Cooking With Cast Iron Ware In addition to the health benefits, good-quality Japanese Cast Iron Ware will help to improve your cooking techniques due to its special features. Cast-Iron heats up slowly, holds the heat, and cooks evenly. For these reasons, Cast-Iron is indispensable for dry-roasting grains, seeds, nuts and flour as well as numerous other cooking styles.
Cast-Iron Tempura Pots or "Dutch Oven" shaped pots are best for deep-frying tempura, boiling pasta, or for making slow soups, sauces or baking casseroles.
Cast Iron Skillet/Fry Pan is ideal for long, slow sautéing of vegetables, such as kimpura and nishime-style dishes as well as for making delicious fried rice, noodles and croquettes or for baking cakes.
A Cast-Iron Wok has a unique, inverted round shape and is perfect to use for quick sautéing and stir-frying since it gives steadier, more even heat while cooking.
- Use the Tabs below to Select your Favorite Recipe...Bon appétit!
"Osechi" (New Year's) TempuraCast Iron used in making Tempura allows for much more control, and the oil does not evaporate as quickly as other metals. Tempura, one of the Osechi Foods served for New Year's, is a delicious, classic dish of lightly battered deep fried vegetables or seafood. Tempura has a distinctive style, makes beautiful shapes and is ideal for parties, feasts, or other special occasions. Tempura is traditionally served with a dipping sauce and a mound of freshly grated daikon. The daikon helps to cut the oil and make the oil more digestible. The Japanese are always so clever!
Cast Iron Tempura Set
Virgin Sesame Oil for deep-frying
Carrots, lotus root, burdock, onion rings, squash, cauliflower, broccoli, snow peas, string beans, Donko Shiitake, Shiso Leaves, Shrimp (optional)
DIPPING SAUCE (Per Person)
1 Tablespoon Mitoku Yaemon Tamari
1/2 Tablespoon Mitoku Kombu Powder
pinch of Mitoku Ginger Powder
1/2 teaspoon grated daikon
1 teaspoon Mitoku Mikawa Mirin
BATTER
1 cup Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1-2 Tablespoons Mitoku Kuzu
Pinch of Masu 100% Sea Water Salt
1 cup cold spring water
To make dipping sauce: Mix Kombu powder with 1/2 spring water to make a "dashi" (kombu broth), Mix with tamari and mirin and pinch of ginger.
Then, for the batter: First mix together all dry ingredients, then gradually add the water. The batter should be slightly lumpy. If too watery, add a little more flour, and if too dry, add a little more water. The more kuzu that is added the crispier and transparent the tempura will be. Batter should be kept cold and not sit for too long as it will start to thicken. Next, pour 2-3 inches of oil into your pot and heat to 345º After slicing the vegetables shiitake and shrimp, lightly coat with batter and then dust with a little dry flour, then dip them one by one into the hot oil. No more than 4 to 5 pieces at a time. After about 1 minute, turn them over and cook until golden brown. Drain on the side-rack and skim the oil to remove any particles in the oil. Serve while tempura is hot with dipping sauce in individual small bowls, and daikon on the side.
Skillet Blueberry Upside-Down Cake
Melt away your winter blues with this scrumptious warm blueberry upside-down cake!
TOPPING
1/3 cup safflower oil
1/4 cup honey
2 1/2 cup fresh organic blueberries
1 Tablespoon Mitoku Kuzu
BATTER
1 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour
3 teaspoons baking powder (alum-free)
1/4 cup safflower oil
1/3 cup maple syrup (grade B)
2 eggs
1/4 cup soymilk or water
For the topping: Wash and drain the blueberries. Mix together oil and honey in the bottom of a cast-iron skillet/fry pan. In a small bowl, add kuzu with a little cold water to reconstitute, then mix in the berries, then form a layer over the topping in the skillet.
For the batter: Sift the flour and baking powder. In another bowl, beat the oil, eggs, maple syrup and soymilk. Stir in the flour mixture, just beat enough to mix well, but do not overbeat! Pour the batter evenly over the bluebe rries. Bake in the skillet at 350ºF for 30-35 minutes. When done the cake should spring back and when poked with a toothpick, come back clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes, then loosen the edges with a knife. Turn the cake over onto a serving platter or serve right out of the skillet, cowboy-style! Enjoy!
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