How to Make Mizu-Yokan (Japanese Soft Azuki Bean Jelly) - Video Recipe

Mizu-Yokan (Soft Azuki Bean Jelly) contains more water compared to the regular Yokan, as Mizu means water in Japanese.

Mizu-Yokan (Japanese Soft Azuki Bean Jelly)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BlqvMeIki4Y

Though it is a refreshing Japanese summer treat, people in Fukui prefecture eats it in winter, like you eat an ice cream in warm room in winter. hehe

---------------------------------

Mizu-Yokan

Difficulty: SUPER EASY
Time: 15min + 2hrs cooling time
Number of Servings: 16 pieces

Necessary Equipment:
18cm (7inch) square cake pan

Ingredients:
400g (14oz.) Koshi-an (sweet Azuki red bean paste without skins)
300ml water
4g (2 tsp.) Kanten powder (agar-agar powder)
a pinch of salt

Directions:
1. Mix water and Kanten powder (agar-agar powder) very well in a pot. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. *or use as directed on its package
2. Stop the heat, add Koshi-an and mix well.
3. Add a pinch of salt to taste and mix well.
4. Pour it into a square cake pan (or any container is ok) and cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours until firm.
5. Cut into desired pieces to serve. You can use a cookie cutter to make it cute :)

↓レシピ（日本語）
http://www.cooklabo.blogspot.jp/2014/04/blog-post.html
---------------------------------

♥Please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel♥
http://www.youtube.com/ochikeron

♥Please "Like" me on Facebook♥
http://www.facebook.com/Ochikeron/

♥Follow me on twitter♥
http://twitter.com/ochikeron (English)
http://twitter.com/alohaforever (Japanese)

♥My Cookbook♥

How to Make Ikanago no Kugini (Sand Eel Boiled Down in Soy Sauce) - Video Recipe

Last weekend was a 3-day weekend, so my darling and I went to Kobe to visit my grandma to make Ikanago no Kugini (my favorite dish) together!!!
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/ikanago-no-kugini-2014.html


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NyDB6OR-ao

Ikanago no Kugini is a specialty in Hyogo prefecture. It can be cooked and eaten during a specific period of time around March. Thanks to the holiday, I could finally visit my grandma :)



My blog post about our trip to Kobe:
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/kobe.html

Souvenirs from Kobe:
http://createeathappy.blogspot.jp/2014/03/souvenirs-from-kobe.html

---------------------------------
Ikanago no Kugini (Sand Eel Boiled Down in Soy Sauce)

Difficulty: Medium
Time: 1hr
Number of servings: N/A

Ingredients:
2kg (4.4lb) Ikanago (sand eel)
A
* 440g (1lb) Kizarame (coarse crystal medium soft sugar) *400g (0.9lb) when Ikanago is small
* 400ml soy sauce *360ml when Ikanago is small
* 160ml Mirin (sweet Sake)
* 160ml Sake
260g (9oz) ginger
2 tbsp. Mizuame (starch syrup)
white peeled sesame seeds if you like

Directions:
1. Thinly slice ginger to the size of Ikanago.
2. Wash and drain Ikanago. *cook Ikanago as soon as you get or it can get bad easily. the fish gets white and water becomes cloudy when it gets bad.
3. Put A in a large aluminum pot, then put on high and bring to a boil. Tilt the pan and make sure the sugar is melted.
4. Sprinkle with hands full of ginger. Sprinkle with hands full of Ikanago. Then sprinkle with some ginger again. When the bubbles start to cover Ikanago toward the center (that means Ikanago is cooked), add hands full of Ikanago and some ginger again. Repeat this until the ingredients are gone. *do not mix with chopsticks or a ladle or the fish will fall apart.
5. Remove the foam if necessary. *to remove a fishy smell
6. Cover with a lid made with aluminum foil with a few holes. Put on high, make sure it won't boil over. Then simmer for about 1 hour.
7. Add starch syrup, cover and simmer until the liquid is almost gone. Now toss Ikanago in the pot to mix. *again, do not mix with chopsticks or a ladle or the fish will fall apart.
8. When the fish is caramelized, drain with a strainer.
9. Transfer to a tray, and fan like cooling sushi rice. Then leave to cool completely. *1.2kg (2.6lb) Ikanago after cooking.

You can keep Ikanago in a large container BUT I recommend to store it in small quantity (in a Ziploc bag is okay), since it can easily get bad if you open and close the container frequently.

レシピ（日本語）
http://www.cooklabo.blogspot.jp/2014/03/blog-post_29.html
---------------------------------

Inarizushi using Ikanago:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7u8wzq0F5bM

♥Please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel♥
http://www.youtube.com/ochikeron

♥Please "Like" me on Facebook♥
http://www.facebook.com/Ochikeron/

♥Follow me on twitter♥
http://twitter.com/ochikeron (English)
http://twitter.com/alohaforever (Japanese)

♥My Cookbook♥

Souvenirs from Kobe 神戸のお土産

Here are some souvenirs from Kobe:




神戸プリン Kobe Purin (Pudding / Flan)
you can keep it at room temperature for 2 months.
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kobepudding.com/




風見鶏チーズケーキ Kazamidori Cheese Cake
made with camembert cheese and cream cheese with a hint of orange
it is sold frozen. you defrost and keep it in the fridge, and eat within 3 days.
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kazamidori.co.jp/




大黒屋 いかなごくぎ煮 Daikokuya Ikanago no Kugini
sand eel simmered in soy sauce, Mirin, and sugar with a hint of ginger
best eaten within 4 months
(you can find at any souvenir shops, stations, or airport in Kobe)
http://www.kobe-daikokuya.co.jp/item/HL25/




I bought a pair of earrings at a shop called macaroni in Motomachi. They are made of Farfalle (real bow-tie pasta!!!). They have many cute hand made accessories from Europe.
http://macaroni.shop-pro.jp/

神戸プリン（小） 価格：997円（税5%込、送料別）

風見鶏チーズケーキ【3個入】 価格：630円（税5%込、送料別）

♥Please Subscribe to my YouTube Channel♥
http://www.youtube.com/ochikeron

♥Please "Like" me on Facebook♥
http://www.facebook.com/Ochikeron/

♥Follow me on twitter♥
http://twitter.com/ochikeron (English)
http://twitter.com/alohaforever (Japanese)