What we see toward the end of the year at Greenmarket is lots of root vegetables, stored winter squashes, potatoes and onions. Frost friendly spinach and collard greens sometimes mingle with them. Among root vegetables I love cooking parsnip at this time of the year, because it tastes delicious in kinpira preparation. Kinpira is a dish, in which thin strips of burdock is sautéed in oil and flavored with shoyu, sugar and red chile pepper. Although the crunchy texture of burdock makes this dish unique and delightful, I replace burdock with parsnip, which is rather tender when it is cooked.
Here is the kinpira parsnip which I served with miso-sake kasu (sake lee) marianted, grilled weakfish. To julienne parsnip I use a julienne peeler from Hiroko’s Kitchen. This peeler cut parsnip into desirably thin strips. This helps to cook parsnip in short time and in crispy result. If you want own the julienne peeler, click https://hirokoskitchen.com/shop/.
To make 2 servings of kinpira parsnip you need;
1 scallion, both white and green part, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons canola oil
One large parsnip (about 14 ounces), finely julienned
2 pinches sea salt
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon shoyu
1/4 teaspoon shichimi togarashi (seven spice powder)
In a wok or a skillet heat the canola oil over moderately high heat. Add the white part of the scallion and give a few large stirs. Add the parsnip along with sea salt and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes. Add the sugar and cook and stir for 1 minute. Add the shoyu by pouring it directly onto the hot surface of the wok or skillet, not over the vegetables. If shoyu instantly burns, remove the wok or skillet from the heat and toss the parsnip with the shoyu. Put the wok or skillet back to moderately high heat and toss and stir the parsnip for 30 seconds. Toward the end of stirring, add the green part of the scallion and seven spice powder. Serve the kinpira parsnip into two serving bowls or plates.
One day old dish stored at refrigerator and served at room temperature tastes very good, so you may make a large batch and enjoy it over 2 to 3 days.
eople are confusing Shichimi togarashi with Chinese five spice powder. Or, people are getting wrong information on which ingredients make shichimi togarashi. So, next blog is shichimi togarashi.