Enjoying life...

-Harvest moon-

Today is called 'Jyugoya' or 'Chusyu no meigetsu'. We do 'Otsukimi' for our tradition.
Jyugoya is full moon night. Chusyu no Meigetsu is mid-autumn moon or harvest moon. Otsukimi is looking at moon.
This time we look at harvest moon to feel the autumn. We decorate 'Otsukimi dango' (Rice dumplings) and 'Susuki' (Pampas grass) on day of the harvest moon.

The weather forecast said 'We might not see moon, due to the rain from this evening.'. Also at that time, there were some clouds around the moon. Moon was hid before and after I took this photo. I was a lucky to take a photo.

Otsukimi dango with moon...

I made some Otsukimi dango after came back from the work.

That was easy. Just put rice flour with some water then made into small ball. After that boil them. No adding sugar or any other ingrediens.

It's easy and healthy sweet. We usually put dips such as 'Kinako' (Soy beans powder), 'Mitarashi' (Sweet soy sauce) and 'Anko' (Red beans paste).

Tradition

Momo no sekku/Hinamatsuri (Peach festival/Girl's festival)

This festival for girls. When family has girl/girls we celebrate for them. We pray for girl/girls happiness and health.
Usually each girl has Hina ningyou (Hina dolls). Hina ningyou for protecting from bad luck. We decorate them in the house. There are several type which are different steps.
I have three steps ones. Those are so gorgeous. I wish I could decorate again, but I can't decorate all.. Even prince and princess.. Need lot of space... Sometimes in the future I wish I can show you here...


Chirashi zushi (Decorate sushi)

-Chirashi zushi- (Quick version)
Ingredients
Dried shitake mushroom 3
*Mirin, soy sauce and sugar- 1table spoon each
Rice- 4cups
Vinegar- 7table spoons
Sugar- 4table spoons
Salt- 2tea spoons
Egg- 1or2
**Mirin, milk, sugar and salt- little bit each
Shiso (Japanese Herb)- 3
Sesame- half cup (As you like)
Carrot- half piece
Smoked salmon
Katsuo (Bonito)
Sakura denbu (Cherry blossomed coloured, seasoned codfish powder)

Recipe
1. Day before the cooking put dried shiitake in pot with few water, *mirin, soy sauce and sugar then cooked little while and cool down. (Need to reconstitute.)
2. Cooked rice in rice cooker or pot. (This time, water is little bit less than when normal cook.)
3. While cooking rice, prepare other things. First of all, cooking Suhizu(Shishi vinegar)
4. Put vinegar, sugar and salt in container and mixed. Then put in microwave until sugar and salt are dissolved.
5. Put **Mirin, milk, sugar and salt in to egg and beat and baked thinly in the pan. Then cool down and cut into thin pieces and 3-4cm length.
6. Cut finely carrot and put in microwave few minutes to until soft.
7. Heat up shitake then cut into small dice.
8. When cooked rice, put out the rice in Hankiri (Wooden bowl), pour the Sushizu evenly. (If you don't have Hankiri, you can use normal bowl instead.)
9. Mixed well, but do not knead. Mixed like a cutting.
10. Put carrot, shiitake into the bowl and mixed.
11. Roasted sesame in the pan then put in the bowl and mixed.
12. Decorate on the rice with egg, sakura denbu, shiso, smoked salmon and katsuo.

Enjoy your meal!!

P.S. You can make normal sushi with Sushi meshi (Mixed rice with sushizu).

Plumpest...

~Jyuugoya (Full moon night)~

Today (03/10/2009) is Jyuugoya, so we are doing Otsukimi (Moon viewing). Otsukimi is traditional Japanese culture.
This is a day of viewing harvest moon. Usually pepole decorate Otsukimi dango (Round rice cake), Susuki (Japanese silver grass).



This is Otsukimi dango with some flowers. Actually special one. Nomally just rice cake, but this Otsukimi dango is my mum's made. Inside has sweet potapo's paste. One is normal sweet potato, the the other one is purple sweet potato.
On the back of the flower including Susuki, Black rice and Siso (Japanese basil).

This is havest moon. It was great night to looking up the sky.

I wish I have a good camera...

Thank God you're here...