okara

Okara or unohana are the lees of tofu (soy bean curd). It is a healthy way to eat protein without having to eat a lot of animal fat. I recently saw a show in which a dish using okara, as well as other dishes were prepared rather quick and easily.

Okara itame (soy bean lees stir-fry) serves 2
300 g okara
100g carrot
7 shiitake mushrooms
1 and 1/2 aburage (deep fried tofu pouch)
30g kombu (kelp)
350ml stock (preferably kelp stock)
2 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tablespoon sake (rice wine)
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon oil

1. Put the okara into a frying pan and heat, then take out and leave aside.
2. Julienne the aburage, carrot, shiitake and kombu, leave aside.
3. In a pot, heat and add the oil and add the aburage, carrot, shiitake and kombu.
4. Coat everything with the oil and then add the stock, mirin and sake, cook until everything is soft.
5. Put the okara back into the frying pan and add the contents of the pot into the pan.
6. Cook on low heat until all the liquid disappears, stirring constantly.

The second dish was namasu (thinly sliced veggies soaked in vinegar).

Namasu serves 2
100g daikon (long white radish)
40g carrot
30g kombu (kelp)
70ml stock (preferably kelp stock)
50ml vinegar
50ml mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 teaspoons sugar

1. Julienne daikon, carrots and kelp.
2. In a bowl, place the daikon and carrots and sprinkle about 5g salt over and massage. Let sit for about 15 minutes.
3. Rinse and squeeze out all water.
4. Add kelp, stock, vinegar, mirin and sugar.

NOTES: if you make this ahead of time, it will be well soaked by the time you are ready to eat.

The last dish was pan fried chicken.

Pan fried chicken serves 2

6 pieces chicken wings
1 Tablespoon oil
1/5 teaspoon salt
pepper to taste
1 Tablespoon sake
1 Tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce)

1. In a frying pan, heat the oil and add the pieces of chicken.
2. Brown well, sprinkle the salt and pepper and lastly add the sake and shoyu.

NOTES: I finished cooking the chicken under the broiler for 10 minutes.

Make sure to serve this dinner with lots of rice and pickles like ume (pickled plum) and rakkyo (pickled shallots).

Enjoy!