French Macrobiotic Cooking Class in Yokohama

I attended the cooking class of Macrobiotics to expand the knowledge of my recipes.
The teacher was a famous owner of a French restaurant,Merleau Pannoica in Daikanyama,one of the most popular Macrobiotic restaurant in Tokyo.
Unfortunately,he closed the restaurant last April after the March 2011 disaster.
Customers used to book 1 month in advance to dine there.Now, many people miss the taste.
So, there is only 1way to taste his food and that is by attending his cookery class.

Before cooking,he explains about the 3 kinds of recipes and shows how to cook in front of us  then we  do  by ourselves .After that we  have lunch togeter ,he gave us bites.                                                     

His lecture of Yin Yang theory which is a base for Macrobiotics   is also interesting.

The next class was  only for gents.70% of the  enrolled men  who all wore aprons and sings are above 50 years old.
They  looked so happy!

1.Vegetable soup with beans and oats
2.Tofu Steak with Shariapin sauce
3.Farusi of spicach  with boiled millet and white radish

Soba (Japanese Brown Noodles)

Udon (Japanese White Noodles)

Udon are  Japanese noodles made from wheat flour,usually eaten in hot broth.
When I was living in Singapore,my Chinese neighbour told me that she missed the Laksa noodle the most when she was abroad.
For me,it is 'Kitsune(きつね）-Udon（うどん）.'(Udon with boiled fried tofu as topping)
Kitsune means fox in the Japanese language.It is said that fox likes fried tofu in the fairy tales.
This shop shown below sells  Udon noodles which are  chewyer  and thicker than the other  Udon.They are produced  in Sanuki area in Shikoku Island（四国）,which is famous for good quality Udon.
In this shop we can choose many kinds of topping　such as tempura,  eggs, seaweed,curry (!) and so on.

As for the broth,Udon in the Kanto(関東） district ,has more soy sauce flavour and the broth
in Kansai（関西） district is light on the flavour and colour.
The boiled fried tofu was juicy and rather sweet;but it s my favourite.

One day I ordered one Kitsune-Udon (294yen) and a piece of vegetable tempura(137yen).
It was lovely lunch in Yokohama.

Bento Lunch box

I strongly believe that Bento expresses one of our precious food cultures of Japan.
Bento is a lunch box often prepared by our mothers and we brought it to the Secondary and High school. Accordingly, it always reminds warm love of our mothers. I prepared them for my children for 8 years.
But in these days, Bentos are prepared and sold in the supermarkets and convenience stores.
But, if I have a budget of 1000 yen , I shall prefer to buy Bento even though it is cold.
Generally, Bento needs many kinds of side dishes just like appetiser  and white rice with ume-boshi (pickled plums).
So, Bento boxes are usually separated by the division of the container and  a few aluminum foils cups  not the flavor and tastes of dishes are mixed as the pictures shown below.

Since I am very choosy with it and seldom buy it from outside, but this particular
Bento(525 yen)is the one I sometimes want to buy for my lunch whenever I go to patronise at the market here.
Today,I chose the Bento with mackerel(boiled with miso paste which is fermented bioled soybeans ) because now it is the  season in winter.
Actually,Bentos have many varieties of main dishes such as Fried chicken,Tempura,Grilled salmon,Chinese style dishes and so forth.And, the sidedish menu is like egg,omelet,vegetable and seaweed  boiled  with soya sauce,tempura and pickles and so on.

The most importance for Bento is the balance and the color of the food as we enjoy it with our eyes before eating.
After the customers choose one  Bento,the staff at the shop puts hot white rice in the biggest division of the container.
The owner of this shop  appeared  in television  for a few times.
He also sells many packed meals  including roll sushi 525 yen for three.
The fish and vegetable shops are just at the opposite side of his shop so his dishes are so fresh!!



Bento boxes  in the supermarket







homemade bento boxes i prepared for my Brajilian friends when they lefft Japan last year.



Snow（雪）

After we had dry weather for 35 days ,this morning it was snowing !!!

It is marvelous even though it`s freezing and trains are  delayed!!



It`s snowing in Japanese.

ゆき（雪）　が　ふって（降って）　います。

yuki           ga     futte                     imasu.

Rice Balls

Rice Balls are our Japanese soul food. I remember during one of my English class in Singapore, the British teacher asked us what the last meal in our life will be?

I answered "The Rice balls and Miso soup!" straight away.

We use boiled white rice with a bit of salt, and shaped round or triangular.



Commonly, we put pickled Ume (salted plums) in the centre of the ball then finish with a wrap of laver. We have a big variety of fillings for them - canned tuna; seaweeds boiled in sweetened soy; dried bonito seasoned with soy; grilled, salted salmon; cod roe and so on… Prawn tempura is also a good filling!


If you go to convenience stores like SEVEN ELEVEN in Japan, you will always find them  among Sandwiches and Bento Lunch boxes.


Real Japanese rice is stickier than normal rice so it’s easy to mould. You can add some sticky rice when you make rice balls with Japanese rice produced in Australia or the US.


Chinese medical science teaches that thereis a healing point in our palms so we sometimes put our hands on areas of our body that feel pain. It is one kind of healing..


But, rice balls sold at SEVEN ELEVEN are made with machines.


Please don't add any vinegar to it. We do so only when making sushi!!

   variety of race balls

                               

My Grandmother`s rice ball. She shaped rectangle and wrapped it with [tororo-kobu] peices of shaved dried kelp

                              





SEVEN ELEVEN nearby here



rice balls in SEVEN ELEVEN



Instruction

Wednesday, 4 January 2012

Introduction:

I am a native Japanese who accompanied my husband in his Singapore assignment 8 years ago. I experienced a new culture, new life and gained new friends.

However, going back to Japan 2 and a half years ago, I felt like a tourist in my own country. Right now, I feel very attached to Japan especially because we will be moving back to Singapore soon.

Through my blog, I wish to be able to share my Japan  to friends from near and far. I hope my way of sharing my blessings in life will positively touch someone.