Try Something New!

I can't stress the importance of broadening your taste bud's horizons. And all the while helping your friends and family do the same. One fun way to do this is to have a themed dinner. You could even go as far as wearing the traditional clothes of the dish's origin. A group of my friends and I have a themed dinner once a month. Each of us display our cooking skills by bringing a dish and tasting all the others.

One example of this could be an Asian dinner.

*Find a recipe, and shop for the ingredients at an Asian market. You might find treasures beyond your wildest dreams! Bring a friend or family with you and share the experience.

*Find decor to match the theme at a party store, or a restaurant supply store

*invite others to join the fun!

Here's an easy Japanese treat you can try.

It's one of my favorites!

Inari- zushi (brown bag sushi)

Ingredients:

For filling:

* 1 1/2 c sushi rice

* 1 2/3 c water

* 3 Tbsp vinegar

* 1 1/2 Tbsp sugar

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 2 Tbsp sesame seeds

Tofu Pockets:

* 6 abura-age (fried tofu)

* 1 c dashi soup stock

* 2 1/2 Tbsp sugar

* 2 Tbsp mirin

* 2 Tbsp soy sauce

*for garnish and flavor top with shredded pink ginger

Directions:

Start cooking rice. Put aburaage into boiling water for a moment to remove the excess oil. Drain and dry with paper towels. Cut the aburaage in halves so that each piece has an open end. Put dashi soup stock, sugar, mirin, and soy sauce in a pan and bring to a boil. Add aburaage in the pan and lower the heat. Put a lid and simmer until the liquid is almost gone. Stop the heat and let them cool for a while. Prepare sushi rice. Mix sesame seeds in the sushi rice. Wet your hands and make small mounds of sushi rice. Take a piece of aburaage and lightly press to remove the excess liquid. Open the pouch and stuff a mound of sushi rice inside. Fold in the open side to close the pouch.

*Makes 12 pieces

Click on the underlined links for help with each step of preparation.


Startle those taste buds!