The Wakayama Prefecture Club in Seattle is a small and friendly group of people who have some connection with the prefecture located in Japan: they were either born , raised , worked , have relatives and spouses who were born there, or have friends from Wakayama: a really good mix of people. But most of all, they love Japan.
Geographically, being on the coast, Wakayama is blessed with an abundance of fresh fish and produce such as persimmons, plums and peaches. When nature provides consistent quality of food in this manner, we know that the soil is fertile and the weather is generally reliable. In feng shui terms, this means the land has good qi. This is also reflected in the temperament and character of those that reside there. Where nature provides the basic needs, people tend to be more relaxed and open as there is plenty to share.
The club gathered members to find more ways to incorporate the Wakayama delicacy; umeboshi. You can read my other post on the umeboshi here. A local Japanese restaurant, I Love Sushi provided the wonderful obento, or boxed lunch, of various delicacies incorporating the flesh of the umeboshi, the Wakayama delicacy. The beauty of the obento is that you can taste a variety of dishes at one sitting. This is great for those who are consuming the meal, but requires lots of work for those preparing! So, my thanks to them.
My favorite was the sushi wrapped with a shiso leaf and ume topping. Another delicious item was the cream cheese and ume paste filled fillet of chicken, that was rolled, breaded, deep fried and sliced. And I must compliment the chef for a wonderful ume soup with tofu and seaweed that brought the image of the seaside to mind. All unique burst of flavors.
My contribution for the day was the umeboshi Hummus with pita chips. I modified my regular hummus recipe by eliminating the garlic and sea salt, instead adding the flesh of five umeboshi to replace the salt. If you are in the mood for experimenting and experiencing new flavors, please give this recipe a try – it has a unique tart and salty taste.
UMEBOSHI HUMMUS
- 1 can garbanzo beans
- juice of one lemon
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 5 umeboshi - use flesh only
- Water or liquid from can to adjust consistency approx. ¼ cup
- Ingredients:
- 1 can garbanzo beans
- juice of one lemon
- 3 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoon tahini
- 5 umeboshi - use flesh only
- Water or liquid from can to adjust consistency approx. ¼ cup
- In food processor, add all the above ingredients. If too thick add water to smooth consistency. Adjust lemon to your liking. Add more olive oil if necessary.
- To serve, place hummus in bowl and swirl olive oil on top and sprinkle paprika for color.
