I’m excited to try some recipes from my new salad cookbook, おなかいっぱい サラダ (Onaka Ippai Salada, Full Stomach Salads). Although most salad cooking is more assembling than cooking, I had bought the book because it featured a good variety of Asian flavored salad dressings. I’m hoping to make more dressing at home instead of buying bottled dressing so that I can be sure that I’m eating only wholesome or at least recognizable ingredients with my healthy salad lunches.The book also has some interesting salad combinations that I’m looking forward to.
The first recipe that I tried was a recipe for a creamy two-bean salad. The beans are chick peas and Japanese white beans, which are much larger than typical white beans that I would find at home. Make sure to soak the beans and cook the two types separately in case they don’t cook at the same rate. The recipe also features the ever-popular Japanese kewpie mayonnaise. I substituted rice vinegar for the white wine vinegar since that’s what I have on hand and the flavor was fine. In addition to the fresh parsley called for in the recipe, I also added some minced fresh thyme. The earthy flavor of the time was a good match for the otherwise simple flavor of the beans and mayonnaise. This salad made a great simple and tasty side dish for my lunch.
白いんげん豆とひよこ豆のサラダ
White Bean and Chick Pea Salad
adapted from Komatsuzaki Akemi, Onaka Ippai Salada80 grams dried giant white beans (190 grams cooked)
80 grams dried chick peas (190 grams cooked)
1/2 tablespoon white wine vinegar
salt and ground black pepper to taste
1/4 clove of minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced white onion
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
grated Parmesan or Romano cheese to taste
minced parsley (or other fresh herbs) to tasteSoak beans (separately) overnight. Boil until tender. Drain.
Put white beans and chick peas in a bowl. Add vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, and onion. Mix. Refrigerate until chilled.
Add mayonnaise. Mix.
Before serving top with grated Parmesan cheese and minced parsley.
copyright 2008 LMS
Okonomiyaki 