October 16, 2008

Kyoto beauty ^__^


This is a pic of garden in Manshuin Temple that well known as a Tendai Temple located in Kyoto. This has a major garden in "Karesansui" style which has rock, sand and grass in a garden. Beautiful combination. I love to see from inside temple framing with Japanese Fusuma doors at both side like a painting.

For seeking something sweet, found a place to have a green tea with powdered arrowrootcake with toasted soybean flour. In this tea shop has a hand operated equipment to grind black soybeans in the center of each table and had with it.
For dinner, visited Ponto-cho where is in the middle of Kyoto city, and well known as Japanese style bar crushed. Enjoyed drinking with Kyoto style "Obanzai": daily dish.

Encountered a narrow street, walked down and found a fancy place. I expected to taste them light, but not. Looks simple, but realized tasted well with good quality and stuff.

Started with roasted duck, boiled fish and gingko nut.

Closing with steamed mashroom in teapot.
In Kyoto, it is also well known as 'No entrance for Ichigen-san', which means traditional Japanese(Kyoto) style bar&resraunt reject let-in for those who are new or visit one-time only. I've heard that kind of manner is getting decreased due to disadvantaged business these days. So I've never felt being shut down, however, I felt something to be treated as 'Ichigen-san' by paying $160 for this dinner...

October 06, 2008

Grilled eggplant bowl (^3^)v


Eggplant is one of fall harvest. There's a proverb in Japan, saying 'Don't let daughter-in-law eat autumn eggplant', which has two meaning. One is being said by nasty mother-in-law hide delicious eggplant from daughter-in-law, and another means eggplant makes one's body cool, causing bad impact on young lady.
**Ingredients: eggplant, garlic, salad oil, grind meat, soysauce, salt, leek, two cup of rice and starch.
Poke small holes in eggplant beforehand and grill well. Wash rice with cold water. Add two cup of water and turn heat untill boil. Change to small heat for few mins, cover it and steam well.

Put minced garlic with salad oil in a pan and turn heat. Once garlic smells, add grind meat and bake it well.

Take eggplant out and peel grilled outside skin. If it is too hot to touch, peel under running water. In the mean time, boil two cup water and make dashi soup with soup stock.

Add grilled eggplant into meat, soup and stir well. Season with a tbls of soysauce and salt to adjust. Mix starch with water and stir till thickened.

Put steamed white rice in a bowl, and sauce on it. Garnish with minced green leek on top.