Have you been to Tokyo in late August or early September? It is still crazy hot – high humidity and temperatures in the 90s! It cools down a little bit at night time, but you feel still “summer” and autumn seems far away. So here's one more dish to help cool you down.
Hiyajiru (cold soup) is fish-flavored cold miso soup, typically eaten over rice. It is a local dish from Miyazaki prefecture (on Kyushu, the southernmost of Japan's main islands). To beat the heat, the farmers started eating rice with miso and cold water, then added fish flavor from the sea and vegetables from the mountains to take advantage of their geography and get good nutrition efficiently.
INGREDIENTS
2 bowls of cooked rice (about 200g), room temperature
2 Tbs miso
400ml dashi stock
100g zucchini
¼ extra firm tofu (approx. 120g)
1 Tsp anchovy paste (The level of fishy flavor and saltiness may vary by brand.)
1 Tsp roasted sesame seeds
2 pieces of green shiso leaf
Yuzu Kosho (Green chili with Yuzu Citrus) to taste
Sesame oil (for toasting the miso)
DIRECTIONS
1. Make dashi stock, then cool down in the fridge as needed.
2. Rinse rice and cook it.
3. Slice zucchini, sprinkle with salt and mix gently. After 5 minutes, squeeze to drain the liquid.
4. Chop the shiso leaves.
5. Drain and wrap the tofu with a paper towel, then microwave for 2 min. and let it cool down (This process dries the tofu). Tear into pieces by hand.
6. Take a small piece of tin foil and lightly wipe with sesame oil.
7. Spread miso paste onto tin foil and toast it until the edge of the miso is becoming brown and crusty.
8. Put the toasted miso into the dashi stock and mix it until completely melted.
9. Put anchovy paste, zucchini, tofu and roasted sesame into (#8).
10. Put rice into the serving bowl, then add the soup mixture from (#9).
11. Sprinkle with the roasted sesame and cut shiso. Add yuzu kosho if you prefer a little spiciness.
MAKE IT A MEAL
Shio Koji Grilled Chicken Breast
When your appetite is low or you feel tired, it is a good idea to have something light and simple that will digest easier. If I was in Japan, I would probably choose seasonal sashimi like Katsuo (Bonito) or Horse Mackerel (Aji), but it is hopeless to find this kind of treasure in a local grocery in the US! So, my plan B is cooking chicken. Marinating it with shio koji (salted rice malt) tenderizes the meat and helps retain moisture. Enjoy eating with ponzu and a summer garnish like shiso, ginger or myoga ("Japanese ginger") to encourage your appetite.
Japanese Pickled Vegetables
Traditional Japanese pickles are fermented, which makes vegetable sour naturally. The sourness encourages your appetite in hot weather. Also, you can enjoy crunchy texture!