Shiitake to tamanegi no misoshiru / miso soup with shiitake mushrooms and onion

The sweetness of onion is a good match for the earthy note of shiitake mushrooms. Another quick miso soup.

Breakfast, April 23, 2013

A power breakfast.

Tom needs coffee to wake up in the morning.
I don't. My brain is up and running pretty much the moment I open my eyes in the morning.
But I need food to keep it going, especially before a big job.

Mentai-shirataki / konnyaku yam noodle saute with spicy salted pollock roe

An easy konnyaku noodle side dish that tastes good hot or cold. Mentaiko spicy pollock roe adds flavor and texture.

Sakura no iimushi / steamed sweet rice and fish with salted cherry leaves

A reminder of the season. A gentle taste combination of sweet rice and white fish steamed with  aromatic salted cherry leaves.  Slightly salty gin-an sauce brings everything together, including the pungent wasabi on top.

Shimeji to ingen no kuroae / shimeji mushrooms and green beans in black sesame tofu dressing

Black is another hue for the table. In this dish, the soft texture of shimeji mushrooms contrasts well with crispy green beans, while yellow viola flowers from the garden perk up the small blackish mound.

Chingensai no karashi oisutaasoosu-ae / baby bok choy in Japanese mustard oyster sauce dressing

The deep, sweet note of oyster sauce is countered by pungent karashi mustard to highlight juicy chingensai.

20 calories (1/2 of recipe); 1.5 g protein; 0.2 g fat; 3.5 g carbohydrate; 2.3 g net carbs; 461 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 613 mg with regular soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 1.2 g fiber

Takenoko bamboo shoots

Young shoots of Phyllostachys heterocycla f. pubescens
(? unable to identify)

Takenoko is perhaps more commonly seen as a prep-boiled ingredient in vacuum packs and open containers at Japanese groceries and stores that carry lots of Japanese food. But if you’re lucky enough to have access to fresh bamboo shoots still in their skins, it is highly recommended to give them a try. The differences in taste, texture and aroma are so significant that, like me, you will look forward to fresh bamboo shoot season every year. As with other sansai mountain vegetables, bamboo shoots start to taste bitter as time passes after harvest, and they are usually boiled to eliminate this tart taste before main cooking (see takenoko no mizuni for the prep). For super fresh bamboo shoots (harvested in the last one or two hours), grilling in their skins is often recommended to experience peak flavor and aroma. I have not been so fortunate as to enjoy them that way, but I can imagine how wonderful and sweet they taste. Fresh bamboo shoots harvested in early morning are said to be the least tart, and they are prized for this quality in Japan.