Kansha Celebrating Japan's Vegan and Vegetarian Traditions

Author(s): Elizabeth Andoh
Publisher: Ten Speed Press
Date: 2010-10-19
Format: pdf
Language: English
ISBN10: 1580089550
Pages: 304
ISBN13: 9781580089555

Product Description: The celebration of JapanΓΓé¼Γäós vegan and vegetarian traditions begins with kanshaΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥appreciationΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥an expression of gratitude for natureΓΓé¼Γäós gifts and the efforts and ingenuity of those who transform natureΓΓé¼Γäós bounty into marvelous food. The spirit of kansha, deeply rooted in Buddhist philosophy and practice, encourages all cooks to prepare nutritionally sound and aesthetically satisfying meals that avoid waste, conserve energy, and preserve our natural resources.

In these pages, with kansha as credo, Japan culinary authority Elizabeth Andoh offers more than 100 carefully crafted vegan recipes. She has culled classics from shojin ryori, or Buddhist temple cuisine (Creamy Sesame Pudding, Glazed Eel Look-Alike); gathered essentials of macrobiotic cooking (Toasted Hand-Pressed Brown Rice with Hijiki, Robust Miso); selected dishes rooted in history (Skillet-Scrambled Tofu with Leafy Greens, Pungent Pickles); and included inventive modern fare (Eggplant Sushi, Tofu-Tofu Burgers).

Andoh invites you to practice kansha in your own cooking, and she delights in demonstrating how ΓΓé¼┼ônothing goes to waste in the kansha kitchen.ΓΓé¼┬¥ In one especially satisfying example, she transforms each part of a single daikonΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥from the tapered tip to the tuft of greens, including the peels that most cooks would simply compostΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥into an array of wholesome, flavorful dishes.

Decades of living immersed in Japanese culture and years of culinary training have given Andoh a unique platform from which to teach. She shares her deep knowledge of the cuisine in the two-part A Guide to the Kansha Kitchen. In the first section, she explains basic cutting techniques, cooking methods, and equipment that will help you enhance flavor, eliminate waste, and speed meal preparation. In the second, Andoh demystifies ingredients that are staples in Japanese pantries, but may be new to you; they will boost your kitchen repertoireΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥vegan or omnivoreΓΓé¼ΓÇ¥to new heights.

Stunning images by award-winning photographer Leigh Beisch complete Kansha, a pioneering volume sure to inspire as it instructs.