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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Japanese Vegan Dinner part 3: the side vegetables







These were the side vegetable dishes of my Vegan Japanese dinner. For those of you who missed some 'episodes', the antipasto was raw avocado sashimi, and the main Fried tofu puffs simmered in vegetable broth. I wanted to have a cooked and warm side vegetable dish, and a raw one. Of course variety, colour and difference in texture were as important as taste. For the warm vegetables I used broccoli and cauliflowers with a very easy miso sauce:

Broccoli and cauliflowers with easy miso sauce

A few broccoli and cauliflower florets
Hot vegetable stock (I used the broth strained from cooking the Fried tofu puffs simmered in vegetable stock - recycling is everything in Japanese Vegetarian Cuisine!)
Miso paste

Steam the broccoli and cauliflowers for a few minutes (they should be cooked but not mushy, nor too crunchy). In a small ball thin down about a tbsp of miso paste with some hot vegetable broth to make a thin paste. Arrange the broccoli and cauliflower florets in pretty serving bowls or small plates and drizzle just a little miso dressing on each dish. Don't overdress, as miso is quite salty, but leave some miso sauce in a side bowl for diners to help themselves if you like, or use the remaining miso sauce to make miso soup (this will be the last course, recipe coming soon).

For the raw vegetable dish I wanted crunchy Japanese pickles. I had some Takuan (bought) and I made the cucumber and radish pickles myself, as it is very easy!! I am growing radishes in pots, but "something" is nibbling at them! Never mind, I go around with the knife and save as much as I can! I also use the young tender leaves, they are lovely.

Quick Japanese Cucumber and Radish Pickles

1 cucumber (possibly the short Japanese type)
A few young radishes, with leaves
Salt (best to use unrefined salt)

Wash the cucumber and cut the into slices, and then into quarters. Clean the radishes well and then cut them into halves or quarters (depending on size). Leave the young leaves whole but trim excess stalk.
Place the radishes, leaves and cucumber pieces into a bowl and add 1 tsp of salt. Cover with with something heavy to press the vegetables down (for example fit another bowl on top and then put a heavy rock on top). Leave for a few hours (preferably overnight). Before serving rinse off all the salted water, squeeze lightly and drain well. Arrange the pickles on a small side plate. 













 Photos and Recipes by Alessandra Zecchini ©


22 comments:

  1. Alessandra this look perfect and delicious!!
    Yours pics are awesome!

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  2. Yum, I hadn't thought to make pickles out of radish. This looks delicious!

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    1. Also too easy, no cook "one day pickles" and with only salt as an ingredient :-)

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  3. Ribadisco, la delicatezza e la raffinatezza di questi piattini...esprimono il massimo rispetto e riverenza verso Madre Natura!
    Un bacione Ale :)

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  4. Lovely! Love the presentation! Your radishes in the pot looks so cute!
    I love both cauliflower and broccoli, so this would be perfect for me!

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  5. Preparazioni semplici ma davvero perfette per un menù vegetariano, ma il ravanello giapponese è diverso da quello che si trova qui? Ciaooo

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  6. No Ely, ho usato il ravanello normalissimo, vengono dal mio giardino e li raccolgo piccolini (sono piu' buoni, e anche prima che ci arrivino le lumache). Quello giallo invece e' il 'ravanello' gigante bianco (si compra gia' preparato, e colorato di giallo, nei negozi giapponesi) quindi un altro tipo. Si chiama daikon.

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  7. Ahhh I love how you presented this side dish!! Pickles are delicious and really great break between dishes.

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  8. eccomi, scusami se sono passata poco ultimamente, ma al rientro delle mie ferie ho coperto l'assenza della collega, quindi ero incasinatissima (me lo concedi?).... d'ora in poi ti seguirò di più....promesso!!!

    baci a te e alla signorina!

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    Replies
    1. Guarda, sono stata incasinatissima anch'io, una montagna di lavoro e sempre meno tempo...quindi non ti scusare che mi scuso io!

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  9. pickles, pickles, pickles! I like pickles! Those are very nice photos of pickles!

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  10. Carissima Alessandra, com'è andato il raduno blogger in NZ? Ci racconti qualcosa? Sono molto curiosa e mi piacerebbe davvero partecipare ad un incontro di amiche blogger. Ti mando un grande bacione, Pat

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    1. Ciao Patty Pat. Sono curiosa anch'io, tanto!!!! Dicci Alessandra...baci

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    2. Ragazze, la conferenza dei food bloggers è stata fantastica, pranzi e cene (gratis) tantissime lezioni di cucina, degustazioni, oratori e regali... due giorni e mezzo pienissimi per me (che ero anche uno dei tutori) ma la cosa più sorprendente è stato il fatto che moltissime aziende e editori ci guardano con meno sospetto adesso,. Comunque, potete vedere tutto quello che ho fatto io (alcune classi erano in sincronia e bisognava scegliere quindi non ho fotografato tutto) andando qui:

      http://alessandrazecchini.blogspot.co.nz/2012/08/new-zealand-food-bloggers-conference.html

      Ciao
      A.

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    3. Grazie mille!!!! Vado subito
      Sabina

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  11. Cara Alessandra hai visto che sono volata da te? Ma tu hai un blog da urlo!!!! Complimenti. Foto stupende. Bellissime pubblicazioni. Credo che farò sosta molto spesso qui da te. Ti abbraccio
    Sabina

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  12. Ciao Alessandra, oggi è tornato il sole...non come in estate , ma è sempre sole! ;)
    Il gelato ci sta, ma anche in inverno io non disdegno!!

    Mi piacerebbe molto provare una cena vegana - vegetariana...faccio un salto da te??

    ciao loredana

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  13. I really like some Japanese pickles (although there are some that I don't like as much as the others). They look good!

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  14. Yes i like some more than others too, but I have fond memories of trying all different types of pickles in the Japanese shops and market (where free tasting are the norm) and I like the fact that every village seems to have different pickles
    :-). Also, I love the colours!

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