Japanese Superfoods

Japanese Superfoods Ancient Japanese secrets simplified for staying healthy and slim, and looking younger for longer!

Yoshiko Takeuchi

contents • entrées • soups • main • dressings and seasonings • sweet things

(including ice cream with super foods)

Amazake..................................................................... 12 Azuki beans (aduki beans)......................................... 22 Daikon....................................................................... 30 Konnyaku (Konjac) ..................................................... 38 Kuzu (kudzu) .............................................................. 48 Matcha green tea....................................................... 58 Miso .......................................................................... 72 Natto.......................................................................... 82 Seaweeds................................................................... 92 Shiitake.......................................................................114 Tofu............................................................................ 124 Umeboshi .................................................................. 132 Wasabi........................................................................146

index acknowledgement about author about photographer about graphic designer references

a note about measurements 1 tea spoon = 5ml (1/8fl oz) 1 table spoon =20ml (2/3 fl oz) 1 cup = 250ml (9fl oz)

contents • 3

introduction Japanese Cuisine

one of the healthiest cuisines in the world We all know that Japanese life expectancy is said to be the longest of any country in the world. So it’s probably no surprise that more and more Japanese restaurants are opening all over the world, especially in the more developed countries. It is fabulous to see Japanese cuisine being widely recognised as a high quality and healthy food, especially with the United Nation’s cultural organisation Unesco adding traditional Japanese food to its Intangible Cultural Heritage list. At the same time, I have been frustrated because many people don’t realise that the meals that you are eating at most of these Japanese restaurants are actually not the same meals that have given Japanese food its intangible Cultural Heritage Status, and the Japanese people their ability to live so long while staying healthy and youthful.

Unhealthy Japanese meals without Japanese super foods are everywhere It is true that Japanese food is healthy, but quite often people eating a more westernised version of this food means they are eating a lot more oil and sugar, possibly without even knowing it. I am sometimes shocked to see that the bento box that my husband orders is filled with deep fried food. Also miso soup is supposed to be a natural medicine but I have been served many bowls of miso soup that are a long way from that, and even worse, can actually be harmful to our body. I have lots of opportunities to work with Japanese girls, quite often they have worked in Japanese restaurants and have been very disappointed in the levels of quality at these restaurants.I am not saying that all restaurants are this way. The issue is that so many places outside of Japan serve similar things, and not much of it is traditional Japanese cooking style using Japanese super foods, rather they are more like:sushi with lots of mayonnaise, deep fried foods, MSG added over cooked miso soup made with mass produced miso

with almost no vegetables, overly sweetened and greasy teriyaki chicken and then finish up with green tea ice cream. Well, these are not healthy, and Japanese people in japan don’t eat like this. What I really want you to know about and teach here are the Ancient Japanese super foods, the real key to Japanese health, slim bodies and youthful looks. These foods are not being served in your local Japanese restaurants, or if they are served, are only done so in tiny portions. What also happens quite often is that some of these ingredients might get used in meals quite often, but they are non-traditionally made and have chemicals like MSG added, so they are not really giving you the slimming, health or beauty benefits that you thought you were getting.

What you are going to learn in this book are:

Japanese secrets from ancient wisdom You will learn about the ancient Japanese secrets… foods that make us healthy, age well and stay slim! In this book, you will learn how to do it for real; you will learn about: • What are the ancient Japanese super foods • What’s in these Japanese super foods that produce their health/ weight loss and beauty benefits • How to buy “ REAL“ Japanese super foods • How to maximize Japanese super foods health benefits • Home remedies • Basic usages of ancient Japanese super foods • Super-easy basic recipes using Japanese super foods • Exciting and tasty dishes, of both Japanese style and fusion style, cooked using ancient super Japanese foods

It is now time to learn from ancient wisdom and incorporate real Japanese super foods to your daily meals! introduction • 5

amazake what’s amazake? Amazake is a traditional sweet, low or non-alcoholic (depending on the type) Japanese drink made from fermented rice, in Japanese it literally translates to “sweet sake”. Traditionally made amazake looks like sweet rice porridge or pudding and used as the base of delicious and nutritious drink that has been enjoyed in Japan for centuries. The Amazake-drinking culture dates from the late third century to early seventh century and is mentioned in the “Nihon Shoki”- the second oldest book of classical Japanese history

natural energy drink during samurai era for immediate and long lasting energy Most Japanese consider amazake a winter drink since temples and shrine offer or sell hot amazake during New Year praying periods. Hot amazake is also served 3rd March, for the girl’s festival. However, In the Edo era (think Samurai!) amazake was commonly drunk to recover from fatigue caused by summer heat. Amazake is summer kigo in Haiku, the Japanese poem. A kigo is a word or phrase in a haiku that indicates the season, which shows how popular amazake was in summer. Amazake was treated as an energy booster during the summer since it would give you an immediate jolt of energy. This is because its ingredients are broken down through fermentation into simple nutrients such as glucose. This is due to high amounts of various enzymes in amazake, therefore making these nutrients quicker and easier for the body to absorb. Amazake is also a slow and long lasting source of energy. The carbohydrates in brown rice amazake consist of up to 50% simple sugars, mainly maltose, and 50% complex carbohydrates. Maltose, being a disaccharide, takes up to one-and-a-half hours to be absorbed, and complex carbohydrates can take up to three hours to digest. Amazake is rich in B vitamins; the vitamin B group helps the body to convert macronutrients to energy. All of this combined supplies the body with fuel over an extended period of time, rather than a large dose all at once, which makes it amazake an excellent energy drink

japanese superfoods • amazake • 7

Sharpness Level

high

sharpest flavor

medium flavor

low

what’s in daikon?

daikon diagram

sweeter flavor

rich in vitamins like beta-carotine and minerals

even texture

softest, juiciest

tough, fiburous chop very finely before cooking

• stir-fry • stew • soup

• eat raw (veggie sticks) • salad • mild daikon oroshi (grated raw daikon) -eat as is or with pasta, soba or udon

• eat raw (need to “massage” with salt) • add to stir-fry or soup

- The daikon as a whole is abundant in vitamin C, but the root and the greens contain different nutrients as well. - The green leaves are rich in beta-carotene, potassium, calcium and iron. This part also provides some vitamin E. - The white root is well known for containing powerful digestive enzymes and isothiocyanate, which has great health benefits including cancer prevention. It also contains some calcium, potassium, iron, and vitamin B. - The skin of daikon has about double the amount of vitamin C than the flesh and contains the compound called rutin, a bioflavonoid with strong antioxidant properties which helps the body utilize vitamin C. Rutin is also great for strong blood vessel because of its ability to maintain capillary flexibility and strength.

Texture most fiburous Ideal for • sharp daikon oroshi (grated raw daikon) • as condiment • for frying

how to select + storage how to choose Select daikons that are heavy (firm), not wrinkled and slightly shiny with no spots or bruises with greens (leaves). Outside of Japan, most daikon’s green leaf is already trimmed, unfortunately. What I do in Australia is ask the vegetable shop staff for a daikon with leaves.

how to store Daikon should be used quickly or they will lose moisture, become flabby and dry out. Make sure to cut off the green part when you store otherwise green part will keep growing using water in root part. When storing, cut the leaves off and wrap it with damp newspapers then put in a plastic bag (best) or simply wrap with plastic then keep it in the fridge. Use soon after purchase for up to a week.

Rutin (only in daikon skin) Rutin, also known as vitamin P is a type of bioflavonoid with strong antioxidant properties. It is found in daikon skin, also in black tea, buckwheat bran, many citrus fruits and apple skin. The greatest benefits of rutin are in treating unsightly varicose veins in the legs and treating swollen varicose veins around the anus known as hemorrhoids due to rutin’s ability to maintain capillary flexibility and strength. There is also some strong scientific evidence to suggest that rutin can help prevent blood clots, by lowering cholesterol and blood pressure.

Vitamin C Daikon is rich in Vitamin C, especially in skin and flesh near skin. Vitamin C is important to many functions in the body. For example, it is involved in the production of collagen, which maintains healthy connective tissues, important for the support and structure of tissues and organs including the skin, bones and blood vessels. Vitamin C helps with wound healing, and consuming vitamin C increases iron absorption. Vitamin C is one of many antioxidants that may protect against damage caused by harmful molecules called free radicals, as well as toxic chemicals and pollutants.

Isothiocyanate is antioxidant compound called sulforaphane, a proven cancer fighter. Isothiocyantates fight cancer by reducing the poisonous effects of the carcinogens (chemical agents known to be cancer promoting), stimulating the release of carcinogen killers, and speeding up removal of carcinogens from the body. Research has shown that isothiocyanate has not only anti-cancer properties but also other healthful properties such as anti-inflammatory, anti-mutagen and anti-microbial. Please note that the isothiocyanate is only present when cells in daikon have been split by grating or processing. This is present for up to half an hour. japanese superfoods • daikon • 9

basic & tasty

recipes

konnyaku

s as hi m i

ingredients 1 sheet white konnyaku (250g/9oz), thinly sliced

Method 1. To achieve very thin and diagonal slices of konnyaku sashimi, put the konnyaku horizontally on the cutting board in front of you, position your knife at a nearly horizontal angle across the grain. Slice from left to right until you’ve sliced the entire sheet. 2. Once it’s sliced, boil with water for 5 minutes to remove the harsh taste or any unpleasant smell of konnyaku; or you can mix with 2 teaspoons of rice vinegar, gently message and then rinse with water.

maple & coconut

konnyaku

It’s a go to snack when you want something quick and sweet, perfect when you’re on a diet. All you need is three minutes. Method

ingredients Konnyaku Maple syrup Desiccated coconut

If you are using the Japanese konnyaku you need to cook for 2 minutes in boiling water, if not then you just need to rinse. Slice the konnyaku into strips then toss through desiccated coconut and coat with maple syrup.

japanese superfoods • konnyaku • 11

wasabi

what’s wasabi? Wasabi originated in Japan and is a plant of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, kale, daikon and horseradish. It is also known as Japanese horseradish. Rhizome of wasabi plant, which is subterranean stalk of is what we know as wasabi, which in commonly thought of as a root. It has a strong aromatic flavour with a definite bite and produces a tingling sensation in your nasal passages. Wasabi is an essential condiment and seasoning in Japanese cuisine especially for soba noodle and dishes with raw fish like sashimi and sushi. There are many products using wasabi such as dressings, wasabi mayonnaise, wasabi flavoured rice seasonings and snacks etc. Wasabi has been part of Japanese life for centuries. Cultivation of wasabi was noted in Japan as far back as the year of 685. In about 918, wasabi was referenced in the botanical medical dictionary “Honzo Wamyo”, which is still in use now. In the Edo period (1804 -1830) the Japanese began eating wasabi with raw fish and sushi like we still do today.

how wasabi grows The wasabi plant is quite delicate and grows in a certain environment, which means production areas are very limited. Moreover it takes a long time (about two to four years) to grow a large enough size to be harvested and so fresh wasabi is considered to be a precious spice. There are two varieties of wasabi • Sawa (mountain stream) wasabi: also known as Mizu (water) wasabi. It grows naturally in shallow pureflowing water and requires a cool stable temperature between 8 -18’C even in the middle of summer. Ideal places are on steep mountains or deep valleys with calm spring waters or calm clean streams. • Hatake (field) wasabi: also known as riku (land) wasabi. It grows on in fields in cool and humid mountain regions with limited sunlight. Field wasabi is less expensive because it easier to grow.

wasabi stalks, leaves and flowers all edible Entire parts of wasabi plant except of root are all edible. Rhizome of wasabi is the part referred to as “ wasabi” and grated and used as an accompaniment to sashimi and sushi. Stalks, heart-shaped leaves and white flowers of wasabi plant are also edible. “Wasabi zuke” which is mixture of the rhizome and stalks of wasabi marinade with sake lees ( a by-product of sake making) and sugar is quite popular in Japan. Stalks, leaves and flowers are typically marinaded or pickled in a soy sauce based mixture that are mostly enjoyed in wasabi producing areas. (photo credit: Shima Wasabi)

wasabi leaves (photo credit: Shima Wasabi)

wasabi leaves, stalks and rhizome (photo credit: Shima Wasabi)

japanese superfoods • wasabi • 13

• entrées • soups • main • dressings and seasonings • sweet things

(including ice cream with super foods)

how to make sushi