Taught by Vegetable Chef Sakurako Nibe

「Hot Salad with Autumn Flavors - Served with Herb Cream」

Hot Salad with Autumn Flavors - Served with Herb Cream Taught by Vegetable Chef Sakurako Nibe

Sakurako Nibe / Vegetable Chef

Born in Shibuya, Tokyo, to an architect father and a mother who practiced flower arrangement, Sakurako spent her early childhood in Hachioji after her parents decided to raise their children closer to nature. She grew up eating organic vegetables grown by her parents and enjoying a natural lifestyle. After graduating from high school, she studied abroad in New York, where she earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) from an art school in Brooklyn. After graduating, she worked as a buyer and director in the apparel industry before founding SHUNNO KITCHEN in 2017.

Sakurako promotes food that is gentle on both the body and the planet, focusing on eating seasonal ingredients throughout the year. Her concept is to support a lifestyle that is in harmony with the Earth. She develops recipes, provides food styling, offers catering services, runs cooking classes, and participates in markets, all with the aim of spreading the deliciousness of vegetables across various platforms.

Ingredients for 1 serving (serves 4)

shallot

4 pieces

Title

curry leaves

2 pieces

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mustard seeds

2 teaspoons

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olive oil

2 tablespoons

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katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes)

10g

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mushroom

200g

※This time, we will use king oyster mushrooms, shimeji mushrooms, black maitake mushrooms, and shiitake mushrooms

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Butternut squash (or pumpkin if unavailable)

150g

Title

almond

40g

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salt (1)

1/2 teaspoon

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soy sauce

1 teaspoon

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sudachi

2 pieces (use the juice from one and the peel from the other)

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sour cream

90ml

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Chives (or use scallions or Welsh onion if unavailable)

10g

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dill

10g

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salt (2)

two pinches

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Instructions

  1. Cut the ingredients
    Remove the seeds and pulp from the butternut squash, peel it, and cut it into cubes.
    Peel the lotus root and cut it into 5mm half-moon slices. Since it discolors easily, soak it in vinegar water.
    Cut the shiitake mushrooms into 1cm-wide slices. Remove the roots and stems of the shallots, and slice them into 2mm rings.
  2. Tear the other mushrooms, except for the shiitake, into bite-sized pieces by hand.
  3. Remove the curry leaves from the stems.
  4. Grind the dried bonito flakes finely using a pestle.
  5. Heat olive oil in a pot over medium heat, add the shallots, and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes until they become crispy, being careful not to burn them.
  6. While cooking step 5, make the herb cream. Add finely chopped herbs to the sour cream and season with salt (1) to taste.
  7. Add mustard seeds to step 5, and when they start to pop, add the curry leaves and bonito flakes, and sauté until fragrant. *Be careful, as mustard seeds can burn easily.
  8. Add the lotus root, butternut squash, and almonds to step 7 in that order, and increase the heat. Once everything is coated in oil, add salt (2), then place the mushrooms on top, cover with a lid, and steam for about 5 minutes.
  9. Drizzle soy sauce and sudachi juice over the mixture and gently mix everything together.
  10. Top with sour cream, sudachi zest, and dill, and it’s ready to serve!

It's delicious even without curry leaves and spices, but having them adds more depth of flavor.

If made without curry leaves and spices, it will have a simpler flavor.

〜Nibe Sakurako's Favorite Points〜

φ250 Open Fire PotIt's lightweight, so it’s really helpful for carrying around during camping or catering.
The minimal design pairs well with any dish when placed on the dining table after cooking, complementing various cuisines such as Chinese, Italian, Indian, Sri Lankan, and Thai.

Recommended Products

φ250 Open Fire Pot

It's recommended for cooking together with family or friends.

It's suitable for cooking a variety of dishes such as rice (approximately 2 servings), congee, risotto, soup, pasta, biryani, etc., in a short amount of time.

Photo：Tetsuya Ito