This is for my brother who really really loves Gomashio!

Gomashio-by Aveline kushi

Adult Gomashio

1 Cup sesame seeds

11/2 -3 Tbsp sea salt

Very Active Adult Gomashio

1 Cup sesame seeds

31/2-4 Tbsap sea salt

Children’s Gomashio

1 Cup sesame seeds

11/2-2 Tbsp sea salt

Wash seeds in a very fine mesh strainer as in preparing rice and let them drain. Any seeds that float to the top while they are being washed should be discarded. Dry-roast the sea salt in a frying pan for a short time. For both sea salt and sesame seeds, stainless steel is lighter, easier to handle, and heats up and cools off more quickly than cast-iron. However, cast-iron cooks more evenly and may be used instead, if desired. Roasting the sea salt releases moisture in the salt and helps to make fluffy gomashio. Roasting also releases a strong chlorine from the salt. The salt is roasted when it becomes shiny.

Roast the sesame seeds after the salt has been roasted, ground, and set aside. Always roast the sesame seeds when they are wet. They will cook more evenly. Dry seeds will burn easily. Use medium heat to roast the seeds. Do not roast too many seeds at once or some will burn, while others will not be roasted enough. Add only enough seeds to cover the bottom of the frying pan. While roasting, push the seeds back and forth in the pan with a rice paddle or wooden spoon. Shaking the pan occasionally will also help to roast seeds evenly and avoid burning. The seeds are done when they crush easily  between the thumb and index finger, about 5-10 minutes. Do not over roast the seeds as they tend to become a little darker from their internal heat after they have been removed from the frying pan. The seeds will also begin to pop and give off a nutty fragrance when done.

Place  the roasted sea salt in a suribachi and grind until it becomes a fine powder and all small lumps are dissolved. Add the hot roasted sesame seeds to the roasted, ground sea salt.  Hot seeds grind more easily and should always be added after the salt has been ground. If seeds are ground firs, they will turn darker when the salt is added. Slowly grind the seeds in an even circular motion with a wooden pestle, making sure to use the grooved sides of the suribachi to grind against instead of the bottom of the bowl. Grind until each seed is half-crushed and thoroughly coated with salt. Do not grind into a powder. If you grind gently, the gomashio will taste sweeter. More powerful or quicker grinding crushes the seeds and makes them saltier to the taste. Allow the gomashio to cool when you have finished grinding and transfer it to an airtight glass or ceramic container to store. If you put warm gomashio into a container, moisture will collect on the top and sides of the jar causing it to spoil quickly. Gomashio will keep fresh for several weeks and may be roasted again if it begins to dry out. I avoid making too much at a time and so prepare it fresh at least once a week.

Variation: For variety, sesame seeds may be prepared with miso, tamari soy sauce, roasted umeboshi plums, roasted powdered kombu or wakame, or shiso leaves. Roasted sesame seeds may also be used a condiment or garnish without salt or other seasoning.

Mustard Green Pickles-by Aveline kushi

10 Whole mustard green leaves

Sea salt

Wash the mustard greens, drain, and place 3 leaves in a pickle press or bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on the leaves. make another layer of 3-4 leaves and sprinkle with salt. Finally add the remaining leaves and salt. Place the top on the press or press down with a saucer and a small weight. Let sit for 1-2 days.

This morning I made a pressed salad to go with lunch. Pressing is a way of marinating vegetables under pressure in order to make them more digestible. Pressed salad is often used in small amounts, or as a condiment.

1 carrot, cut into thin rectangles

1/4 cabbage, shredded

4 red radishes, sliced into thin rounds

1 green onion, sliced thinly

1tsp sea salt

Mix all ingredients together and squeeze a little with your hands.  Put into a salad/pickle press or in a bowl with a plate on top. Put a weight on top of the plate to help press out water. After 45 min-hour rinse the vegetables and serve a small amount with your meal.

More salad ideas..

1

1 carrot, grated

1/2 daikon , sliced into thin half moons

1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced into rounds

2-3 pinches of sea salt

2

1 cup napa cabbage, shredded

1 stalk of celery, sliced thinly

1 apple cored and sliced thin

1 tsp sea salt

3

instead of sea salt, you can also use ume vinegar, soy sauce, rice vinegar or even dulse or nori flakes.