Behind The Scenes

If you didn’t know, fruit is expensive in Japan. Like, 8-bucks-for-a-single-peach expensive. So, I may have spent my month’s grocery allowance already…And since I don’t get paid for this blog, unlike some other food-bloggers, I have had to alter my foodie-ventures. You might know (if you’re a regular follower) that I’ll be finishing up my contract in the Japanese countryside in less than 8 weeks… which means (note to self) I should be eating the things in my pantry instead of grocery shopping. So, I  raided my pantry and made  onigiri (rice balls). These specific ones are called sekihan 赤飯 which are usually white rice boiled together with red beans – though I used brown rice and too many beans (on purpose of course). They are a traditional Japanese dish and often served on special occasions throughout the year like birthdays, weddings and some holidays, such as Shichi-Go-San.

Further, I didn’t buy these flowers. I rode my bicycle at 5.30am, in the rain and picked these wild ones instead. There, I had the pleasure of receiving 3 vicious sand fly bites which have caused my ankles to become as large and round as my watermelon.

Best Thing I Ever Did Was Believe In Me

My life has improved immensely. I don’t know why exactly, the change in weather, God, my own efforts, or a combination of all three, probably a combination of all three. But I am so happy. So excited for the future and all of the adventures that await me. I guess I have learnt that life will always have ups and downs but if we persevere through our heartaches, we really do come out the other side a better and a stronger being. This concept is no longer a cliched Pinterest quote for me, it has become my reality. I am enjoying and appreciating the small details of every day and making the very most of my time here. At the same time, I am eagerly awaiting my sure-to-be-amazing future.

This Is What Rural Japan Looks Like

Spring Quinoa Salad 
1 cup Quinoa cooked in 2 cups of water
bunch of asparagus, blanched in hot water for 10 seconds
punnet of green peas, blanched ” ” ” ” ” ”
punnet of snap peas, blanched  ” ” ” ” ” ”
1/2 cup cooked and shelled edamame beans
some red grapes, sliced
1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
1/4 cup pistachios
bunch fresh parsley, torn small
bunch fresh mint torn small

Dressing:
juice of half a lemon
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
salt and pepper

Combine all salad ingredients together and gently mix.

Combine all dressing ingredients together in a small jar and shake shake shake then mix through salad.

Refrigerate.

How We Spend Our Days Is, Of Course, How We Spend Our Lives.

Isn’t that the most beautiful quote?

I love literature.
And cake!
And flowers and
spring.
That, most of all
is my favorite
thing.

There’s a lot in this post so I’ll give a brief explanation. First, carrot cake with PINEAPPLE chunks and not just raisins but dates, too. So good. And a crunchy top. Just make sure to drizzle with a little honey before adding the nut/seed mixture. Second, Pictures from my walk to school today. My favorite being the picture of the obachan (old woman) with her dog in her rear tricycle basket. Yes, tricycle. Next, today’s breakfast (sorta Italian) and today’s bento. The latter more Japanese, less Persian. And last, chocolate banana loaf made with okara (soy pulp). Perfect for Japan dwellers cos that shizz is sold everywhere.







The Ultimate Carrot Cake:
3 free-range eggs
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup honey
1 large carrot, grated
4 canned pineapple rings, chopped small
1 tsp pure vanilla essence
—————-
1 cup white flour
1 cup wholemeal flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp ginger powder
pinch of salt
1/2 cup chopped raisins and dates
pinch of salt
Topping:
1/2 cup of mixed nuts and seeds
(I used flax seed, sesame seed, walnuts and pistachios)

Preheat oven to 180C

Mix wet and dry ingredients separately then together.

Pour into a baking-paper lined cake tin.

Drizzle a small amount of honey on top of the batter then top with nuts and seeds.

Bake for 45 minutes or until the fork comes out clean.

Note: if topping begins browning too quickly, just cover with tinfoil and continue baking.

Chocolate Banana Okara Cake 
This one’s for the people who have access to okra (soy pulp) or any nut or oat pulp. In Japan, Okra is sold at all supermarkets in the tofu isle.
2 ripe bananas
2 free-range eggs
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup soy milk
1/2 cup okara
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1 cup wholemeal flour
1/2 cup cacao powder
1/2 cup almond powder
1 tsp vanilla essence
1 tbsp natural peanut butter
1/4 cup walnut pieces
Topping:
1 banana, chocolate pieces (I used ViBERi chocolate-coated freeze-dried blackcurrants), silvered almonds and juice of half a lemon

Preheat oven to 180C

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together

Pour batter into a baking-paper lined cake tin

Top with banana, chocolate, almonds and lastly, a squeeze of lemon juice – this is to stop the banana from changing color.

Bake for 30-40 min or until the fork comes out clean.

Not Tokyo

Life in Ohara featuring a chocolate and banana danish from Nutty Plant, a healthy blackcurrant and cacao smoothie bowl recipe found HERE and a box full of paper cranes. Now, about the latter. Let me tell you, it is not a mere stereotype. EVERYONE in Japan knows how to make a paper crane. Today my Japanese co-worker gave the new first-graders 60 seconds to make a paper crane to use in introducing themselves and guess what? They did. Everyone did. Each and every student. It was so Japanese and so awesome.

I Only Exercise So I Can Eat More

God, I love weekends. Especially when they’re not winter! Yesterday was 25 degrees celsius so I biked 20km for local oranges and organic French bread. Oh and I ate a baked sweet potato on the way. These by the way, are amazing. Their season is almost over but in the winter, you’d find them sold everywhere. I don’t know the exact oven they’re cooked in  but whatever it is, it cooks the shit out of them and leaves them all soft and squishy and some places sell it (hot baked sweet potato) with ice-cream! Yum yum oishii.

PS the flying fish are for “Boy’s Day” whatever that means and the last picture is a Persian breakfast. You can read all about that HERE.

Hovering hearts and lanterns

Last night, there was an event in Nishiawakura (the village up from mine) to fly 300+ lanterns. Unfortunately, or fortunately (we never know the hidden wisdom behind such things) it started snowing so that part of the event was cancelled. Last weekend however, the one where I made home-made pizza with Akiko, Lifa and Oz, we also had a practise run for said event where the weather was perfect and the lanterns flew. Here are the adorable (if I can say so myself) pictorials:





And again…

This is not what I was expecting when I thought about moving to Japan..

And boy was I blown away. There is so much beauty to be found in Japanese countryside alongside cans of HOT coffee around every corner like literally, every corner. Fun fact: there are fewer people in NZ than there are vending machines in Japan #thirst.

Some other things:
1.If you’ve ever wondered why soy milk is white but edamame are green, it is because fresh edamame are white too (under the green shell)
And,
2.The Japanese dry persimmons (in the most interesting fashion by hanging bag fulls like wind chimes outside their homes) and these wrinkly beauties taste like no other. Dry on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside; it’s time everyone started doing this. SO yum! You HAVE to try them.

What’s in season: chestnuts, persimmons and DEER

Currently in Japanese countryside, chestnuts and persimmons have taken over/are in season. Oh and deer! The other night, I spotted 5, YES FIVE deer on my drive home which for me, coming from a city where nothing but cats, dogs and university students in jandals roamed the streets, was; absolutely surreal and by surreal I mean, I screamed. Loud. Thank God it was night-time without a single soul in sight and I was completely alone in my fragile bentobox Japanese K-car…!!  Also, I found some antlers in my backyard (as you do) and am now using them as a jewellery stand on my dresser.
Hashtag rurallife. Anyways, back to the edibles.

Now, there are SO many persimmons and chestnuts around that they have literally conquered the sidewalk (not that there ever was a side-walk – Japan has the world’s narrowest roads – don’t quote me on that but I’m sure it’s true). I cannot bike/walk half a meter without spotting one. Persimmons, I have always loved but after some recent study on the fruit, it turns out they’re rather high in calories so, I am cutting back (insert pout) but chestnuts, Chestnuts! Id never tried chestnuts before coming to Japan. Also, I had no idea some nuts had to be boiled before they could be consumed? Did you? Or am I just dumb? I guess I assumed all nuts were like walnuts (came off a tree and able to be eaten raw). Turns out peanuts grow underground? What? Here’s an idea, why don’t schools teach this stuff in place of algebra?

So my lovely neighbour boiled some chestnuts for about 50 min, halved them with a knife and we ate them using a teaspoon. To me, they taste like sweet potato! I can’t wait to cook/bake with them. Suggestions welcome…

hiruzen picture diary

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Hiruzen reminded me very much of NZ. HASHTAG homesick.