Fresh

Thanks to Light in Motion for this image and Japan Guide for the recipes

Spring is coming oh yeah, for sure it is. Birds are singing, snow is finally melting and the cherry blossoms have, well, blossomed at least in some places.

So lets celebrate with Hanami

First pack a picnic and go find a cherry tree in blossom, claim a good spot to spread your picnic blanket, eat the food you packed for the occasion and enjoy the view. If you have to wait until evening you can pack a picnic supper and view the trees in the moonlight that’s called, yozakura.

Oh! Before you go, here’s some recipes that are favored at blossom viewing picnics.

Inarizushi Recipe - Sushi Recipe

Ingredients:

• 6 abura-age (fried tofu)
• 4 cups sushi rice *rice and sweet vinegar mixture
• 1/2 cup dashi soup stock
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp soy sauce

Preparation:

Put abura-age into boiling water for a moment and drain well. Cut the abura-age in half so that each piece have an open end. Put dashi soup stock, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Add abura-age pieces to the pan and lower the heat. Put a lid over the pan and simmer for 15 minutes. Take out the abura-age into a plate and lightly press to remove the liquid. Shape into small sized ovals and press into an abura-age pocket. Fold in the open side to close the pocket.

*Makes 12 pieces
Kushidango

Thanks to Maowon for this image

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup joshinko (rice flour)
• 3/4 cup warm water
• For Sauce: 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 tbsps soy sauce
• 1 1/2 tbsp katakuriko (dogtooth violet starch) /cornstarch
• 1 1/2tbsp water
• Bamboo skewers

Preparation:

Put rice flour in a bowl and add warm water. Knead the dough well. Make small round dumplings. Place the dumplings in a steamer and steam them on high heat for 10 min. Cool the dumplings and skewer them in bamboo sticks.

Posted on April 9th, 2008 by Ruth
Filed under: Sweets, Trends, Vegetarian