My very first attempt to make konnyaku ended in what you might call "failure". Personally, I don't like to use such a negative word. Like Edison said, "I have not failed...," I'd say that I have just found one way that won't work for me.
私の初のこんにゃく作りは、「失敗」とも言うようなものでした。でも私自身はそんなネガティブな言葉を使いたくなく、エジソンが「失敗したわけではない（失敗したことがない）」と言ったように、私も、ただ自分にはうまく行かなかったやり方を一つ見つけただけだと言いたいです。
The recipe I used was exactly the same as that I previously described, except that I didn't peel the konnyaku potato and I added 1% of sodium carbonate, not 2%. The konnyaku paste wouldn't become firm after I simmered it for 30 minutes.
By not peeling the konnyaku potato, you can make black konnyaku. Note that store-bought black konnyaku is made by adding hijiki and other seaweed to konnyaku powder.
使ったレシピは、先に説明したのとまったく同じですが、違う点は、こんにゃく芋の皮を剥かなかったことと、炭酸ナトリウムを2%ではなく1%使ったことです。こんにゃくのペーストは、30分煮た後も、硬くなりませんでした。
こんにゃく芋の皮を剥かないと、黒こんにゃくができます。市販の黒こんにゃくは、こんにゃく粉にひじきなどの海藻を入れて作っています。
これを、皮を剥いて、2%の炭酸ナトリウムで作ったのと比較して下さい。
今では、こんにゃくをちゃんと作る一つの方法を知っていると言えると思います。
6 comments:
I love konnyaku - what a fascinating insight into how to make it yourself! My husband also likes to eat it and so do my kids. When I was a child my mother cooked konnyaku very often, and I refused to eat it but now I love it. Happy new year! :)
Yangsze: Happy New Year!
I think talking about failures is as informative as talking about successes (laugh). I have already asked my father to give me more konnyaku potatoes next fall so I can make more attempts.
I am very impressed by your konnyaku making success. I had no idea how konnyaku was made until I read your post and (embarrassingly) thought konnyaku was made from something from the sea! I think your konnyaku looks perfectly delicious!
Molly:
Thanks for your comment. Most Japanese DO know that konnyaku is made from a konnyaku potato, but they don't know exactly how to do it.
I love konnyaku! It's so cool that you are making konnyaku! It's been a while, I've been busy with work and graduate school. But reading your log is like having a good conversation with an old friend you haven't seen in a while. Looking forward to more konnyaku attempts.
Do you often make your own pickles? I know you make nukazuke, but other types?
muskratbyte: I want to make more attempts, but I have to wait for the next konnyaku season! It takes several years for konnyaku corms to fully develop (3 years for this particular one). I hope my father gives me some big corms this fall.
I try NOT to make a lot of pickles because pickles (particularly Japanese pickles) are rather salty and bad for your health.
Post a Comment