Temaki

Temaki-zushi

• 2 Japanese rice cups Japanese rice
• 2 Japanese rice cups water
• 1 small piece kombu (kelp)
• 50 ml rice vinegar
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 package yaki-nori, regular or pre-cut for temaki-zushi

This rice has a few tablespoons of mugi (barley) added to it, which I like for its extra flavour and texture. The following recipe is for plain white rice (the kind my husband wishes I'd stick to), but up to one third of the rice can be replaced with mugi, genmai (brown rice), or other grains. A donabe will give the best results, but any other heavy-bottomed pot can be used.

Donabe-taki gohan

• 360 ml (or 2 go, the traditional rice measurement) uncooked white rice
• 400 ml (or 2 Japanese cups) water
• 2 Tbsp mirin (sweet cooking sake)
• 10 cm piece of kombu (dried kelp), optional

Wash and drain rice several times until the water drains almost clear, let sit in sieve for 10 minutes. Add drained rice to donabe with the water and mirin, set kombu on top and let soak for at least 10 minutes (rice can soak up to severals hours; leave it covered in the fridge in hot weather).

Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium heat. Do not uncover the pot to check for boiling; instead touch the handle of the lid (use a potholder!) to feel for the bubbles. Reduce the heat to low, cook for 12 minutes, return heat to medium and cook for one more minute. Turn off heat and let rice sit undisturbed for 10 minutes.

Uncover the pot, remove the kombu, and stir the rice gently with a wet shamoji (rice paddle) or wooden spoon, serve.

Oatmeal pancakes with strawberry sauce

• 1 pack strawberries (about 300 grams, or 10 oz)
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 360 ml (1 1/2 cups) rolled oats (not instant)
• 475 ml (2 cups) buttermilk*
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) flour
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 2 eggs, beaten

Wash, hull and slice strawberries into quarters, sprinkle with sugar and let sit at least 30 minutes. Combine oats and buttermilk, let sit at least 20 minutes (both the berries and the oats can sit overnight).

Add strawberries and their juices to a small non-reactive saucepan, bring to a boil over medium heat, reduce heat to low and simmer about 10 minutes, until berries are soft and liquid has thickened to a syrup-like consistency.

Add eggs, flour, sugar, baking soda and salt into the oat mixture and mix very lightly. Don't over-mix, and don't worry if there are a few little lumps in the batter. Pancakes should be cooked right after mixing.

Heat griddle or large pan with a little butter or vegetable oil. Cook as for regular pancakes, 2 to 3 minutes on the first side and 1 to 2 minutes on the other. Serve immediately with the strawberry sauce.

Makes about 12 10 cm (4 inch) pancakes and 200 ml (a scant cup) of strawberry sauce.

* Those of us in Japan, or anywhere that buttermilk is not available, will have to substitute: warm up the milk and add 2 scant Tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice, stir, and let set 10 minutes or so

Dashi-braised potatoes and onions

1 Tbsp sesame oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
1 kg (2 1/4 lb) baby new potatoes, scrubbed
200 ml (7 oz) dashi (instant is fine)
1 tbsp sugar
3 Tbsp soy sauce

Heat the oil in a wok or large pot. Add the onion and sautee for a few minutes over medium low heat, until softened. Add the potatoes and stir constantly until potatoes are well coated in oil.

Add the dashi and sugar, cover and reduce heat to low. Bring slowly to the boil, add soy sauce and return the cover. Cook for 15 mintues, stirring occasionally.

Uncover and cook 5 minutes further, until liquid is reduced and potatoes are cooked through (if there is already very little liquid remaining, just turn off heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes).

Serve hot, covered with remaining liquid.

Cooking time 25 minutes, serves 2 to 4