A random selections of favorite 2013 savory posts… Most are plant-based, all were yummy ! Thanks for visiting. I hope to see you again in 2014
Romanesco and cauliflower green quiche
My experiments in plant based milks and yogurts
Simple nori okaki. Make your own Japanese rice crackers.
Avocado edamame breakfast croquettes, my simple recipe
Green gnocchi in yellow curry soup
That’s my ideal. Good simple food. With a twist.
Here is a new version of mehari-zushi (sushi in pickled leaf). Again ? Well, those leaves can be stored years when you buy them -or when you make them properly. But mines have to be eaten within the week…
Hatsuga genmai (germinated brown rice) and ukon (turmeric). This yellow spice is a common addition to the pickle.
Green egg shaped edamame (boiled green soy beans).
Wrapped in leaves of takana (mustard greens, pickled). So technically, they are not sushi without vinegar, but they become sour enough thanks to the leaves.
about takana-zuke (click here)
With sencha green tea. That’s all what you need.
These objects are sushi. They are called meharizushi and that has no relation with the desert, jeeps or camels.
I don’t know what “mehari” means and probably the original sense is forgotten. It’s this sushi’s name. You can find them easily in Osaka, but they originate from Nara, Wakayama and Mie region, about one hour away from here.
I think they make a nice snack with green tea. They are easy to prepare… if you can get tsukemono (salt pickles) of takana leaves. Well, in Osaka that’s as easy as opening your wallet. They are probably the most expensive of all pickles. The takana is a sort of mustard green, not the most common, rarer, tastier, available in season only. The good pickles are aged months in some airtight wooden boxes. They are a delicacy. If you have them, you can just unfold a leaf, and fill with cooked white rice, wrap and let a few hours. The pickle will “cure” the rice.
Otherwise, like me, you can make some quick karashina (mustard green) pickles instead :
Rince the leaves. Take a good amount of salt and with the hand put some all over. Put the leaves in a bowl and let 2 or 3 hours minimum. You can put a plate and heavy object on them to push, but you may break some leaves and that’s not necessary. The leaves will reject a good amount of water as you can on the third photo. Squeeze them gently. Rinse in cold water. Squeeze well.
Prepare sushimeshi rice lighter than usual in salt. I added only sesame seeds. There exist versions with fish or other veggies. Cut off the hard stalks of leaves and wrap rice in them.
Enjoy !
GOURMANDE in OSAKA 