variation of tofu

4-01--06 -2025 

 DINNERS ---  open face sandwich with roasted red pepper, capers, tuna and chives | red wine | Chanhsha style  stinky tofu with chili sauce ( charred, not stinky)  |vegetable  soup with  fried tofu puff | pasta with leek, garlic and asparagus | avocado, cherry tomato and cucumber salad | sauteed Chinese eggplant with fermented fava bean sauce | pan-fried shishito | kao-fu pot | asparagus with scrambled eggs | simmered taro root with scallion and ginger | Chinese celery with smoked tofu 

***

 garden first wave of bloom 

this year about ten days late 

kao-fu

3-26-2019 Tue. 


 DINNER --- sauteed bean sprouts, silk gourd, Chinese yam, and jalapeno |  simmered kao-fu with wood-ear, dried day-lily buds, bamboo shoot and shiitake mushroom | rice 

,

• contrast of color and texture, flavor . 

almost temple food

3-08-2017 Wed.


  DINNER --- pan-fried lotus root | kao-fu pot | sauteed mustard green | rice 

 

•  like what they serve in those temples in mountains

Kao-fu pot

1-19-2017 Thu.  


 DINNER --- sauteed mustard greed with chili sauce | kao-fu pot: simmered  kao-fu, winter bamboo shoorts, wood-ear and lily buds with star anise and ginger soy sauce 

 

•  particularly a winter delight

Kao-fu pot

11-23-2015 Mon.  chilly, sunny. 



 BREAKFAST --- coffee
 LUNCH --- leftovers 
 AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
 DINNER --- Kao-fu pot with carrot, wood-ear and day-lily buds | sauteed spinach | rice | wine

 

• finally the local store stocked fresh kao-fu

kao-fu

11-12-2014 Wed. mild, clouds.



BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- rice with chive flowers 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- simmered kao-fu with shittake mushroom, day-lily buds, wood-ear, and carrots | sauteed Chinese greens | rice | wine

 

• Shanghai special

Kao-Fu

2-21-2013 Thu. cold, sunny.  


BREAKFAST --- coffee
LUNCH --- steamed vegetable buns 
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- apple
DINNER --- simmered kao-fu with wood-ear, lily buds, shiitake, and winter bamboo shoots | sauteed Chinese winter greens | spicy eggplant with shallots and cilantro in fermented fava bean sauce | baked Japanese  sweet potato fries | rice | wine 

 

•   kao-fu is like sponge absorbing flavors.

Shojin cuisine at Kajitsu

5-29-2011 Sun. hot, sunny.

WEEKEND BREAKFAST --- ( at local cafe in W. Village) cappuccino | croissant
LUNCH --- ( at A.O.C., French) bloody marry | grilled baguette with lamb sausage and roasted red pepper | green salad
AFTERNOON-TEATIME --- (at West Eleventh living room) green tea
DINNER --- ( at Kajitsu )

Hana ( 花）：

Salad of Cucumber, Rikyu-Fu and Fiddlehead Fern
Grated Cucumber, Celery, Dark Night Carrot, Pearl Onion, Glass Noodles, Wasabi, Soy Yuzu Vinaigrette
鬼おろし胡瓜と利休麩
Clear Soup with Grilled Cabbage Ball, Leeks and Mitsuba
焼キャベツの薄葛澄まし椀
Sushi with Green Tea Leaves and Pickled Green Plum
Baby Artichoke Agebitashi
Grated Fuji Apple and Onion, Purple Potato
Chilled English Pea Soup
Freeze Dried English Pea, Grated Ginger
新緑茶の粽寿司
ベイビーアーティーチョークの揚げ浸し
えんどう豆の一口ポタージュ
House-Made Soba with Warm Dipping Sauce
Sansho Flowers, Wasabi, Scallions
花山椒の温製つけ蕎麦
White Asparagus Tempura with Irakusa Sauce
Shiso Leaf
Grilled Nama-Fu with Soy Morel Mushroom Sauce
Market Vegetables
Grilled Garbanzo Beans
極太白アスパラの一本揚
焼生麩 編笠茸のソース掛け
Steamed Rice with Diced Sunchokes and Fennel Puree
Crispy Arugula and Fennel Leaves

House-Made Pickles
菊芋の炊き込みご飯
自家製漬物
Yatsuhashi
Azuki Bean Paste, Cardamom,
薫風生八ツ橋
Matcha Tea with Candies by Kyoto Shioyoshiken
抹茶と干菓子～京都塩芳軒より～



Fern and Rikyu-Fu

soup and cha

green tea leaf sushi, artichoke, pea soup, and saki

soba, rice, tempura and pickles

• unique experience of Japanese Buddhist vegetarian cooking.
• Rikyu-fu is wheat gluten (Chinese name Kao-fu) often used in Buddhist diet. they are handmade from a shop in Nara Japan ( shown in the drawing in the last picture) served at Kajitsu.
  

Claypot dish: Winter's delight

• 1/2 cup winter shiitake mushrooms (coarsely sliced)
• 1/2 cup winter bamboo shoots ( shelled and coarsely chopped)
• 1/4 cup dried citron daylily ( revived in hot water)
• 1/4 cup dried wood-ear fungi ( revived by cooking in hot water)
• 1 cup fresh wheat gluten ( Kao-fu 烤麸)， (cut in cubes)
• 1/2 cup carrots (sliced)
• green onions ( chopped)
• 6 star anise
• 1 tbls fresh ginger ( minced)
• 2 tbls shallot (minced)
• 4 tbls Shao-xing rice wine
• 4 tbls soy sauce
• 2 tbls sugar
• 1 tsp Zhen-jiang rice vinegar
• cooking oil
• sesame oil

1. add oil to the wok over median heat, add ginger, shallot, and star anise, fry for 2 minutes
2. add mushrooms to the wok, add 2 tbls rice wine, stir and cook for 1 minute
3. add bamboo shoots, add 2 tbls soy sauce and 1tbls sugar, cook for 2 minutes
4. add carrots, gluten cubes, add 2 tbls soy sauce, 2 tbls rice wine, stir and cook for 5 minutes
5. add wood-ear and citron daylily, add 1 tsp rice vinegar and 1tbls sugar, stir well
6. cover the wok or move the mixture to a clay pot with cover, turn down the heat to simmer for 15 minutes
7. sprinkle green onions and a few drops of dark sesame oil and serve hot