Welcome to the World of Beans: A Cheeky Dive into Tokyo FM’s “Blue Ocean”
Ah, Tokyo! A city known for its neon lights, sublime sushi, and apparently, beans! That’s right, folks! It’s “Bean Day” on October 13th, and you better believe Tokyo FM’s live wide radio program “Blue Ocean” is diving deep into the culinary wonders of legumes! Hosted by the fabulous Miki Sumiyoshi, who I assume knows her way around more than just beans, this program runs every Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 AM.
What’s Brewing on Bean Day?
Now, let’s talk about why October 13th is deemed a day of beans! The Japanese have a rather poetic history with these legumes, offering beans to the moon on the 13th night of the 9th month of the lunar calendar — it’s like some kind of ancient legume Tinder ritual. In 2010, they even made it official and designated it as “Mame Day” — because why not give beans their moment to shine?
The Bean Bonanza: Nutrition and Recipes
Beans, my friends, are not just a side dish; they are protein powerhouses filled with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber! Seriously, if you’re looking for a way to feel like a superhero without the cape, grab a handful of beans! And let’s be honest, they’re not just for grandmas making soup – we’re talking trendy chickpea salads and zesty stir-fries.
Here’s a morsel of advice from Chinami Hamauchi, our cooking guru featured on the show: beans are delicious with just salt and pepper. This means you could get fancy and spend hours cooking or just treat beans like that friend who looks good in anything, even plain.
Four Fantastical Bean Recipes!
Recipe 1: Lentil Rice Bowl
This isn’t just your everyday rice bowl; it’s a wholesome, hearty delight that’ll have you thinking lentils are the new black.
- Ingredients: Dried lentils, non-glutinous rice, sugar, salt, and a hint of love.
- Key Tip: Don’t stress about removing the lye; those polyphenols are tasty little antioxidants!
Recipe 2: Rich Chickpea Salad
Now here’s a salad that’s too good for the Instagram filter — it’s all about fresh ingredients and vibrant flavors.
- Ingredients: Yogurt, cucumber, cherry tomatoes, boiled chickpeas, and a sprinkle of cumin (but not necessary, really).
- Cooking Wisdom: Use boiled chickpeas, freeze ‘em, then just pop them out for easy cooking. Genius!
Recipe 3: Stir-fried Red Kidney Beans and Tomatoes with Eggs
Because why not combine two staples into one scrumptious dish? It’s breakfast, lunch, dinner, and a good way to impress your latest date cuddled under a blanket.
- Ingredients: Boiled red kidney beans, eggs, tomatoes, and a dash of salt and pepper.
- Cooking Hack: Use the boiling water to add extra flavor. It’s like the secret sauce no one talks about!
Recipe 4: Kintoki Bean Cheese Toast
The pièce de résistance! Who knew beans could take something so humble as bread and turn it into a culinary masterpiece?
- Ingredients: Boiled kidney beans, bread, and cheese that melts just right.
- Preparation Insight: Warm beans before layering on the toast. It’s the future of comfort food!
So, Why the Fuss About Beans?
In the closing moments of the show, Chef Hamauchi wraps it all up beautifully, declaring beans incredibly easy to prepare and undeniably delicious. Forget everything you think you know about beans being boring. They’re versatile, nutritious, and ready to be your new kitchen best friend!
Final Thoughts from the Blue Ocean
So, if you’re ever in Japan on the 13th of October, or really any day, tune into Blue Ocean! You’ll be serenaded by the sweet sounds of bean appreciation, crafted recipes that ensure you never look at a bean the same way again, and the kind of laughs that’ll make you forget your woes. Beans might just be the unsung heroes of the culinary world, and who wouldn’t want to be part of that revolution?
Remember to sprinkle a little love on your beans and keep your dishes as colorful as your personality!
Program Name: Blue Ocean
Broadcast Date and Time: Every Monday to Friday 9:00 to 11:00
Personality: Miki Sumiyoshi
Tokyo FM’s live wide radio program “Blue Ocean” is hosted by freelance announcer Miki Sumiyoshi (every Monday to Friday from 9:00 to 11:00). October 13th (Sunday) is “Bean Day”! So, in preparation for Bean Day, we are holding a limited-time corner called “Blue Ocean Deliciousness + ~Healthy Bean Life~” that delves deeper into the appeal of “beans” that are familiar to the dining table from various angles. Masu.
In this article, we will introduce four easy and delicious “bean recipes” devised by Chinami Hamauchi, a cooking expert introduced on the program.
(Clockwise from top left) Lentil ohagi, rich chickpea salad, red kidney bean cheese toast, fried red kidney bean and tomato with egg
October 13th is “Bean Day”!
In Japan, since ancient times, there has been a custom of offering beans on the 13th night of the 13th day of the 9th month of the lunar calendar to love the moon and pray for a bountiful harvest. Based on this name, in 2010 October 13th of the new calendar was designated as “Mame Day”.
Beans are a food source that is rich in protein, vitamins, and minerals and is used all over the world. In recent years, the rich dietary fiber and polyphenols that they contain have attracted attention, and their health benefits are also expected.
Beans are deeply connected to our lives, such as sekihan, sakuramochi, kashiwamochi, and ohagi, which are essential for every celebration. Harvesting work is in full swing in Hokkaido, the main bean-producing region. It’s the season for freshly harvested beans.
The limited-time corner “Blue Ocean Deliciousness + ~Healthy Bean Life~” started on Friday, September 6th, and has previously welcomed “bean specialists” as guests to provide information on the nutrition and knowledge of beans over a two-week period. I’ve brought you the story.
Mr. Mitsuo Yabu, Chairman of the Public Relations Committee of the National Beans Promotion Association, talked about the history of beans and the charm of beans, and the Hokuren Agricultural Cooperative Federation, who is active in various media as the “Adzuki Doctor”.・We asked Jun Kato about “How he became interested in beans,” “The nutritional power of azuki beans,” “Recommended ways to eat them,” and “Little-known trivia about azuki beans.” I did.
(From left) Personality Miki Sumiyoshi and National Beans Promotion Association Public Relations Committee Chairman Mitsuo Yabu (broadcast on Friday, September 6th), personality Miki Sumiyoshi and Hokuren Agricultural Cooperative Union’s Jun Kato (September broadcast) Broadcast on Friday the 13th)
In the broadcast from September 20th (Friday) to October 4th (Friday), we introduced four easy and delicious “bean recipes” devised by food expert Chinami Hamauchi.
(From left) Personality Miki Sumiyoshi, cooking expert Chinami Hamauchi
▼Recommended by popular chefs! Bean recipe▼
Recipe 1: “Lentil rice bowl”
＜Materials (10 points)＞
●Mamean
Dried lentils (without skin)…150g
Water………………………………300cc (twice the amount of beans) ~
Sugar………………………………90g
Salt………………………………a little bit
●Rice
Non-glutinous rice……………………120g
Sticky rice……………………30g *You can also use non-glutinous rice
Sugar………………………………2 teaspoons
Salt………………………………a little bit
① Put the washed non-glutinous rice and glutinous rice into the inner pot of the rice cooker, add water to the 1 cup mark, and cook the rice.
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② Add sugar and salt to the cooked rice, mash it in half, mix, and let it cool.
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③ Wash the lentils thoroughly.
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④ Put lentils and water in a pot, heat over medium heat, bring to a boil, then simmer while removing the scum (add water little by little until it becomes soft, then lower the heat a little to adjust).
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⑤ When the beans become soft, add sugar, lower the heat, add salt, and bring to a simmer.
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⑥ Spread it on a vat and put it in the refrigerator to cool.
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⑦ Divide the cooled rice and bean paste into 10 pieces each.
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⑧ Roll up the rice and wrap it in bean paste.
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Finish!
– Lentils come in a variety of colors, including green, brown, red, etc., so use your favorite color.
-The lye produced when beans are boiled contains polyphenols with strong antioxidant properties, so you don’t have to be too nervous about removing the lye!
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Recipe 2: “Rich Chickpea Salad”
＜Ingredients (for 2 people)＞
Yogurt……………………100g
Cucumber……………………1 piece (100g)
Cherry tomatoes……………………10 pieces ~ (100g)
Boiled chickpeas………………150g *About 70g dried beans
Cumin………………………………1/2 teaspoon~
Salt………………………………1/2 teaspoon
Olive oil……………………2 tablespoons
Black pepper…………………………a little
① Place kitchen paper over a bowl and colander, add yogurt, wrap, and place in the refrigerator to drain for about 15 minutes.
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② Cut the cucumber into 1cm cubes and the cherry tomatoes in half.
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③ Mix drained yogurt, salt, chopped cumin, and olive oil in a bowl.
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④ Add chickpeas, cucumbers, and cherry tomatoes and mix.
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⑤ Place in a bowl and sprinkle with black pepper.
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Finish!
*Common to subsequent recipes ② to ④
① Soak the lightly washed dried beans in 3 to 4 times the volume of water overnight (about 8 hours).
② Put the chickpeas and water in a pot, add about 200cc of water and bring to a boil over medium heat.
③ Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.
・You don’t need cumin!
・If you don’t want to boil beans, you can boil the beans in advance, freeze them, and thaw them each time you use them.
・The boiling water that comes out when boiling beans contains many delicious extracts, so it is also recommended to use them in soups or cooked rice.
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Recipe 3: “Stir-fried red kidney beans and tomatoes with eggs”
＜Ingredients (for 2 to 3 people)＞
Boiled red kidney beans…………………………150g *About 70g of dried beans
Eggs…………………………………………4
Red kidney bean boiling liquid (or water)…4 tablespoons
Tomato………………………………1/2 piece (100g)
Salt…………………………………………1/2 teaspoon
Black pepper………………………………a little
Salad oil………………………………1 tablespoon
① Break the eggs and mix with the boiled red kidney beans (or water) and half of the salt. Cut the tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.
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② Heat a frying pan over medium heat, add salad oil and tomatoes, and stir-fry quickly.
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③ Add boiled red kidney beans and remaining salt and mix.
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④ Pour in the egg mixture and slowly heat until combined.
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⑤ Transfer to a bowl and sprinkle with black pepper.
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Finish!
・If you add boiled water, you can absorb the nutritional value of the beans that have dissolved in the hot water, and the flavor will be stronger.
・You can also add about 1 tablespoon of boiled water to the egg mixture.
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Recipe ④ “Kintoki Bean Cheese Toast”
＜Ingredients (for 2 people)＞
Boiled kidney beans……………………100g *About 50g dried beans
Bread (8 slices)…………2 slices
Salt………………………………a little bit
Pepper…………………………a little bit
Cheese for pizza………………60g～
Black pepper…………………………as you like
① Place boiled red kidney beans on top of the bread.
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② Season with salt and pepper, and top with visa cheese.
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③ Bake in a toaster until the cheese melts.
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④ Sprinkle black pepper to taste.
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Finish
・When using frozen beans, heat them in the microwave beforehand, then place the warm beans on bread and toast.
・You can also bake it with Recipe 3: “Stir-fried red kidney beans and tomatoes with eggs”.
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At the end of the program, Mr. Hamauchi talks about what he thinks is the appeal of beans: “To put it simply, beans are delicious.And they are easy to prepare.”
He continued, “And I think the appeal of beans is that they can be made delicious with just salt and pepper.I hope people will expand their world of beans by removing seasonings like sugar, soy sauce, and mirin.” ” he said.
Program name: Blue Ocean
Broadcast date and time: Every Monday to Friday 9:00 to 11:00
Personality: Miki Sumiyoshi