Kenchinjiru

Kenchinjiru is a hearty vegetable soup that originates from the Buddhist monks of Kencho-ji temple in Kamakura. If you'd like to read a little more about the soup or the temple, check out this link.

I used the recipe from Makiko at Just Hungry, but tweaked it a bit here and there.
Apparently one of the main ingredients is burdock root, but I couldn't find any so I omitted that. I also left out the tofu crumble. To compensate I added some regular potatoes and lotus root. I also added a drizzle of sake to my bowl before serving the soup. I feel this gives it just a bit of extra punch :)

I have to say, those monks were awesome, cause this is a super yummie soup! It's perfect for cold winter day's when you need a little something to warm you inside and out. I especially love the sweet taste of the carrots and taro root (satoimo). It has a great contrast with the saltiness of the broth.

I also learned a new word today: umami. This meaning something similar to "a pleasant savory taste" or a general way of describing "delicious food". Let me tell you this kenchinjiru is full of umami! So make sure you try it this winter.

Ingredients:
1200 ml vegetarian dashi
1 medium daikon
2 medium carrots
3 small taro roots (satoimo)
3 small potatoes
some frozen lotus root slices
4 medium dried shitakes (you can re-use the ones you used to make the vegetarian dashi)
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake

Instructions:
Peel all vegetables and cut in bite size pieces.

Heat the sesame oil in a large pot and sir fry the vegetables for 4-5 minutes.

Add the vegetarian dashi so all the vegetables are submerged. Add the salt and leave to simmer for 15-20 minutes. Top with some more dashi or water if necessary. Once all vegetables are tender add 1 tbsp soy sauce.

You can add all the soy sauce to the soup if you want, but I prefer to add 1/2 a tsp or so with some sake to my serving bowl and then pour the soup on top. This way all the vegetables retain their hearty flavor and everyone can season the soup to their own taste. Don't add the sake directly to the pot cause it will just evaporate.

Now dig in!

P.S. This was also my first time making vegetarian dashi as well. And I was amazed it was so easy!
You just leave your kombu and shitake to soak and simmer and tadaa your veggie dashi is ready.

Totoro amigurumi doll

I made this super cute Totoro with the help of  Heavens Hell Cat free pattern!
Yes, it really is FREE and has been online for years.

This was one of my first amigurumi projects and it turned out really well considering my lack of experience at the time. That's an other thing I love about amigurumi, you don't have to be super skilled to make something awesome.
A few tips:
* Mind your yarn tension. Like always! You need the same tension everywhere, especially on the torso, or your piece will be wobbly.
* When joining parts, try to go for a seamless join. It's not always possible, but here's a great tutorial to show you how.
* Do make Totoro's little white friend or he will be sooooo lonely. Golden Jellybean has these cool video's that could help you with the tricky bits.

Thank you Lucy for being such a good sport and sharing your love for Totoro with us!

Addis Abeba

If only I could say that I took a plane to sunny Ethiopia... but no I took the tram to Addis Abeba Ethiopian restaurant in Amsterdam to have diner with my mom :)

We had some Ethiopian bread with spinach and cheese to start. It didn't look like it would be tasty, but it really really was. The cheese was soft and homemade and the spinach was really nicely flavored (sorry no pictures).

We then had a 50/50 serving of injera with meat and vegetables and just vegetarian toppings. To complement it all I had an ice cold mango beer served in a calebash to add an exotic touch to it.

It was delish as always! I especially liked the spicy red lentils. And the simmered pumpkin was very tasty as well. It was cooked perfectly with just a bit of bite to it.

The restaurant offers a variety of set menu's with a mix of dishes, but you can also indulge in their elaborate stews or fish specialties.

Do check out this little restaurant sometime. These mom and pop places are starting to disappear and what a shame that would be.

Yes we can!

 Congratulations Mister President!

The people of the USA have once again put their faith, hopes and dreams in your hands. 

May you guide them to a better tomorrow.

New look!

Yes, yes, with a new beginning comes a new look :)
Nothing drastic really, just a few changes to make my blog more enjoyable.
I hope you like it!