Friday, June 3, 2011

Easy Japanese Vegan Lunch for Autumn







This is easy even if it looks complex. I made a stock using some dried shitake mushrooms, some seaweed (kombu strips, a softer type that can be eaten in salad) and some carrots. But (check this out) I cooked the veggies in three separate pots with just a little water, then I kept the veggies and kombu aside, I mixed the three 'broths' and added some white miso paste. This was my soup. The carrots were cut like flowers, and then arranged with some seaweed 'leaves'. I mixed the remaining carrots and kombu with the mushrooms and pass them quickly in a frying pan with a little soy sauce, lemon juice, and sesame seeds. No oil.



I used the same pan, but added a little sesame oil and a little vegetable oil, to quickly cook some broccolini and bok choy (both from my garden) and added more soy sauce and lemon juice. For the rest... the rice was just plain, to be served with umeboshi plums, plus I had some ready made Japanese pickles (takuan, pickled daikon) and some nori seaweed cut into strips.




Probably in Japan this would look more like a breakfast than a lunch, but not for me (just caffellatte for breakfast!). And dessert was persimmon, the soft type that you eat with a spoon.
All good for Autumn, or Winter.



Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©

22 comments:

  1. che varietà, che meraviglia!La tua tavola è sempre allegra ed invitante!

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  2. This looks amazing, i would loooove to sit down to that :)

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  3. Saretta sei sempre troppo gentile.

    Muppy, cheers :-)

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  4. This looks beautiful, Alessandra...! I love how you arranged everything :). I love Japanese foods and this looks like a very satisfying vegan lunch :D)!

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  5. wow!!!!!! fantastica questa tavola, molto di effetto, bellissimo ensamble di colori/sapori/profumi.....credo che te la copierò pari pari, da poco peraltro hanno aperto un negozio di cibo giapponese vicino a casa mia, gestito da giapponesi e dove i giapponesi vanno sempre a fare la spesa, di solito questo è indice di bontà dei prodotti. Proverò :)
    Barbara

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  6. I find it to be an amazing lunch. Your photos are worthy of a magazine. This looks very, very good. I hope you have a wonderful weekend. Blessings...Mary

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  7. WOW!! Amazing spread! May I join you the next time? :)

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  8. Alessandra ciao, fai delle cose meravigliose con le verdure, io le cucino molto ma forse in modo diverso e anche verdure diverse...baci

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  9. What a beautiful meal...and what a nice way to spend time with family!

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  10. Wow..looks awesome..beautiful arrangement..

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  11. @ Bibi, vengo a vedere dove abiti, quando sono in Italia cerco sempre negozi giapponesi perche' tutti mi chiedono di cucinare qualcosa di giapponese (soprattutto mio fratello, ma lui e' a Milano e quindi e' abbastanza facile trovare prodotti li').

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  12. It sounds delicious. And those carrot flowers with seaweed leaves - adorable. :)

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  13. amazing blog Alessandra. I am glad you visited mine. I am going to learn a lot from your blog :)

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  14. WOW love the spread, everything looks so delicious and beautifully arranged. Especially love the carrot flowers.

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  15. Buongiorno Alessandra,
    hai un blog STUPENDO, davvero! Complimenti di cuore, sono immediatamente diventata tua follower!
    Un abbraccio

    Francesca di DingerFood & Chiccherie

    http://singerfood.blogspot.com/

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  16. Bella questa tavola piena di cose nuove da assaggiare! Io di cucina giapponese non so nulla, tranne un pò di sushi... Però ho un bel libro con delle rivisitazioni del sushi dell'italianissimo Moreno Cedroni, lo conosci?...non ho ancora osato cimentarmi però.....

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  17. Dear Alessandra
    Got the information on Tomato sauce..It is not late ..1 PM in India and the dinner is at 10 PM. ( we eat late in India Generally as per European standard.). Thank you so much ,,,just gearing up, but will use blanched fresh Tomato. And also my friend who was in Roma, brought for me few slices of Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano. Will use it in Penne rigate dish..
    . I have some fresh anchovies, I will slightly steam them, douse with virgin olive oil, bit of chili,fresh basil, salt and origano...as a starter.
    I like this Japanese recipe but may not have all the ingredients here. I was scratching my head and thinking why you have posted an Autumn recipe now..and suddenly realized it is autumn at your place ha ha
    Have a great weekend and thank you once again for the help.

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  18. @ Franci e Vale, mi dispiace ma non conosco quel libro, ho diversi libri di cucina giapponese, quasi tutti scritti da giapponesi, un paio da americano che vivono in Giappone. Mi piacerebbe farne uno un giorno, vedro' :-).

    Ushnish, I am happy that you got the recipe on time, I hope that your Italian dinner will be a success!

    Ciao
    Alessandra

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  19. questo blog mi piace ogni giorno di più! Da un po sono appassionata della cultura giapponese, studio lingue orientali a roma, ho una zia giapponese...insomma mi sto addentrando in questa magnifica avventura e ovviamente anche l'arte culinaria nipponica mi affascina molto. Blog davvero splendido :)

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  20. Sono con te, anch'io sono un'appassionata di cultura giapponese :-)

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  21. Yummmm my sweet friend...happy weekend. xoxo

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  22. What a lovely table Ale, been missing out here!

    XXXXX
    Jo

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