zenzai or shiruko

In Japan, many of the same things have different names in different parts of the country, especially food.

For example, in Kansai (Western Japan), zenzai is tsubushian (chunky sweet bean paste) mixed with water to make a soup-like treat and mochi (rice cake) is then added to it. In Kanto (Eastern Japan), this is called inaka shiruko (country sweet red bean soup).

In Kansai, shiruko is koshian (smooth sweet bean paste) mixed with water to make a soup-like treat and shiratama (rice flour dumplings) are added to it. In Kanto, this is called gozen shiruko (a high-class sweet red bean soup).

In Kansai, kameyama is mochi topped with tsubushian and there is no "soup" and is supposed to resemble a mountain in Kyoto. In Kanto, this is called zenzai.

What is all this leading up to? Well, today was REALLY cold, I think the weatherguy said that the highest it would be was 7C(44F). I was hoping for flurries, but no luck. So, anyway, for dinner, I wanted to make a dessert that would be warm...

At the market, I found these cute little mochi, so I also bought some tsubushian and some strawberries.

I followed the directions on the package of mochi and heated 3 of them up. After heating them, I cut each one in half.

Then I heated 100g of tsubushian with 50cc (about a 1/4 cup) of water until it was soupy.

I cut 3 strawberries into fourths.

Put 3 mochi into a bowl, add the "soup" and top with 6 pieces of strawberry...Kat's Kansai-style zenzai or a deconstructed ichigo daifuku...whatever you decide to call it...it is delicious!

NOTES: this makes 2 "cute" bowls or 1 serving.

odds & ends

Awhile back, I had this bread. Since it was World Bread Day yesterday and since I had some leftover sweet potato from making gnocchi and some leftover an from making anpan...I tried to re-create it. I used the bread recipe that I always use, but didn't have enough filling. And for some reason, these guys came out HUGE and I weighed them as I was dividing the dough! The bread I had tried before was harder, more like a country-style bread. Still, with the slightly sweet potato and the sweet bean paste, it made a great snack.

Remember I made rafute and told you that Satoshi doesn't like it? Well, I fessed up to using his awamori and told him, " I made rafute, but since you don't like it, I didn't save you any." He quickly said, "But, I like rafute!"

So, I made some last night, I couldn't find pork belly and ended up buying the thigh portion instead which had less fat. For dinner we had rafute don (braised pork belly bowl), Satoshi bit into the pork and said, "ooh, what kind of fish is this?".....

Okay....so Satoshi's breakfast was shiru soba (soup noodle). This dish uses the stock from the boiled pork (remember I threw it out the last time?). Here is an adapted recipe from "Shiawase no Okinawa Ryori":

Serves 2
2 bundles of Chuuka soba (chinese noodles)
4 pieces sliced rafute (braised pork belly)
handful chopped green onion
some sliced beni-shoga (red pickled ginger)
500cc (about 2.5 cups) katsuo (bonito) stock
250cc (about 1.25 cups) pork stock (the one from making rafute)
1 tablespoon rafute sauce
3 eringi mushrooms, sliced thinly

Follow the directions on the package to cook your noodles.
In another pot, add the pork stock, katsuo stock and rafute sauce to heat. If your rafute is straight out of the refrig, add it to the stock to heat.
After noodles are cooked transfer to bowl and add the heated stock.
Top with eringi mushrooms, green onions, beni-shoga.
Serve with koregusu (chili pepper water)

Since the nights and mornings are kind of nippy, I figured I should protect all my plants that don't appreciate the cold, namely tomato, basil, strawberry and italian parsley. I bought these plastic sheets from the 100 yen store ($1 store). It is actually a cover for your a/c but I made it into a "hot house", there were 2 in a package, so it only cost about $.50 to make each one! During the day, I take it off, so that they can "breathe" and the bugs and bees can do their thing.

Hope your week is going well, Satoshi is off on a business trip for the next 2 days.

world bread day 2007

In grade school, I was always doing my homework so that I could get it out of the way and go out to play. In college, I was the one who would take a two hour final exam in one hour, turning it in and usually freaking out the others in my class. You might be wondering what the heck this has got to do with World Bread Baking Day? Well, the weather was so warm in September so I took advantage of it and made my entry way ahead of time.

Zorra of Kochtopf is again hosting World Bread Day 2007, which is today. I participated last year and made sweet potato bread and chocolate bread.

This year I made yomogi anpan. I used the same recipe that I used to make regular anpan with the addition of yomogi (mugwort), some green tea, sesame seeds and the an (sweet bean paste).

To make your own, follow the recipe I used here for anpan. I reconstituted a tablespoon of yomogi in warm water and then whizzed it in the food processor. I also added 1/2 tablespoon of green tea powder. I added both of this to the dough before letting it rise the 1st time. You can't tell too much from these photos but the anpan is a light green. The reason I added the green tea powder was to help bring out some of that color.

Hot out of the oven these yomogi anpan had a subdued sweetness. I think the yomogi and green tea had a lot to do with this. Anpan makes a nice treat and freezes well too. Just pop them into a toaster oven to warm them up, the outside will get crispy while the inside gets fluffy.

Check back on Zorra's site to see what others from around the world made. Thanks Zorra for hosting this great event!

anpan

This morning, Satoshi and I were sitting in a bakery that was attached to a large local supermarket. 

As we had our coffee and pastries for a little mid-morning snack, I noticed a sign that was advertising anpan. Anpan is a bun with sweet bean paste inside. 

You can usually find it two ways--with koshian (a smooth sweet bean paste) or tsubushian (a sweet bean paste but a little chunky) inside.

I asked Satoshi if he eats anpan. He said, "yeah, but it isn't really my favorite." So, I ask him, "if I make anpan, what kind of an should I put inside, koshian or tsubushian?" He said, "tsubushian."

So, while he finished his coffee, I went grocery shopping. This tsubushian is made from 100% Hokkaido adzuki beans. 

It is already cooked with sugar, so to some, it may be really sweet. If you have dietary restrictions, you may want to cook the beans yourself and add the amount of sugar that is right for you.

I followed my trusty bread recipe that is noted on the yeast box, and waited for the bread to be ready to fill.

The 330g container of an is perfect for 12 anpan. Fresh out of the oven the insides are quite hot, so be careful! Still, it was the perfect mid-afternoon snack with some hooji-cha (roasted green tea).

Here is the recipe if you'd like to try making this yourself.

For the buns: makes 12
3 cups (300g) all purpose flour
2 teaspoons (6g) instant dry yeast
4.5 tablespoons (40g) sugar
30g egg (half an egg)
.75 cups water (175 cc)
1 teaspoon (5g) salt
3.5 tablespoons (45g) butter

For the an:
330g an (your choice, smooth or chunky), precooked and seasoned

sesame seeds (optional)

1. Put the first 4 ingredients in a bowl, add the water
2. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for 15 minutes
3. Sprinkle the salt and knead some more.
4. Add the butter a little at a time, folding over to create layers. Knead another 15 minutes.
5. Let rest for 50-60 minutes.
6. At end of 50-60 minutes, poke with your finger into the middle, if the dough stays down, it is ready
7. Turn out onto a floured board, press out air, cut into 40g-50g pieces (about 12)
8. Roll into balls, place under a towel for 10 minutes
9. While waiting the 10 minutes, ready your an in 1 tablespoon scoops onto a plate.
10. Flatten a ball of dough in the palm of your hands, making it as thin as you can without tearing it. Add a ball of an to the center of the dough, then gather the sides and pinching all sides to the middle. When all is sealed, roll gently between your palms to make it round and put the sealed side onto your baking sheet.
11. Repeat step #10 until all dough and an is used up.
12. Leave under a towel for another 40 minutes.
13. Preheat your oven to 400F (200C) and coat each anpan with an egg wash.
14. Sprinkle each anpan with sesame seeds in the middle.
15. Bake for 8-13 minutes.
16. Enjoy!

NOTES: I ran into a slight problem because I forgot to add the egg to my dry ingredients. I added it after I had gotten to step #4, which was REALLY messy. At step #5 I let the dough rest for 60 minutes. And at step #15 I baked these for 13 minutes. This was my first time making anpan and even with the little obstacles, it still came out great (if I do say so myself!).