May in Kyoto


May is beautiful wheather in Japan.

People go out and enjoy walking in the nature.

You will see Tsutsuji is eveywhere.

The rose is also in season now.

The eggplant is one of the summer vegetables.
Tonight i bought a big round one(Maru nasu) at the market for dinner.

Age-dashi Nasu
This is popular home dish in summer.Served with soup,daikon and ginger.



Aji (horse mackerel) summer fish.

Cooked rice mixed with Aji & Shiso(herb).

Aji &Spinach salad with dashi soup

carrot salad for stock

～Healthy dinner menu～

　These menu are typical traditional meal





Sakura in Kyoto

April 10  Sunday

I took a walk around my house.

It was so beautiful day and Sakura blooming has been just in time.

A lot of people are sitting along the river and enjoying their bento box with

beautiful view. I love picnic!

The Kamo river

Kiyamachi street

Gion area

Takenoko(bamboo shoots) is famous spring vegetable in Kyoto.







Deep-fried tofu ball with bamboo shoots.


 

Japanese style rolled melet with spring vegetbales

Dashi soup with spring vegetables

Somen  noodles with cold spup.

Minced chicken rice flavored with sweet&soy&ginger .

This is popular bento menu.



It is still cold in March this year.I can not leave my winter hat or jacket yet



This whether is big influenced to the food market.

The harvest of bamboo  shoots in Kyoto are late.

I can't wait.

Sakura is blooming soon.There are so many good places to see Sakura in Kyoto.

It is short time.That's why it worths to see.

I look forward to walking along the sakura in the weekend sometimes.

I choosed sometimes chicken dishes in my cooking classes in March.

This is cooked chicken and Japanese local potato.

It  is sweet&soy flavor.People like it.

This is minced chicken&japanese yamaimo(sticky potato) patte.

This texture is so soft because of this popato.

Also I put some Shiso (japanese hearb) in it.



 



This is my favorite noodle,Somen&Clam&Nanohana soup.

This is popular combination in March.

Onigiri(rice ball) looks easy to make,but it need experience.

We put some ingredient in a ball like umeboshi(plum pickles)or grilled sarmon.



This is Hatakena (kyoto local green leaves vegetables).

It is popular to cook with deep fried tofu and dashi.

Dishes for Hinamatsuri Girl's Day



March 3rd is the day  is a traditional family celebration for the health and happiness

of young girls.We display of beautiful dolls set in the family home.

We invite my relatives and friends and celebrate togeter to eat homemade

dishes like sushi and soup using spring ingredients.

Especially popular ingredients for this occasion include tai(sea bream),ebi(shrimp)

and hamaguri(clam).

When i was a child, I used to play traditional girl game like otedama(beanbag juggling),

ohajiki(marbles),and ayatori(string fingers).

Mari-tsuki (ball bouncing) was also popular.

We would bounce a temari(a ball made of colorful silk threads) and sing beautiful,

rhythmical songs.

This sushi  is called Temari sushi ,which looks like hand sides traditional ball.

It is very popluar in spring.

Tai,ebi,salmon,and flat fish with vinegerd rice(sushi rice).

They are so cute!!

Clam soup with Nanohana (rape flower).
We see many wild Nanohana with yellow flower in everywhere in March.








I teach traditional dises  in my classes.
But sometimes i like to cook western-Japanese dishes like them
using japanese ingredients for my private dinner.



I put this Nanohan in creamed soup instead of brocories.

Spring cabbage salad with shiso herb and mayonaze.

Japanese style ,curry and rice.

For break first

Here are the season ingredients in early spring.

Hotaru ika with vinegar miso dressing.

Spring onion salad with steamed chicken and miso dressing.

Wakame is my favorite.It is good for salad.

This is dried wakame.

Dried wakame is good topping for rice.

Sawara  is beautiful spring fish.

This is grilled with Teriyaki sauce with sansho pepper.

Chawan mushi

This is steamed egg custard with spring vegetables.