LUXOMME

My obsession used to be much more evident, when I consumed soy products in such large quantities that it threw my hormones off balance. True story. I love soy.


As Summer has arrived, the weather outside is warm and inviting. Unfortunately, due to the fire that is occurring in a neighbouring province, the pollution that is happening there is slowly traveling over to Manitoba, and our skies and air are smoggy and a tad bit hazy.


Feeling a bit woozy after my daily outdoor walk, and sensing a headache coming on, I knew that it was time to make a batch of soy milk to clear my sinuses.

It would honestly be much easier to buy a jug from the store, but now that I can't go outside to walk, I've got nothing much better to do with my hour.  Plus homemade is more organic and much healthier - not necessarily correlated.


The soy milk process is simple, but it's time and labor intensive. Prep starts 1-2 days before with the soaking of the beans in water which needs to be changed once in a while.




Once the beans have fully expanded from their dried state, it's time to take a little trick out of the Ottolenghi book. I picked this method up while making hummus a few years back, which I then used on soybeans since it's composition is similar to the chickpea.


What's the trick, you may ask. Well it's simple. A quick toss in a heated pan with a sprinkle of baking soda, which magically breaks down the hard outer shell and allows for quick removal and cleaning.





Once the shells have been removed and the beans have been rinsed - it's time for the blending. One batch of freshly cleaned soybeans thrown in with water (adjusted to your liking) and brought to a slight boil before immersion blending in pot.


Flavoring is added - a capful of vanilla for me, and perhaps a teaspoon of sugar for you.


After letting the freshly made milk sit for a few hours in the heated pot, the leftover fiber which did not dissolve into the liquid must be carefully strained, before the soy milk is left to cool.

One type of very traditional Hong Kong breakfast is crispy you tiao with freshly made hot soy milk to dip. Delicious.

Today, I took mine slightly chilled, with floating cubes of fresh grass jelly. Also supremely good for the body.

Perfect way to beat the Summer haze and a healthy alternative to those of you who might be like me and starting to tire of coconut water.

naomi

To be honest, meeting up is fun - but figuring out what to do can be a headache. One thing we can always do is lunch - and it's something we can always agree on.


Wanting something simple and casual, we decided to stop by Yujiro - a traditional Japanese restaurant.

Before we jumped into conversation, we mused over the lunch menu, which has enough options to keep me interested, but not enough to confuse me. I ended up going for a simple cold tempura udon [12], while Jane opted for a more traditional style bento box with chicken kaarage and spicy ebi fry roll [11.5].



Both sets come with a generous portion of salad drenched in the typical dressing you'd get at a Japanese restaurant. Jane's bento came with miso soup, which was light and not overly salty. What I liked most were the large cubes of fresh tofu, and slightly chewy sheets of kelp which help flavor the soup. Most other places make this soup too salty, with low quality tofu and wakame. These are things that I honestly did not pay attention to prior to my trip to Japan - so it's true when they say that Japan ruins Japanese food for you.





Right as we finished our salad, the main courses arrived at our table. On Jane's plate, some karaage chicken, salmon teriyaki, ebi fry roll, inari sushi (yumyum) and two slices of juicy orange to finish it off!


I sprung for something a little simpler. Zaru udon served the way it is in Japan (oh how I've craved it), a variety of tempura, and some maki rolls - tuna maybe? I have no clue.












Jane and I kept to our own meals so I can't say much for what she had, but my noodles were absolutely delectable. Most places make their udon soggy - which I've learnt is not the way they serve it in Tokyo. Instead, these ones were springy with a bite. Just how I like it.

People always told me that Yujiro is the best in Winnipeg - and I never quite agreed, feeling that all sushi places were equally delightful. After coming back from Tokyo, it's quite clear why Yujiro is a step above the rest. Not only do they serve food the Japanese way, but the flavors and quality of food is something I thought would be difficult to find outside of Tokyo. Someone told me that the true mark of a Japanese chef is in the way he treats his rice, and as you can see here, the rice is cooked and seasoned perfectly so that you can still see each grain. It is also delicate enough to almost fall apart, but yet manages to stay together just long enough for one perfect bite.

Seriously, I have a new appreciation for this place.

This place was the perfect send off for Jane, who will be indulging in European delicacies for the next month. More adventures with her once she returns.

naomi.

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Click here to read other reviews of Yujiro