Saturday, July 31, 2010

The First Crop, Recipe - Potato Salad

The Christian God said that the first child and the first crop is special, so offer those to Lord God because they are God's.
The LORD said to Moses, "Consecrate to me every firstborn male. The first offspring of every womb among the Israelites belongs to me, whether man or animal." Exodus 13:1
"Bring the best of the firstfruits of your soil to the house of the LORD your God. Ex. 23:19a

The first crop from the Japanese cucumber plant given to Hiroko by Kaori-san was harvested. Hiroko had surely understood what the Lord told the Israelites. I was so happy that the cucumber was mine, I thought.
In Japanese saying “You have to smile to east direction when you eat the new crop. Then good fortune will be coming” and also “Something bad will happen when you eat someone’s new crop.”

The cucumber’s last minutes on the plant

Isn’t it beautiful?!

Sliced it and put it in potato salad and everyone enjoyed it.
Hiroko ate the couple of sliced cucumber. It was so crunchy and tasty like Japanese cucumber.
Give thanks to the Lord for this first crop of cucumber and also to Kaori-san.

The cucumber plant is growing and growing, so put strings for the vine.
-------------------------------------
Hiroko’s Potato Salad (4 people)
Ingredients:
2 big Idaho Potato
1 carrot
2 eggs
wash and cook whole potato with skin on, whole carrot, and eggs
with 1 Tbsp salt until potatoes become soft
1 lemon
1 Tbsp sweet relish
2 tsp black pepper
Salt – optional
1 small onion – minced
1 stalk celery – minced
3 Tbsp minced parsley
3 Tbsp mayonnaise
Cooking:
Take skin off and cut the cooked potato
Mix with lemon – be careful not to mash
Add sweet relish
Add black pepper and salt (optional)
Add diced cooked carrot and eggs
Add minced onion, celery and parsley
Add mayonnaise – DO NOT MASH

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Mitsuko - VI Enkakuji Temple 1, Recipe

The university, Mitsuko entered required to study Christianity as the moral course. Mitsuko thought that if the university forced her to study the Christianity, Mitsuko had to study her family religion which is Zen Buddhism. This was one reason she started to attend the Zazen practice at the Enkakuji (Enkaku-temple). The other reason was that the tea-teacher told Mitsuko to understand the tea-ceremony deeper, it is necessary to practice Zazen. Most of all Mitsuko wanted to understand Zen-Buddhism, the death, the place Grand-ma went, and the sin Christian talks about.

The previous year in March, Mitsuko went to Enkakuji by the Kita-Kamakura station. Walking up the stair-way by the main gate, the group of the Buddhist Obo-san (priest) was passing through. Mitsuko stepped aside to open the space for them, and asked one of the Obo-san, where is the Zazen-do (Zazeb building). He said to come with him. At Zazen-do there were many people sitting quietly in the kitchen. The Obo-san, named Toki-bo-san introduced Mitsuko and told one of them something. The man, named Honda-san guided Mitsuko to the room and said go to the Zazen-jo (the place practice Zazen) after refreshed.

Toki-bo-san waited for Mitsuko and started to explain how and what to do.
“There are three types of the Zazen; one is called “Kekka or Zenka” means put both feet on the opposite thighs; the other one called “Hanka” means one of the foot put on the opposite thigh; and the last one called “Seiza” for women means upright sitting. For the beginners Hanka would be better to do.”
“Is it O.K. to change foot?’
Kekka or Zenka and Hanka

“Of course. When you do Kekka or Hanka sitting, your back should be straight, but you willfully straighten your back with imagining of a stick on top of your head to down along your spine. Then, your abdomen would be tightening and could be breathing slowly. To do these things put a pillow at the bottom of your tail bone.”
“I don’t have that tonight.”

“Of course you can use this cushion, but please bring your own. Well, the next instruction is….”
“Is there something more?
“Yes, it is how to breathe. You should feel 2 or 3 inches wide strip of thin paper hanging on your forehead, and try to breathing without moving the paper. You can’t be thinking of anything.”
“I thought we receive some subject and think about it.”
“About one year later, Roshi (The title of Principle of the temple) will call you, and then you receive some subject to think.”
“Wait for one year to see Roshi.”
“Some wait longer. You can’t think of anything, but it is very interesting that our brain, many thoughts would run around in our brain, so to prevent the thought to come out and fall asleep, count one to twenty with breathing. Put your hands on your lap with your palms up, and let the thumbs slightly touch each other. When those thought run around in your brain or become sleepy, those thumbs are separated and broken the form of hands.

There always will be one person walking around with a stick, and if they see the hands have broken the form or fingers are separated, giving massage with this stick. It is not punishment. When we tap your shoulder, please put your two arms together on your chest, and lean forward like this. Then they are easy to tap your back. It makes you feel so refreshed.”
“I see. Thank you!”
“There is last one. For preventing from sleepiness, slightly open your eyes (hangan). Well, this is it. Oh, sorry! One more. About the schedule. 20 minutes later Zazen session will be starting, and schedule for Zazen is sitting for 25 minutes and rest for 5 minutes. This bell will be guiding for those schedule.”

The bell started to ring for gathering at Zazen-jo. Everyone came to Zazen-jo and sat in the reserved place. With the starting bell, stillness filled in the Zazen-jo and not even breathing sound to hear. Everyone sunk into the stillness, and seek their own subject. Mitsko sat as she was taught and started to count one to twenty. The first set of the twenty Mitsuko counted easily, but from the second set of the twenty, Mitsuko remembered to count up to five or six. When she became aware, she realized some worldly problems filled in her mind. It is just like a dream. She couldn’t remember what she was thinking. It was so strange. For the three and half hours there were so many thoughts in Mitsuko’s mind. Mitsuko’s tea-teacher told her it is very important that making your mind empty (Mu). Mitsuko was so disappointed and sad that her mind couldn’t be in stillness, rather filled with worldly thoughts. She wasn’t sleepy but her fingers were separated with her thinking. However, she wasn’t tapped. They might have overlooked Mitsuko.

At 10:30 Zazen session was finished and there were 30 minutes till light-off. Everyone was busy for preparing to sleep. Everyone was very quietly moving around. There were no conversations. Everyone had to wake up early the next morning, so Mitsuko said Good Night and went back to her room. Mitsuko was so excited that she couldn’t fall sleep. She was thinking what had happened the day and her life; doing tea ceremony and Zazen practice, and studying Christianity, so she hadn’t studied any her school subjects. She couldn’t sleep because thinking more and more. Finally she was starting to count 1 to 20, and then, after couple of set of the count she might fall sleep.

“Good morning?” Honda-san’s voice said, “It is time for breakfast.”
“What?! Breakfast!?” Mitsuko jumped up. Toki-bon-san told her last night, there should be Zazen at 6:30 and Samu (clean the Zazen-do) before the breakfast.
“Wow, it is 7:30.”
“Yes. Breakfast will be served at eight at Zazen-jo” said Honda-san and he left.
Mitsuko was thinking “What shall I do? I slept over. I’d like to run away. Well, I can’t run away.” She changed and washed herself quickly, and went into the Zazen-jo calmly, and said that sorry for over sleeping and didn’t do any of her duty, so asked to do some samu. Toki-bo-san said with smile,
“Please have a breakfast with us, and ready for attending Dokkyo (reading Buddhism chanting).”
Mitsuko had to follow Toki-bon-san’s instruction, so ate quickly, and cleaned the dishes.
On the way back to Zazen-do after listening Dokkyo, Mitsuko heard someone was talking with Honda-san, “It was amazing.” Mitsuko had a chance to ask Honda-san,
“The person said that it was amazing. Isn’t there a chance to listen Dokkyo?”
Saito-san wasn’t amazing Dokkyo.”
“Oh!”
“He was amazing about you.”
“Why?
“I even think so too. It was so amazing that you had over slept the fist time in Zazen-jo.”
“!?” Mitsuko didn’t to know what to say.
“Come again” Honda-san said friendly.

Mitsuko couldn’t return to the Enkakuji Zazendo for months. She visited another Zen-temple, but her brother was interested to go to Enkakuji Zazen-jo, so Mitsuko went there unwillingly. Mitsuko introduced her brother to Toki-bo-san and others. Oki-bo-san said to Mitsuko,
“Welcome back! I’ll take care of your brother, so you have to go to see Roshi.”
“What?!”
“Honda-san, take her to Roshi.”

Mitsuko followed Honda-san feeling with anxiety. However, Roshi wanted to see Mitsuko because her tea teacher asked him to look after her. Mitsuko was relieved to hear that because she thought that Roshi would say something about her over-slept incident. Toki-bon-san was laughing and said, when he heard Mitsuko’s explanation for seeing Roshi,
“No one tells what happened in this Zazen-do. Roshi will see your spiritual states but not over slept.”

For Mitsuko it seemed everything went well for her second time. However, Mitsuko’s brother did one small unusual thing. He ate three bowls of Okayu (like oat meal) at the breakfast. There is no rules how much bowl people could eat, but no one asked for second serve. Mitsuko’s brother ate three bowls. He said he had never eaten such delicious okayu for breakfast. Everyone was saying he is Mitsuko’s brother.
----------------------------------------------------------
Okayu – basic
Ingredients:
1 cup rice (It is much better result cooking from rice. Cooked rice can be used.)
5 cups water or chicken stock (After the Thanksgiving, from Turkey bones produce tasty stock)
1 strip Kobu (sea weed, 4 or 5 inches)
Cook these ingredients 2 hours.
Another Ingredients: 1 tsp. Dashi-no-moto
1 Tbsp. Soy Sauce
1 or 2 eggs.
Eat with umeboshi (sour plum) is good for sick time

Ojiya – (this is temple’s breakfast)
Add cut-up fried tofu (age), many vegetables to the Okayu

Ojiya with Turkey bones stock
Ingredients
Make Turkey stock – Turkey bones and vegetable, carrot, celery, onion, ginger, garlic, potato
Cook 4 or 5 hours
Take out all the bones and vegetable
Put cut-up vegetables: onion, carrot, celery, parcely,
Seasoning: salt, black pepper, bay leaf, garlic
1 or 2 cups washed Rice
Cook for 2 hours
Optional – put cheese on top

Monday, July 19, 2010

Tofu Manufacture in Chicago, Recepi


This is the sign board of the Tofu Manufacture. There are Chinese characters「鳳凰、豆類食品製造廟」and English “PHONEX BEANS PRODUCTS” because the owner of this manufacture is a Taiwanee.

This is the entrance of this manufacture. Many of my friends have been passing this entrance when it is closed.

This man was working with pressure cooker to cook the soybeans.
That man all the way inside was frying the tofu to make aburage, etc. It is good to see vegetable oil was used.

This machine is smashing the cooked soybeans to come out the tofu juice from the tube. Tofu will be made with the tofu juice.

In the different room, there is a big container with running water. In this container, the Tofu’s “nigari” which is translated “brine” (bitter salt or Epson salt) used as coagulant is drained.

This noodle is made with tofu. This tofu noodles are not to eat with soup. It is better to cook like pancit. The recipe for this noodle will be at the end of this article.

In this room there are three kinds of fried tofu – aburage, triangle and square thick fried tofu.
The man is packing these fried tofu. Those packages are without air packing because their tofu if made without the preservative. The fried tofu can be kept in the freezer but their tofu should be eaten within one week.

Hiroko bought 4 packages of abura-age to make age-sushi (football) and 1 package of square thick fried tofu for her lunch. Chopped onion, shiso, shoga, and katsuobushi are for the condiment for thick fried tofu. It is very delicious.

You can have okara, the waste of the tofu, at free of charge if you go there before 11 A.M. The okara has always been so hot that you can eat as it is.
---------------------------------------
Recipe for Noodle
16 oz. Tofu noodle
Cooking in a wok or a large frying pan
1 pound pork, sliced in strips
Cook pork with 1/2 cup white wine and ½ tsp. salt

After juice and wine evaporates
Add 3 Tbsp oil and fry
2 garlic cloves sliced
2 small onion, sliced

And add and fry
½ lb. fresh shrimps
1 cup Celery tips, chopped
3 carrots cut in strips
½ pound snow pea

Add and fry
3 cups chicken stock
2 Tbsp soy sauce
½ tsp sugar

Add and fry
Tofu noodle
½ cabbage, sliced

Combining those in to finish cooking

Garnish:
Sauté separately with a small pan 2 garlic cloves, chopped, and onion, sliced
Fresh green onion, chopped
----------------------------------------------
Hiroko prayed during the morning devotion time, “Lord, is there any connection with the soybeans and You, Lord?” When Hiroko was looking for the recipe for noodle, in the recipe container this short story was found.
Thank God for letting me have this story!
Here is the story:
“I was talking with a farmer about his soybean and corn crops. Rain had been abundant, and the results were evident. So his comment surprised me: ‘My crops are especially vulnerable. Even a short drought could have a devastating effect.’
‘Why!’ I asked.
He explained that while we see the frequent rains as a benefit, during that time the plants are not required to push roots deeper in search of water. The roots remain near the surface. A drought would find the plants unprepared and quickly kilsl them.
Some Christians receive abundant ‘rains’ of worship, fellowship, and teaching. Yet when stress enters their lives, many suddenly abandon God or think him unfaithful. Their roots have never pushed much below the surface. Only roots grown deep into God (Colossian 2:6-7) helps us endure times of drought in our lives.”
Colossian 2:6-7 “So, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.”

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Elsa's Late B-Day at Korean Restaurant

It was the late Birthday celebration dinner for Elsa at Korean Barbecue Restaurant without Birthday girl..

Restaurant's name.

Restaurant entrance - Hiroko's Husband (Hus) was looking for other half of the party.

Steven was enjoying Korean beer
Dave couldn't make a decision what he wants to eat because there are so many dishes in the menu.
Steven, Lisa and Hus ordered barbecue - Rib squares, Sirloin steaks, and Shrimps.

Lisa was enjoying Japanese hot sake
Korean Okonomi-yaki was served as an appetizer. It was good.

Half Table Picture
Barbecue Hibachi was opened and brought the fire in it.
There wasn't only meat or shrimps, but so many other things. Hiroko can't mention the name of all those dishes, including many different kind of Kimuchi.

Whole Table - some were still missing

Dave had finally made a decision to order a octopus dish. Hiroko ordered a Kimuchi and Tofu Nabe. It was very good. It was too busy to eat, so no pictures were taken.

For the Birthday girl, Bulkogi was ordered as take out. This is the Bulkogi dish. Even for the take out order there were many small dishes.


Everyone said, "Happy Birthday, Elsa!"

Sunday, July 4, 2010

July 4th, Sunday, Independent Day and Picnic

Devon Church annual picnic day is on the Independent Day. Independent Day of 2010 was on Sunday, so Sunday Worship Service was held on the picnic ground. Starting with praising the Lord with the guitar music, and the prayer and the sermon were followed.

The main idea of the sermon:
“On July 4, 1776, declaring independence from the Kingdom of Great Britain, the United States of America became the Democratic country and enjoys the freedom.
However, there is more wonderful news of getting freedom in the Bible. It is our individual freedom from the bondage of sin. No one receives this freedom with any good works, but there is only one way by the blood of Jesus Christ shed on the cross. Anyone can receive the freedom and be saved through the grace of the Lord God, by accepting Jesus as the Savior and Lord with our faith.
Please come to see me (Pastor) if you want to accept this miracle good news.”

Sing more praising songs.

These three pictures shows our Worship Service at the picnic field.


Lunch! Yes, it was lunch time after the Worship Service.
The theme of the picnic was “Hawaii,” so there was Kalua Pig. Can you see the pig’s head? It wasn’t a round head, so we can’t see the pig’s head. Everyone was so relieved. The head was flat, but there were ears, eyes and nose. Two Pastors ate the ears which is the best piece of the Kalua Pig, they said.
The pig’s head and The pig’s tail

Beside the pig there were so many different delicious foods that was brought by everyone because this is pot-lack luncheon. After taking the photo of the half of the table, hungry people rushed to the tables.

Without explanation you can see so many people were enjoying their lunch. I think this is only half of the people. Many were wearing Hawaiian T-shirt.




Some smart people were sitting down away from the food table.

It was a beautiful day for the picnic. Because of 90 degree and the wind blowing strongly there weren’t any bugs or mosquitoes. All the children could not sit by the table, they were out on the field running around and playing.

Devon Church has been consisted of many different nationalities and races, so one of the Mexican family brought the Sunshine Piñata. Under the five years old children were trying to break down the Piñata hanging from the tree.

The water filled balloon tossing game – 2 steps back

Potato sack race
5 years old boy couldn’t jump, so walked in the bag. He finished the game.

Geta race
This is Devon Church special race. Almost 60 years ago, one of the first generation made these Geta.

Last one was Hula Dance and Hawaiian songs.

Lord God, thank you for this day letting us have the wonderful and safe picnic.
Thanks for the delicious food!