Thursday, May 08, 2008

new friend, new recipe, new flower

Yesterday I met a new friend. She contacted me through Flickr. Since she's travelling through Japan, she emailed me and we met for lunch and lots of sweets. (sorry no photos of the food) She gave me a mini bottle of her favorite liquer, which I hope to make ice cream or bon bons with!...thanks for a great time, Maui Luna!

The new recipe is something I tried for dinner.

Spring potato kinpira -- serves 2 from "Soshoku no susume-Spring recipes" by Hideo Makuuchi

400g new crop potatoes (about 1 pound?)
a pinch of dry chili
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/4 cup sake (rice wine)
2 tablespoon mirin (sweet rice wine)
2 tablespoon shoyu (soy sauce)

Wash the potatoes and keep the skins on (dig out any of the eyes--if any)
Cut the potato to about 4 or 5 mm.
Heat a pan and put in the oil
Toss the potato with chili around in oil until transparent
Add the sake, mirin and shoyu and simmer on medium until all liquid disappears.

This other recipe is adapted from a recipe I've used from Jamie Oliver. Cut an onion (preferable new crop as these are tender and sweet) into quarters but don't cut it all the way through.

Put a teaspoon of oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put into a 400F (200C) oven for about 30 minutes.

Lastly, I wanted to show you my new flowers. They are called "forget-me-not". They were really inexpensive, less than 100 yen each. I thought the little flowers were so cute.

14 comments:

Alice @Ogni cosa bella รจ viola said...

You've got a cute present from your friend! i love Godiva's chocolate, there's a shop in Piazza di Spagna, one of beautiful squares of my town Rome and probably one of most known places in the world. I never heard about a White chocolate liquor.

Forget-me-not (Non ti scordar di me, in italian) is unexpensive but beautiful and looks retro style!
Take care.

Alice

K and S said...

Thanks Alice, she did mention that she had a hard time finding the miniature size.

Take care.
Kat

SteamyKitchen said...

oh the little flowers!!!! so pretty.

i like the simple roasted onion recipe.

Donna said...

Forget-me-knots are such a lovely old fashioned flower to me! I planted some in the yard with seeds, but they don't seem to be coming up, I might just have to buy some plants.

Rowena said...

Awww..that is so great to hear of your new friendship which was forged via the internet! I always smile whenever I hear about these occasions, because it reminds me of the people who scoffed at my interest in blogging, telling me that I should get a life. Truly mean-spirited comments, which, even though I'm a tough cookie, really hurt coming from the person. Unhappy, jealous people I suppose.

I'm trying that potato kinpira today. Got all of the ingredients...yay!

K and S said...

Thank you Jaden!

Hmm, I wonder why your seeds didn't take, Donna. I hope the birds didn't eat them. :(

I hope you enjoy the kinpira, Rowena! And boo to those unhappy people!

Take care everyone.
Kat

Anonymous said...

I imagine that roasted onion recipe would be awesome with Maui onion! :)

K and S said...

ooh would you please try it and post about it, Lori??

Take care.
kat

Anonymous said...

Both recipes sound easy and delicious! Did you enjoy them with just plain rice? What else do you suggest I serve with the potato kinpira and the roasted onion? Thanks!

Caroline in San Francisco

K and S said...

Hi Caroline,

You could serve these dishes with some grilled salmon, or even a steak! or even with chicken... I just had them as is with a little bowl of rice.

Take care.
Kat

Anonymous said...

Hi Kat, your potato kinpira recipe has inspired me to make renkon kinpira. Though I modified the seasoning a little ... less shoyu, a tad heavier on the chilli powder, addition of minced garlic & sugar, lots of mirin coz I had no sake :( ... but it was still delicious!

I will be posting that on my Facebook. Do you mind if I put a link to your site?

Thanks & have a great weekend!

K and S said...

I'm glad you tried it Chien, please put it on your site with a link to ours :)

Take care.
Kat

Anonymous said...

Thanks Kat!

K and S said...

no prob, Chien!

Take care.
Kat