Autumn fruits began to be seen in the market. An idea of Daifuku (a kind of Japanese sweets of "Mochi" rice cake) using the fresh grape has hit on my head for the next cooking classes. At beside the grapes, I found packets of Kiwi-berry which was the new fruit for me, and purchased it for the first time.
With the size that is about the same as the grape, the inside looks just like kiwi fruit. It is totally a miniature kiwi fruit! Should become another good version of Daifuku-mochi.
50g glutinous flour 白玉粉 60g sugar シュガー 70ml water 水
cornstarch 片栗粉 (as a dusting agent to handle the dough easily)
1) Mix glutinous flour, sugar, and water well. 2) Cook it in MW for 1-min and mix with spatula which was wetted with water. 3) Cook it in MW for 30-sec and mix with wetted spatula, repeat it again. 4) When the dough became very sticky and got glossy looks, transfer the lump of rice cake on the flat surface which was dusted with cornstarch. Cover with more cornstarch and let it cool down. 5) Divide it into 10 equal portions. Flatten it thinly and wrap fruit individually. Make sure to close the joint parts with glueing each other, to cover the fruit. 6) Put some extra sugar on the surface to finish with crunchy texture.
Stone fruits are delicious in February here. Local products of apricot, plum, nectarine and peach are now in season. So juicy! I'm enjoying the taste sufficiently. The fruits may also be delicious as a dessert. What do you think about cream- cheese ice cream with grilled nectarine?
**Prepare eggs as fresh as possible for this recipe which those won't be cooked. 卵は加熱しないレシピなので、新鮮なものを用意してください。
**The process is similar to the Matcha ice cream which I posted the other day. 前回の記事の抹茶アイスの要領で簡単にできます。 抹茶のほろ苦さと、今回のクリームチーズの酸味＆脂肪分の違いにより、 生クリームとシュガーの分量は少し変えていますが、作り方はだいたい同じ。
1) While beating the white, add sugar (the half of 120g) gradually to make glossy meringue. 卵白を泡立て、途中から上記分量の約半分のシュガーを少しずつ加えて、 つやのあるメレンゲにする。
2) Beat the fresh cream in a different bowl. (The beater which was used for meringue can be used here without wash.) 別のボウルで生クリームを泡立てる。 （この順番なら、メレンゲのビーターが洗わずにそのまま使えます）
After it cools, serve with cream cheese ice cream.
～ Itadakimasu ～
いただきます
Scattered almond slices, nice crispiness and it was matched with the ice cream well. I found a little amount of nectarine juice which was remaining on the oven tray, It became beautiful display on the plate. Honey or maple syrup may be nice, too.
The heat wave passed and is enjoying comfortable summer finally. Homemade ice cream, sounds good for afternoon sweets. This is a easy recipe that whipped cream and glossy meringue make it fluffy and smoothy, without use of ice cream maker.
Matcha (green tea powder) is the most important ingredient to make the green tea ice- cream, and its grade is various. Higher grade one for the Tea Ceremony has vivid green color and brilliant taste, it's expensive though. Lower grade one is cheaper but some of them are not enough for the taste and color. I usually choose the middle grade for making sweets, which is good enough for the cooking/sweets quality and is reasonable cost.
Moki is one of my favorite fish, I often enjoy the Sashimi. This time I cooked it in Japanese way because it was a steak-cut (not a fillet-cut). Big born in the middle, it's great for "Nizakana" cooking. The Umami extract comes out of the bone while it's simmered.
Let's cook it with Umeboshi! （Umeboshi : pickled "Ume" Japanese apricot, it is very sour and salty)
I prepared Umeboshi, fresh ginger, and some green beans.... 梅干、生姜、青みにインゲンを少し 用意しておいて・・・
After "Shimofuri", I cooked it with Sake and a slice of ginger, then added Umeboshi and seasoning on the way to finish. (Shimofuri : a pre-treatment to remove the smell of the fish.)
霜降りしてから、お酒と生姜で煮て、途中から梅干と調味料を加えて煮上げます。
After remove the Moki and Umeboshi to a plate, I simmered down the sauce left in the pan. Poured the dense sauce on Moki. Looked so delicious! Garnish with thin thread of ginger and cooked green beans.
盛付け後に、 鍋に残ったタレを少々煮詰めてかけたら、 艶よく美味しそう！
To enjoy the dish using Umeboshi to the maximum, I would like to have Shochu together. Bliss combination...
梅干を使った料理 には・・・ 焼酎がいい！
（Shochu : Japanese distilled spirits made from sweet potato.)
************************************************************************************************ What do you think this is? これ何だと思いますか？
Looks similar to Umeboshi? これに似てるでしょ？ 材料はこちら： Here is the ingredients: RHUBARB ! I seasoned it with salt being conscious of the taste like Umeboshi. I cooked to savoury taste, with Sake, Mirin, and real Dashi-stock, then adjusted it with Himalayan natural salt. Only a little some salt were added, but the strength became about the same as Umeboshi.
出来上がった、だし塩ルバーブを・・・ Dashi-salt rhubarb, I tried it as a dip for fried chicken and vegetables. Good for the meat or veges if those were not seasoned strongly yet. その日の晩御飯の唐揚げと野菜の素揚げにちょっとつけてみたら結構イケてる！ 特に何の味付けもしてなかった野菜にはバッチリ！
Put it on rice, wrap by Nori sheet. it's a mock Ume onigiri! (The taste is quite similar to the traditional rice ball which Umeboshi is in.) Distinctive Japanese taste!
I found two Samma (slender fish called "Saury") at the bottom in the freezer the other day. The two fish couldn't be used because they didn't fit into the container when I cooked "Samma confit", and were put into freezer. These were forgotten for over two years!
Though they were old, I couldn't throw away... The Samma is very precious here. I don't know when it is available next. I grilled these two, tasted with grated Daikon (radish) and drops of soy sauce, squeesing lime juice. Still delicious than I thought! It was the second time that I enjoyed Samma in these 20 years in NZ.
I tried to make salad with "Shira-ae" mashed Tofu dressing. It seems to match wine rather than Sake, I begun to make it as a Japanese food though. （Good with sparkling or Pinot-gris, I think)
Brussels sprouts are here and there now. Full of Vitamins and other nourishment in such a small one! 寒くなってくると、たくさん出回る芽キャベツ。 この小さな一個にビタミンやその他の栄養がぎっしり！ 冬の間の優秀食材です。 我が家では、赤紫蘇や市販のゆかりと合わせるのが 定番。（ワナカでも赤紫蘇ふりかけ発見！）
Brussels sprouts salad with Red Perilla－Shiso Mix cooked Brussels sprouts with dried Shiso and olive oil, so easy and simply delicious! Nice small side dish! Dried Shiso (red Perilla) is now available at local store!
Cut nectarine into lengthwise half 
This time I cooked it in Japanese 
梅干、生姜、青みにインゲンを少し
To enjoy the dish 
I seasoned it with 
Dashi-salt rhubarb,
Put it on rice, wrap by Nori sheet.
Though they were old, 
Fresh fig, so pretty in a box at local store! 
I tried to make salad with "Shira-ae" 
半分に切ってさっと塩茹でした芽キャベツを
After cut the cooked Brussels sprouts and steamed mussels to small pieces, 