Unohana (Simmered Soy Pulp And Vegetables)

Unohana（ 卯の花 ）

unohana = simmered okara with vegetables

What kind of dish is Unohana??

Soy pulp salad is made by frying okara and vegetables in oil and then seasoning them with soy sauce.

Unohana is a word that refers to okara. Okara is a by-product generated when tofu or soy milk is made from soybeans. Low in fat and high in fiber, perfect for dieting. Therefore, this ingredient is popular as a healthy food. (healthy food=健康食品,kenko shokuhin)

Okara itself doesn’t have much flavor. So even if you mix it with meat such as hamburgers and croquettes, you can eat it without much discomfort. In recent years, powdered okara has also been sold, and it is sometimes used in cakes and cookies for health reasons.

Okara is available at any supermarket in Japan. And it’s a very cheap ingredient, about 50 yen per bag. Okara powder can be purchased at online supermarkets such as Amazon.

In Japan, April is called “卯月＝Uzuki”. There is a flower called Unohana that blooms in April. Unohana is written as “卯の花” in Japanese. Okara came to be called Unohana because its white fluffy appearance resembled this flower.

Use light soy sauce when you want to finish the dish white. Mixing a little dark soy sauce will improve the flavor. Adjust the ratio to your liking.

There are many ingredients with different textures, such as fluffy okara, crunchy burdock, and springy konnyaku, and it’s delicious. Please try Japanese traditional dishes.

NUTRITION FACTS of Unohana simmered okara and vegetables (soy pulp salad)

• 689 Calories Protein 27.2 g Total Fat 25.0 g Total Carbohydrates 94.0 g Sodium 11.7 g

INGREDIENTS for Unohana simmered okara and vegetables (soy pulp salad)（6SERVINGS)

⋈*Dried shiitake mushrooms are a special product of Oita Prefecture. There are also thinly sliced ones, but this recipe uses the one called “Donko”. The flavor is completely different when you use this because you can get a strong and thick soup stock.

• Goboten fish cakes (burdock and fish paste tempura) 50g
• Akunuki huyou Konnyaku 50g
• Carrot 50g
• Kamaboko (boiled fish paste) 50g
• Dried shiitake mushroom 6g
  • ★Water 700g
• Sesame oil 7g
• Okara (Soy pulp) 200g
• ☆Dashi stock granules 5g
• ★Water used to rehydrate dried shiitake mushrooms 700g
• ☆Light soy sauce 40g
• ☆Dark soy sauce 10g
• ☆Sugar 30g
• ☆Mirin 20g
• Green peas 30g
• Chopped almonds　10g

Unohana simmered okara and vegetables (soy pulp salad) COOKING INSTRUCTIONS

⋈*Preparation : Rehydrate the dried shiitake mushrooms with water. It will take a few hours for the dried shiitake mushrooms to soften. I use dried shiitake mushrooms often, so I always keep a small amount of them soaked in water in my refrigerator.

⋈*Preparation : Konnyaku contains lye, so it is soaked in hot water before cooking. If you are using konnyaku that has been processed so that this step is not necessary, you can skip this step. Since it is a hassle, I always use konnyaku that is labeled “Akunuki huyou (no need to remove the lye) .”

1. Dice goboten fish cakes (burdock and fish paste tempura), konnyaku, carrot, kamaboko, and rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms.
2. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, add goboten fish cakes, konnyaku, carrot, and rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms, and soy pulp.
3. Stir fry until the sesame oil is evenly distributed.
4. Add the dashi stock granules and the water in which the dried shiitake mushrooms were soaked, and simmer until the vegetables are soft.
5. Add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, and mirin and simmer.
6. When the water is gone, add kamaboko, chopped almonds and green peas. (The kamaboko and green peas are added last to prevent discoloration.)
7. Store in the refrigerator until the next day to allow the flavors to blend.

※Okara absorbs water and swells. Use a large deep frying pan.

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