I had the pleasure of meeting Michal and her coffee roaster husband Chris when they visited Kyoto recently. Being KyotoFoodie fans they kindly gave me a signed copy of her book. I flipped through the book a few times and knew that I liked it but didn’t have time to spend with it for a while. And then I made a few recipes.

Scent of the Monsoon Winds is all about cooking with spices and draws inspiration from the cuisines of the world; Asian, Indian, Middle Eastern, North African and of course European.

Scent of the Mansoon Winds Cover

I must say that I think I have become somewhat prejudiced against spices after my exposure to Kyoto cuisine. Recently while watching a clip from an English language culinary program on YouTube, and Indian woman said that without spice there is no Indian cuisine. I cringed at that. While some spice and flavorings are used in Kyoto cuisine, the purity, quality and freshness of the ingredients are the ideal.

I do love spicy food though. I grow my own habanero and jalapeno chili peppers in my little Kyoto garden, smoke them in my little Kyoto kitchen and have developed a layu-type spiced oil recipe made from my smoked habaneros.

Yet, Michal’s book consciously reacquainted me with the spice traditions and broadened my understanding and desire learn (and eat) more. Michal is an accomplished chef and her experience of running a specialty food stores in Auckland for some 15 years I assume contributes greatly to her knowledge of spices. Her Chinese grandfather was also quite a chef, she reports in the book her childhood memories of his meals. In addition to spice, the recipes themselves are often ones with history yet they seem original and spiced up with a unique charm, very much of our time.

Arab Orange Blossom and Sumac Pancakes Page

Many of the ingredients required for the recipes, especially the variety of spices are just not available here. So, I have only made 2 of the recipes so far. Lover’s Oxtail Stew, a Yemeni recipe spiced with caraway, which is said to encourage fidelity, was absolutely wonderful! Hot Mezze Hummus, a Turkish baked hummus dish was also absolutely wonderful! (A little secret, this KyotoFoodie is a fiend for both oxtail and hummus.)

I am intrigued beyond description with this recipe:

Arab Orange Blossom and Sumac Pancakes

“The plain version of these pancakes, known as ‘ataif’, harks back to medieval times for the purpose of breaking the Ramadan fast. For a variation, omit the syrup and serve with stewed fruit and some thick Greek-style yoghurt – prefect for a lazy weekend breakfast.”

And a few more:

Moorish Swimming Rabbit (rabbit is almond milk sauce)

Spicy Rolled Indian Omelettes (with date and lemon chutney, another recipe in the book)

Armenian Street Bread (a cross between pizza and flatbread)

Watermelon, Cumin Seed and Feta Salad

Chicken Livers with Szechwan Peppercorns and Pears (pears!)

Mum’s Most Wanted Pork Noodles

Date Marsala Buttermilk Cake

Red Cumin Mayonnaise

Chapters include; mid-week speed, portable feasts, Asian feasting, luxury Sundays, spiced nights, winter blues, baked treats, drink it in (drink recipes) and kingly condiments.

The book is a hardcover, smartly designed with beautiful and colorful, bright photographs. Each recipe on the page is laid-out simple and clean and is usually accompanied by a full-page photo of the dish.

The book contains a very convenient Weights and Measure page to help with metric vs English customary and a wonderful Spice Glossary to which Michal has concise explanation of spices of world, some of them this foodie hadn’t heard of!

The US publisher dummied down the title and blandly called The Spice Kitchen in my homeland. Oh well.

Links and Reference
Author: Michal Haines Official Website
Publisher: Scent of the Monsoon Winds – New Holland Publishers

Regular readers of KyotoFoodie may recall that I was given some delightful fruit vinegar bonbons last Valentine’s Day from Takashimaya. I don’t have a valentine this year so I bought my own. I was encouraged to skip Takashimaya’s Valentine’s Day chocolate exhibition and instead visit the other major Kyoto department store, just down the street: Daimaru.

Daimaru’s Chocolat Promenade certainly has a nice ring to it but I was a little underwhelmed by the exhibition overall, but there were a number interesting chocolates from abroad and from Japan. There were lots of green tea chocolates from Kyoto tea companies. (Kyoto is one of the two main tea producing regions in Japan.)

Nama Choco, literally ‘raw chocolate’, has been all the rage for some years in Japan now. Nama choco is ganache. If you are at all into sweets and chocolate, I highly recommend that you try some while in Japan. The maccha (powdered green tea) is probably the most novel, and the most popular with Japanese. I can’t think of a Western chocolate that can top nama choco. I decided to go for something a little un-Kyoto and exotic.

Isami Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache - Package

Isami Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache - Explanation

Have you heard of imo-jochu?
This is shochu 焼酎, the traditional distilled alcoholic beverage of Japan. It is most popular in southern Japan where it is too warm to make proper sake. Shochu is usually made from barley, rice or sweet potato. It can also be made from buckwheat soba, brown sugar and even chestnuts!

Sweet potato shochu is called imo-jochu in Japanese (imo means potato). It has a very distinctive fragrance and taste. People either love it or hate it. Most Japanese women can’t stand imo-jochu. I must admit, I didn’t like it for a long time. I like it now, especially on winter nights mixed with hot water.

I found an imo-jochu nama choco (ganache) from a distillery in Kyushu that intrigued me. While I had a nibble of the samples offered, I noticed they had one perfectly sliced in half. It was a soft ball of ganache filled with a fruity, transparent imo-jochu jelly. Imo-jochu is very fragrant and it suspected that it would set off the nama choco very nicely. So, that was my valentine’s day present this year!

Isami Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache

Isami Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache

How Did Imo-jochu Nama Choco Taste?
Overall it tasted quite good but I don’t think that it was quite ‘on concept’. Imo-jochu is by nature, not delicate, it packs an aromatic punch, in addition to the alcohol punch of 25% alcohol. However, this lacked any punch.

The nama choco was wonderful, it had all that fragrant chocolaty, creamy goodness of ganache but the filling was a little disappointing. Its not that it didn’t taste good, it did. It was quite sweet and fruity but it just didn’t taste much of imo-jochu. If I am going to eat a imo-jochu flavored chocolate, I insist that is not just taste good but also taste like imo-jochu! It should have some alcohol zing to it too. I want to taste what I am eating.

It occurs to me that while in development it was decided to tone down the distinctive imo-jochu taste which many people, especially women take offense to. I think there is no danger in making a high-powered imo-jochu taste as this nama choco will most likely be purchased for men, and for men that really like imo-jochu. I highly doubt that someone who doesn’t care for imo-jochu is going to get this as a gift. So, imo it up!

Isami Imo Jochu Nama Choco Ganache - Shochu Jelly Filling

Kyoto Daimaru’s Valentine Chocolat Promenade 2010
Here are a few snapshots of ‘Chocolat Promenade’ which was held from January 27th to February 14, 2010. One hundred and twelve vendors from both Japan and overseas participated. Most of the major European chocolatiers were represented.

Kyoto Daimaru Department Store Valentine Chocolat Promenade

Kyoto Daimaru Department Store Valentine Chocolat Promenade: Maccha Green Tea and Ganache

Kyoto Daimaru Department Store Valentine Chocolat Promenade: Kyoto's New Love - Yuzu and Ganache

SHARE! Kyoto Support Topic: Department Stores in Kyoto: Takashimaya, Daimaru and Isetan
SHARE! Kyoto Support Forum: Shopping, Souvenirs and Kyoto Meibutsu

Tweet! Tweet! Find out what’s going on in Kyoto right now, follow me on Twitter.

Chef Okumura launched his French osechi 20 years ago. At that time people in Kyoto mainly had Japanese-style osechi but they were ready for something different and people were surprised but happy to try it. It is still a hit, every year hundreds of families celebrate the new year with Chef Okumura’s osechi.

Restaurant Okumura's Osechi Jubako Box

Restaurant Okumura's French Osechi

Restaurant Okumura's French Osechi - Box 1

Ichinojyu Top Box Contents (from top to bottom, left to right)
Ham and Cheese Quiche, Karasumi Salted Mullet Roe and Sauteed Chestnuts
Amadai Poele Steamed and Grilled Young Sea Bream
Potato, Cheese, Kyoto Vegetable and Truffle Galette

Marinated Scallops with Julienned Kintoki Ninjin Carrots
Homard Lobster Ratatouille
Beef Terrine (and Gold Leaf)

Kuro Mame Black Bean, Lotus Root with Katsuo Powder
Wagyu Beef Roast Teriyaki
Wagyu Beef Chili Con Carne

Restaurant Okumura's French Osechi - Box 2

Ninojyu Middle Box Contents (from top to bottom, left to right)
Aomi Daikon, Dill and Vinegared Lotus Root Wrapped in Smoked Salmon
Matsutake, Kinusaya Peapods and Kuruma Ebi Shrimp Vinaigrette
Caviar

Vinegared Flounder Sashimi and Kabura Turnip Roll
Lobster and Plum Blossom Shaped Kintoki Ninjin Carrot and Nagaimo
Flounder Galantine

Ikura in Yuzu (Japanese citrus fruit)
Foie Gras and Truffle Terrine in Kabosu (Japanese citrus fruit)
Kazunoko, Simmer Ayu and Komochi Kombu

Restaurant Okumura's French Osechi - Box 3

Sannojyu Bottom Box Contents (from top to bottom, left to right)
Marinated Sea Bream Sashimi, Wine Steamed Abalone, Kiku Kabura Pickled Turnip, Daitokiji Natto on Pine Needle and Hajikami

Marinated Sangoshi (Young Spanish Mackerel) Sashimi,
Ryuhi Maki (Kombu Wrapped Flounder) Chrysanthemum Petals

Yuzu Sauce Marinated Managatsuo (Japanese Butterfish) Grilled, Grilled Salmon Misozuke, Yellowtail Buri Teriyaki

Iimushi Sake Streamed Mochi Rice with Kabura and Kintoki Ninjin Carrot, Boiled Crab Legs

Restaurant Okumura Staff Packing Osechi Boxes

The Osechi Rush
After our second interview on December 30th, I snapped this great photo of friendly and personable Chef Okumura. I asked him he wanted to put on his chef hat and pose but he said no thanks, as is is best. He looks tired because he just finished making more than 300 boxes of osechi!

Osechi is usually made on the 29th and 30th, and shipped by ‘cool’ delivery on the evening of the 30th to arrive anywhere in the country on the 31st. All the work has to be done in the space of about 48 hours, max. So, usually there is no sleep for chefs and kitchen staff making osechi.

Chef Shinzo Okumura - A really nice guy!

We have a few more articles coming about Chef Okumura and his French kaiseki restaurants in Kyoto. Stay tuned.

For this unusual wagashi just two ingredients; sugar and egg yolk, and some ancient Portuguese technique are needed to make Keiran Somen, literally ‘chicken egg angel hair noodles’.

Barbarian Confection: Fios de Ovos

Tsuruya is a Kyoto wagashi shinise that has a new shop in the Nishiki Market called Tsurujuan. I had heard about this confection from Miwa but I had never seen it. The moment I laid eyes on it I reached for my wallet.

The inventiveness of wagashi never ceases to amaze, keiran somen, like kasutera and kompeito, is one of those ‘not quite’ Japanese confections that is inspired by fios de ovos, or ‘angel hair’ that made its way to Japan in the 1600′s from Portugal. The ingredient list is short; just sugar and egg yolk. The taste and texture is out of this world rich and luxurious!

Keiran Somen – Package

Keiran Somen – Package Unwrapped

Keiran Somen

Keiran somen is based on the Portuguese dish fios de ovos or ‘angel hair’.

How to Make: A Pound of Sugar, A Pound of Egg Yolk

A few years ago I learned why pound cake is called pound cake; a pound of butter, a pound of sugar, a pound of flour. Very simple, very rich. When I first tasted Tsuruya’s keiran somen, the first thing that came to mind was, a pound of sugar, a pound of egg yolk.

Kyoto Tsuruya won’t say how they make their keiran somen, however they do say that it is made the ‘traditional way’. There are a small number of wagashi companies in Japan that make keiran somen. Rock sugar is melted over heat in a pan and into this well stirred egg yolk is poured from a container with multiple narrow spouts. The cooked threads of egg yolk are gathered up into a loop, just like yarn. It is then twisted tight and cut into bite sized pieces.

Keiran Somen

Keiran Somen

Keiran Somen Pulled Apart

Gently untwisting will separate the ‘noodles’.

Keiran Somen – detail

Ingredient List: Sugar and Egg

(From the second line) 砂糖 sugar, 鶏卵 chicken egg

In Kyoto and looking for a quick and cheap (by Kyoto standards) bite to eat that isn’t Japanese or looking for a veggie meal?

Falafel Garden, is good, though not gourmet, not the kind of Middle Eastern food you could probably find back home.

Falafel Garden is located just to the east of Demachiyanagi Station. If you are on the way to or from Kurama or Kibune, or you just want a break from Japanese food, Falafel Garden is great.

Owned and operated by an Israeli ex-pat and staffed by Japanese, Falafel Garden has a good (and basic) selection of falafel and some nice fruit and yogurt based shakes.

Near Kyoto University, Falafel Garden is popular with students and foreign residents. The atmosphere is casual.

Most all the dishes are veg.

Falafel and Banana Shake

Falafel Garden, 出町柳、京都

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