TEN ZARU TIMES
when i was a kid, we ate a japanese snack we called DRIED MINNOWS, whole tiny fish heads and all. sometimes there was a sweet edge to them, and they are probably loaded with MSG. the dried cuttlefish, which is shredded and similar to beef jerky or something, was good too, but the msg in that was probably what made it so addicting. i do like the wasabi peas that you can find in stores now, and the japanese rice crackers with the little black seaweed wrapped around them, but those are also laden with MSG which unfortunately give me a headache.
one of my favorite japanese dishes, and good for summer and hot weather, is buckwheat noodles dipped in a cold sauce..
ZARU SOBA
buckwheat noodles, cooked, cooled and drained
some toasted dried seaweed, julienned, and/or toasted sesame seeds, for garnish.
dipping sauce:
two cups water
a piece of kombu (thick dried seaweed)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin (a sort of japanese rice cooking wine)
a little sugar (optional)
chopped green onion
grated fresh daikon (a mild, white radish), or prepared wasabi paste (that hot green stuff)
to make the dipping sauce, rinse the excess salt off the kombu, then boil it in a saucepan with the water for about 10 minutes, then remove the kombu, add the other liquid ingredients and some sugar, and let cool.
boil the noodles till done and then rinse in cold water. use immediately or else they might stick together. i sometimes toss them in a little sesame oil to prevent this from happening and it adds a nice flavor.
arrange the noodles on a plate or bowl, or, better yet, in a bento box with bamboo tray -- this keeps the noodles from sliding all over the place, and sprinkle on the seaweed and/or sesame seeds. toast the sesame seeds dry in a hot pan until they brown and start to pop, this released the flavor, and you can toast the seaweed by waving a sheet of it over an open flame or hot burner until it get just slightly toasted, or dried out. an easy way to julienne the seaweed it to cut it up with scissors, like paper.
serve the dipping sauce in a smaller fairly deep bowl, with sides of the daikon or wasabi and green onion for flavor. chili powder, or hot chili oil, is another option if you want a fiery kick with your coolness.
if it's really hot out, nestle some ice cubes in with the noodles to chill them even more. to eat, just grab some noodles with your chopsticks, then dip into the sauce, and then slurp them into your mouth.
yummy... if you serve this a side of tempura (shrimp, tails and all, and vegetables) on the side, this is called TENZARU SOBA. you can also serve this with strips of scrambled egg, cooked shrimp, slices of fried tofu, etc.
this is also good with fresh spinach that's been cooked a bit in boiling water and then squeezed dry and cut into little blocks. sprinkle this with sesame seeds too... and i like to have on hand a small dish of pickled japanese radish, i forgot what it's called, but it's yellow,,, or any of the other little japanese pickled vegetables.
luckily, there is a great japanese market in LA where all of these weird things can be found. ^_^
one of my favorite japanese dishes, and good for summer and hot weather, is buckwheat noodles dipped in a cold sauce..
ZARU SOBA
buckwheat noodles, cooked, cooled and drained
some toasted dried seaweed, julienned, and/or toasted sesame seeds, for garnish.
dipping sauce:
two cups water
a piece of kombu (thick dried seaweed)
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin (a sort of japanese rice cooking wine)
a little sugar (optional)
chopped green onion
grated fresh daikon (a mild, white radish), or prepared wasabi paste (that hot green stuff)
to make the dipping sauce, rinse the excess salt off the kombu, then boil it in a saucepan with the water for about 10 minutes, then remove the kombu, add the other liquid ingredients and some sugar, and let cool.
boil the noodles till done and then rinse in cold water. use immediately or else they might stick together. i sometimes toss them in a little sesame oil to prevent this from happening and it adds a nice flavor.
arrange the noodles on a plate or bowl, or, better yet, in a bento box with bamboo tray -- this keeps the noodles from sliding all over the place, and sprinkle on the seaweed and/or sesame seeds. toast the sesame seeds dry in a hot pan until they brown and start to pop, this released the flavor, and you can toast the seaweed by waving a sheet of it over an open flame or hot burner until it get just slightly toasted, or dried out. an easy way to julienne the seaweed it to cut it up with scissors, like paper.
serve the dipping sauce in a smaller fairly deep bowl, with sides of the daikon or wasabi and green onion for flavor. chili powder, or hot chili oil, is another option if you want a fiery kick with your coolness.
if it's really hot out, nestle some ice cubes in with the noodles to chill them even more. to eat, just grab some noodles with your chopsticks, then dip into the sauce, and then slurp them into your mouth.
yummy... if you serve this a side of tempura (shrimp, tails and all, and vegetables) on the side, this is called TENZARU SOBA. you can also serve this with strips of scrambled egg, cooked shrimp, slices of fried tofu, etc.
this is also good with fresh spinach that's been cooked a bit in boiling water and then squeezed dry and cut into little blocks. sprinkle this with sesame seeds too... and i like to have on hand a small dish of pickled japanese radish, i forgot what it's called, but it's yellow,,, or any of the other little japanese pickled vegetables.
luckily, there is a great japanese market in LA where all of these weird things can be found. ^_^