Ryuin "Yuuki" Ume Vinegar - The ume plums from Ryujin village are very special. Gathered in remote mountain orchards from trees that have never known chemicals, they have a wild quality and are exceptionally flavorful. Traditionally hand-pickled with Shiso leaves and sea salt, the tart red juice drawn from the kegs of pickled plums is prized as a gourmet vinegar. A convenient, zesty seasoning, Mitoku Ryujin Umeboshi Vinegar adds refreshing flavor and goodness to many foods. Use it to add extra liveliness to salad dressings, cooked vegetables, homemade quick pickles, tofu dips and spreads.
Mitoku Traditional Umeboshi Vinegar is a delicious, tart-salty seasoning drawn from kegs of traditional pickled Japanese plums (umeboshi), with shiso leaves added to impart their vivid red color. A versatile, zesty seasoning, Mitoku Traditional Umeboshi Vinegar adds refreshing flavor and goodness to many foods. Use it to liven up salad dressings, cooked vegetables (especially cabbage and cauliflower), tangy greens, corn-on-the cob, etc.
Mitoku Yuzu Vinegar is made by the famous Komatsu Yuzusui Company in very small batches using only the finest "yuuki" grown Yuzu, a rare Japanese citron juice. Wonderful as an addition to salad dressing, or used to make home-made ponzu or sudachi sauces. Also perfect in cooking Yudofu (simmered tofu), a satisfying cold weather dish or added to miso to make a refreshing yubeshi tasting miso. High in Vit. C.
Mitoku Ponzu Sauce is a harmonious blend of sweet, sour, and savory flavors that has long been a favorite Japanese table seasoning. It's most popular use is as a tangy dipping sauce for yudofu. Ponzu may also be mixed with a little toasted or hot & spicy sesame oil for a classic Asian dressing. Use it to add flavor to steamed greens, vegetable salads or other light noodles such as somen or bifun.
Mitoku Sweet Brown Rice Vinegar is a wonderfully refreshing seasoning carefully made in the traditional way using pure water and naturally cultured whole grain sweet brown rice. It is made in rural Wakayama, a province noted for its mild, temperate climate and abundance of pure, fresh water springs. Natural aging over six months mellows the flavor and bouquet of this unique vinegar. The result is a smooth, piquant, slightly sweet taste, with none of the harshness associated with commercial vinegar. Mitoku Sweet Brown Rice Vinegar provides a stimulating contrast of flavor that brings almost any food to life. Besides being a natural in salad dressings, pickling mixtures and marinades, it can also perk up fish and vegetable dishes, sushi rice, sauces, dips, spreads and entrees. Enjoy!
- Use the Tabs below to Select your Favorite Recipe...Bon appétit!
Cooking with Vinegar Plum vinegar, also known as Umeboshi vinegar or ume-su, contains many of the healing qualities and nutrients associated with pickled plums, and it is easy and convenient to use. Both pleasantly tart and salty, umeboshi vinegar is a versatile seasoning that is especially refreshing on hot afternoons. Use umeboshi vinegar to liven up salad dressings, homemade quick pickles, and tofu spreads. It adds a pleasantly pungent flavor to cooked leafy greens (especially cabbage), cauliflower, broccoli, and green beans. Steam, boil, or sauté vegetables until tender but still colorful. Drain if necessary, place in a serving bowl, and toss with umeboshi vinegar to taste. When substituting umeboshi vinegar for other types of vinegar, substantially reduce the amount used, or eliminate the salt in the recipe. The following recipes will help you become familiar with umeboshi and umeboshi vinegar and will soon have you discovering new ways to use these delicious and healthful seasonings.
Japanese Cole Slaw Serves 4
This salad goes well with almost any natural foods entrée. Toasted sunflower seeds add concentrated nutrition and extra flavor.
1/2 small head cabbage
1/2 teaspoon Masu 100% Sea Water Salt
1 large carrot, finely grated (peel if not organic)
1/3 cup vegan or natural mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Mitoku Traditional Umeboshi Vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Mitoku Kyushu Brown Rice Vinegar or lemon juice
1 teaspoon Mitoku Natural Rice Malt
1/4 cup organic sunflower seeds
Cut the cabbage half in half again lengthwise. Remove tough core and reserve for another use. Slice cabbage crosswise, as thinly as possible. Rinse cabbage and drain well (shake to remove excess water), then place in a large bowl. Add salt, toss well, and knead (squeeze handfuls to help soften fibers). Set aside at least 20 minutes, then squeeze out excess water. Add carrot to cabbage and toss until evenly mixed. Make dressing by combining mayonnaise, umeboshi vinegar, brown rice vinegar or lemon juice, and rice syrup. Add dressing to vegetables and toss well.
Toast sunflower seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat, stirring constantly until golden and fragrant. Transfer to a small bowl. If time permits, chill cole slaw slightly in the refrigerator. Top with a sprinkling of seeds. Serve remaining seeds on the side to be added to individual servings, as desired.
Elegant Orange Couscous Makes 4 large servings
1 cup whole-wheat couscous
1/2 cup spring water
1 cup fresh, organic orange juice
1/4 cup light olive oil
4 1/2 teaspoons Mitoku Ryujin Ume Vinegar
1/4 teaspoon Masu 100% Sea Water Salt
6 dried apricots, thinly sliced (about 1/4 cup)
2 tablespoons dried currants
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
1/4 medium-sized red onion, finely diced (about 1/2 cup)
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
Meaure couscous and put in in a medium-sized bowl. In a pot, combine water, orange juice, oil, 4 teaspoons of the vinegar, and salt. Bring it all to a boil and add the dried fruit and ginger. Let simmer for about 1 minute. After a quick stir, pour this liquid mixture over the dry couscous. Stir just to eliminate any pockets of dry couscous. cover the concoction with a plate or plastic wrap to hold in the heat. The couscous will cook by itself in about 20 minutes.
In a smaller pot, bring about a cup of water to a boil and drop in the diced red onion. Let it boil for 20 seconds. Take the onion out with a slotted spoon or mesh strainer and put aside.
Add 1/2 teaspoon (the balance) of the umeboshi vinegar to the onion and mix to bring out its red color. When the couscous is cooked, fluff it with a fork, and then add the onion and pine nuts. Serve.
Adapted from - Jessica Porter's Hip Chicks Guide to Macrobotics
Crispy Butterflied Shrimp With Orange-Yuzu Syrup
Serves 4
12 jumbo shrimp, peeled and cleaned, full butterfly, tail on
1 cup all-purpose flour, lightly seasoned with Masu 100% Sea Water Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 eggs, beaten
2 cups panko or other fine bread crumbs
2 tablespoons chives, chopped
1/2 cup Orange-Yuzu Syrup
2 cups Mitoku Dried Donko Shiitake caps, reconstituted
Juice of one lemon
Masu 100% Sea Water Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Grapeseed or canola oil for cooking
Flatten each shrimp by hand and lightly dredge in flour, followed by egg, and then panko. In a sauce pan coated lightly with 1/4-inch of oil over medium-high heat, add the shrimp and shallow fry each side until golden brown, about 2 minutes a side. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. In a large bowl, lightly toss the mesclun with the juice of one lemon and season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. On each of 4 plates, place a small mound of mesclun surrounded by 3 crispy shrimp. Generously drizzle with syrup. (See Next Recipe for: Orange-Yuzu Syrup).
Source: Ming Tsai Recipes
Orange-Yuzu Syrup Makes 3 pints
In a non-reactive sauce pan over low heat, add orange juice, lemon juice and mirin and reduce slowly by 70 percent. Transfer to a blender and on high speed add the yuzu, then drizzle in the oil. Season with salt and check for flavor. Transfer to a glass jar, and when cooled, seal with lid and store in fridge for up to two weeks. May be used over shrimp, fish or tofu.
3 pints freshly squeezed orange juice
1 pint freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 pint Mitoku Mikawa Mirin
3/4 pint Mitoku Yuzu Vinegar
1/2 to 3/4 pint olive or canola oil
Ishigaki Washed Sea Salt to taste
Source: Ming Tsai Recipes
Peanut Ginger Soba Noodles With Ponzu Shrimp Yield: 4
1 lb Mitoku Sakurai Soba Noodles
1/2 cup organic peanut butter
1 tsp Hot & Spicy Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Mitoku Toasted Sesame Oil
2 tbsp Mitoku Johsen Shoyu
1/2 tsp Mitoku Shiitake Dashi Broth
2 tbsp Sweet Rice Vinegar
1/4 cup raw sugar
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp grated ginger, peeled before grating
2 tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 lb. uncooked medium-size shrimp, shelled and de-veined.
2 tbsp Mitoku Yuzu-Ponzu Sauce
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
4 green onions, sliced finely
Bring 12 cups of salted water to a boil in a large pot. Cook noodles according to directions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of noodle water.
Place peanut butter, chili oil, sesame oil, soy sauce, fish sauce, rice vinegar, raw sugar, garlic, ginger, and 1/2 cup of noodle water into a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.
In a sauté pan over medium-high heat, add peanut oil and shrimp. Cook shrimp for approximately 1 minute per side, or until no longer translucent. Remove from heat and add ponzu sauce. Toss. Reserve.
In as large bowl, toss noodles with peanut ginger sauce. Serve in bowls and top with shrimp, cilantro, green onions, and peanuts.
Adapted from: The Surreal Gourmet
|
|
