All About Foods Court

Kuromame means black beans in Japanese, and it indicateds simmered sweet black beans. The Japanese word for beans, mame, also means "working like a bee." So, people hope for being able to work in good health, eating kuromame on Japanese New Year. It's preferable to simmer kuromame in iron pot or add rusty nails to blacken the color of the beans.
*Makes 4 servings

Japanese Recipes
Japanese Food Pictures
Ingredients:
1 cup black beans
4 cups water
1 cup sugar
2 tsp. soysauce
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
A couple of rusty nails, washed
*A sheet of gauze

Preparation:
Wash black beans. Put water, sugar, salt, soysauce, and baking soda in large deep pot or iron pot. Bring to a boil. Stop the heat and add black beans. Leave it over night, or about 8 hours. Clean a couple of rusty nails, and wrap them by gauze. Add it in the pot. Put the pot on high heat and bring to a boil. Turn down the heat to low. Skim off any foam that rise to the surface. Cover the pot and simmer the beans on low heat for about 5 hours, or until beans are softened. When the liquid decreases, add some water. Stop the heat and let it sit until cool.
By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Edamame isn't just a healthy snack. Adding edamame makes pork stir-fry so colorful and more nutritous.

Edamame
Japanese Pork Recipes
Ingredients:
3/4 lb thinly sliced pork, cut into bite-size pieces
1 Tbsp sake
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsps vegetable oil
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, minced
4 small green bell peppers (about 1/4 lb), cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 lb edamame, boiled and shelled
1 1/2 tbsp water
1 1/2 tbsp sake
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp katakuriko starch/corn starch
2 tsp water

Preparation:
Season pork with 1 tbsp of sake and soy sauce in a bowl. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large skillet and stir-fry the pork until changes its color. Remove the pork from the skillet. Mix measured water, sake, soy sauce, and sugar in a cup and set aside. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable in the skillet and fry minced ginger, then stir-fry green peppers on high heat until softened. Put the pork back in the skillet and add edamame. Stir-fry all the ingredients, and pour the mixed seasonings over. When it boils, add the mixture of katakuriko starch and 2 tsp of water and stir quickly. Stop the heat.
*Makes 4 servings
By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Authored By: Polly Pitchford, Full Spectrum Health™
The color contrast of the dark green broccoli and rich orange squash makes a wonderful presentation.
Diet Types: Low Fat, Vegetarian

Ingredients:
1 head broccoli, cut into florettes and stems peeled and 1/4 sliced
1 small winter squash (butternut, hokkaido, buttercup,sweet)
1/2 tablespoon melted butter
salt to taste

Serves: 4

Cooking Time: Under 30 minutes

Instructions:
If steaming squash: Cut into quarters. Scoop out seeds and place in a heavy pot with enough water to reach 1/2" depth. Cover, bring to a boil, reduce heat to low and simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. If baking squash: Cut squash lengthwise in half. Lightly oil a baking pan and add 1/4 cup water. Invert squash onto pan and bake at 375 until a fork easily pierces skin, about 30 minutes. Using a pot holder, scoop seeds out of baked squash and discard. Scoop flesh into a blender and add butter, Sea Salt and enough water to make a sauce-like consistency. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve over lightly steamed broccoli.