Tag: Cooking

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Jam-packed Saturday: A Dash of Sweet, A Pinch of Spicy

It’s Saturday, and you know what that means—adventure time! After my usual morning sprint, scribbling in my journal, and wrestling with German verbs, we zoomed off to the farmer’s market at Frankly Factory. Though it’s only 8 AM, the place buzzes like a beehive with folks snagging the freshest local goodies. Our mission? A glorious bucket of strawberries. Yup, it’s jam-making day!

These strawberries are not just berries; they’re possibly the sweetest I’ve ever tasted. Making our own jam is the way to go because, honestly, who wants mystery ingredients in their jelly? Today’s spicy-sweet concoction requires about 1.5 pounds of crushed strawberries and, surprise—a half cup of jalapeño peppers. I couldn’t wait until I got home; I snuck a strawberry—super sweet!

With my trusty strawberry pit remover (a magical gift from my hubby a few years back), I prepped 4 cups of berries in no time. It’s a game-changer, making the task so much easier! Next up, I mixed in some sugar and let it work its magic to draw out the juicy goodness. Then came the jalapeños, which always make me sneeze my head off. To avoid a jalapeño chunk catastrophe, I blitzed them in the blender—no tears or sneezes!

Strawberries are low in pectin, so tossing in some high-pectin lemon helped set the jam just right. I’m not much for using commercial pectin. With the jam looking good, I sanitized some bottles (carefully—they’re hot!) and bottled up six little jars of my homemade delight.

Even after all that jamming, I still had over 2 pounds of strawberries left. I chopped them up, sealed them in bags, and prepped them for my next jam session. The rest? We’re munching on those sweet treats for the next few days.

What a sweet and spicy start to the weekend!

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A Culinary Saturday: Embracing the Bustle with Love and Food

Written on January 14, 2024

Hello Dear Readers,

Saturdays have transformed into the pinnacle of my weekly routine, bustling with culinary endeavors to fill our home with an abundance of nourishing meals. This particular Saturday unfurls with a promise of busyness, as I’ve dedicated myself to a series of cooking tasks. My mission? To ensure my wife is well-stocked with delectable options for lunches and breakfasts in the week ahead.

Once my morning rituals are behind me, I’ll dive into the art of crafting guacamole, a vibrant start to my culinary marathon. Next on my agenda is the replenishment of my wife’s beloved breakfast burritos stash, followed by the preparation of salmon nanbanzuke. This Southern Japanese delicacy, featuring succulent salmon amidst tangy pickled vegetables, marks a novel addition to our weekly meal repertoire, despite being a dish I’ve mastered over numerous occasions, thanks to my wife’s teaching.

Cooking, for me, is not just a household chore; it’s a therapeutic journey. It’s about the rhythm and flow of processes: selecting ingredients, meticulous preparation, cooking itself, and the unavoidable cleanup that accompanies a small kitchen like ours. In such confined spaces, multitasking becomes necessary, with dish cleaning interwoven seamlessly into the cooking process.

This week’s introduction of nanbanzuke* to our meal plan is a testament to our adventurous culinary spirit, spurred by my wife’s occasional trips to her office. It’s essential for me that she has access to homemade, comforting meals during her workdays, a small but meaningful gesture of care.

Today, however, is not just another Saturday. It carries a sense of personal achievement as I’ve hit a new milestone in my fitness journey. The weights I’ve been lifting have seen an increase, a challenge that felt daunting yet achievable—a sweet spot that signals growth and resilience. This physical accomplishment mirrors the effort and love I pour into our meals, a balance between nurturing the body and the soul.

In essence, my Saturdays are more than just the busiest day of the week; they reflect love, dedication, and joy in the simple act of cooking. Whether whipping up a batch of breakfast burritos, delicately balancing the flavors of nanbanzuke, or pushing my physical limits, each task is imbued with a sense of purpose and fulfillment. This is how I choose to support and care for my wife, ensuring she steps into each week with the comfort of home-cooked meals and knowing that every dish is prepared with love.

 

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Exploring the Delicious World of Nanbanzuke: A Japanese Delight with European Roots

RE: A Culinary Saturday: Embracing the Bustle with Love and Food

My husband wrote about Nanbanzuke, and now I want to write a blog about it.

Nanbanzuke, a dish celebrated in my hometown in the southern regions of Japan, carries a rich history that traces back to the Muromachi Period (1336AD-1392AD). Though it’s widely believed that the concept of Nanbanzuke arrived in Japan from Spain or Portugal around the 15th to 16th centuries, its essence has been deeply rooted in Japanese culinary tradition ever since. Initially inspired by Escabeche, a European dish of marinated fish or meat cooked in an acidic sauce with spices, Nanbanzuke has evolved to suit the Japanese palate.

The term ‘Nanban’ referred to Europeans during that era, highlighting the influence of European technology and culinary practices in Japan, particularly in Kyushu Island. Japanese adaptations of European dishes, like Nanbanzuke, reflect cultural integration and showcase local innovation in culinary arts.

Nanbanzuke, especially popular in the hot and humid summers of my small hometown, is cherished for its ability to prolong the shelf life of food, thanks to the vinegar in its marinade. While the local favorite is Chicken Nanbanzuke, I prefer using salmon, offering a delightful twist to this traditional dish.

Here’s how to create Salmon Nanbanzuke, a dish that marries the robust flavors of Japan with the zesty charm of European cuisine:

 

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Ingredients:

Salmon (1 lb)

1 carrot

1 bell pepper

½ red onion (sweet or yellow onions are also suitable)

1 TBSP olive oil

2 TBSP cornstarch (adjustable to preference)

2 TBSP potato flour (adjustable to preference)

Seasoning of choice (e.g., Slap Ya Mama)

 

For the Pickled Sauce:

1 Cup Dashi (Japanese soup stock, available at oriental stores)

2 TBSP Soy Sauce

3 TBSP sugar (adjust according to taste; I use a bit more than my parents did. Brian likes a bit sweeter)

½ tsp salt

Sliced dry Japanese chili for an extra kick

 

Preparation Steps:

Prep the Salmon: Cut the salmon fillet into bite-sized pieces for easy eating.

Coat the Salmon: In a bag, combine 1 TBSP olive oil, cornstarch, and potato flour. Add the salmon pieces and shake well to coat evenly.

Cook the Salmon: Though traditionally fried, use an air fryer at 400°F for about 10 minutes for a healthier option. This method ensures a crispy finish with less oil.

Prepare the Vegetables: Shred the carrot, bell pepper, and red onion, which allows the vegetables to blend seamlessly with the pickled sauce.

Simmer the Sauce: Bring the pickled sauce ingredients to a boil in a pot, ensuring the sugar dissolves completely.

Combine and Marinate: Layer the cooked salmon and vegetables in a glass container and pour the hot sauce over them. Seal and refrigerate.

Serve Chilled: The flavors of Nanbanzuke intensify overnight. It’s best enjoyed the next day and can last for a few days when refrigerated.

Salmon Nanbanzuke is a testament to the beautiful blend of cultures and the versatility of Japanese cuisine. This dish pays homage to its European roots and celebrates the unique adaptation that makes it distinctly Japanese. Whether you’re a fan of traditional recipes or enjoy experimenting with flavors, this dish will surely delight your palate and introduce you to a world where culinary traditions merge seamlessly.

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The Art of Routine Building Through Mundane Chores Like Cooking

Hello, dear readers,

Today’s post is dedicated to the unexpected but delightful art of routine building through what we often consider mundane chores. Take cooking, for instance—a chore for some, a passion for others. I’ve always had a soft spot for cuisine, an affinity that traces back to my childhood learning to make pancakes with my grandmother. I didn’t realize back then that cooking would later become a tool for optimizing complex, multi-step procedures in life.

The Complexity Behind Simplicity in Cooking

In culinary arts, one of the most essential skills is mastering the alignment of various tasks to be completed simultaneously. Even a simple dish like scrambled eggs or a sandwich requires a calculated sequence of steps, each executed at the perfect time. The difference between a skilled chef and a beginner often boils down to the knack for optimizing this workflow. It’s about knowing what to do, when, and how to do it.

Embracing Reflection: The Japanese Concept of Hansei

One powerful concept I’ve come to rely on for improving my cooking skills is the Japanese practice of Hansei, which involves deep self-reflection after completing a task. The core idea is to analyze performance, understand mistakes, and strategize for future improvement. If you’re repeating a specific recipe, it’s a golden opportunity to employ Hansei. Taste the food, ponder what you like and dislike, and consider why those elements turned out the way they did. The objective is to refine the recipe each time, adapting it to align with your taste preferences.

The Case of Mapo Tofu: A Personal Experience

To provide a real-world example, let me share my experience of making Mapo Tofu, which my wife taught me. When we first tried the dish, we found it too salty despite not adding any table salt. That led to a Hansei moment—time for some culinary detective work. After scrutinizing the ingredients, I switched to reduced-sodium chicken stock instead of the Chinese-style tori gara I had initially used. The change was adequate but not quite enough. I then dived into the sauce ingredients, reducing the quantity of one while substituting it with another, less salty ingredient. And voila! The saltiness issue was resolved, all thanks to the iterative process of self-reflection and adjustment.

Conclusion

Something as ordinary as cooking can be a playground for honing essential life skills like routine-building and problem-solving. It’s a space to practice, to reflect, and most importantly, to improve. So the next time you dread life’s ‘mundane’ chores, perhaps try to approach them as an opportunity to cultivate better routines. You may discover a newfound appreciation for the everyday tasks that make up your world.

Happy cooking and happy reflecting!

Until next time.