Maxannes Japanese Okra Food

LAMB TAJINE WITH APPLES AND BABY OKRA

Steps:

• Preheat a heavy, thick pot. Add the olive oil and heat, then add the lamb and brown. Add the garlic and onions and stir. Add the pepper then the ginger, saffron, cinnamon, salt, parsley, cilantro, bay leaves, Ras el Hanout, water, and powdered red hot pepper, if using, and bring to a boil for 30 minutes on medium heat.
• Add sugar, apples, and okra and cook for another 30 minutes. Add more water if needed. (Make sure the lamb is tender, before you add the sugar, apples, and okra.) Cook until the sauce thickens.
• Serve on a large platter, first the lamb and garnish with apples (skin up), okra on top and the sauce over it. Serve hot.

JAPANESE PICKLE ROLL (HANDROLL, TEMAKISUSHI)

Steps:

• Just before rolling sushi, toast the nori by passing the shiny side over a high flame. The color of the nori will change from brownish black to dark green. (Without toasting, the nori will be gummy and hard to chew.) Cut toasted nori sheets in half crosswise.
• Lay a 1/2 a sheet of the nori, shiny side down on a counter. Combine the rice vinegar and water in a bowl, and moisten your hands with this hand vinegar to keep the rice from sticking to your hands as you work. Spread about 1 cup of the sushi rice on 3/4 of the nori closest to you, in a layer about 1/4 inch thick, spreading it to the edges. Lay 1/4 of the pickle slices across the center of the nori. Roll gently, using the fingers and palms of both hands. Eat immediately, without cutting, and serve the soy sauce as a dipping sauce. Yield: 4 servings, 4 rolls
• VARIATION: CONES
• As a variation, roll the nori, rice and ingredients into a cone shape and serve with dipping sauce.

OKRA JAPANESE STYLE

Steps:

• Bring a saucepan of water to the boil.
• Drop in the okra and boil for 2-3 minutes.
• Rinse under cold water, then drain again.
• Serve with the dipping sauce.
• Dipping Sauce: Grate the ginger into the soy sauce just as you are serving the okra.