Japanese garden creamy Winter soup

When it’s so cold inside, you need a soup every day. Yes, I wrote inside that’s not a typo, as outside the weather is mild, it’s Winter, but not freezing. In my place without heating, the day is just OK, but at night it’s a little chilly. So I put on a big sweater, my half-gloves and I get a bowl of good soup to warm me up…

It’s very quick to throw stuff in. Then, just let simmer a while. Today’s soup is a miso-minestrone. See the 3 steps at the end, but first let’s look at what is in it :

It’s full of season produce. Can you recognize them ?

Do you know that animal ? His name is taro. Well, he is a potato… and it’s usually called…

…satoimo here.

That’s the season of black soy bean kuromame. I had them boiled.

Some greens.

Shungiku, chrysanthemum leaves.

Kezuribushi, bonito fish flakes.

Koji-miso. There exist very different types of miso. The color depends on ingredients. The more rice, the whiter, the more soy, the darker. This one is light colored miso with a high content of fermented rice (komekoji), and it’s rough textured. Its taste is sweet and mild.

Step one : in some water, put to simmer some dry daikon radish skins (I keep them to make broth), a few peeled satoimo taros, a ts of pasted garlic, 2 tbs of tomato paste, a dry chili and a cup of boiled black beans with their broth. Let 20 minutes.
Step two : I made a 1/2 cup of neri-goma (tahini, white sesame paste), mixed it with a tbs of miso, a ts of fish flakes. I’ve diluted that in the soup and let 2 minutes on low heat.
Step 3 : pour the soup on shungiku greens, top with more fish flakes.
If you want it vegan, just don’t add the fish flakes, replace the topping with aonori seaweed flakes.

Tama tama tama, flavored bubbles for a well-rounded Japanese lunch

This menu rolls :
oyaimo taro balls,
miso gold yolks,
black bean green lemon balls.

Miso pickled yolks, on hot brown rice. See here for the recipe.

I attacked this oyaimo (big satoimo, Japanese taro).

The boiled flesh becomes purple. I just mashed it, added salt, walnuts and a secret flavor : sansho (Japanese Sichuan pepper).

They are cute, fresh, soft with crunchy bits.

The big ones are full of big chunks, with mashed kuromame (black soy bean) as a binder. They are seasoned with the minced zest of a green lemon.

Served with lemon.

Salad.

Soup.

That makes a full meal. Mmmm….

Japanese New-Year count down (-1)

We arrive at the last step of preparations for the Japanese New Year Osechi Ryouri.
You were thinking there were only small bits and no big piece. That’s true in a way. Japanese meal favor the variety. The more items the biggest luxury.
But there is something else. A roast… well a grilled fish.

Shio-yaki tai (salt grilled tai fish)

Making a traditional meal of Japanese Osechi (New Year good luck food). That was an experiment and I had a lot of fun doing it. As usual, don’t look for perfection. I am no expert…

Japanese New-Year count down (-6)

The only blog where you can see healthy veggies today ? Let’s continue our walk to the Japanese New Year meal…

That’s the top floor of the 3-tier Osechi New Year dinner… A mix of braised Japanese vegetables.

Osechi 6 : the vegetable box

That’s the top floor of the 3-tier Osechi New Year dinner… A mix of braised Japanese vegetables.

Osechi ryori compilation

Are introductions still necessary ? Well, it never hurts…

Kintoki carrots.

Shiitake mushrooms.

Sato imo (taro).

Konnyaku. Konnyaku is also a root vegetable. I have never seen it “whole”, maybe there is no way to keep it. They prepare it at the farm. They grate and cook, and it becomes those blocks. They can be cut the way you like.

I like cubes. The texture is a very firm jelly. The taste… is neutral, inexistant. It takes the taste of the sauce. It has nearly no calories. Pure fibers. It favors digestion.

Recipe :

I rinsed the konnyaku. Cut the carrot in slices and gave flower shape to the larger ones. I peeled, cut and boiled the taro. I cut the mushrooms top.
In a mix of kombu dashi (seaweed stock), low sodium soy sauce am mirin, I simmered the 3 first ingredients till carrots were tender. I added the mushrooms and simmered a little more. I let the veggies cool in the reduced sauce.
The leaves are decorative.