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	Recipe

Shungiku Gobo Renkon Fuki warabi yomogi	Hints Aku nuki Aku nuki is the process of removing harshness or bitterness. It is impotant to do in order to lock in the true flavor and colors of vegatables. It is done during preparation and cooking, depending on the ingriedent. The basic procedure of akunuki for vegetables is to boil them in hot water to remove harshness then soak immediately in cold water to set color. Ash water, rice bran, wheat flour can also be used to set color. Cold water, vinegar, lemon juice also prevent colors from fading. Boiling in hot water with salt. Boil ingriedents in 5 times the amount of water with a dash of salt. Then soak immediately in cold water to set color. Shungiku: Boil in hot water with salt, stem down, then soak in cold water. French beans: Peel strings. Boil in hot water with salt. Then drop into cold water and place on strainer. Green asparagus: Keep stalks together place into boiling water added with salt and a thin slice of lemon. Remove before they become too soft. Lemon juice Mushroom: Add lemon juice to fresh mushrooms, when eaten raw or in salad. Banana: Peel and cut bananas, sprinkle lemon juice on before cooking. Use for making cake. Vinegar and water Vinegar bleaches vegatables Gobo: (burdock) Remove skin with the back of the knife, soak in vinegar. Add a little vinegar while boiling. Renkon: (lotus root) Peel and soak in water with a bit of vinegar. Add a little vinegar while boiling. Udo: Peel and soak in water with a bit of vinegar. Itazuri Itazuri is the technique of removing the harshness from cucumbers or other cylinder shape vegatables. Place vegetables on cutting board, put salt on hands and board, roll vegetables and lightly press. This action is Itazuri. Fuki: Cut fuki into pot size pieces, sprinkle with salt on the chopping board roll and press lightly. In a large pot bring water to a boil . Add fuki. When color becomes very green, drain, set in cold water. Remove skin by peeling with fingers. Using Nuka (rice bran) To remove the bitterness from takenoko (bamboo shoots) boil in rice water. Use komenuka powder and takanotsume (red pepper), boil, remove from heat, wash and peel skin. Togijiru is rice bran water and can be used too. Using wheat flour Califlower: Boiling in flour and water whole brings out white color. Soak in cold water, drain, cut into pieces. Or use vinegar in water to boil. Keep califlower in the same water until it cools down. When eating raw, soak califlower in vinegar water for a while before eating. Using water with ash Wild vegetables like warabi, zenmai, yomogi all have a lot of fiber. To make them tender, cover with ash, pour boiling water over them. Use water with 0.2-0.3% baking soda instead of ash when it is difficult to find ash. Make sure not put too much soda in water otherwise shape will be spoiled. Soak in water To avoid vegetables from changing color after peeling or cutting, Soak them immediately and completely covered in water. Soak potatos, chestnuts, other starchy vegatables. Potatos: Immediately after peeling potatos, soak in water. When eaten raw change water several times to insure crispiness. Sweet potatos: Thickly peel sweet potatos and soak before making Kinton. Boil in a soup Green leaves: Chinese vegetable's harshness can be removed by frying in oil and adding soup or water then brought to a boil. Skim the fine scum that float to the top.
	Green asparagus: Keep stalks together place into boiling water added with salt and a thin slice of lemon. Cut fuki into pot size pieces, sprinkle with salt on the chopping board roll and press lightly. French beans: Peel strings. Boil in hot water with salt. Then drop into cold water and place on strainer Potatos: Immediately after peeling potatos, soak in water. Califlower: Boiling in flour and water whole brings out white color. Shungiku: Boil in hot water with salt stem down.then soak in cold water. To remove the bitterness from takenoko (bamboo shoots) boil in rice water. Warabi, zenmai, yomogi: Cover with ash, pour boiling water over them.
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