maison Akira’s decor is very old-school, traditionally formal. No minimalist vibe here- there are French-country-inspired printed curtains and yellow walls. We were seated at a round table in very comfortable chairs while the manager warmly greeted my parents (they’re “regulars” so to speak).

The first thing you notice about the place is how quiet it is. Although most of the tables were occupied, you could actually HEAR your own dining companions while barely noticing that of the other patrons. I think it actually may be the quietest restaurant in Los Angeles. It was a nice change from the usual construction-level noise at most places these days. We perused the menu and, while my dad and husband opted for the Menu Rabelais prix fixe with wine pairing (4 courses, 2 wines $68.00- a steal), the ladies decided to go a la carte with one appetizer and entree each.

After cracking open a Gary Farrell Pino Noir which we had brought with us, we were presented with the amuse bouche. A slightly seared piece of albacore sprinkled with red sesame seeds accompanied a small slice of terrine made up of soba noodles and a yuzu/dashi gelee. Both were very light and delicious- the perfect way to rev up your appetite.

Next came the men’s first course- the Warm House Smoked Salmon on Micro Green and Lentil Salad in a Ponzu Pesto Vinaigrette. Although I failed to take a photo of it, I have to say it was one of the highlights of the night (thanks to my husband who let me have some!). The salmon filet was extremely flavorful with just the right saltiness which combined so well with the creamy white beans and lentils underneath the fish. Being a big fan of both ponzu and pesto, I loved the slightly tart and very refreshing dressing. This was accompanied by a lovely French sauvignon blanc.

The men’s second course looked as good as it tasted- the Braised Shiitake Mushroom and Goat Cheese Topped with Crispy Leeks consisted of 2 meaty slices of shiitake held together by a generous serving of tangy goat cheese. The veal demi glace that it was swimming in was delectable and mellowed out the sharpness of the goat cheese. It had a bit too much cheese for my taste, but we simply swiped the excess with the addictive mini baguettes from the bread basket and all was good in the world.

My mom and I both ordered the Chilled Maine Lobster Salad with American Caviar in a Lemon Mirin Vinaigrette and neither one of us were blown away. It came on a bed of cha soba (green tea soba noodles) which were overcooked. The lobster was on the bland side and even the generous dollops of caviar on each piece did not liven up the dish at all. My sister’s Brandy Flamed Maine Lobster Bisque was also a disappointment- it was just “eh” and again needed more flavor. Since my dad makes The Best Lobster Bisque Of All Time, we have quite high LB standards and this one, as pretty as it was, just wasn’t cuttin’ it!

Onto the main courses. My husband chose the Grilled Miso Marinated Chilean Sea Bass in a Honey Lemon Jus on Roasted Provençal Vegetables which is Chef Akira’s signature dish- and it didn’t disappoint. The fish literally melts in your mouth – just delicious. My dad’s Sautéed Rib-Eye Steak in a Green Peppercorn and Béarnaise Sauce with Vegetable Printaniér was also good, but having only had a small bite I can’t really describe it well. Both men enjoyed the accompanying wines. Mom chose the Sansyo Pepper Dusted Tuna Served Rare in a Plum Wine Ginger Sauce with Wasabi Potato Mousseline which was excellent- especially the mashed potatoes. The greenest mashed pots you’ve ever seen, they are filled with the flavor of wasabi while lacking the extreme heat which would be overbearing. The Sautéed Canadian Scallops with Braised Endives & Chasoba Pasta in Lobster Jus that my sister ordered was good, but again- I thought the chasoba was overcooked. I have to say that my Pan Roasted Rack of Lamb in a Rosemary Sauce with Potato Mousseline & Seasonal Vegetables was absolutely DELECTABLE. The meat can only be described as succulently tender and juicy- I mean gnaw-on-the-bone-may-I-please-have-another succulent. I thought about keeping a bone as a keepsake but hey- it’s a nice place so I probably shouldn’t sneak scraps off the table. Truly the best lamb I have had in ages. The accompanying mashed potatoes and vegetables were nice but nothing compared to the star. The glass of Echelon Pino Noir that I ordered was a nice accompaniment.
Luscious Lamb!

Since it was my parents’ anniversary/dad’s birthday, the waitress brought out their signature dessert- a butter cookie basket filled with vanilla ice cream and fruit, topped with a pulled sugar dome. My husband had his choice of the dessert menu, which is a nice surprise since many prix fixe menus have a predetermined one. He chose the sheep’s milk cheese with jam….I can’t recall if it was boysenberry or blueberry but wow- the combo of the slightly hard manchego with the sweetness of that delicious jam was positively addictive. It comes with a tiny glass of fruity dessert wine (sorry- I failed to write this down!!). My sister’s flourless chocolate cake looked beautiful but she thought it lacked the richness that is usually associated with that dessert.

Even though not every single dish was a homerun, I have to say we had such a wonderful time. Don’t get me wrong- the food is outstanding for the most part. The service is impeccable without being stuffy, and the ambience makes it so easy to relax and really get comfortable. I haven’t been there for lunch and look forward to going or getting one of their celebrated bento boxes to go. All in all, highly recommended for a special occasion.

Also- I’d like to take this opportunity to say HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my dad and HAPPY ANNIVERSARY to my parents- without whom I would never have developed such a love of food and cooking.

Maison Akira, Pasadena CA Restaurants

Mick Jagger!

No no, I didn’t meet the swaggering front man of The Rolling Stones. But I did eat him for dinner. Well, not really but let me explain………

There is a very popular Japanese comfort food that consists of braised potatoes, thinly sliced beef, onions and sometimes green peas. It’s called Niku Jaga. “Niku” means meat and “jaga” is short for “jagaimo” which is potato. The easy way to remember that is to say “Mick Jagger” with a Japanese accent which would sound like “Miku Jaga” which in turn, when said fast, sounds like Niku Jaga. See? You’re well on your way to being a Japanese-speaking master! Other examples of faking Japanese based on English are “Doitashimashite” (You’re welcome) which can be faked by saying “Don’t touch my moustache” quickly. One that I learned from my coworkers at Tower Records Japan was “Kastura ga nai” (I don’t have a wig) which sounds like the title of the Bryan Adams’ hit “Cuts Like a Knife” if you say it swiftly and with a slight Japanese accent. I mean, how handy is that phrase going to be in your everyday life? Haven’t we all needed to tell someone that we don’t have a wig? Anyway, this concludes “Fake Japanese 101″ for now. Or maybe it concludes the “Oyaji Jokes 101″ for now. Take your pick.
Mick…..er, Niku Jaga

So- yes, I made Niku Jaga for dinner the other night- my first try- and it was everything that you’d want from a meat-and-potatoes dish. The braising liquid of dashi, soy sauce, sugar and mirin is almost completely soaked up by the meat and potatoes which results in deep, luscious flavor and melt-in-your-mouth potatoes. I had some of the renkon no hasami age filling leftover so I made some impromptu triangular gyoza, stir fried some broccollini and added a green salad to make the meal complete.
Impromptu triangular gyoza

Next time you’re in the mood for this comforting dish, just remember- ask for Mick Jagger and you’ll probably get what you want.

The whole spread

Japanese food, Cooking

Food Porn!

Last night I made cupcakes for one of my coworkers since today is his last day. I had seen Nic’s Chocolate Peanut Butter Cupcakes and had vowed to make them someday. Here was my chance!
Waiting for frosting and a kiss!

Both the cake and the frosting were easy to make, and wow- they were delicious. I doubled the frosting recipe since I wanted to pipe it onto each cupcake but I ended up having a bit leftover. I finished making them last night at around 10:00 PM and covered them with foil. They kept beautifully and were a huge hit with everyone today. The cake was moist and very chocolatey – even though I used plain old Hershey’s cocoa since I had some left and had ran out of my Scharffen Berger. The batter was almost like chocolate pudding. I did use French butter (Plugrá) and free range eggs that I buy every week at Mistuwa market. The yolks are so bright and orange…they must make some difference, no? The frosting was peanut buttery but not overpowering. Anyone who loves Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups will love these.

What’s the food porn, you ask? Well, seeing that the color of the frosting is not unlike skin color, it just sort of struck me that they look like, well……you see.

Cupcakes all in a row

Oh- I topped each with the new peanut butter filled Hershey’s kisses to keep with the theme.

Enjoy!

Cupcakes, Dessert, Baking

Arsenic for dinner?
Can you pick out the arsenic on the plate?

No no, this isn’t a line from some bad V.C. Andrews book (which I will completely admit to reading when I was a teenager). It’s actually possible that I consumed some for dinner the other night. So did my husband and my sister.

WTF, you ask? Well, there is a type of seaweed called hijiki which is one of my favorites. It’s short, thin, black and very tender when cooked. It’s usually served as a tiny side dish in an obento. A popular dish is Hijiki No Nimono, which is basically seaweed mixed with carrots, konnyaku, abura age and simmered in soy sauce, fish stock, sugar and mirin. It’s also common to add chicken to this which is what I did the other night. It was soooo good, and I actually ate some more today since I had leftovers.

Well, here are the pros of hijiki:

- It is high in fiber and necessary minerals
- It aids in the growth of thick, black hair (probably IF you actually have black hair to begin with! I doubt Jessica Simpson would sprout black hair if she started eating hijiki…although it would be cool)
- It aids in overall health and beauty

Here is the con:

- Consumption of only a small amount of hijiki seaweed could result in an intake of inorganic arsenic that exceeds the tolerable daily intake for this substance.

And what does arsenic do? It’s been linked to anemia, cancer, liver damage….yikes. New Zealand, Canada, The U.K. and Hong Kong have all issued warnings on consuming hijiki because of this.

Hmmm…..beautiful hair or LIVER FAILURE? How about some ANEMIA to go with those essential minerals?

Ok, I’m being dramatic and obviously wouldn’t consume it if I was that worried…but when I was eating it at lunch today, I was thinking that wow…this is the second time this week that I’ve had this….maybe I’m getting too much arsenic for the week (I mean, can you ever have too LITTLE ARSENIC?). I mean, there are so many things in today’s world that are bad for you that I don’t want to be one of those paranoid people that won’t eat this or that, but this does concern me a bit. I think I’ll keep my hijiki consumption to once a month from now on.

Anyway, I also made something I’d been wanting to eat but had never cooked before- Renkon no Hasami Age. It’s basically a meat mixture sandwiched between two slices of lotus root and deep fried. It’s a common dish at many izakayas in Japan and I really missed it. After asking a few people for a recipe, I just combined what I’d heard and winged it. I mixed some ground pork and minced shrimp with chopped green onions, a bit of ginger and some garlic. I carefully spread about a tablespoon onto a slice of lotus root and enclosed it with another. Then I dredged it in cornstarch and deep fried. Success! You’d think that you would dip this type of food in soy sauce but no no no- at the izakayas, it is usually served with ketchup. I mixed some good ‘ol Heniz with some Sriracha hot sauce and it was the perfect match for the crunchy renkon. Trust me- it’s great!

Other dinner items:

Hiyayakko (cold tofu with ginger, scallions, shoyu & bonito flakes)

Pea shoot salad with miso dressing

Aforementioned arsenic…er…hijiki no nimono

Aspargus w/ dashi seasoning and sesame

Japanese cooking, Japanese food, Lotus root, Hijiki seaweed