Dinner, July 14, 2011

In the middle of July, the thermometer says it's 60 F or 15 C. What we need is a cozy cool-day meal to warm up our body and soul.

• Steamed rice with purple sweet rice
• Kinki no aradaki / channel rockfish in soy sauce broth
• Horenso no ohitashi / spinach in light broth
• Kabocha mushi / steamed mashed kabocha pumpkin

It's cold.  The main dish is aradaki with rock fish. It's a perfect dish for cold days, and I want to cook it right this time to suit my taste. Following my mom's suggestion on how to control sweetness, I reduce the amount of sake. And instead of adding mirin at the same time as other seasonings, I add it at the very end simply to create a glossy appearance. Ta-dah!. This is it.

For something green and watery, young spinach leaves harvested in the greenhouse are made into ohitashi. Very simple and clean. Grated toasted white sesame seeds add a nutty flavor.

These would be satisfying already in terms of taste, but one more warm, starchy dish with kabocha is needed for a more filling and lasting warm effect.

Nothing special but heartwarming.