7.25.2011

OKARA soybean おから 卯の花

Hi, how are you everyone? I'm sorry I have not updated the blog for a long time! We are still alive and open the restaurant everyday except on Tuesdays!
皆様お元気でいらっしゃいますか?日本の夏は暑いようですね。コロンボは、雨がぱらつくようになり、少し涼しい気がします。
今日は、懐かしい日本のお惣菜の話です。

In Japan, we are tending to avoid to waste foods as much as possible as our resources and land are limited and we have winter season when we can not cultivate much.
And old lessons has been teaching us to keep being simple and respect natures.
Now modern people has never imagine though our ancestors had a difficult time when we had to think eating everyday.
Okara is one of symbol of the lesson. Okara is made from soybeans when Tofu - soybean curds are made. Okara is the rest of food which soy milk is squeezed. Normally, people may not eat and throw away but we eat it in Japan. It comes from the lesson but Buddhist' vegetarian food as well.
There are many varieties of Okara menu but today we made Okara and vegetable with vinegar dressing. It is one of my favorite and healthy and tasty food. Sometimes I add some vinegar fish when I drink with it.
By the way, Okara has another name U no Hana - Rabbit Flower as Okara is white and scattered like little white flowers.

おからを使った酢の物です。卯の花なんて、呼び方も粋ですね。
スリランカでも豆腐を作っているお店があって、
そこで、分けて頂いています。中国の人は召し上がらないようですが、
今のところ、他の国の方たちには召し上がって頂いているようです。
時々、しめた魚を合わせて酒の肴にしています。
本当だったら捨ててしまう所をこんなご馳走にしてしまうなんて、日本人って本当に偉大ですね!

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

久しぶりですね。
おからは私も好きです。売ってるいるのを買うと、なかなか美味しいものに当たらないので自分で作ることが多いですが。あれも買ってきたおからを、そのまま使うのでは無くて、水で晒して細いものだけを使うと上品に仕上がるんですが、結構、手間がかかります。
安くて美味しい物を食べるには時間と労力が必要ですね。

Sly pan said...

I eased my mind, finding this message on Cafe Japan site. Hot days continue in Japan while energy consumption is prevailing in not only Kanto and Tohoku areas but western part of Japan as well. Nadeshiko Japan is still on TV, and I believe they deserve it.

Cafe Japan 0777-263564 / 0777-263565 20/23, Fife Road, Colombo 5 said...

ぽむさん、お久しぶりです!なかなか細かい作業をされるんですね。美味しそうです。作るのに手間を惜しんだら、味が半減されますよね。確かに、おからは、しこみに時間がかかりますよね。でも、美味しいし、栄養もあるから、食べ続けます。日本でも、おからを分けてくれるところがありますか?

Cafe Japan 0777-263564 / 0777-263565 20/23, Fife Road, Colombo 5 said...

Hi Sly pan! Did you go to South Africa? How's work? I'm sorry to hear about Japan. I heard all companies and people are trying to save the energy consumption. Take care of yourself. Oh Nadeshiko Japan did well! Unfortunately, I could not see the game as it was held after midnight.

Sly pan said...

Yes, I did go to South Africa end of June. It's winter over there and so my breath turned to white smoke in the morning. Where are you going this summer ? No more Egypt, but UK or USA ?

Anonymous said...

残念ながら、東京では買うしか無いですね。
田舎の豆腐屋さんだったら、タダでくれるんでしょうが。

Cafe Japan 0777-263564 / 0777-263565 20/23, Fife Road, Colombo 5 said...

Sly pan, do you have any souvenirs from South Africa? We may have a week holidays in August but we can not go so far. I love Egypt. I would like to go there again. Of course, UK and US are nice destinations for holidays!

Cafe Japan 0777-263564 / 0777-263565 20/23, Fife Road, Colombo 5 said...

ぽむさん、豆腐屋さんの残っている下町なら、おからも購入できそうですね。スーパーでも、袋入りとかで、売っているのでしょうかね?