Breakfast in the Garden

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Okonomiyaki ( Japanese Pancake ).......Okonomi-yaki or Japanese Pancake originated in Hiroshima and each city in Japan has a slightly different take on the ingredients. As the name indicates (okonomi means favorites in Japanese), you can add your favourite ingredients in okonomi-yaki. Seafood and meat are usually added. In some okonomi-yaki restaurants, customers cook their own okonomiyaki on the iron table. Okonomi-yaki is a kind of fast food and there are lots of venders selling okonomi-yaki in Japan. Favoured Toppings are: Crab, Shrimp, Chicken, Pork, Salmon, Grilled Vegetables etc.

Turkish Coffee...... Turkish coffee was invented as a drink during the 16th century in the Middle East--brewed in little pots called ibriks or cezves.

RECIPES:

Okonomiyaki ( Japanese Pancake )......

Beat 1 egg in a bowl and add, 1/2 cup cake flour, 1/2 cup water, 3_1/2 ounces cabbage, shredded into fine strips, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 3 tablespoons potato starch, and mix. Let the batter stand for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Add 1/4 to 1/3 cup green part of scallion rings. Heat a large non-stick skillet, add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl the skillet to coat the entire bottom. When the oil is hot, pour out the excess, and reserve it. Reduce the heat to medium-low. With a ladle scoop a half portion of the batter and pour into the skillet. Make the batter into a 10-inch disk. After about 5 minutes of cooking check the bottom. If it is lightly golden, pour the remaining batter evenly over the cabbage and continue cooking until the bottom is golden. With a spatula turn the pancake over, press it to flatten the bottom, and cook until the other bottom is golden. If needed, add the reserved oil to the skillet. Flip the pancake over again and with a pastry brush, spread some of the sauce over the surface of the pancake.

Sauce: 1/2 cup tomato ketchup 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce 1/2 teaspoon mustard 1/4 cup mirin (sweet cooking wine) 1_1/2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons shoyu (soy sauce).In a small saucepan, combine the sauce ingredients and bring to a boil. Cook over low heat for 3 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat.

Cut the pancake into 4 to 6 pieces, like a pizza, and serve hot.

Turkish Coffee...... Serve 4.    1/4 cup finely ground Turkish coffee, 1_1/2 tb sugar, 1_1/2 cup cold water.

In a Turkish long-handled brass or copper pot combine 1/4 cup finely ground Turkish coffee with 1_1/2 tb sugar, add 1_1/2 cup cold water, and bring the water just to a boil over moderate heat. Remove the pot from the heat, let the froth subside, and return the pot to the heat. Return the liquid just to a boil and remove the pot from the heat and return it in the same manner 2 more time. Spoon some of the froth into each of 4 demitasse cups and fill the cups with coffee.