Recipe which uses Soy Beans (1)

Aragane Tofu
Time: 15 min

[Ingredients] (serves: 4)
2 packages of tofu (momen)
Salt (to season)
2 tbsp soy-sauce
2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp sesame oil
Zanthoxylum spice (to season) or seven-spice chili mix powder

[How To Cook]

1. Dice the tofu into 2cm pieces and boil in salted water for about 1 min and drain.
2. Heat the sesame oil in a pot and add the tofu. Turn the tofu pieces over and fry over medium heat until all the surfaces have become brown.
3. Add soy-sauce and sake, and simmer the tofu over medium heat until the liquid has completely evaporated. Sprinkle with zanthoxylum.

Reference: 道場六三郎の教えます小粋な和風おかず/written by Rokusaburo Michiba

Foods that improve physical ability

Ninjas were professional warriors that also engaged in spying activities. As spying activities require high-level physical and mental abilities, they always trained themselves to maintain their super-skills. They also knew a lot about the foods they ate. They researched the effectiveness of each ingredient and classified them in order to use them to their advantage.

Soy beans
Soy beans were eaten by Ninjas on a daily basis. There are 3 reasons why they ate soy beans.
Soy beans contain rich vegetable protein. Protein’s role is to build muscles and replenish skin. As meat was not commonly eaten in Japan at that time, soy beans were an important source of protein used to strengthen their muscles.
A ninja needed to be lean and agile. They were required to maintain a weight of less than 60 kilograms. Taking protein from vegetables was a smart way to control their weight.
Soy beans are effective in improving skin-condition as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids, isoflavones and linolenic acid. Ninjas sometimes needed to disguise themselves when spying, and having clean skin was advantageous when trying to pass as a townsman, monk or even a woman.

Sesame
Sesame contains Vitamin E which slows aging and prevents graying-hair. It also has a large amount of unsaturated fatty acid which is effective in lowering cholesterol and preventing arterial stiffening. Ninjas made use of sesame in their daily meals. Sesame is used as oil or seasoning for rice and vegetables in Japanese foods.

Dried Squid
Ninjas tried to maximize their abilities by doing physical training and eating special foods. They ate dried squid to strengthen their jaws. This jerky-like food had a very hard texture and really needed to be chewed each time it was eaten which made Ninjas' jaws firm and strong. Believe it or not, clenching their strong jaws actually helped enable them to exert all their strength.

Basic Information on Japanese Traditional Meals

A Japanese traditional meal in the Kamakura era (1192-1333)


What Makes Japanese Meals So Healthy?

A Japanese traditional meal consists of a bowl of rice, miso-soup and other dishes. This way of eating is called "一汁一菜: ichijuissai" (which literally means 1 soup and 1 dish), "一汁三菜 : ichijusannsai" (meaning 1 soup and 3 dishes) or sometimes "一汁五菜 : ichijugosai" (which means 1 soup and 5 dishes). Why are there only 1, 3 or 5 dishes, and not 2 or 4? Customarily odd numbers were thought to be unlucky in old Japanese society. In this style of eating, rice and miso-soup are the basis of the meal while the accompanying dishes ideally use different types of ingredients – for example, fish or meat for the main dish and vegetables, seaweed, or beans for other side dishes.

Recently, this ‘return to the basics’ way of eating is drawing a lot of attention in Japan, particularly from those middle-aged folks who want to slash belly fat, as well as women who want to preserve their youthfulness. There are a number of generally accepted reasons as to why eating this way is so healthy.

・Rice and Miso soup
It is reported that meals in which more than 55 percent of the calories are provided by starch can prevent the accumulation of fat. In a traditional Japanese meal, a lot of starch is derived from rice, which is ultimately converted into energy. The miso and vegetables contained in miso soup provide a lot of plant protein and minerals.

・A variety of ingredients
A balanced meal effectively controls weight. Extra fat is burned when necessary nutrients are consumed. The lack of nutrients keeps the body from functioning properly, which in turn prevents fat from being burned. In the past, eating meat was not common. Instead, a variety of dishes containing fish, vegetables, beans and seaweed developed. Today, meat has become one of the main ingredients in Japanese cooking, while many types of traditional ingredients are also used.

・Cooking methods
Japanese cooking traditionally involves the use of a lot of water. Ingredients are frequently boiled or simmered, and the flavors are enhanced using broth containing fermented seasonings such as miso and soy sauce. This way of cooking makes Japanese dishes less oily than foods in most western countries.

・Unique ingredients that are healthy
Japanese cooking uses many unique ingredients such as kelp, small dried fish, tofu and konnyaku, which are nutritious and low-calorie.