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Upcoming Classes
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Basics of Cooking at Bella Kitchen Essentials May 4: Sauteing, Frying, Using Grains, and Menu Planning May 11: Sauces and Stock Making May 18: Stewing, Seafood, Using Beans, and Curries May 25: Desserts and Finishes Sign up for the whole series or just the class you need. More details and menus can be found on Bella's calendar. See more and register!  Sushi at Sur La Table Classes Monthly May 31 July 5 Aug 3 Menu
Sushi Rice
California Roll
Spicy Tuna Roll
Vegetarian Rolls
Hand Rolls See more and register!
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Sushi Kits and DVDs
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NuCulinary produces
Step-by-Step DVDs so you can make delicious, authentic sushi at home
Available online
or in these stores:
Kinokuniya Seattle
Mutual Fish
Bellevue Uwajimaya
Renton Uwajimaya
Bella Kitchen Essentials
And we do kits! All the tools and ingredients for creating sushi bar quality sushi in your own kitchen
Have you enjoyed one of my DVDs or kits in the past? Let me know! Post your review here. |
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Greetings!
Well the mercury is inching it's way towards 60 degrees, and the sun has been sighted more often lately. But I'm craving noodle soup, which means there's still a chill in the air. So this week we're taking a look at udon, the thick, white, wheat noodle from Japan.
A new season of Seattle's farmers markets is about to kick in and the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance is looking for volunteers for its food festival days. More info below on how you can join me for food and fun all summer long!
Then, coming up this Wednesday morning (May 4th) I'll be on Mornings with Kaci on Q13. We're setting up a sushi making station at Uwajimaya so Kaci can learn to make her own sushi. Here's the schedule:
- 7:20 am - Sushi making basics: ingredients that you need as well as how to make su (the vinegar syrup that provides flavor and is the defining component of sushi).
- 8:20 am - How to roll sushi: we'll be doing California rolls and spicy tuna.
- 9:20 am - My mom will join us to show Kaci about making futomaki (fat roll) with a recipe that's traditional in our family.
This should be a lot of fun, and I'm excited to have my mom with me and to show off Uwajimaya too. I hope you can tune in!
Building Community through Cuisine,
Naomi
Naomi Kakiuchi, RD, CD, CCP
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Udon Understanding
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Udon noodles are a
Japanese wheat noodle that are quite thick and delightfully chewy. At the store, you find fresh noodles in the refrigerated section, and dried noodles in the aisles with the other packaged noodles.
You could also make your own. Check out Elizabeth Andoh's recipe for home-stomped whole-wheat udon in her most recent cookbook, Kansha . She'll tell you about making them the traditional way, by foot!
In Japan, little stalls specializing in one kind of noodle, or even just one particular recipe for one kind of noodle, are in every neighborhood. Large noodle chains have outlets in every shopping district. Walk in and hear the familiar sound of noodle slurping. This is totally permitted and expected, because the noodles are very hot and if you wait for them to cool off, they loose that perfect, bouncy on your teeth texture. Noodles are the ultimate fast food in Japan!
For a quick, easy, nourishing meal this time year, take advantage of spring time vegetables that are beginning to appear. You can make a dashi broth out of kelp and fish flakes (wonderfully savory), throw in asparagus or peapods, daikon, mushrooms, gobo, and carrot. This combo also provides Washoku or the harmony of the meal with the gorgeous five colors of food that are traditional in Japanese dishes.
If you are looking for a nice bowl of noodles--I just supped on an amazing bowl at Nettletown restaurant. Owner and Chef Christina Choi has really done it with her Nettletown Noodles. It is a crispy, fall from the bone tender Berkshire pork rib (or tofu), over napa cabbage, with shiitake mushroom and a delicious five-spice broth. It is the perfect dish to bridging me through the last few weeks of a chilly spring into hopefully our warmer growing season.
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Udon with Chicken
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Recipe by Sadako Kohno, Home Style Japanes Cooking In Pictures, 1977
- ⅔ pound dried udon noodles
- 6½ cups dashi
- 2-3 tablespoons mirin
- 6 tablespoons light soy sauce
- a little salt
- ½ pound chicken, sliced. Soak in 1 teaspoon soy sauce and 1 teaspoon sake
- 4 fresh shiitake mushroom caps, crisscrossed on top with knife
- 1 green onion, cut in diagonal pieces
- 4 stalks spinach, parboiled in boiling water with 1 teaspoon sugar. Rinse in cold water and drain. Cut into 1-inch lengths
- 12 pieces carrot, cut in flower shapes and parboiled
- 4 eggs
- 1 sheet dried nori, if desired
- 1 tablespoon chopped green onion
- Shichimi togarashi (Japanese 7 spice blend) for seasoning
- Bring to a boil generous amount of water in a large kettle, add udon noodles. Boil, uncovered, stirring with chopsticks or fork. When it comes to a boil, add 1 cup water. When it comes to a boiling point again, turn off heat. Cover. Let stand 10 minutes, or until as tender as spaghetti; drain into colander. Rinse in cold water; drain again. Set aside.
- Add mirin, soy sauce, and salt to dashi. Bring to a boil.
- Dip udon from colander into boiling water to warm. Drain. Place udon in large casserole (or in 4 small individual casseroles); add dashi; top with chicken, shiitake, green onion; cover. Cook over high heat. When it comes to a boil, add spinach and carrot. Break eggs into center of casserole; cover. Cook until eggs are of desired firmness. Turn off heat.
- Serve with finely chopped green onion and thin strips of nori.
Dashi (Fish Stock) Makes 2 quarts
Recipe by Hiroko Shimbo, The Japanese Kitchen, 2001
- 2 quarts water) 1 ⅓ ounces kombu (kelp)
- 2 ounces (1 cup, tightly packed) katsuobushi (bonito fish flakes)
- Wipe kombu with a damp paper towel. In a large pot, bring water and kombu to a almost a boil over medium heat. This should take about 10 minutes.
- Immediately before water reaches a boil, remove kombu, reduce the heat to low, and add bonito flakes. Wait 10 seconds, turn off the heat and let mixture stand 2 minutes.
- Strain stock through a sieve lined with tightly woven cotton cloth. Discard solids.
Note: Stock can be refrigerated, tightly covered, for up to four days, or freeze it into cubes in an ice tray.
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 Farmers Market Fun
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Ready, Set, Go...Cook! at the University District Farmers Market |
I'm a huge advocate of farmers markets. You just can't find a wider variety of produce anywhere else, or anywhere near as fresh and full of nutrition. Farmers markets are also a most enjoyable shopping experience, seeing friends and talking to the farmers and producers each week. Would you like to get involved with your local farmers market this year? Perhaps you would like to meet some like minded folks, make new friends and learn some new cooking tips? The Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance and I are looking for volunteers to help me with festival days this summer and fall at seven Seattle-area markets. Take a look at my calendar to see the festival day themes and the dates they are happening. I'm sure you'll find something that looks like fun! Contact me if you're interested in volunteering: naomi@nuculinary.com or 206-932-3855.  | |
Zucchini 500 Races! |
You can do just one event, or make it the whole year. I'm especially looking for people who want to volunteer for the market in their own neighborhoods. |
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Community Calendar
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Songs of Hope
Time: Sunday, May 1st, 3pm.
Doors open at 2:00pm with an art and bake sale!
Location: Daniels Recital Hall at 811 5th Ave. Seattle
A benefit concert for Japan earthquake relief. Bringing together fine musicians from the greater Seattle area: Program includes Koto Ensemble, Japanese Folk and Art Songs, Classical Music Selection and much more. For community connection and support for the people who are deeply affected by the recent earthquake in Japan.
Admission is free. Donation is gratefully accepted at the venue.
(American Red Cross, Peace Winds America, Japan Relief Fund, World Vision)
Cambodian New Year Festival
Time: Saturday, April 30th, 10:30-5:00.
Location: 98th Street SW between 5th and 16th SW, in White Center
Celebrate Cambodian New Year with performances, music, food, and entertainment. Play games and participate in contests for prizes. Free & open to the public.
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