Oroshi udon, Kyoto style noodles

Oroshi udon literally means grated udon. That’s not that the noodles are grated, but because some grated daikon radish (oroshi daikon) garnishes them. It’s very refreshing and many Japanese style fast-food offer this dish : chilled udon noodles, grated daikon and tsuyu sauce.

細うどん hosoi udon, thin udon noodles. They are said to be Kyoto style udon, but they are popular in Osaka too. I think thicker udon is better for Winter dishes and these are more refreshing.

The grated daikon radish, cut negi leek greens a few flakes of togarashi chili.

It’s tsuyu.
I made a fish flake dashi (recipe here), flavored with soy sauce and a little brown sugar. Served chilled.

卵焼きtamago yaki (Japanese omelet rolls) and okra.

Cream water melon. Taste is like the red one.

Black tofu and agedashi kyo-imo taro

Two small Japanese dishes, passed through the gourmande’s paws as usual. That’s not super original, but maybe you don’t know these two.

age-dofu (recipe here)
Agedashi is a classic way to prepare tofu, that means ageru (fry), then pour dashi (broth) on it. This time I made it with taro.

This is the Kyoto style taro, kyo-imo. I have peeled one, cut in a few rolls, boiled till tender. Then I’ve patted them dry and deep-fried till they get colored.

The dashi is the Japanese basic broth : DIY dashi recipe or plant-based kombu dashi.

I have left the fish flakes (you can omit them), added dry togarashi chili pepper, flavored with soy sauce and reheated slightly. I’ve added a little potato starch to thicken and poured on the hot kyo-imo.

Serve hot while it’s crunchy around.

I have used these black soy beans (kuromame) instead of the white. And I have proceeded exactly as I do for white tofu (recipes here).
It’s zaru tofu, shaped in a basket.

Topped with kezuri-katsuo (fish flakes), and at the side soy sauce to pour on it.

You’ll see the rest of the menu in the next post… (soon here)

Opening 2013 with a Kyoto style o-zoni soup

Akemashite omedeto ! Happy New Year ! Bonne année !
Well, I’m not too much into wish-wish, my first concern this year was as usual : What do we eat in 2013 !
Ozoni ! It’s explained here.

The classic Kyoto o-zoni is caracterized by its simplicity, elegance, traditionalism and refinement. Mine is even simpler than planned… I’ve forgotten to add tofu. It was still delicious.
Kohaku, red and white are the good luck color of New Year and this soup follows this color code.

Mochi. Ozoni is mochi.

Dainty soup with a base of Saikyo miso and a dashi broth of the finest hana-katsuo, flower bonito fish shavings. I had to cheat, I’ve added a little sake kasu.

Traditional seasonal veggies. Ginnan are the gincko tree’s nuts. Kyoto’s small taro satoimo and ultra-red Kintoki carrot.

The veggies are boiled separately as they don’t go well together. These small round mochi get soft by poaching them a few minutes in boiling or near boiling water. If you had a big mochi, you’d need to slice it.

Fill the bowl with a mochi, veggies, tofu if you have. Cover with broth and top with a mount of fish flakes. Take the photo quick as the fish flakes disappear like in moving sands.

Red cold Winter : slow wined cabbage and yu-dofu

Red cabbage, and poached tofu for a chilly day. French + Japanese, and they make a nice pair. This is vegan and surprisingly filling.

The idea was to empty my fridge. I had the half of a red cabbage, a few black potatoes, 2 purple shallot, red wine… Blue day ! I’ve let that simmered in the cast iron cocotte, longly.

I also found an orphan chili in a nook. Behind you can see a clove. I added a mace and sugar too.

Finish touch : roasted poppy seeds and a few goji berries.
Delicious.
I could have eaten only that but I added a side for the proteins and more fun.

Yu-dofu.

That’s a Winter style to serve tasty tofu. Cubes in hot water with a strong salty sauce to balance the tofu’s creaminess. Silky type goes well.
The sauce is not classic. I mixed Chinese tobanjan hot chili sauce and lemon juice.

The meal :
Cal 521.5 F10.6g C 92.7g P19.2g

Hamo no aburi – flames on fish – la murène en flammes

Hamo (Pike Conger, Murene Japonaise) is a popular fish for Summer in Kansai, particularly in Kyoto. It’s a second rate fish for many, but in Japan, it’s considered a delicacy.

A modern way to prepare it is “aburi”. Aburi is bathed by flames. It’s between grilled and raw sashimi. See this for recipe :
Aburi-zushi (flamed)

A piece of hamo. It’s a long eel type fish, so the fishmonger opened it, took away the bones by making many parallele indentation :

That’s why it look as if it had rays.

When you cook the skin, it retracts and the fish slightly rolls on itself… OK, not a pro result. I’m working on it.

It is served simply with a little point of condiment. For instance….

Pasted umeboshi. Take one of those plums (dried and pickled), pit it and mash in a mortar. You can also buy some in tube like mustard and wasabi, which I also used, but really the whole plums are more polyvalent.