Here are a few recipes and images (many thanks to Ylva Champion for her photos) from the kitchen during the retreat. Huge thanks to all that helped with the food prep.
TOFU TERIYAKI (bit tricky as delicate, side for 4)
1 pack of tofu – carefully removed from packaging using scissors and wrap up with kitchen roll for 10mins to take off excess water. You can add a weight delicately to help this.
Cut into half longways then opposite way into rectangular shapes and carefully spread out on big plates or a dry chopping board, and cover lightly with corn starch over each bit.
Mix a sauce in a bowl: soy sauce 2 tbsp, sugar 1.5 tbsp, mirin 2 tbsp, sake 1 tbsp. Fry a little vegetable oil on high heat, add tofu, and the sauce to coat the tofu, simmer for a few mins until becoming golden.
Carefully put in bowl with sauce. Garnish with a few spring onions finely chopped and some mayo. Tip, you can other proteins (chicken is a typical meat for this sauce) instead of tofu.
ASAZUKE
Means Morning Pickles. Basically chop up a mix of 2 or 3 few veg bitesize like chinese leaf, carrots, cucumber, aubergine, and put in a sealable bag or a bowl with a good bit of salt. try 1 tbsp sea salt with a cucumber for instance. Squeeze mix for 5 mins, seal bag and set aside for a few hours or overnight in bag or with something heavy on top. Taste and if too salty wash off salt until the right saltiness.
Another option which is pretty tasty and quicker too (takes about 10-20 mins to pickle) is to add some dashi fish stock and a little soy sauce (shoyu) and sugar too and chopped chilli when you mix everything up with salt at the start. You can tell you haven’t used
enough salt if liquid doesn’t come out from the veg.
WHITE TURNIP (KABU) AND SWEET POTATO (SATSUMAIMO) MISONI (side for 4)
Kabu white turnip x 3, sweet potato x 1 large, chop wagiri (thick coins) and put in pot. Add soya milk 200ML, dashi stock 0.5 tsp with bit of water 50ML, so the veg is almost covered by the liquid.
Boil, then add miso 2 tbsp, simmer until veg soft and soup is reduced to half. Tip: you could also use other potatoes or radishes
