Musubi mean making a knot. They are also packages of rice, to take with you as lunch pack. The plastic film gives the shape to the ball.
A mix of genmai (brown rice), mochigome (sticky rice), kurogome (black rice, sticky too) and takakibi (sorghum).
Pickled sakura leaves, rinsed.
Wrap. Keep a few hours, or better the next day. The leaves are not very tasty but give a sakura flavors and saltiness to the rice.
The inspiration was Indian vegetable biryani. Except that I have changed nearly all ingredients in order to use what I had at home to make this vegan rice-less version. And that’s delicious.
For the gravy, grated onion and spices, then a paste of sesame and coconut.
Green peas, kabocha pumpkin and more onion as vegetables.
My fresh herb is shiso. There is no rice as I said, it’s sorghum, the Chinese grain (kaoliang). It’s well for biryani because it stays apart and takes a firmness comparable to a basmati rice.
I have cooked it till al dente, sprinkled with lemon juice a little oil.
Making the gravy.
Layering. First half of the grain, with shiso and saffron.
The veggie mix. Then more rice, sprinkled with olive oil. And baked 15 minutes.
From the oven. On that, fried onion, walnuts and shiso.
Mouth refresher. Well that’s a feast meal !
Another simple lunch that is not so usual. It is centered on those falafelish patties. I should call them ta’amiya as they are made of fresh broad beans. It’s green, full of proteins and delicious :
They are delight dipped in Chinese vinegar, like gyoza dumplings.
I pasted in the blender those raw favas. Flavored with negi leeks, mint, garlic, ground sesame, salt, pepper.
I cooked them well in olive oil and made the sides a bit crispy.
Black vinegar to dip.
The sides are very simple. Sorghum, cooked in the rice cooker, seasoned with salt and aonori seaweed.
Lotus root, goya bitter squash and red cabbage.
Black pepper seared veggies. I nearly scorched them and stopped one second before, on purpose.
They were very crispy and flavored with a smoky taste.
Lunch is ready ! And it’s yummy !
The full menu. You need to start 40 minutes before, but that takes 3 minutes. Fill the rice-cooker.
Mixed grill.
Kabocha squash. I only cut chunks (any shape is OK as you can see). Chicken breast, I passed olive oil all over.
Place all that in the oven toaster. Then turn after 15 minutes. After, for me, that just tastes great. I didn’t even add salt. Roasting is a magic flavor enhancer.
Mixed veggies, greens and salad.
Take from the fridge. Kimchi, shiso leaves. A little kimchi everyday brings vitamins, probiotics, fibers and color on the table. Well, I fall in that addiction every Winter.
Mixed rice.
Take from the rice-cooker. Brown rice mixed with sorghum (kaoliang, takakibi). On top, black sesame, powdered. The taste is not very different from rice but it’s more crunchy and the round shape is funny.
A lunch made with the super bargains at the shotengai (shopping street). Season local produce rule.
And the season is oscillating between Summer and Autumn… It’s a long hesitation this year.
For 1 coin, 100 yen (about 1 euro, 1 US dollar…), you can get :
A whole kabocha pumpkin.
Or :
6 aubergines, to make brinjal chutney (click here).
Or :
3 or 4 yuzu.
Or :
A dozen of fresh sardines.
I got all that, and I have for more than a meal. So let’s go.
It’s easy to make shio-yaki, Japanese style grilled fish. Empty, head off and clean the sardines.
Put them wet on a grill. Sprinkle a little natural sea salt. And grill about 5 minutes (I put them in the oven toaster).
Grilled. Crispy. Very fragrant !
Serve very hot, with yuzu.
Boiled slices of kabocha. With rice and sorghum (leftover from here).
GOURMANDE in OSAKA 