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Tofu

Autumn Food, Blog, Spring Food, Summer Food, Winter Food

Tofu Dengaku (In A Miso Umeboshi Glaze)

June 19, 2018 Leave a comment

Dengaku, a miso glaze traditionally used on tofu,daikon or eggplant ( see Nasu Dengaku for a further recipe.) This one has lots of umami flavour as I used Umeboshi plum giving it that sweet,salty and sour taste. To make the glaze mash one tablespoon of Umeboshi plum with one tablespoon of white miso paste or any other miso you prefer like red or hatcho. Add one teaspoon of maple syrup or malted brown rice syrup,a teaspoon of mirin and a teaspoon of brown rice vinegar and mix together. Now you can use this to glaze your tofu. Cut your tofu into cube or steaks if you like and spread on the glaze. Bake in the oven until the tofu is golden. Top onto warm rice to make Tofu Dengaku Donburi. Add a sprinkle of sesame seeds and chopped green onion.

You can use the glaze for eggplant either cut into rounds or lengthways and score a cross hatch pattern into the flesh. This is called kakushi-bocho,this will help the eggplant absorb the flavours while baking. Bake in the oven until tender,again adding some sesame seeds and green onion before serving.

Finally Daikon Dengaku this one is particularly nice in winter. Peel and cut your daikon into at least one inch rounds and simmer until tender in some kombu dashi,do not throw away the water after as it makes nice broth for miso soup. When tender you can serve your daikon as is with some of your miso paste on top .

or why not pan sear first to give your daikon a crispy outer coating. I also like to add a little dashi broth with a dash of tamari when serving my daikon in the bottom of the bowl. Makes for a comforting dish. In this particular paste I added a splash of yuzu citrus ,if you have any paste left over just add it to a jar with a little water put on the lid and give it a little shake for the perfect salad dressing.

Blog, Summer Food

Simple Broad Bean ( Fava Bean ) Soup With Tofu

June 15, 2018 Leave a comment

This is such a simple soup, light and tasty perfect for summer when the fava beans are in season. I actually used a can of precooked beans for this recipe which made it even more super easy but you can used fresh cooked beans if you wish.

First drain a can of fava beans ( in the UK we call them broad beans), then add one cup of vegetable stock and simmer until heated. Add one heap teaspoon of sweet white miso paste and dissolve. Transfer to a blender and pulse, then add soy milk until you get your required soup consistently. Reheat your soup when required . Add cubes of silken tofu and a few sesame seeds to finish.

Lovely served with these Temari Sushi. You can follow the Temari Sushi on my other recipe and if you would like to make the sashimi just follow from the Tekka don recipe.

I also made black sesame goma dofu just follow the goma dofu recipe and instead of adding nut butter add black sesame paste or syrup. Goes lovely with a raspberry syrup just cook up a few raspberries with maple syrup mash while cooking then strain the juice.

A perfect summer meal .

 

Blog, Summer Food

Umeboshi Sweet & Sour Tofu

June 13, 2018 Leave a comment

Do you like Umeboshi ? I must admit it’s an acquired taste tart,tangy and salty. I love them ! These Japanese ancient plums have been used in japan for centuries for their alkalising effect. They are wonderful for the digestion . You can use Umeboshi plums,paste and vinegar ( Ume -su ) in dressings and sauces. You may even see whole Umeboshi in japan tucked inside onigiri or just served on its own with a meal as a palette cleanser.

I decided to use Umeboshi vinegar to make a sweet and sour sauce for tofu. Just Ume-su,raw brown rice malt  syrup and tomato ketchup. I added this to a pan and added a little Kuzu to thicken. Always add cold water to Kuzu first to make a slurry before you add it to any other cooking liquids . I baked some tofu and coated the tofu after baking with the tangy sauce. Carrying on with the Umeboshi theme I made Umeboshi onigiri. Just slice up Umeboshi and add to cooked sushi rice before moulding into shape.

I also like to use the vinegar as a salad dressing this one was a daikon and beansprout salad with mizuna.

Have you thought about adding it in syrups just vinegar and maple syrup added to a fruit salad,makes a delicious alternative .

How do you like to eat your Umeboshi ?

 

Blog, Summer Food

Sweet Potato,Ginger & Tofu Patties

May 31, 2018 Leave a comment

These patties are so simple to make and with only a few ingredients.They are perfect as an accompaniment to any meal and are great for bento too!

Start by peeling one small sweet potato and chopping it into large chunks, steam the chunks until tender and then leave to cool.

Mash 1/2 a block of firm tofu and mix in a tablespoon of ginger juice. I get the juice by grating ginger very finely with a Japanese grater and squeezing out the juice. Be sure to use fresh ginger.

Add a little salt and pepper to your tofu and then add your sweet potato and mash this into the tofu try to leave some bigger chunks of tofu.

Then add 1/2 cup of panko breadcrumbs and mix in. Let this sit for a while so the panko breadcrumbs absorb moisture.

Scoop a few tablespoons of mixture into some plastic wrap and mould into patty shapes and remove from the wrap.

In a shallow bowl add toasted black and white sesame seeds and roll your patties into the seeds and make sure they are well coated.

Heat up some coconut butter in a skillet and shallow fry the patties until golden.

 

Blog, Summer Food

Breakfast Tofu & Yuzu Mousse With Fruit Compote

May 23, 2018 Leave a comment

A light and refreshing mousse which is wonderful for breakfast or as a dessert.

In a blender blend together two tablespoons of soy yogurt,two tablespoons of yuzu or lemon juice,100ml of soy milk,3/4 block of silken tofu,one ripe banana and one tablespoon of soft or melted coconut butter. Blend and pour into your chosen bowls or glasses and refrigerate. You can do this the night before so it’s ready in the morning .

To make the fruit compote I used a handful of raspberries and blueberries and one tablespoon of yuzu juice and one tablespoon of maple syrup. Heat gently until the fruit is cooked. Depending on if you want a warm or cold compote on your mousse either make the night before and refrigerate or make in the morning to spoon onto your mousse. I also topped mine with matcha granola. For the recipe just search matcha or matcha granola.

 

 

 

Blog, Summer Food

Greenery Day Raw Tart & Mousse

May 4, 2018 Leave a comment

Greenery Day (midori no hi ) is upon us again in Japan. The 4th of May is part of the long golden week holiday and greenery day is a day when people like to celebrate and take time to appreciate nature. They might visit their local park or flower garden. There are many beautiful flowers out at this time and people in japan flock to see the amazing wisteria,elegant iris or brightly coloured azaleas. In fact the old name for May is Satsuki meaning Azalea.

I decided to make the tarts using tofu,avocado and matcha . If you do not want to make the base you can just eat as a mousse or add the base to the bottom of a glass instead.

To make your base process one cup of raw nuts,I used a mix of almonds,walnuts and pistachios. When your nuts are processed start adding one at a time while your food processor is still running some pitted medjool dates. You will need one cup. Then add two tablespoon of raw cacao powder and one tablespoon of melted coconut butter.Blend all this together. Turn out onto a a large pie tin or small tins . I like the ones with removable push up bottoms. Press in your mixture to form a base and place in the fridge.

Now to make your mousse topping.

Blend together two large avocado,two tablespoons of maple syrup,two tablespoons of melted coconut butter the juice of two limes,half a block of silken tofu and a heaped teaspoon of sifted matcha powder.

When this is blended remove your bases from the fridge and top with the topping. Or alternatively spoon into glasses.

Decorate with lime slices and coconut and pop in the freezer to firm up.

You can also keep them in the freezer for later and just remove them half an hour or so before serving.

 

Blog, Summer Food

Mini Tofu Quiche Tartlets

May 1, 2018 Leave a comment

These little tofu quiche are great for picnics or lunch boxes just add salad.

First you will need some shortcrust pastry. As I was stuck for time I used ready made which was easy to use I just cut out individual rounds to fit inside silicon cupcake moulds .

Add to a food processor 1 block of silken tofu,1 tablespoon of lemon juice,1/4 teaspoon of turmeric,1 tablespoon of melted coconut butter,2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast,2 tablespoons of tamari and salt and pepper to taste. Blend together.

In a pan sautée your filling I chose to use finely diced red onion,tomato,broccoli,shiitake mushrooms and spinach.

When it’s sauteed lightly add this to your mixture. Then spoon into your cases,sprinkling the top with some herbs if you wish.

First bake for around 20mins then remove  and allow to cool until the pastry is firm enough to gently remove the silicon cupcake cases.

Then bake again for around another 15 mins to allow the pastry to brown slightly.

They turned out really delicious perfect warm or cold.

Blog, Spring Food

White Day Tofu Yuzu Flavour Donuts

March 13, 2018 Leave a comment

In Japan on Valentine’s Day is the day that girls buy the guys gifts on March 14th this is known as white day and the roles are reversed.

I decided to make these tofu yuzu flavour donuts dipped in white chocolate to celebrate white day in Japan.

Being made of tofu the donuts have more of a fudge texture but are really delicious and with only a food processor and a few simple ingredients they are really simple to make.

All you need is a block of silken tofu,add this to your food processor and then add two tablespoons of sweetener ( I used maple syrup but rice syrup works just as well ) three tablespoons of pure yuzu juice ( if you can’t get this you could use lemon juice instead. Give it a process . Then add one teaspoon of baking powder and half a teaspoon of baking soda and give it another process. Leave the food processor running and keep adding tablespoons of oat flour until you get a nice batter consistency about twelve to fourteen should do.

Wipe some coconut oil around your donut pan and spoon in the mixture this made 6 donuts.

Place in a moderate oven and bake for 15-20 mins after this time take them out and if you cannnot see a hole just go round the hole with a tooth pick then place back in the over for a further ten mins.

Remove and allow to completely cool (before removing, you may need to loosen the edges carefully with a spatula or flat knife.)

Place a bowl over a pan of simmering hot water and break up two bars of vegan white chocolate and melt in the bowl. Then dip your donuts into the melted chocolate . When they are all done I added a little chopped crystalized yuzu peel for decoration. Place in the freezer for 20 mins to set after which time you can take them out and keep in the fridge.

Delicious enjoyed with a matcha tea.

Happy white day !

Blog, Winter Food

Ganmodoki

February 6, 2018 Leave a comment

Ganmodoki or Hiryouzu are tofu fritters or balls with vegetables often found as one of the ingredients for oden Japanese hotpot dish.

They are crispy on the outside and soft inside. They are mostly bound with egg but I’m going to let you into a Japanese secret to help you bind them together.

First you will need a block of firm tofu mashed with something like a rolling pin or pestle. Then for the secret ingredient. In japan they normally use a Japanese yam but I could not find this in the UK so I used something else that had just as a sticky texture ( taro potato ). As it’s a starch it will help to bind all your ingredients together. Chop off the outer skin and grate three small taro with a Japanese ginger grater.

Add this to your mashed tofu,then add your vegetables. I used grated carrot,chopped green onion,diced shiitake,chopped hijiki and some grated ginger.

See below ( the white in the middle is the taro )

Mix together

Then to a bowl add some starch (I use potato starch from Hokkaido)

Take a heaped tablespoon of the mixture and form into a ball in some plastic wrap then add this to your bowl with the starch and roll it around until covered. Do this until all the mixture has gone.

Heat some oil and a few at a time fry your tofu balls until golden on the outside. And they are done. These balls are sometimes referred to as flying dragons head.

You can then add them to a hot Dashi Stock with sautéed mushrooms like I have done below and serve with rice.

Or as part of a meal below I have added some hot chilli sauce.

I think you will find these quite versatile.

 

 

Blog

Yudofu

January 10, 2018 Leave a comment

Yudofu is hot water tofu. Quick and simple to make often found in Buddhist temples like Ryoanji in Kyoto. The simple kombu dashi brings out the subtle flavour of the tofu. I simmered my tofu in the kombu water that I had steeped for a few hours then simmered gently first for about 20 mins, adding some komatsuna and watercress at the last minute just to wilt it. Served with rice and condiments of grated daikon and ginger,sesame seeds,ponzu sauce,chopped green onion and shichimi togarashi.

 

Autumn Food, Blog

Three Pumpkin Recipes For Halloween

October 30, 2017 Leave a comment

It’s Halloween again and if your anything like me you just love using pumpkin in everything at this time of year!

I like to use Hokkaido also known as onion squash or kuri pumpkin along with kabocha .

I find the last one harder to get in the UK so I often use the Hokkaido pumpkin.

All these recipes are super easy and quick and all use steamed pumpkin as their base.

Also if your interested in what it’s like in Tokyo on Halloween why not check out my travel section for photos of my time spent at Shibuya and japan over Halloween.

The first is a starter or a great party dip.

Pumpkin Hummus

In a food processor add half a steamed pumpkin ( just scoop out the flesh) it’s also good to do this when the pumpkin is still warm.

Add to this one can of drained and rinsed chick peas, A tablespoon of white miso paste,a dash of cayenne pepper, a drizzle of olive oil,a dash of water, some fresh lemon juice ( about two tablespoons) and a tablespoon of tahini. Just process until thick and creamy.

For main course

Savoury Pumpkin Tarts

Use about half a steamed pumpkin and scoop the flesh into a bowl, add some chopped red bell pepper,chopped shallot,cayenne pepper and rosemary ( you can add other vegetables if you wish like chopped zucchini) Mix all together.

Cut out your pastry and place into pastry dishes and then spoon in your mixture. I made some pumpkin shapes to put on the top.

Place in a moderate oven and bake until golden.

Finally Dessert

Tofu Pumpkin Mousse

This super easy dessert is ready in Minutes. Steam about half a pumpkin and let it cool. Add this to a food processor with half a block of silken tofu, a tablespoon of melted coconut butter and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Then add a dash of spice I used pumpkin spice but you can add cinnamon or nutmeg if you like. Blend until creamy and then spoon out into your chosen dishes or glasses. Place in the fridge to set .

Before serving add a squirt of vegan cream,some vegan chocolate chips and I added some fresh pomegranate.

Happy Halloween

Autumn Food, Blog

Kenchinjiru

October 25, 2017 Leave a comment

Kenchinjiru is a hearty warming soup which originates from the Kencho-ji temple in Kamakura. This is my version of this Shojin Ryori Zen Buddhist dish. Full of root vegetables and crumbled tofu in a kombu,shiitake,tamari and miso broth.

Soak one piece of Kombu kelp and two dried shiitake mushrooms in a 1 litre jug of hot water. Leave for a few hours then discard the kombu and slice the shiitake for later.

Add some toasted sesame oil to a pan and sauté your root vegetables I used :lotus root,gobo ( burdock),carrot and daikon radish. Then add your dashi stock. Then add some crumbled tofu a tablespoon of tamari and mirin and shiitake and simmer until all the vegetables are cooked.

Ladle a cup of stock and dissolve one heaped tablespoon of miso and add to the soup. Do not boil the soup as this will destroy the enzymes of the miso.

Just before serving add any leafy green vegetables I used komatsuna and also snap peas.

Serve in a deep bowl and garnish with some sansho pepper to schichimi togarashi .

A wonder winter warmer.

 

Blog, Summer Food

Macrobiotic Nourishment Bowl

August 28, 2017 Leave a comment

This is a wonderful way to get a balanced meal. Called a macro bowl because you hit all the nutrients carbs,protein and fat with plenty of vitamins and minerals. There are many things you can add to your bowl if you just follow a simple guideline .

You need some kind of grain this could be brown rice,quinoa,millet,amaranth,buckwheat etc.

Then you need carbs think sweet potato but carbs can also cross over into your grains.

What about protein ha ha . Well we all know there no shortage of that ! Tofu or tempeh are my favourites, but again beans are a great source of protein so it’s good to add some beans in there as well like kidney,Lima,black beans etc.

Add some good fats with avocado,olives,nuts or hemp hearts.

Plenty of veggies and salads ( Go wild ) there are so many to choose from. Spinach,kale,sprouts,carrot,bell peppers,cucumber,watercress,broccoli the list goes on.

Why not add some probiotics in the form of sauerkraut or kimchi?

Dont forget sea veg also as it’s a wonderful source of iodine and good for the thyroid wakame,hijiki,kombu and nori.

Lastly it’s always nice to make a dressing maybe a simple miso dressing with miso paste mixed with mirin,brown rice syrup and little lemon.

I think it’s a good idea to have cooked brown rice ready in your fridge especially if your heading into a busy week . Just throw some rice in a bowl add some beans veggies and tofu and you have a meal in under 10 mins.

Hope you now have inspiration to make  some macro bowls for yourself.