Seri okowa / steamed sweet rice with water dropwort

The mellow aroma that wafts up from okowa steamed sweet rice is comforting in cold seasons. Seri water dropwort acts as a counterpoint even when a smaller amount is used, as seri's slightly bitter taste and vibrant color provide just enough punch.

1/2 of recipe:
277 calories; 5.4 g protein; 0.9 g fat; 59.3 g carbohydrate; 58.3 g net carbs; 96 mg sodium; ０ mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber

1/3 of recipe:
185 calories; 3.6 g protein; 0.6 g fat; 39.6 g carbohydrate; 38.9 g net carbs; 64 mg sodium; ０ mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber

Chuka chimaki / zongzi / Chinese rice dumplings in bamboo leaves (simplified version)

Tango no sekku, one of five traditional seasonal festivals, falls in May in Japan. It is now called Kodomo no Hi or Children's Day, and is celebrated as a national holiday on May 5.
Duanwu-jie, the seasonal festival in Chinese culture, follows the lunar calendar and occurs in June. While zongzi rice dumplings are available year-round, they seem to be everywhere as the festival approaches. The fridge in an apartment I shared with two roommates in Taiwan was literally packed with rice dumplings we received from students and friends as the date neared. Already fully loaded, we continued to be asked, “Have you had zongzi?” The question, of course, was a prelude to giving us more zongzi. People’s generosity was amazing, and since none of us spoke Chinese well enough to politely turn down their offers, more zongji came back to the apartment.

Usually, rice and goodies are separately prepared and assembled when wrapping with bamboo leaves. This is a simplified version where rice and goodies are cooked in the same pan.

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.

Amazake no moto, amazake / amazake base & drink

A strikingly sweet wonder drink made of rice malt.

While today this opaque, white drink is more strongly associated with winter, especially with the New Year's holiday and Hinamatsuri Doll (Girls' Day) Festival on March 3, it used to be a health tonic in summer. Typically served hot in winter and cold in summer, often with ginger juice, this super healthy tonic contains nine essential amino acids and over 100 enzymes. Rich in glucose (20%) and oligosaccharide, it also contains vitamins (B1, B2, B6, B12, pantothenic acid, inositol and biotin). Amazake has been called a “drinkable I.V.,” which shows how nutritional it is.

Amazake is mentioned in Nihonshoki, an early 8th-century history book, and its use goes back hundreds years before the book. This primitive drink is now easily made in a common modern appliance – the rice cooker!  

Kani no iimushi / steamed sweet rice and crab with light soy-sauce flavored dashi sauce

Dig into the sweet rice and enjoy the blended taste of crab and slightly salty gin-an sauce. 
A recent “wow” dish for me.