Indian version TAKOYAKI

No Octopus inside. But there are two versions: sweet pancake like tasting one and spicy version. Funny to see how people think the same way all around the world. They were delicious and HOT!!

Found my new love!!

Dosa is becoming like my old time favorite. But found another great snack in Mamallapuram!!! It's kind if Nan meets croissant!! Very chewy yet with many thin layers. Eat with very spicy curry. 2 pieces for 15 rupees ( 30 cents)!!!

Keralan Food Day

Here at Ayurvedagram, Karalan special meals are served on every Sunday. Kerala is home for Ayurveda, and so Keralan meals provide all six tastes ( sweet, sour, salty, pungent, astringent, and bitter) that we all need to keep us in balance (as Ayurveda says). The amount of each taste one needs is different from person to person depends on the body type and current health condition, but still we all should include all these tastes in our every day meal.

Clockwise:
• Red rice (very common rice in Kerala. It's easier to digest than regular rice, and has more nutrition.)
• Inji Puli (swee/sour sauce made of ginger, jaggery, tamarind)
• Thoran (shredded cabbage, coconut, with curry leaves, mustard seeds)
• Avial (steamed veggies roughly coated in ground coconut and yogurt)
• Pachadi (a bit bitter tasting mix of yogurt, onion, coconut, yogurt, curry leaves, mustard seeds, coriander leaves)
• Morucurry (yogurt, mustard seeds, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, green chili, hint of turmeric)
• Dhal with Ghee
Middle:
• Errissery (not so spicy curry of red pumpkin and red grams)

Dessert:
• Paripu Payasam (sweet rice and mung bean pudding with cashews and raisins

It'll be very interesting to sample Keralan food in Karala!!
This is my last week at Ayurvedagram. After this, I'll be starting my journey clockwise through south of India～!

Breakfast at Ayurvedagram

Day 8 of Panchakarma

Finished my first main treatment of therapeutic purgation, feeling very light and cleaned! And now, I'm allowed to have my favorite meal of the day, Indian breakfast!!
• Freshly made crispy Dosa
• Rava Idly
• Tomato chutney
• Coconut chutney
• Sweet Ada
( steamed rice cake with sweet coconut paste wrapped in banana leaf)
• Uthappm (pancake)

Ayurvedically, the breakfast should be light, but after taking only Ghee and some plain rice porridge in the morning for the past 5 days, I needed to try all of these.... And all of these are actually quite light in my stomach.
Love dipping crisp warm dosa into fresh tasting chutneys.

Panchakarma Day6

Getting oiled up!!!
There are three parts to the Panchakarma treatment: prep, main therapy, afterward rejuvenation. So, today was my last day of preparation stage. What was done to me during these time? Basically I was getting oiled inside and out. Getting synchronized oil massage by two women and taking Ghee ( clarified butter) internally every day. I must smell like popcorn now. Now my body is supposed to be softened inside and out so to wash out all toxins. Tomorrow, I'll have Virechana, which is therapeutic purgation. I'm excited to find out how much toxin will be coming out of me.... This is my medicated ghee for today. 25ml. Cheers!!!

Panchakarma treatment

Panchakarma is Ayurvedic treatment to remove all the toxins from the body and to rejuvenate from within to bring you a total new balanced body, mind, and soul. Program will be customized to everyone very differently depends on your body type, PRAKRITI, and your current imbalance state, VIKRITI.
So, for me, they planned my daily routine as follow:

6:00 - 6:45am walking
7:00-7:30am doctor check/ eye wash, Nasyam(nostril cleanse)
7:30-8:15am yoga exercise
8:30am therapy (oil massage)
9:45am breakfast
12:15-1:00pm PRANSYAMA (breathing excercisd)
1:00-2:00pm lunch
3:15pm meditation
4:45pm therapy (lower back basthi)
5:30pm walking
7:30-8:15pm dinner

I'm trying to keep my mind focus on what my body is experiencing. Trying to bring the attention to body, mind, soul connection to bring the healing experience to its optimum.

It's amazing to be able to spend 21 days according to this very simple routine.

I found the blooming lotus on the side of road this morning. Lotus flower is only open in the morning. One more good reason to start day early.

Panchakarma treatment in India

Day 1

Finally made to Ayurvedagram!
Arrived at 4am after 27hrs of traveling from Portland, OR. Starting 21 days of Panchakarma treatment.

First Dosa Making!

DOSA DOYA~SA?

It's been a long time~!
Move to Portland in Oct, miss making Bento Box for Akanekke.
But, now I enjoy cooking with MISOMAGIC!

Today is our First trial making DOSA
(south Indian Pancake dish)
It take time to make DOSA.
need to soak rice and lentil in water for 7-8 hours
and then still let it sit for 8-10 hours~!
Enough to make you hungry~?
Followed this recipe: http://www.top-indian-recipes.com/plain-dosa-recipe
(but we used Brown Basmati Rice instead of plain rice)

It really need practice to spread evenly....

looking bubbly and good~
yay! it's crispy!!!

Made Potato Masala curry & Fish Curry
to eat with Dosa
And here is my plate!!!!

芋飯〜Sweet Potato Rice Bento~

LUNCH:芋飯田舎弁当~Sweet Potato Rice Bento~

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芋飯
Sweet Potato Rice

きんぴらごぼう
Stir-fried Burdock Roots (Kinpira Gobo)

干しえび炒り卵
Dried Shrimp Scramble Egg

豆腐あげ＆大根煮
Cooked Tofu & Daikon Radish

自家製梅干し
Home-made Umeboshi
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It's fall~ that reminded me of this potato rice.

幕の内弁当 Makunouchi Bento

LUNCH: Makunouchi Bento Box

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菊菜卵焼き
Kikuna in Egg Omelette

たたきごぼう
Cooked Burdock Roots with Miso Flex Seeds

切り干し大根カレー煮
Dried Daikon Radish Curry

塩鮭
Grilled Salmon

自家製梅干し
Home-made Umeboshi
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Today's main dish is actually.... UMEBOSHI!
yes! it's home-made!!!

Ume Boshi

I pickled Ume (Plum) in early July.

And now it's time for my Ume to get sunbath!
Sun will give my ume milder taste and also will preserve better~
(People really knew what to do best with nature back in old times....)

I don't have sunny backyard of my own,
so I decided to dry outside of my window.
with these basket idea

But I realized I need to flip Ume once a day, and it's kind of hard doing....
so end up drying just on the window like this

This is before
(skin still puffed like young girl)
And this is After 2days of sunbath
(Skin is like grand ma soft~)
My first time Ume boshi is now READY!!!
my mouth is watering by just looking at this~><

Tomato in Season!!!

This last weekend, got tans of Fresh Tomatoes

from Garden of Treasures, Imamura's!

These tomatos smells so Fresh!!!!
Even Roman Tomato's has refreshing green smells. Thank you~!!!

So, Today's Lunch is Tomato special.

LUNCH: Tomato Pasta

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Tomato Pasta (Quinoa Pasta)

Tomato Salad
with Balsamic Vinegar Dressing
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Very very simple pasta sauce made with just
these fresh Tomatoes, Onion, and Garlic.
So, to keep the Tomato as Main!

Here is my dressing recipe:
Balsamic Vinegar
Lemon Juice
Olive Oil
Agave Nectar
Chopped Cilantro
Pinch of Salt & Pepper to taste

I tried this Quinoa Pasta today.
(found in the very bottom of my food cabinet:))
Never had this before, but it's quite good.
Has very gummy texture that I like.
I'll recommend this if you're looking for healthy alternative pasta.

Nira Tuna Gyoza

LUNCH: Nira Tuna Gyoza Bento Box

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にらツナ餃子
Tuna Gyoza with Garlic Chives

野菜炒め
Stir-fried Veggies

ひじき豆煮
Hijiki & Beans

おかかおにぎり（＋きゅうりのぬか漬け）
Onigiri with Bonoto freaks & Pickled Cucumber
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eat Gyoza with Soy+Vinegar sauce.
Nira (Garlic Chives) is good for stomach problem
especially for diarrhea
So, I guess it's good veggie to eat when you're under pressure~

Phad Thai

LUNCH: Phad Thai Bento Box

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Phad Thai (Thai Fried Noodles)
with Tofu & Dried Shrimp

菊菜サラダ（梅胡麻ドレッシング）
Kikuna & Tomato Salad with Ume-Sesame dressing
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Sushi Bento Box

LUNCH: Salmon Sushi Bento Box

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鮭ちらしずし
Salmon Chirashi Sushi

筑前煮風（ごぼう／しいたけ）
Cooked Burdock Root & Shiitake Mushroom

切り干し大根＆昆布の酢の物
Dried Daikon Radish & Konbu with Sweet Vinegar

ひじき豆煮
Hijiki & Beans

空豆
Grilled Horse Beans
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Decided to cheer up the 1st day back to work with colorful Sushi:)
I Chopped Home-made Gari (Sweet& Sour Picked Ginger)
and mixed into Rice.
Topped with Grilled Salmon, Egg, Shiro Leaf

Art Murmur again!

Yesterday was my second trial in selling food at Oakland Art murmur.

This time, I decided on Thai Curry, the recipe I learned in Chaing Mai a few years ago.

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Red Curry with Fish

Green Curry with Chicken

Black Sticky Rice Pudding
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I made about total 60 servings of curry.
That's about 4 big pots of curry!


Look! There is LINE for us! Ya~y!
Thank you Tae-chan for helping again!!!
I was so happy that all sold out in about 2 1/2 hours.
Actually, run out of RICE first.... miscalculated....
But, with Akanekke' advice,
we sold just the curry as soup for less money.
So, I was able to go home with empty pots!

Omu-Rice

LUNCH: Omu-Rice Bento Box

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オムライス
Tomato flavored Omelette Rice

ズッキーニ＆紫キャベツのトマト煮
Zucchini & Cabbage in Tomato Sauce
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DESSERT: Peach Yogurt

I picked peaches from the front yard of my apt.
I knew we had this tree for a long time
but never thought about actually eating them.

turned out to be pretty good when made into Jam.
nothing is sweeter than free fruits:)

Me so Miso~

It's been a long break

so, I got too excited.... trying few new recipes.
maybe feeding akanekke too much???

LUNCH: Tofu Fish Burger Bento Box

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豆腐＆魚バーガー味噌風味
Tofu & Fish Burger with Miso

ケール菜の胡麻味噌和え
Kale with Sesame Miso

レンコンの梅しそ和え
Lotus Roots with Sour pickled Shiso leaves

ひじき豆煮
Hijiki & Beans

水菜＆トマトサラダ(味噌梅酢ドレッシング）
Potherb mustard with Sour plum vinegar & Miso dressing
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Miso everywhere:)

Otukaresama~!

Akanekke worked all night long....Otukaresama-desu.

So, today's lunch at Cafe de Izumi

LUNCH: 五穀粥5Grains Porridge

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五 穀粥
5 Grains Porridge
(Brown Rice/Wild Rice/Steal Cut Oats/Quinoa/Roasted Buckweat)

漬け物＆ジャコと昆布の佃煮
Picked Veggies & Small fish & Kelp preserve

キムチ
Kimuchi
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As usual, very very light Lunch


But, here is Bonus!
SNACK:Dora-Yaki

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そば粉どら焼きwith 黒糖あん
Buckwheat Pancake with Black Sugar Azuki Beans
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DINNER: ODEN Bento Box

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おでん
ODEN
(Daikon Radish/Konnyaku/Kelp/Fishcake/Fried Tofu/Egg)

青菜の胡麻和え
Green with Sesame Miso

きゅうりとわかめ酢の物
Cucumber & Seaweed in Sweet Vinegar

大根葉飯にぎり
Onigiri with Daikon Rasid leave pickles
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What is your favorite in Oden?
Akanekke, I know you love Egg:)
Sorry there is only one~
after all, we're still on DIET desukara
.

Get back on Track~ hopefully...

After too much fun on weekends (eating out, drinking....),
we're back on track!
...hopefully...
It's busy time for Akanekke.
So, might be too hard to stay on diet.
but we'll try as much as possible~


LUNCH: Neba-Neba Soba

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納豆＆オクラぶっかけそば
Natto & Okura Soba
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I heard slimy stuff is really good for our body.
I forgot what was the actual reason...
but, so here is Neba-Neba soba
(Double slimy soba)
Eat with Seasoned Soy over this.


DINNER:Salmon Roll Bento Box

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シャケのロールキャベツ
Salmon Cabbage Roll

切り干し大根のカレー煮
Dried Daikon Radish Curry

パプリカ＆かぶの梅ピクルス和え
Bell Peppers & Radish in Pickled Sour Plum dressing
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Salmon Roll is seasoned with Sesame oil & Salt
and had Shiso leaves inside.

Home made Pickled Ume is READY!
I used it in dressing today.
became very refreshing taste!