chirashi sushi

Since moving to New Mexico my cooking has altered to accommodate a few more people, and a few different ideas on what we want to eat. In some ways, it has been awesome (I’ve perfected my beef stew – which honestly I don’t like that much, but will eat) and other ways it had been a real bummer, because my in-laws look at my Asian cooking like….. well I can’t utter the words here.

Sadly, but happily, I’ve been drooling over La Fuji Mama’s blog and yesterday I threw my hands up, and said, “I don’t care anymore, I am making a Japanese meal tonight.”

Here is the scary and almost funny part, my in-laws would rather have Panda Express. They swear it’s the best thing they’ve ever tasted.  I’m thinking it’s  just americanized chinese food with soy sauce, why bother eating it? We got them Panda Express last night.

ingredients

As the fun began for me I could not stop thinking about Youko & Kazuma, who gave me my first lessons in Japanese food & cooking. They also introduced me to Mitsuwa (we had one close to us in Chicago too). Can I tell you how much I miss Mitsuwa.

So here’s the deal in Albuquerque: if you want Korean and Chinese food supplies, no problem (and I love Korean food), but if you want Japanese cooking supplies, you are going to be hurting. Since I last lived here, Talin (the international food market here) has decided that Japanese food supplies must have Hello Kitty on them, and the isle was filled it treats, sugar, soy sauce, and saké. I was soooooo sad, so much that I went to customer service and said what the heck?

I decided to make La Fuji Mama’s #7 Challenge for Washoku Warriors: Miso Ramen, and her link to Rachel’s Chirashi Sushi, and lastly, my homemade tofu.

miso ramen

The Miso Ramen (adapted from the book Washoku) has the following ingredients: chicken stock, dashi (kombu & katsuo-bushi), iriko (dried sardines) ramen noodles, bean sprouts, green onions, shiitake, mugi miso (barley), sesame oil, etc.

The first time I ever actively started using Mugi Miso was after meeting Youko. We stock Sweet White, Red, Yellow, Mugi, and Brown Rice Miso in our house, and she showed me how she combines them for different flavors.

my homemade tofu

I’ve been making my tofu for a couple years now. The ingredients are super simple: dried soybeans to make soymilk, spring water, and nigari.

chirashi sushi

And lastly, the Chirashi Sushi: Sushi Rice, seasoned shiitaké, lotus root, and carrot, snap peas blanched, carrot stars, toasted nori, and egg ribbons.

the best compliment of them all, my son loving the food, but then, that's all i ate when i was pregnant so i think he's predisposed!