Kansha cuisine — cooking with appreciation and vegan principles — is not only the subject of Elizabeth Andoh's recent book. It's also the focus of the ongoing workshops in her Taste of Culture programme.
Is it hard to generate flavour in Japanese food without using the standard fish-based ingredients and seasonings? Not at all if you use the range of stocks and seasonings that Elizabeth demonstrated for us...
From left to right (above): dashi stock from Hidaka kombu kelp; dashi from strips of kampyo gourd; dashi from kiriboshi (shredded and dried) daikon; and niban dashi (secondary stock) taken from recooking the shitake/shoyu mix used for preparing rich Vegan Seasoned Soy Concentrate – that's the sauce in the cute little fish dispenser at the top.
Elizabeth ran us through the preparation process for kampyo gourd strips ; and also the VSSC – which is basically shiitake soaked in shoyu overnight, then cooked up with sugar for a few minutes. It's really tasty and, as the name suggests, its umami-packed savoury goodness goes brilliantly with just about any other food you can think of (Japanese or Western – try a splosh of that in your spaghetti sauce).
We also got to sit down and enjoy a kansha feast in miniature — a small bento packed with goodies...
• Granny's Sun-Dried Radish (centre) – kiriboshi daikon; carrot, konnyaku, hijiki seaweed and snap peas.
• Plum-Infused Gourd Ribbons (top left) – small curls of kampyo steeped in umezu, the red pickling liquid drawn off the umeboshi.
• lightly simmered greens (bottom left) with shira-ae – Elizabeth calls this dressing Nutty Tofu Sauce (it's made from tofu with creamy sesame paste blended in). I'd say "soy mayo".
• more kampyo: Sour and Spicy Gourd Pickles (bottom right) – this time steeped in rice vinegar, and with the tang of fresh ginger juice and a hint of togarashi chili. The yellow colour comes from kuchinashi (gardenia) pods.
• and rice cooked together with kodaimae (black rice), topped with eda-mame soybeans.
The final delicacy was delicate Steamed Soymilk Custard – aka chawan mushi, but here made without egg – containing enoki mushrooms and served chilled.
There was also more of that excellent flavourful rice...
In case you missed it, my review of Kansha ran in The Japan Times at the end of last year...
Elizabeth's programmes are always inspiring and packed with information. There are more details – including upcoming events in the USA – at her Taste of Culture site...
