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Cookies, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Furikake Animal Crackers

April 26, 2021

My friend Michelle’s mom, Tomoe, always has a treat for me when I stop by to deliver produce from our garden. Like me, she is always busy making goodies to give away. Pickled mango, takuan, and mango bread are just a few of the delightful treats she makes. On a recent visit, Tomoe gave me a container of furikake animal crackers. I shared them with my co-workers and they all raved about how tasty they were. So here’s another recipe from Tomoe, who by the way is in her 90’s and still having fun in the kitchen.

The original recipe calls for 2 pounds of animal crackers (Target sells giant tubs in the cookie aisle). I cut the recipe in half and used 1 pound of crackers and made my own version (lactose free).

There are many variations of furikake available. For this recipe, it’s best to use one that has simple ingredients such as sesame seeds and nori (seaweed).

These couldn’t be simpler to make. Prepare the sauce, mix it up with the crackers, sprinkle with furikake, toss and bake.

These crackers bake low and slow for about an hour. You will need to toss them every 15 minutes to ensure they crisp up evenly. I found that after the 1 hour baking time was up, some of the animal crackers were stuck together. Just split them apart with a thin spatula before you set them aside to cool.

Nicely glazed with bits of sesame seeds and nori on each cookie, these are a tasty treat.

Furikake Animal Crackers

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Adapted from Tomoe's recipe

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 1 pound

Ingredients

1 pound animal crackers
⅓ cup furikake
½ stick (2 ounces) vegan Buttery Sticks (or regular butter)
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
1 scant teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons light corn syrup
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons canola oil

Preparation

Heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a rimmed half sheet pan (jelly roll pan) with heavy duty foil.
Pile animal crackers on the foil lined baking sheet. Set aside.
Melt Buttery Stick in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Add sugar and salt and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat. Add corn syrup and oil. Whisk to combine. Pour syrup over animal crackers. Using disposable gloves, toss crackers with syrup until evenly coated. Sprinkle furikake over crackers and toss again. Bake for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes so the crackers bake evenly. Remove pan from oven to cool. If you notice any crackers stuck to one another, split them before they cool completely. The syrup will harden as the crackers cool. Store crackers in tightly sealed containers. I keep mine in the refrigerator.

Dinner, Italian, Lactose Free, Pasta, Recipes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Homemade Busiate Pasta

April 6, 2021

Busiate comes from Trapani, located on the west coast of Sicily. The name is derived from buso, a Mediterranean grass, the stem of which was used to shape this spiraled pasta. Today’s home cooks rely more on modern metal tools such as a ferretto. Not having a ferretto, I used a thin wire cut from a metal hanger. I have even used a thin, long, cake pop stick that worked fine. It produced a thicker spiral but both are acceptable.

Most recipes call for semolina flour, water and salt. I tried this but found I preferred to use 00 flour with semolina. I used a recipe from Thomas McNaughton’s Flour + Water Pasta cookbook. Thomas is the Executive Chef and co-owner of the highly regarded Flour + Water restaurant in San Francisco. The 00 flour and semolina along with warm water and kosher salt proved to be the perfect combination for a toothsome yet tender pasta.

If you have a friend or family member available to help, it will shorten the time it takes you to shape the pasta. This is especially true if you are making pasta for more than two servings. On a lazy Sunday afternoon, I found that rolling and twisting the pasta dough was quite relaxing.

The dough will be very dry. You can spritz it with a bit of water but not too much. Once you knead the dough (about 10 minutes) it will become smoother and easier to handle.

After kneading the dough, it is covered with plastic wrap and set aside to rest for 30 minutes.

I made the ropes about the thickness of a standard birthday candle. The pasta ropes can tighten up a bit so another quick roll before shaping is recommended.

Here I use a metal wire (from a hanger) to shape the pasta into spiral shapes.

The ropes are twisted on the wire to form a spiral shaped pasta. It may seem a bit tricky, but after a few attempts you will master the technique. Because it is handmade, each piece will not be exactly uniform as is commercial dried pasta. It’s rustic and that makes it so charming.

Have a sheet pan sprinkled with semolina ready to hold your shaped pasta. Once I was done shaping the pasta, I covered the pan loosely with plastic wrap for about 3 hours until I was ready to cook it.

My favorite way to serve the busiate is with any type of pesto. The pesto clings to the nooks and crannies of the spiral pasta making this an ultra delicious meal.

Homemade Busiate Pasta

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 4

Ingredients

180g (1 c) semolina flour
180g (1 c) 00 flour
178g salted warm water (3/4 cup made with 10g (1 tablespoon) kosher salt

Preparation

Special equipment: Metal wire for shaping the pasta
Whisk together the semolina and 00 flour in a medium bowl. Add salted water, stirring with a wooden spoon or stiff spatula to combine ingredients. Place dough onto a clean workspace and knead the dough until smooth, about 10 minutes. You may lightly spritz the dough with water if it seems too dry. Form dough into a ball and cover with plastic wrap to rest for 30 minutes.
Divide dough into 4 pieces. Working with one piece at a time (keep rest of dough covered with plastic wrap), divide each piece into 4 more pieces. Roll each piece into a long, thin rope, about 20-inches long. Cut the rope into four even pieces. Give each piece of rope a quick roll if it springs back a bit before shaping to ensure it measures about 5-inches. Using your thumb and index finger, gently pinch one end of the pasta rope around the top of the wire. Use your other hand to roll the wire on your work surface around the dough, to form a corkscrew shape (not too tight). Gently roll the wire back and forth a few times before sliding the pasta off the wire. If you find the dough sticks to the wire, lightly dust the wire with flour before proceeding with the next piece. Place shaped pasta on semolina dusted sheet pan. Continue until you have used up the dough. Cover the pasta loosely with plastic wrap until you are ready to cook it (I left mine out for 3 hours).
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add busiate and cook for about 4-5 minutes, until al dente. Drain and serve with your favorite sauce. Pesto is ideal.

Dinner, Fruit, Gardening, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

March 26, 2021

Now that it’s avocado season, we have been enjoying avocado sandwiches with cheddar, chunky guacamole, avocado toast, and avocado eggs Benedict. The Green Gold tree in our back yard is a heavy bearer and the avocados are incredibly tasty. So here we have a new addition to our ever expanding recipe file. The tart dressing and herby flavors compliment the rich, velvety avocado slices. This salad is a keeper.

The Green Gold avocado has to be one of the best varieties to grow in Hawaii (a cultivar developed by the University of Hawaii). The trees are heavy bearers and produce beautiful fruit that are rich and creamy and known for their high oil content. If you are thinking of planting an avocado tree I highly recommend seeking out the Green Gold.

The dressing is reminiscent of a chimichurri sauce. A good splash of red wine vinegar gives the right acidic touch to the herbs, jalapeño and garlic.

The addition of a jalapeño makes for a nice pop of heat. Since jalapeños vary in their level of spiciness, test the one you use and add more or less according to your taste. If you don’t have one, sprinkle in some red chili flakes. You could even use pickled jalapeños if you have those in your refrigerator.

My favorite way to serve this salad is with good, crusty grilled sourdough bread. Drizzle some of the dressing onto the grilled bread, or scoop some of the avocado salad onto the bread. Delicious.

Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

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Adapted from NYT Cooking

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 medium bunch cilantro
1 medium bunch Italian parsley
2 scallions, very finely chopped
1 medium garlic clove, finely grated or minced
1 small or ½ medium jalapeño, seeded and very finely chopped
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
2 medium avocados, peeled, pitted and sliced
2 teaspoons capers, drained
Maldon sea salt or other flaky salt
freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Reserve ½ cup of both whole cilantro leaves and parsley leaves. Finely chop the rest of the leaves and transfer to a medium bowl. Add scallions, garlic, jalapeños, salt and vinegar. Stir in oil. Taste and add more salt, vinegar or both if needed.
Scatter the reserved whole cilantro and parsley leaves over two serving plates. Fan the avocado slices over the top, and sprinkle lightly with salt to taste. Spoon herb dressing over the avocado slices, making sure to include the oil in the bowl (you may not use all of the dressing), and top with the capers. Sprinkle with Maldon sea salt and pepper. Serve with crusty grilled sourdough bread brushed with olive oil.

Dinner, Lactose Free, Recipes, Sauces, Tofu, Vegan, Vegetarian

Crispy Tofu with Homemade Barbecue Sauce

March 19, 2021

This is a very tasty tofu dish that can be made in an hour. The delicious sauce is quite versatile and can be used in multiple ways. It’s excellent with the crispy tofu but I’m sure it would be just as good with grilled chicken or pork chops if tofu is not your thing. However, it’s a must with this tofu. You will be pleasantly surprised at how yummy it is.

Serve the tofu over white or brown rice along with your favorite greens, and extra sauce on the side.

Use extra firm tofu so it holds its shape once the water is pressed out. Wildwood is my favorite brand. You can find it at Down to Earth here on Maui.

If you are looking for the very best way to press out the water from a tofu block, consider buying the TofuXpress. You will never regret it, especially if you bake tofu often. Pressing tofu with paper towels or a kitchen towel doesn’t hold a candle to this little gadget. I’ve had mine for over 10 years.

The tofu block is cut into 1/2-inch slices, then cut into short sticks.

A little bit of panko added to the cornstarch makes all the difference in giving the tofu a crispy exterior.

The barbecue sauce uses ingredients that are not difficult to find. Better yet, the sauce does not require any cooking.

Glorious homemade barbecue sauce with a twist. The sauce has Asian ingredients such as soy sauce, ginger and sesame oil, but it also has the more typical maple syrup, chili powder and tomato paste that you might find in an American style barbecue sauce. The combination turns out a sauce that’s seriously addicting.

Crispy Tofu with Homemade Barbecue Sauce

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Sauce adapted from MOB Kitchen recipe

Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2-3

Ingredients

14 ounce extra firm tofu, water pressed out
½ cup corn starch
¼ cup fine panko
1½ teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1 small garlic clove, grated or finely minced (about ¼ teaspoon or up to ½ teaspoon for garlic lovers)
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon mild chili powder
2 tablespoons soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce (Kikkoman recommended)
2 teaspoons sesame oil
roasted sesame seeds for serving

Preparation

Press water from tofu, preferably with tofu press if available.
Cut tofu into ½ -inch slices. Cut each slice crosswise to make two pieces, then lengthwise to make 4 pieces (about 28 pieces). Combine corn starch with panko in a pie plate or wide bowl and set aside.
For the sauce, in a medium bowl, combine ginger, garlic, tomato paste, maple syrup, chili powder, soy sauces and sesame oil. Whisk to combine, set aside.
Toss tofu pieces in cornstarch panko mixture pressing gently so the coating adheres to the tofu
Heat canola oil (enough to go up the sides of a pan about ¼-inch) in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Fry tofu until crispy, turning now and then, about 4 minutes or so. Adjust heat as needed so the tofu doesn't burn and is just golden brown. Remove tofu to a paper towel-lined plate.
To serve, place tofu over rice and spoon barbecue sauce over tofu. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top. Serve with your favorite greens (broccoli, bok choy, green beans) and extra barbecue sauce on the side.

Dinner, Korean, Lactose Free, Recipes, Tofu, Vegetarian, Veggies

Green Tea Noodle Salad

March 2, 2021

On my recent trip to Oahu I visited H Mart, a terrific Korean market in Kakaako. I had so much fun checking out all of the items on the shelves, slowly making my way down each aisle being careful not to miss anything. There are dozens of types of nori, instant noodle bowls, rice, snacks and more. They also have a nice selection of meat and produce. I always bring back some Chinese broccoli if they have it. This time I was able to squeeze a large package of fresh green tea noodles in my small cooler bag. When I returned to Maui I decided that I should create a dish that would feature these noodles in a refreshing salad.

These noodles are similar in shape to the fresh Sun Noodle udon I buy at Island Grocery (a good substitute for this dish).

I love the bright green colors in this salad which consists of cucumbers, edamame and lots of fresh cilantro. For a pop of color and crunch, I included sliced radishes that I cut as thin as possible and placed in an ice bath for 5 minutes to get them super crispy. Use whatever you have on hand, such as julienned carrots, lettuce, watercress and avocado.

Sriracha is a key ingredient in the dressing. We use our homemade sriracha but the “Rooster Sauce” works very well.

The dressing can be used on any cold noodle salad, drizzled over tofu, or as a dressing for a crispy iceberg salad.

Korean Green Tea Noodle Salad

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

8 ounces fresh green tea noodles (substitute fresh udon or your favorite noodles)
½ cup cooked edamame
½ Japanese cucumber, julienned
1 small radish, sliced thin and chilled in ice bath for 5 minutes
chopped cilantro
chopped green onions
sliced Fresno pepper (optional)
Dressing:
3 tablespoons rice vinegar (not seasoned)
1½ tablespoons sesame oil
1 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons light miso
1 teaspoon gochugaru
3 teaspoons sriracha (less or more depending on your preference)
2 teaspoons finely ground roasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Boil the noodles according to the package directions. Immediately transfer to a colander and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking. Set aside to drain.
Whisk all of the dressing ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined.
Divide noodles between two bowls. Drizzle some of the dressing over the noodles. Top noodles with vegetables, cilantro, green onions and Fresno pepper if using. Serve extra sauce on the side to drizzle over the vegetables.

Appetizers, Dinner, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian

Spinach Ohitashi

February 22, 2021

This is one of my favorite Japanese side dishes served with rice and cold tofu. It makes for a very quick and delicious lunch. It can be prepared well in advance and doesn’t need any attention until you drizzle the sauce over it. It is so refreshing and healthy.

Spinach shrinks drastically when blanched so you’ll need a pound of fresh spinach for two servings. Once blanched, the spinach goes into an ice bath to stop the cooking quickly.

Blanched spinach has a gorgeous bright green color to it. And with the sauce drizzled over and around the spinach it makes for a beautiful presentation.

I divided the spinach (squeezed dry) into four equal pieces and shaped them into short rolls, then sliced them into rounds before adding the sauce.

Ground roasted sesame seeds are one of my favorite additions to this dish. Not only does it give the spinach a delicious nutty flavor, it also adds contrast to the bright green rounds and golden sauce.

I opted to use instant dashi because of the small amount needed for the recipe. It is convenient and tastes great in this sauce.

A side of tofu with green onions, ginger and soy sauce (and rice) complete a healthy meal for any day of the year.

Spinach Ohitashi

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Author: Kiyo Miller

Serves: 2

Ingredients

1 pound fresh baby spinach leaves
½ cup dashi (I used instant dashi picture above. ½ cup warm water mixed with 1½ teaspoons dashi powder)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon mirin
roasted ground sesame seeds

Preparation

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Blanch the spinach just until wilted, about 30-40 seconds. Immediately drain and transfer spinach to an ice bath. Once thoroughly chilled, remove spinach to a colander to drain.
Meanwhile, combine dashi with soy sauce and mirin in a glass measuring cup (can be made in advance and kept refrigerated until ready to use). Set aside.
Divide spinach into four equal portions. Squeeze out as much water as possible from each portion and form into short rolls. Slice each roll into equal sized rounds (serrated knife works best). Place rounds of spinach on serving plate. Drizzle sauce over and around the spinach. Sprinkle tops with ground sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

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Furikake Animal Crackers

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Homemade Busiate Pasta

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Avocado Salad with Herbs & Capers

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Crispy Tofu with Homemade Barbecue Sauce

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Green Tea Noodle Salad

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Spinach Ohitashi

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