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BAM 40: Ikura Don (Salmon Roe Rice Bowl), Shitake and Green Onion Osumashi and Salad.

BAM 39: Teriyaki Chicken, Okara salad, Daikon with Chirimen jyako and Rice.

BAM 38: Shake (Salmon) Rice, Satoimo and shimeji miso shiru, hiyayakko with komatsuna and salmon skin daikon oroshi

BAM 37: Sui-gyoza 3 (3 of 3)

BAM 36: Sui-gyoza 2 (2 of 3)

BAM 35: Cabbage Salad with Sesame Dressing, Suigyoza Soup, Eggplant and Bell Pepper Miso Stir fry and Rice

Matsutake Gohan

BAM 33: Yakiniku, Kimchi, Kimchee, Soy Bean Soup and Rice

BAM 32: Wafū Pasta 3: Sansai (Mountain Vegetable) Pasta

BAM 31: Nasu no Tuskemono (Fast and Easy), Turkey Hijiki Niku Dango (Meat Ball), Negitama (Egg and green onion) Miso Soup and Rice

Cooking Perfect Stove Top Japanese Rice (Update)

BAM 30: Okonomiyaki (American-Kitchen)

BAM 29: Okonomiyaki (Buta Tama) (Easy Breezy)

BAM 28: Classic Osaka-Style Okonomiyaki (Buta tama)

BAM 27: Hiyashi Chuka

BAM 26: Southern-Japanese Build-a-Meal featuring Fried Chicken with Umeboshi Honey Dipping Sauce, Tofu Macaroni Salad and Okara Cornbread

BAM 25: Vegan Build-a-Meal Nagaimo Pancake, Lemon Daikon, Myoga and Red Potato Miso Soup and Rice.

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Ingredient in the Spotlight: Myoga (Japanese Ginger)

Tuesday, September 7th, 2010
Myoga a rarity in the US and even in California, I can hardly find it at the Japanese grocery store unless it's in season. My friend grows it in her front yard under some bushes so we went hunting in the dark for them. I was so happy I could hardly contain myself. When I was a kid, my grandmother used to grow them under the bamboo trees in her backyard and would pull a few every now and then for dinner. Everyone would say their oooo's and ahhh's and I didn't see what the big deal was because it wasn't sweet and it had a strange and unfamiliar flavor.

There is an interesting story why myoga is called myoga. A man named Cuuda-pantaka who was one of Buddha's apprentices forgot his name so Buddha wrote his name on a name tag and hung it around his neck. Unfortunately, Cuuda-pantaka could not remember that his name was hanging from his neck. Sadly, he died not being able to remember his name. At his grave there was a plant that no one had seen before. People named this plant after him because he suffered from not being able to remember his name despite the fact that he carried his name around. The kanji for myogya is (茗荷)where the first kanji (茗)means name and has an additional radical attached for plants and the second kanji (荷)means to carry on one's shoulder or back.

Hunting for myoga with a flashlight.
IITS_Myoga_hunting for myoga

Myoga has a beautiful pinkish purplish color.
IITS_Myoga_Single myoga

Freshly picked myoga.
IITS_Myoga_freshly picked

Myoga sliced in half. Don't they look like bunny ears?
IITS_Myoga_Sliced in half

tags: Myoga 
amazing blog w pictures. thank you!
— la, September 8th, 2010
THANKS! :)
— Umamitopia, September 13th, 2010
Tag List
tags (categories)
Soy Sauce [25]
Dashijiru [23]
Rice [19]
Daikon [14]
Egg [14]
Vegan [13]
Sesame Seed Oil [12]
Katsuobushi [11]
Chicken [11]
Kyuri [9]
Shiso [9]
Mayonnaise [8]
Miso [8]
Tofu [8]
Shoga [8]
Sake [8]
Cabbage [7]
Garlic [7]
Beef [7]
Vegetarian [7]
Pork [6]
Miso soup [6]
Vinegar [6]
Mirin [6]
Age [5]
Umeboshi [5]
Carrots [5]
Carrot [5]
Green Onion [5]
Hakusai [5]

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