O-ishi-i Kitchen: 2016

Healthy but Yummy Cake Salé

I brought this Cake Salé (savory cake) for a friends gathering, so I couldn't get good snap shots. But I hope these photos can convey how delicious it was!

It’s a healthy savory cake using olive oil. If you prefer, you may use gluten-free flour instead of regular cake flour. I just used vegetables and chick peas but you can add anything you want, if it’s eatable and suitable for savory cakes.

Here is a recipe:

== Cake Salé ==

For 1 loaf mold of 21x11x6cm

*** Ingredients:

Olive oil …….. 80g

Soy milk (unsweetened) …….. 150g

Eggs …….. 3

Honey …….. 1 Tablespoon

Pastry flour …….. 195g (shifted with baking powder)

Baking powder …….. 8g

Black pepper …….. as you like

Salt …….. 1/2 Teaspoon or taste the batter when it’s mixed & if you need more, add more for taste

Parmesan cheese (grated) …….. 90g

Miso (Japanese Soy bean paste) …….. 1 Teaspoon

Curry powder …….. 1/2 Teaspoon

Onion (small) …….. 1/2 (chopped finely)

Mushrooms …….. about 5 pieces, chopped in small dice

Dried tomatoes (in oil) …….. 5 small pieces remove oil and cut up in pieces

Fresh red chili (optional, NOT a spicy one) …….. 1, remove the seeds and thinly sliced

Chick peas (canned) …….. 1/2 cups (American size cup=250ml, so 125ml in measurement)

Fresh Parsley & Thyme …….. 1 branch each, finely minced

*** How to make:

1. In skillet, heat about 1/2 tablespoonful of olive oil and sauté all the prepared vegs except chick peas. Add a dash of pepper and a pinch of salt. Set aside and let it cool.

*** Preheat oven at 180C.

2. In a bowl, mix olive oil and soy milk. Then add eggs one at a time.

3. Mix Miso with honey and add into the bowl above. Mix all the ingredients thoroughly.

4. Incorporate flour with BP and all the spices.

5. Toss sautéed vegs, cheese, minced herbs and chick peas in batter and mix well.

6. Pour this batter into a prepared mold and bake at 180C in pre-heated oven for about 45 minutes or until done.

When it’s done, let it cool in the pan slightly and serve either warm or cool.

Cake Salé is great for branch, lunch or even dinner as an appetizer. It’s delightfully yummy! Enjoy!

No comments

, by Rieko

American food

Beef Brisket and Yummy Soft Corn Bread

I used to live in the US for such a long time from age of 15 until I moved to France in order to attend Le Cordon Bleu for getting a pastry diploma. So, I miss "American food" once in a while; even writing so now makes me crave for another all-American , meat loaf!

When we went to a super market nearby the other day, we browsed through the meat section and found a nice flank of beef. Without a hesitation, I grabbed and put it in our shopping cart intending making beef brisket.

Before making it, I skimmed through my recipe notebook to see if I have a good recipe for brisket. Voila! I found it, though I’ve noticed that I didn’t have red wine which was an important ingredient. I didn’t want to go shopping again. So, I asked myself, “What can I do? Any solution!?”

Well, wine can be like a vinegar when it is not so good,; or rather quite often, quickly made wine like Beaujolais Nouveau can be quite acidity. Therefore, I thought I could use apple cider vinegar as a substitution. Why apple vinegar? Because organic apple cider is made of natural “mother” which is alive and further fermentation occurs. Besides, both wine and apple cider vinegar are made from fruits, and furthermore, apple can be used to make alcohol, too.

As for my mental note, I list my recipe as following:

*** Beef Brisket (for 2-3 persons):

Garlic ……. 1 clove (chopped)

Salt ……. A little

Rosemary ……. 1 branch (or 1/2 tablespoonful of Coriander Seeds)

Olive oil ……. 1/8C

Black pepper (grinded) ……. A little

Carrot……. 1 (cut in chunks)

Celery……. 1 (Here, I used 4~5 small beets, chopped)

Onion……. 1 (cut in chunks)

Apple cider vinegar……. 1/2C (Or Red Wine)

Canned tomatoes……. 1 (Or can be substituted by 3 fresh tomatoes, chopped)

Parsley……. 2-3 branches

Bay leaf……. 1

Soy sauce……. 1 Tbs.

Worcestershire sauce……. 1 Tbs.

Brown sugar……. 1/2 to 1Tbs.

Beef flank……. 300-500g

(No.4 photo is a vegetable side dish)

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper on beef flank and sauté the meat in a heated skillet with olive oil. Brown all sides of flank. Keep the sautéed oil for frying vegetables.

2. In a pan, pour the reserved oil from the skillet, and fry garlic and the other vegetables. Then add the sautéed beef, canned tomatoes, and the rest of the ingredients. Boil on medium heat, skim the bubbles and then reduce to low heat, and cook covered about 1~2 hours.

3. Afterwards, pour everything into a deep casserole dish covering the top with tin foil. Cook another 1 hour in the oven at 180C or 370F.

The longer you cook the tender the beef becomes, as you may know.

It was really delicious! My husband is a professional chef for many years starting his career in France and then now in Malaysia teaching French cuisine at Le Cordon Bleu in Malaysia. It was such a coincidence for him to take a teaching position at the same school I used to be a student, although he teaches here in Malaysia, not in Paris.

Anyway, he uttered how good this beef brisket was! So, I can say that it is a truly delicious recipe!

Accompanied with beef brisket, I made a vegetable side dish.

Small tomatoes and chopped Portobello mushrooms are stir-fried in olive oil and seasoned with salt, pepper, dried oregano, Balsamic vinegar and parsley.

Aside with these, I made a butch of corn bread to go with. It was heavenly good, in fact even for the following days, it was still soft and moist. I love to spread butter on it and eat. It’s just a treat to have wonderful corn bread which reminds me of happy lazy summer days in the US.

Also I list the recipe here below. It’s really simple. You just mix everything and bake in oven!

*** Yummy Corn Bread (1 loaf):

Unsalted butter….. 133g (softened and whipped)

Sugarcane sugar……. 110g

Honey……. 25g

Eggs……. 2

Whole Milk……. 145g

Vinegar……. 13g

Coconut Milk……. 82g

Baking soda……. 1/2Tsp.

Salt……. 1/2Tsp.

Corn Meal……. 150g

Flour……. 128g (Shifted)

Butter slightly the mold and line a baking paper. Set the oven at 180C or 370F.

Combine whole milk, vinegar and coconut milk together and mix. Set aside. Softly mix all the dried ingredients in a bowl. In a different bowl, mix well softened butter with sugar and honey. Add eggs one at a time mixing them completely.

Whisk mixed milk and vinegar mixture and then incorporate dried ingredients using a whisk just until moistened.

Pour the dough in the prepared mold. Bake in pre-heated oven for 45 minutes or until done.

You can serve it when it’s warm but you need to be careful when you take corn bread out from the mold. When it’s still warm, it may not be firm enough.

This corn bread is even good after 2 days! It’s amazing!

Gochi-so-sama (Thank you for food) for a good meal!

No comments

, by Rieko

Baking

On Our Wedding Anniversary

September 1^st this year was our 15^th wedding anniversary. We tied a knot on that day 15 years ago in Paris. We just got married in the city hall witnessed by our friends and close family members back then, had a luncheon party at a restaurant where I used to work during my school days at Le Cordon Bleu in Paris.

It was a delightful moment which we shared with our loved ones. I was skinny enough to wear such a beautiful intricate French-designer-made dress on our special day. Lunch was really awesome since I knew the chef and everybody there.

Afterwards, we all changed our clothes, got on Bateau Mouches to sail on River Seine. We wanted to do something tourists would do in Paris. We later climbed on top of Tour Eiffel since my husband’s family lives in a sleepy village of southern west of France. For most of the family members, it was a rare occasion to be in the capital. The year of 2001, we had a small ceremony in Paris and the following July, we had a big wedding in my husband’s hometown which lasted for 2 days.

But when we talk about our wedding, it is always September 1, 2001 when we wedded officially.

I still remember that my brother-in-law and I ran down from the top to bottom of Tour Eiffel racing down to bet which one would reach first to the ground on our wedding day leaving my gloom behind. With a few seconds difference, my brother-in-law won the race but back then, I also was young and in a good shape to be able to do such a foolish thing..

And after 15 years, we are still happily together moving more than five different countries so far from Europe and then Africa and to Asia. Next will be in America! Well, it’s a joke but it is the only continent we haven’t lived together as a married couple.

It would be nice to live there together, I assume.

For our special day this year, we didn’t plan anything fancy but I made a cake to celebrate. We are thinking of taking a short trip next month for our anniversary anyway. As for now, just a cake would do.

This is a Japanese version of strawberry short cake. Japanese love to eat this cake for any occasions in any time. I made this cake simply because I only had fresh cream and strawberries for garnish. The cake itself is easy to make because it’s a sponge cake.

I whipped whole eggs with sugar and honey until they have become thick and double in volume. And then I added cake flour followed by heated milk and unsalted butter. I baked the cake in a round cake mold.

Meanwhile, I prepared syrup with kirsch liqueur for brushing on sponge cake pieces later.

Once the sponge cake was done and became cool, I sliced the cake into three layers. I brushed the syrup on all three pieces. I spread the cream and placed strawberry slices on and covered them again with whipped cream. This procedure has been repeated twice ending up with placing a layer of sponge cake every time.

When it was done, the cake would be covered with softer whipped cream which I smoothed the surface with a palette knife. Then I piped out the remaining of cream and finished decorating with strawberries. For some strawberry halves, I made like hearts.

Inside was like this.

The sponge was soft and airy. Whipped cream was flavored with sugar and Kirsch. This simple Japanese strawberry shortcake is delightful!

We selfie-d ourselves cutting the cake like a newly-wed couple would do at their wedding reception. It was a giddy and happy moment even we have grown a little old and a bit tired. Happy anniversary for us!

No comments

, by Rieko

Cooking

Jack fruit Curry Rice

Curry Rice is a typical Japanese food which is probably one of the most popular meals to be consumed in Japan. I assume that it came from India originally to Japan and it has evolved and thrived by changing its form to be more suitable to Japanese tastes.

Majority of Japanese uses the mix like this.

(It's an examle here, since there are so many types of curry mixes.)

It’s convenient and easy to make with curry mix like this. In Japan, one can find wide varieties of curry mixes at any super market.

This time, since I didn’t have a potato, I used a piece of jack fruit instead. I cut a jack fruit like this. And then, in a big pan, pour a tablespoon of oil, sauté 1 clove of garlic, sliced onions, big chunks of carrot, cut jack fruit, pork slices and red chili chunks all together.

( I cut smaller from here.)

Then add enough water to cover with grinded pepper. Skim as necessary and cook until everything is soft.

After that, stop cooking and add a proper amount of Japanese curry mix. In my case, I added some meat curry powder and coriander powder from Malaysia to spice it up. I usually sprinkle turmeric powder but I forgot this time. (In general, most of the Japanese may not add these spices.)

Not only that, depending on what one likes in Japan, we tend to make our own curry using some extra sauces. Like my mom, she likes to put a little soy sauce, ketchup and Ton katsu sauce (please see below photo) to enhance the flavor.

For me, I did put the same sauces as my mom who makes one of the most outstanding Japanese curry rice (at least I believe so. ☺). Besides that, after tasting my curry, I thought it was a bit sharp with spices, so I add some coconut milk.

Voila! It’s done. Usually the accompanied rice would be normal white rice. But I like to eat white rice with equal amount of red and black rice together.

For the side dish, I quickly cut up some cabbage, okra and Shiso leaves (Japanese green oregano-like herb) and rub with a scant amount of rock salt and rice vinegar and also Shio-koji (fermented rice paste with salt) for enhancing flavor.

(Here in Malaysia, I got this from "Ise-tan", the Japanese department store at Suria KLCC in KL.)

Shio-koji is all natural derived from rice and koji (malted rice). Its closer family is Sake which is made of rice, water and koji. The Japanese likes malt-fermented food like Natto (fermented beans), Miso (soy bean paste), soy sauce and Koji (malted rice) to name a few.

I love Indian curries, Thai curries and Rendang here in Malaysia. However once in a while, I desperately want to eat Japanese curry rice which can be a soul food for many Japanese people.

No comments

, by Rieko

Healthy cooking

Bento-style Dinner

Have you ever heard “Bento” before? Bento is a Japanese lunch box which is filled with something compact and easy to eat inside a box. Here, when I said “Bento style”, I referred to small cooked items as fillings of Bento. Something I can pick easily with chopsticks.

I made three items: Dashimaki Tamago (rolled egg omelet), Rolled Vegetables in Beef and Okura with Ume-boshi.

Dashimaki (rolled & seasoned) Tamago(eggs):

I put a scant of dried bonito base (diluted in water), Mirin(sweet Sake) and salt for taste. Mix eggs and the rest of ingredients well, heat a skillet and add grapeseed oil, then pour egg mixture spreading evenly. As soon as the eggs become a bit solid, start rolling the egg using chopsticks and shape like a cylinder. Inside this omelet needs to be a bit soft.

Place a plastic wrap on a counter where I put the omelet on. And then just wrap the omelet and roll to shape but I have to be careful so that I don’t burn my fingers. I used Maki-su (a tiny bamboo mat-like item to roll sushi inside) to shape the omelet in cylinder.

When it’s cool, just cut in desired thickness.

Rolled Vegetables in Beef:

On top of a paper-thin beef slices, I sprinkle a bit of salt and pepper, and place cooked vegetables on one end. After I just roll beef slices tightly like a mini cylinder.

Cook these in a skillet with heated oil. Season with soy sauce and ketchup. When they are slightly cooler, I cut them in half.

Okura and Ume-boshi (pickled salty plum):

Slice Okura, add finely chopped Ume-boshi, a little Men-tsuyu (Japanese noodle sauce for Udon) and dried bonito flakes.

Beside these, I cooked 3 different types of rice (brown, red and black) with cut tomato cubes, sautéed diced onions and chicken bouillon, a rosemary branch and water.

Usually, the Japanese rarely eat rice in this fashion. But for me, if it tastes good and healthy with loads of anthocyanin (type of flavonoids), then it’s even better than using processed white rice.

As an accompaniment, I prepared Miso (fermented soy bean paste) soup with several vegetables.

They are all easy to make in a short time which require about less than 1 hour not including a cooking time for rice.

I try to make something healthy with lots of vegetables and natural fresh produces. Do you know the Japanese live much longer than those folks in the other advanced countries who tend to live longer than the rest of the world. But it doesn’t matter if you live longer or not, if you are invalid in bed. My mother is a good example. She’s well over 70 now but she doesn’t need to take any pills to lower her blood pressure or cholesterol. She is totally healthy and active for her age. In general, old-fashioned Japanese eat healthily with grains, vegetables, seaweeds and fruits and some protein from soy beans, some meats and fish. I assume a good balance in diet is important for maintaining well-being and youth-”full”-ness.

In Japan, there is a proverb which I believe derived from China in ancient time.

医食同源　(Ishoku-dougen)

a balanced diet leads to a healthy body; healthy food both prevents and cures sickness

In short, I want to keep whatever coming into my mouth, mostly they shall be GOOD.

2 comments

, by Rieko

cake

Supposed to be a yummy & healthy Tahini Cheesecake

My profession is supposed to be a pastry chef, so I can make any kind of pastries; however, it has been a while since I’ve lost a passion over pastry-making. One big reason is that sweet things will not do anything good on my body but rather harmful in a long run. BUT I still crave for sweet things every day and I need something sweet to pacify my sweet tooth. I opt for some chocolate bar which is easy to get and I become undoubtedly satisfied.

And of course, I really want to make something new all the time. Nowadays, it’s cooking for me. But once in a blue moon, I want to make a cake or two. My guilt-ridden mind told me to make something healthy, so I made a cheesecake in healthy version using Tahini paste.

I thought “non-hulled” Tahini would be healthier, though “non-hulled” means that it makes Tahini paste bitter than “hulled”. I licked Brown Tahini which I found so bitter!

Besides, I was brave enough to use only sugar cane juice and honey to substitute sugar. It was wishy-washy thinking that they were sweet enough to camouflage brown Tahini’s bitterness. Well, they did it in a certain degree. On the other hand, it was simply bitter!

I used cream cheese, brown Tahini, sugar cane juice, honey, Crème fraiche, gelatin leaves, Greek yogurt and local limes.

It looks good and pretty with edible flowers and peaches.

But I knew it tasted bitterer than a normal cheesecake would taste.

I managed to eat one piece with Roselle enzyme syrup sauce. I pretended it was nothing wrong with it.

As soon as my husband took a bite, he simply mumbled “It’s biter! What have you put in it!?” While I explained my intention to make a healthy cake, he just said “USE SUGAR! It doesn’t kill you.”

The funny thing is that the following day the cheesecake tasted less bitter and milder than the day before.