Rice-lentils and baked spicy azuki lunch

Another nutritious and delicious plant-based lunch, doubly boosted in plant proteins with two types of pulses : beans and lentils. And a dynamic salad.
That’s ready very quickly if you plan a little. As faithful readers know, I cook beans in big batches and freeze in small portions, in muffin molds. Then you have to think about soaking the rice and lentils the night before (you can do without in case you forgot, but that’s better to do it right most of the time).

Azuki beans (boiled, I had them frozen), with gochujang and kimchi, two Korean products. I mixed, covered with bread crumbs.

Baked and sprinkled a little fragrant sesame oil and chili flakes on top.

Brown rice and lentils, soaked overnight and cooked in the rice-cooker together.

I stir-fried an onion, a little garlic, ginger slices, added the rice, turmeric, a little garam masala spice mix.

Kabocha salad made in last post.

Hot purple marron pie

That’s a Japanese meal. Yes, you can see natto. That’s not the criteria as I’d fusion natto into any cuisine style. Well, I have rice, a soup, okazu dish, sides. The rice is part of the pie, which is a azuki bean and chestnut toasted rice tart, with hidden fire. That’s a long title but that was really yummy.

These are sorts of hot Habanero hot peppers cultivated in Kyoto and they are hot. Yes, I’m repeating because they are made of fire. I used 2 mm of one and I like my food spicy. I really wish I could use more as they have a really charming flavor.

The base of the pie is freshly cooked brown rice. I’ve added a little potato starch, a little water, squeezed between 2 molds to shape and toasted with the molds, then without.
The filling is made in the mortar : a little dry garlic, miso, very small bits of hot chili, azuki beans (boiled)…

And wined chestnuts.

You could see on the tray a bowl of greens, it’s kikuna, chrysanthemum greens. I have slightly steamed them, just to warm. On the plate, you can see natto, with shiso, ika shiokarai, walnuts. All this is mixed and eaten with the greens. This salad is not plant-based as it contains seafood.

The rest is salty, I wanted a neutral soup. I’ve put dry mushroom (mix) in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar, let 30 minutes. Then reheated and added sesame seeds.
Oboro kombu seaweed ribons completes it. It’s on the side :

As soon as you put the oboro kombu into the soup, it softens and becomes like this.

Mabo fair : aubergine and tofu

There exist mabo tofu and mabo aubergine, two sister Chinese dishes widely adopted in Japan. Today they are on the the same meal.

My lunch tray. Yes, that was delicious and filling.

The base is the same : onion, garlic, ginger, Sichuan pepper and azuki beans. After simmering, I add miso, paprika and I pass the mixer. I’ve added slices of green hot chili.

Aubergines steamed, then stir-fried with garlic. I’ve added the sauce and more paprika, water and reheated. On the finished, a tbs of fragrant sesame oil and a few roasted sesame seeds.

To the rest of the sauce, I’ve added green sweet chilis, a little more Sichuan pepper, then cubed silky tofu.

Served with rice of course. It’s Thai jasmine rice with a little sticky black rice.

Veggie side : okra sprouts, topped with zucchini (grated, mixed with salt and turmeric, let 1 hour).

Matcha tortilla tacos

A Mexican-Japanese fusion dish. I’ve added Japanese matcha tea, azuki beans and rice to tacos.

Azuki bean chili, with rice, green peppers, fresh thyme and dried tomatoes.

Wheat flour tortillas with matcha green tea powder.

Add a piece of steam corn cob. And wrap…

Veg veg burgers, and Bulldog

Veg burgers again, but new ones. They are never the same.

The carrot and romaine are the byproduct of juicing. I have added a little potato starch as a binder, and spicing is very light, salt, black pepper, a pinch of curry spices.

They had to be “lightly flavored”, because I have put some Bulldog sauce on them…

Bulldog sauces
That’s a brand of Worcester-like Japanese sauces, that is relatively classic now as they started in 1905 it seems. Click here and follow the arrows. It’s in Japanese but thanks to the photos, you can see the ingredients of the sauce, fruits, veggies and spices, plus vinegar and salt. The 3 sauces are relatively similar but more or less liquid. I have the 中濃 (chuno) which is medium thick.
Well, I should make mine someday. They are usually called “so-su” (sauce) in Japanese conversation, as that’s the sauce by default.

Heated rounds of bread to make sands.