June 12, 2008

Maitake Miso Soup/マイタケの味噌汁

I keep buying a box of Momotaro tomatoes these days. This is the fourth box this season. Prices range from 980 to 1,280 per box of 20.
この頃、桃太郎トマトを箱で買っています。今シーズンはこれで4箱米目です。値段は1箱20個で980~1,280円。

This morning, I made maitake miso soup. This maitake is made by Yukiguni Maitake, headquartered in my city, Minami Uonuma.
今朝はマイタケの味噌汁を作りました。このマイタケは雪国まいたけが作ったものです。この会社の本社は私の住む南魚沼市にあります。

I use this instant dashi these days: Hon Dashi, made by Ajinomoto. More expensive than other brands, and aromatic.
この頃はこの出汁の素を使っています。味の素のほんだしです。他のブランドより高価で、香りがいいです。

Close-up:
クローズアップ写真:

I very often use used milk cartons, instead of a cooking board.
私はミルクの空きカートンをまな板の代わりに使うことがとても多いです。

I also made "iri tamago". I'm not sure how to call it in English. Iri comes from iru (roast).
いり卵も作りました。英語で何ていいかよく分かりません。いりとは煎るから来ています。

My recipe is simple:
4 L eggs
1 tsp instant dashi
20-30 ml water
1 tbsp soy sauce
Mix the ingredient together.
Put some oil in a pan, and pour beaten eggs in several parts, constantly stiring with a pair of cooking chopsticks.
Some recipes call for using more than one pair of cooking chopsticks. I use only one pair, and successfully turn the beaten eggs into small bits by pouring them in several parts.
私のレシピは簡単です:
L卵4つ
出汁の素小さじ1
水20-30 ml
醤油大さじ1
材料を混ぜ合わせます。
フライパンに油を敷き、卵を何回かに分けて入れます。菜箸で常にかき混ぜます。
菜箸を何膳か使うよう書いてあるレシピもありますが、私は一膳しか使いません。溶いた卵を数回に分けて入れることで、小さな粒にしています。

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What is the difference between the regular instant dashi and the hondashi? The iritamago might be just called scrambled eggs? Thats what it looks like to me :) Good for soboro? Or that tri colored bento? Right? :)

Hiroyuki said...

Hi, onigirifb, thanks for your comments!
Hondashi has changed! So says the package. It now uses three types of katsuo bushi. I find it more fragrant and aromatic. Resultant miso soup is no different from the one I make with much cheaper brands, though.
Scrambled eggs are softer and runny, right? Iri tamago has to be fried for an extended period of time to evaporate excess moisture, which is especially important if you want to put it in a bento box. Soboro, tri colored bento... You're right. I like them, especially with a lot of beni shoga!
I once tried to make comments to your blog, but I was unable to. If you have any specific questions about Japanese, why not try the "The interface between the two..." thread in the Japan Forum on eGullet?

Anonymous said...

You can't comment on MY blog now? How wierd? I had to click yes to having livejournal and blogger interface. You might try that if you want to comment next time. Thanks for any help with my blog. :)

Hrm... so iri tamago is really cooked to a hard pebble like stage? Beni shoga with soboro??? hrm... actually that sounds good. I made meat soboro a while back with some awesome beef and it was yummy!!! I love japanese food. Yesterday I had stir fried kabocha with eggs. Its a thai dish actually but I think Japan has a similiar dish? Basically you cut up kabocha and stir fry it with fish sauce or soy sauce a little oyster sauce and water. Add two beaten eggs when the kabocha has softened and serve. Might be a great adder to bentos. :)

Hiroyuki said...

OK, I will try again next time.

I'm not familair with the kabocha dish you described... I often simmer kabocha. Kabocha tempura is also popular.