Iri-kuromame gohan / steamed rice with toasted black soybeans

When something crunchy is wanted in steamed rice, how about toasted kuromame black soybeans? Kuromame's dark skin also adds nice color to the rice. Its deeper flavor than regular daizu soybeans is another benefit, ensuring tasty results without seasoning. I mix in some mochigome sweet rice, partly because the uruchimai regular rice I use is medium grain. If you use short-grain regular rice, which is more glutenous than medium-grain regular rice, adding mochigome is optional.

1/3 of recipe:
221 calories; 6.5 g protein; 2.3 g fat; 41.8 g carbohydrate; 39.9 g net carbs; 0 (0.4) mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.9 g fiber; 226 mg potassium

1/2 of recipe:
331 calories; 9.7 g protein; 3.4 g fat; 62.7 g carbohydrate; 59.9 g net carbs; 1 (0.6) mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.8 g fiber; 338 mg potassium

Bibinba no zakkoku gohan / mixed grain rice for bibimbap

Mixing regular rice and other grains is our current favorite way to make bibimbap. Quinoa makes it less starchy than a simple combination of regular rice and barley or rice with mixed grains; buckwheat groats offer a mellow yet toasty taste and texture; and adding roasted soybeans works as dashi for the steamed rice & grain mixture, and also become crunchy as they cook in a donabe pot (mimicking dolsot stone bowl bibimbap).

1/3 of recipe:
163 calories; 6.3 g protein; 2.5 g fat; 29.4 g carbohydrate; 26.5 g net carbs; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.9 g fiber

1/2 of recipe:
245 calories; 9.5 g protein; 3.7 g fat; 44.1 g carbohydrate; 39.7 g net carbs; 0 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 4.4 g fiber

Konnyaku to daizu no pirikarani / mildly spicy braised konnyaku yam cake and soybeans

The humble pair of soybeans and konnyaku get together for a simple, refined dish. The two ingredients are simmered with minimal seasonings, cooled, cooked again, cooled again, and reheated. The repetition allows both soybeans and konnyaku to absorb full flavoring without being taken over, which is a basic and proven technique for many nimono simmered dishes. Adapted from Tataki Konnyaku to Daizu no Nimono by Takashi Tamura, the owner chef of Tsukiji Tamura in Tokyo.

1/2 of recipe:
138 calories; 10.5 g protein; 6.0 g fat; 9.6 g carbohydrate; 4.0 g net carbs; 86 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; approx. 203-220 mg with regular soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 5.6 g fiber

Iridaizu gohan / rice with toasted soybeans

The soft sweetness of soybeans becomes concentrated and infused with a smoky note through toasting. Soybeans also remain relatively crunchy after cooking, making a good contrast in texture with rice.

Gomoku-mame / soybeans with root vegetables in broth

A tried and true everyday dish with soybeans and root vegetables. You can always use a spoon if picking up each little piece with chopsticks is too much work, or you can use it as a way to slow down while eating ...

Zarudofu / tofu in zaru basket

Fresh tofu made at home.