Tempura is popular, and you see shrimp tempura, fish tempura, and vegetable tempura, etc. on the menu at many Japanese restaurants.
But you still don’t see this type of tempura much in the U.S.
You put together various vegetables (usually sliced/julienned), dip them into batter, and fry it.
It’s called “kakiage,” and it’s one of my favorites to add to my soba dish, either hot or cold.
This time to make the kakiage I used onion, carrot, and arugula.
So good.
I spotted homemade vegan steak meat in the freezer I had forgot about.
It was perfect for this wrap.
I cooked the sliced steak and flavored it with Mediterranean-inspired spices (cumin, paprika, cinnamon, black pepper).
Freshly baked pita bread, arugula, onion slices, tomato, the Mediterranean steak, and olive-cauliflower sauce.
Scrumptious!
I wish I could say it was success.
Well, it was yes in a way and no in another way.
It was supposed to be a different type of bread, but I made an error (liquid was too hot, which prevented the dough from rising).
I almost threw away the dough, but after doing some research on how to rescue dough that did not rise, I decided to try one of the ideas I found: making pita bread.
Let me tell you.
That was a brilliant idea.
This pita bread turned out great.
Actually this was the best pita bread I’ve ever made!
Muffins you see at shops, like CoxxCo, all have big domed tops.
They look good, but personally I like ones like these I just baked.
I love the soft and moist texture, and the crispy edge of the top is my favorite part.
This is another favorite way of mine to eat Koya-tofu katsu.
Rice, shredded cabbage, a few tomato slices, and crispy fried Koya-katsu.
This sauce is very popular in Japan.
I drizzle this sauce and homemade vegan mayo on top.
I love how these two taste together.
I know I made a Pullman loaf not long ago.
But we go through it quickly, and it was time to make another one.
I really need to get a larger pan.
I’m also experimenting with different types of fat and the baking temperature/time to find out the best combination.
My first attempt to make vegan and gluten-free cream puffs.
Not bad, but it could be improved.
*I had success on my second try! Take a look!
Here is my recent favorite, “Koya Katsu” again.
Koya-Katsu is panko-crusted deep-fried Koya-tofu (freeze-dried tofu).
The inspiration was this Maru buns I just baked.
I knew these soft buns would be perfect for sandwiches.
Lots of cabbage and a tomato slice at the bottom.
Crispy Koya Katsu.
Tartar sauce with pickled cauliflower and scallion.
Because of the flavor combination and the look, my husband asked me if I did anything special to make it taste like a fish sandwich.
You can see how small and adorable these are.
This breakfast plate makes me smile.
It’s got everything I need and want from breakfast: lots of veggies (cooked and raw), fruits, protein, and homemade bread.
The vibrant colors on the plate scream “healthy” don’t they?
The beautiful orange pieces in this salad is homemade pickled Kabocha.
It’s so crunchy and tasty.
If you like pickles, you should give it a try.
These skinny crescent rolls were perfect for this plate as well.
Delicious with my homemade vegan butter.
Just like avocado banana can be tricky in terms of when to buy and when to use.
When I want to eat or use banana, I usually don’t have any or the ones I have are not ripe.
Then when I buy some, they quickly become ripe and dark and I don’t have any ideas to use them!
So my new strategy is that I go get banana only when I need it and buy the one that is perfectly ripe for what I want to use it for.
It’s not easy, and sometimes I have to check two or three different grocery stores just to find the right one.
I love this rustic crust.
It was filled with custard cream and then decorated with banana slices and blueberries.
A little trick to this tart is spkinkling a little bit of Kosher salt on the cream.
The custard cream and banana both have mild sweetness, and the salt brings out the sweetness well.
