Sometimes when trying new things, it doesn't turn out the way you planned. This happened to me today while trying something seemingly easy. I found this recipe for Daigaku Imo on
Just Hungry. This are Japanese style sweet potatoes that are usually served at University Festivals in the fall. It wasn't fall anymore but I had a left over sweet potato and the recipe seemed easy enough.... I had an orange fleshed sweet potato, which was fine if you couldn't get hold of the Japanese kind. Of course I also didn't have the exact syrup used in the recipe, but also that could be replaced with local syrup.
I only had apple syrup, which I melted with sugar & soy sauce like instructed. It was foul tasting. Not good, AT ALL. The sticky syrup was a mess and it was a hassle to clean. I still had some lovely fried sweet potato though. So I decided to just mix it with some ginger syrup (which probably would have a better choice to begin with then apple syrup, but I only found it later) and sprinkle some sesame seeds over it. I wonder if I will be brave enough to give it a second go any time soon though ;)
I kept the bento fairly simple after the sweet potato fiasco. So there is only risotto (still mostly frozen), sweet potato with ginger syrup and black sesame seeds and apple slices.
For this weekend there are some fun things planned. I am going to make sushi with a friend on Saturday and going to a Japanese culture convention on Sunday. I hope I will be able to bring back some snacks :)
I love risotto! But what a pity the potatoes didn't work the way you had hoped.
ReplyDeleteHave fun this weekend, definitely a Japanese-themed one.
Risotto in bento? Yum! Does it keep well though when it cools down? Pity indeed the recipe didn't work for you :( At least the fried potatoes were good?
ReplyDeleteEnjoy the weekend, are you going to an anicon? Or is it really cultural? Sounds like fun either way!
@Chinoiseries: The reason I left the risotto half frozen is because the BF has a microwave at work, which he can use to warm it up. But I don't want to warm and cool a dish too often. So I only defrost it slightly so I am able to put it in a bento.
ReplyDeleteThe fried potatoes were still good :) The ginger sauce really brings out the sweetness of the potatoes. I used only a tsp though since ginger can be overpowering.
The convention I will be going to is called Tsunacon. I am actually doing promotion there for Abunaicon, which I co-organise. It is a bit of both anime & Japanese culture. I will be mostly behind the dealer booth though ;)
Yeah risotto's great for bento. Shame the sweet potatoes didn't go as you want to.
ReplyDeleteI use risotto a lot, actually! =D