I think I'm not the only one, when it's hot I want to eat a lot of vegetables...raw vegetables! So here's tonight's menu:
Colorful bell pepper marinate salad
Mizuna Ohitashi (boiled mizuna)
Pork in tomato sauce
Leftover soup (Tonjiru) with udon noodles
Here's the recipes of the day:
Colorful bell pepper marinate salad
Orange bell pepper---1/2
Green bell pepper---1/2
Yellow bell pepper---1/2
Persian cucumber---1
Tomato---1
*Sushi vinegar---1/4 cup
*Olive Oil---1.5 tbs
*Shiso leaves (or basil)---3 to 4 chopped
1) Cut all the veggies in bite size.
2) Make the dressing by mixing all the *ingredients in a big Ziploc bag.
3) Put veggies in the Ziploc bag and shake several times. Then set in the fridge for about 30min...or more, if you have time.
Mizuna Ohitashi
Ohitashi...sounds kind of cool, doesn't it? But it means just boiled green leafy vegetables in Japanese cuisine. Spinach is commonly used, but I like Mizuna ohitashi the best. Komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) is really good too.
This is the way I make my Ohitashi.
Could be wrong or different from the 'real' style...but it's quick and easy.
Mizuna--- a bunch
Katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)--- a little
Soy sauce--- a drizzle
1) Cut Mizuna about 2 - 3 inch long.
2) Boil water in a small pot.
3) When the water comes to boil, put mizuna in the pot, then turn of heat.
4) Mix in the water for 2 to 3 minutes, then drain the water with strainer.
5) set aside for 10min until all the water has drained.
6) Put Mizuna on the plate, put some katsuobushi on top, then drizzle soy sauce before eating.
Pork in tomato sauce
Pork tenderloin---1 log
*Marinara sauce---1 cup
*Minced garlic---1tsp
*Ketchup---1tbs
*Oyster sauce---1tbs
1) Cut pork in desirable size, then salt and pepper.
2) Spray oil in a large pan, then cook pork on a high heat until both sides get grill marks.
The key is to not fully cook the meat at this point.
3) Add the *sauce ingredients to the pot when the pork is halfway cooked.
4) Cover and cook until the meat is fully cooked.
I was trying not to cook too much food tonight, but I think I ended up cooking way too much again -sigh We still have some leftovers from last night too. oops.
But! I think I'm going to store a half of the pork I made tonight.
Make sure to put the date on too, so this baggie won't end up being in the back of freezer for years! :P
The reason why I am stocking up food is...
My kids and I are going back to Japan to visit my folks next month. yay!
I am slowly stocking up some home cooked meals in the freezer for my husband.
So he won't eat too much of takeouts while I'm gone.
My husband is awesome because he lets me go back to Japan every year.
Going to my parents place is like a vacation to me. I get to be a 'daughter' again. I left my parents' house when I was 15 and came to the States for school.
I would go back home every summer, but the rest of the year, I had to be independent and strong to survive in a foreign country. Well, not really a 'survive' since I was in a boarding school :p But, you know what I mean. Since my parents don't understand any English, I was the one who had to read all the paper works and letters that were send out to my parents from school. I was required to become an adult when I was only a Freshman in high school.
So when I get to go home to my parents, I get to be pampered!
Now that I have two kids, my mom who gets to be the first one to be awake for my children and I get to sleep in late in the morning! woo hoo!
I know this won't last forever, but I would like to go back to my parents as long as my parents are healthy and alive. Japan is, my country after all :)
Here's my husband's bento for tomorrow...
Used Takenoko rice I had stocked up in the freezer.
Picture of the day:
My very first gardening in my balcony, EVER!!!
Nothing ever lived before! I'm so excited. Now, I'm making sure that the soil are not too dry every day ;p
