How to Make a Raindrop Cake- Mizu Shingen Mochi Recipe

A Raindrop Cake is a clear gel dome so delicate that it turns to water in your mouth—and becomes a puddle on your plate if you don’t eat it within 30 minutes (because of total gel reversibility). The most remarkable property of `physical gels' is their reversibility. They melt just by heating but gel again upon cooling. These transformations can be repeated indefinitely in the absence of aggressive substances that could hydrolyse the agarose molecules or destroy them by oxidation.

In Japan, it is called mizu shingen mochi, which means “water cake”, and is made with mineral water from mountain springs. Raindrop cakes are usually served on bamboo plates with a drizzle of black sugar syrup and a dusting of roasted soybean powder, but go ahead and use your favorite flavorings.

“Japanese Raindrop Cake Recipe”

Raindrop Cake Ingredients:

2/3 cup (150 mL) mineral water
Pinch sugar
1/8 teaspoon (0.5 mL) Agar Agar Powder


Suggested Raindrop Cake Toppings: chocolate sauce, honey, molasses, powdered ginger, brown sugar, crushed nuts, silver sprinkles

Optional: Strawberries, Maraschino cherry with stem, or other colorful fruit


Preparation Procedure:

To create the round shape, you need a mold. Try a round-bottomed drinking or wine glass, a small rounded bowl, or a giant ice-ball mold. This recipe is enough for two palm-sized spheres.

1) In a small, microwavable cup, combine the water and sugar and heat the mixture in the microwave oven on high for 30 seconds.

2) Stir in the agar powder. Put the mixture back in the microwave for another 30 seconds, then take it out and stir again. Repeat four or five times until the liquid is clear. Watch to make sure that it doesn’t boil over in the microwave. (Learn how to… How to Use Agar Agar in 5 Simple Steps)

3) Pour the liquid into your mold. Gently pop any bubbles with a spoon. Chill it in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. It should be solid to the touch, but still wobbly.

4) To serve, gently tip the raindrop cake onto a plate so the rounded side is facing up. Serve with one of the toppings in the Suggested Raindrop Cake Toppings list, or create your own!

5) Variation: To add a piece of fruit inside the raindrop cake, fill the mold halfway and put it in the refrigerator to set for about five minutes. Then place the fruit on top, and cover it with the rest of the liquid agar mixture. Let it chill until solid.


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QUICK TIPS:

What is Meant by Agar Agar Powder?

Agar is defined as a strong gelling hydrocolloid from marine algae. Agar is called Kanten in Japanese, which means `frozen sky' referring to the way it was first manufactured by artisans based on freezing and thawing of the extracted agar gel in the open fields.

In addition, we can add that agar is also a mixture of polysaccharides made of dextro and levo galactoses united linearly.

Agar-agar, also called simply agar, was the first phycocolloid used as a food additive in our civilization having been employed in the Far East over 300 years ago.

Phycocolloids are those gelling products extracted from marine algae that are utilized in several ways solely because of their colloidal properties. The most important ones are agar, alginates and carrageenans that are produced in industrial quantities and presented in the form of clear colored powders.

Agar main structure is chemically characterized by repetitive units of D-galactose and 3- 6, anhydro-L-galactose, with few variations, and a low content of sulfate esters.

The extraordinary gelling power of agar is based exclusively in the hydrogen bonds formed among its linear galactan chains that provide an excellent reversibility, with gelling and melting temperatures that differ normally by about 45 degree Celsius. Being `physical gels' they provide agar with interesting and unique properties in many of its applications especially in the preparation of microbiological culture media (bacteria, yeast and moulds) in which such properties become fundamental.

Agar is derived from the technique recorded by Tarazaemon Minoya in 1658 that has its fundamentals in the insolubility of agar when cooled.

The traditional technique adapted by Minoya, developed towards the middle of the seventeenth century, is still in use marginally to produce `natural agar' in the oriental craft industry in the forms of strip agar (Ito-Kanten) or square agar (Kaku-Kanten). This technique started with careful washings of Gelidium amansii employing similar devices to those used to wash tea-leaves.

Related Post: What are the Types of Agar Products?

In the Orient `natural agars' in the old forms of strips and squares are still being used at home to prepare traditional dishes. Lately such types of agar have reached our dietetic and natural food stores while in Japan they are being substituted by powdered industrial agars prepared as tablets.


Where to Buy Agar Agar at the Cheapest Price with Good Quality?

Major supermarkets have it; it’s in the seaweed or exotic foods section. If you live in rural area, you can get it online easily enough.

There's a pretty good selection of agar agar powder from Amazon.com. Just click here, NOW Agar Powder, 2-Ounce.

Getting online just makes it easier to get what you want since they have a lot more selection of agar agar than in stores most of the time.


Is Agar Agar Powder Healthy?

Agar agar is a good source of calcium and iron, and is very high in fiber. It contains no sugar, no fat and no carbohydrates. It is known for its ability to aid in digestion and weight loss.


Is Agar and Gelatin the Same?

Both Agar and Gelatin are essential ingredients in the preparation of desserts worldwide. The main difference between agar and gelatin is the source from which they are derived. Agar is a vegetarian substitute for Gelatin since it is derived from a plant and has higher gelling properties.


Is Agar Agar Kosher?

Not all Agar Agar are kosher. If you need one, get this high- quality brand… Super Agar Powder Non-GMO Vegan OU Kosher Certified, 50g2oz


Is Agar Agar Halal?

Agar Agar is a combination of sea-derived flakes that gels when combined with liquids, making it perfect for vegetarians and those concerned with eating halal since it's an all-natural substitute for pork-derived gelatin and any other non-halal, non-dhabiha meat source of gelatin (which can also come from beef).


What Can I Use Instead of Agar Agar?

Substitute powdered agar-agar for gelatin using equal amounts. 1 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes is equal to 1 tsp. of agar-agar powder. Set 2 cups of liquid using 2 tsp. of agar-agar powder, 2 Tbsp. of agar-agar flakes, or one bar.


Agar Agar Powder Calorie Counter: Nutrition Facts

Agar, raw
Amount Per 100 grams

Calories 26
	% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0 g	0%
Saturated fat 0 g	0%
Polyunsaturated fat 0 g
Monounsaturated fat 0 g
Cholesterol 0 mg	0%
Sodium 9 mg	0%
Potassium 226 mg	6%
Total Carbohydrate 7 g	2%
Dietary fiber 0.5 g	2%
Sugar 0.3 g
Protein 0.5 g	1%
Vitamin A	0%
Calcium	5%
Vitamin D	0%
Vitamin B-12	0%
Vitamin C	0%
Iron	10%
Vitamin B-6	0%
Magnesium	16%

*Per cent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.



References:

Amos Nussinovitch and Madoka Hirashima. 2013. Cooking Innovations: Using Hydrocolloids for Thickening, Gelling, and Emulsification, 1st Edition. CRC Press. ISBN-13: 978-1439875889

Glyn O. Phillips (Editor) and P A Williams (Editor). 2009. Handbook of Hydrocolloids, Second Edition (Woodhead Publishing Series in Food Science, Technology and Nutrition) 2nd Edition. Woodhead Publishing. ISBN-10: 1845694147

Kathy Ceceri. 2016. Edible Inventions: Cooking Hacks and Yummy Recipes You Can Build, Mix, Bake, and Grow. Maker Media, Inc. ISBN-13: 978-1680452099

https://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-food-calorie-counter



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How to Make Homemade Smoked Tomato Ketchup- Healthy Homemade Ketchup

Until the 1950s most ketchup was made directly from fresh tomatoes, combined with vinegar, sugar, and seasonings. Manufacturers now have replaced fresh tomatoes with tomato concentrate. Subsequently, ketchup manufacturers have replaced the sugar with regular corn syrup and high-fructose corn syrup. 

Some manufacturers have replaced vinegar with acetic acid. Ketchup, which once was seasoned with fresh onions, is now made with onion powder. Many ketchup manufacturers now add artificial flavorings to make up for any deficiency in the other ingredients. These substitutes have lowered the costs of making ketchup, and most unaware consumers are unable to detect any difference in taste.

Quick Homemade Smoked Tomato Ketchup- (Best Ketchup Recipe Ever)

Too often, the store-bought versions are loaded with extra salt, sugar, allergens, and preservatives, and they end up bland and uninspiring. But you don’t have to limit yourself to the same tastes and the same plastic bottles. Make your own ketchup fast and easy.

This quick homemade ketchup from fresh tomatoes recipe uses a stovetop smoker to infuse fresh tomatoes with a deep smoky flavor. Stovetop smokers can be found at kitchenware stores or at Amazon.com for less than $50 and are great for smoking fish and meats right on your stove. If you don’t have a smoker, you can smoke the tomatoes on your outdoor grill by adding wood chips to the grill. I use hickory chips for the distinctive smoky flavor.

Highly rated professional chefs recommend that an outstanding ketchup is properly thick and smooth, with well-blended sweet, sour, and salty tastes.

Good ketchup should dissolve quickly in the mouth, leaving an appropriate coating and no inappropriate aftertaste.  Thinner ketchups lacked flavor since they left slightly less coating on the mouth and did not 'stay in the mouth long enough to be fully tasted.


Makes 4 ounces

INGREDIENTS:

2 pounds plum tomatoes
1 tablespoon hickory woodchips, for smoking
1/4 cup minced shallot (about 1 medium)
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon celery seeds
2 tablespoons plus 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt


PREPARATION PROCEDURE:

1) Bring a large pot of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice and cold water. 

2) While the water is heating, prepare the tomatoes by using a paring knife to cut out the cores, and cut an X in the skin on the bottom of each. Working in batches if necessary, immerse the tomatoes in the boiling water for 1 minute, then immediately plunge them into the ice water for 1 minute. 

3) When the tomatoes are cool enough to handle, peel the skin — it should come right off. Quarter the tomatoes and use your fingers to scoop out the seeds and pulp.

4) To smoke the tomatoes, place the hickory chips in the bottom of a stovetop smoker, and then cover with the drip tray and food rack. 

5) Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer on the rack. Cover and cook over medium-low heat for about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, and let rest about 5 minutes. 

6) Transfer the tomatoes to a saucepan and add the shallot, vinegar, celery seeds, and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Simmer uncovered for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally and breaking up the tomatoes with a spoon, until the sauce has thickened and reduced. 

7) Let cool for about 10 minutes, and then pass through a food mill fitted with a medium disc and set over a bowl. Discard any solids that are caught.

8) Return the pureed mixture to a clean saucepan; add the cinnamon, allspice, salt, and remaining 1-1/2 teaspoons brown sugar. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, then reduce the heat to low and let simmer, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 30 minutes to 1 hour, until reduced by half and very thick and dark red. 

9) Let it cool, then spoon into sterilized glass jars. 

10) The ketchup will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 weeks.


Other Related Sauce Recipes:

1) Basic All-American Barbecue Sauce (with Variations)

2) How to Make Homemade Gingered Cranberry Sauce- Simple Recipe

You Can Use Smoked Tomato Ketchup For

List of foods that should never be eaten without catsup:

1) French fries (all variants)
2) Chicken nuggets
3) You can use this as a dip for porchetta. Try this easy and fast recipe, How to Make Jamie Oliver’s Porchetta- Italian Porchetta Recipe

4) Onion rings
5) Tater tots
6) Add horseradish and use as a dipping sauce for grilled shrimp or fried shrimp
7) Base for barbecue sauce
8) Topping for bratwurst or Italian sausage

9) Mix with cooked ground beef for sloppy joes
10) Plain-flavored potato chips
11) Egg sandwich
12) Grilled cheese when tomato soup isn't around
13) Brush on pork before grilling
14) Hash browns
15) Meatloaf 
16) Hamburgers
17) Cheeseburgers
18) Fish sticks
19) Hush puppies
20) Roasted potatoes
21) Pickles
22) Baked potatoes
23) Hot dogs
24) Soft pretzels

Ketchup vs. Catsup: What's the Real Difference?

Catchup, Catsup, or Ketchup? Where did the word catsup and ketchup come from?

Ketchup and catsup are simply two different spellings for the same thing, a modern and westernized version of a condiment.

The term used for the sauce varies. Ketchup is the dominant term in American English, and Canadian English, although catsup is commonly used in some southern US states and Mexico.

The word entered the English language in Britain during the late 17th century, appearing in print as catchup (1690) and later as ketchup (1711). The etymology of the word ketchup is unclear with multiple competing theories.

In America, Isaac Riley, editor of the 1818 edition of The Universal Receipt Book, believed that ketchup was the correct spelling. According to Riley, catchup was a vulgarization, and catsup was simply an affectation. 

In the twentieth century American chemist and physician Arvil W. Bitting, husband of the chemist and culinary bibliographer Katherine Golden Bitting, also believed that the correct spelling was ketchup. According to Bitting, catchup was based on the erroneous idea that ketch was a colloquial form of catch. Bitting maintained that there was no warrant for the catsup spelling, although he admitted that catsup was the term used by the majority of manufacturers. Until a few decades ago, catsup was the preferred spelling in many dictionaries. Today ketchup clearly is in the ascendancy, and is the clear choice of lexicographers and manufacturers.

Perhaps due to this etymological imbroglio, ketchup is among the few commonly eaten products with no agreed upon spelling. Ketchup, catchup, or catsup continues to be used today, but other similar spellings have been employed over the years. As the Domestic Chemist pointed out in 1831, these words "indicate a sauce, of which the name can be pronounced by everybody, but spelled by nobody."

Over the past two centuries food commentators have presented cases for particular "correct" spellings of the word. Lancelot Sturgeon believed that catsup was the proper spelling, but he humorously protested against it, wondering why a "sup" for an epicure should "be termed a sup for a cat." Sturgeon postulated that catch-up, meaning ''to snapup" or "to swallow eagerly," was more "consistent with orthoëpy and probable derivation." William Kitchiner, a British physician and prominent cookbook writer, concurred that the correct spelling was catsup and called a highly concentrated version of it "Double Cat-sup or Dog-sup."

The Webster's Dictionary of 1913 defined "catchup" as "table sauce made from mushrooms, tomatoes, walnuts, etc.”

In much of the UK, ketchup is also known as "tomato sauce" (although this means a fresher pasta sauce elsewhere in the world) or (especially in Wales) "red sauce."

Red sauce is the term used in Welsh English, Scottish English and some parts of England, such as the Black Country, and in South London, contrasting with brown sauce. In Canadian and American English, "red sauce" refers to various tomato-based sauces commonly paired with pasta dishes, and is not a synonym for ketchup.

Tomato sauce is more common in English-speaking countries outside North America, including Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. While in Canada and the United States, tomato sauce refers to pasta sauce, and is not a synonym for ketchup.

Ketchup Calorie Counter

Nutrient (per 100 g)	Ketchup	Low sodium Ketchup
Energy	100 kcal 419 kJ	104 kcal 435 kJ
Water	68.33 g	66.58 g
Protein	1.74 g	1.52 g
Fats	0.49 g	0.36 g
Carbohydrates	25.78 g	27.28 g
Sodium	1110 mg	20 mg
Vitamin C	15.1 mg	15.1 mg
Lycopene	17.0 mg	19.0 mg

References:

Andrew F. Smith Pure. 1996. Pure Ketchup : A History of America's National Condiment With Recipes. University of South Carolina Press. ISBN 10- ASIN: 1570031398

César Vega,? Job Nubbin and? Erik van der Linden. 2012. Nineteen: "Ketchup as Tasty Soft Matter". The Kitchen as Laboratory: Reflections on the Science of Food and Cooking (Arts and Traditions of the Table: Perspectives on Culinary History). Columbia University Press. ISBN-10: 0231153449

Jessica Harlan. 2013. Homemade Condiments: Artisan Recipes Using Fresh, Natural Ingredients. Ulysses Press. ISBN-13: 978-1612432236

https://www.webmd.com/diet/healthtool-food-calorie-counter



Watch Related YouTube Video: Ketchup:  How It's Made

How to Make Jamie Oliver’s Porchetta- Italian Porchetta Recipe

Quick Facts About Porchetta

Porchetta is a savory, protein-packed, and moist boneless pork roast of Italian culinary tradition.

Porchetta has been selected by the Italian Ministry of Agricultural, Food and Forestry Policy as a prodotto agroalimentare tradizionale (“traditional agricultural-alimentary product”, one of a list of traditional Italian foods held to have cultural relevance).

In Philadelphia and the surrounding area, the dish is usually referred to as simply "roast pork," "roast pork sandwich," "Italian roast pork," "roast pork Italian," "roasted pork," or "porchetta."  Philadelphia cuisine is noted for its sandwich form of porchetta, usually served on an Italian roll and often with broccoli rabe instead of spinach and most traditionally with sharp provolone.

Jamie Oliver's Porchetta Recipe- Rolled Pork Loin Stuffed with Beautiful Things

Porchetta is a thing of complete joy. You can cook this as the classic centerpiece of a big feast with all the trimmings, or serve it up on a board with a carving knife at a party with buns, condiments, salad and gravy for dipping.


Serves 16- 20 person
Preparation Time: 5 hours 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS:

1 x 5kg pork loin with belly attached, skin on (ask your butcher to remove the bones and butterfly open the loin meat)
4 red onions
15 slices of smoked pancetta
olive oil
50g unsalted butter

1 tablespoon fennel seeds
400g chicken livers, cleaned, trimmed
1 bunch of fresh sage (30g)
1 bunch of fresh rosemary (30g)
One-half a bottle of white wine

200g mixed dried apricots, cranberries, raisins, sultanas
50g pine nuts
100g Parmesan cheese
200g stale breadcrumbs

125ml Vin Santo or Contucci Vino Nobile di Montepulciano
8 carrots
2 heaped tablespoons plain flour
500ml chicken stock


COOKING DIRECTIONS:

1) Get your meat out of the fridge and up to room temperature before you cook it.

2) For the stuffing, peel and finely chop the onions, finely slice the pancetta, then place in a large frying pan on a medium-high heat with 6 tablespoons of oil, the butter and fennel seeds. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly, while you finely chop the chicken livers and herb leaves.

3) Stir the livers into the pan, followed by the herbs and 50ml of wine.

4) Roughly chop and add the dried fruit, along with the pine nuts. Cook and stir for 5 minutes, then remove from the heat and leave to cool.

5) Finely grate over the Parmesan.

6) Toast the breadcrumbs and use your hands to mix them into the cool stuffing.

7) Place the pork loin on a board, skin side down, open it out and push it down flat. Season generously with sea salt and black pepper, then pour over and massage in half the Vin Santo. Scatter over the stuffing, pour over the remaining Vin Santo, then roll up the pork, patting on and compacting the stuffing as you go.

8) Sit it with the seam underneath and tie with butcher’s string to secure it, then score the skin and into the fat with your knife. Season generously and rub all over with oil.

9) When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to full whack (240ºC/475ºF/gas 9).

10) Wash the carrots and place in a large roasting tray. Sit the porchetta on top, then pour in 500ml of water and the remaining 325ml of wine. Place in the hot oven for 30 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180ºC/350ºF/gas 4 and leave to cook for 4 to 5 hours, or until the meat is really tender, basting now and again.

11) Remove the porchetta to a board to rest for at least 30 minutes.

12) Meanwhile, place the roasting tray over a medium heat on the hob. Skim away most of the fat from the surface into a jar, cool, and place in the fridge for tasty cooking another day.

13) Stir the flour into the tray, mashing the carrots and scraping up all those gnarly bits from the base.

14) Pour in the stock, and simmer until the gravy is the consistency of your liking, stirring occasionally.

15) Strain the gravy through a coarse sieve, pushing all the goodness through with the back of a spoon, then season to perfection.

16) Carve up the beautiful porchetta, and serve it as you wish.


Related Jamie’s Recipe: How to Make the Perfect Jamie Oliver's Lancashire Hotpot- Lamb Recipes

What to Serve with Porchetta?

1) Friggitello or Pepperoncini

2) Kale Chips, Learn…  How to Prepare Kale Chips Easily? Best Kale Chips Recipes

3) Kale Salad… Try These 15 Fast and Simple Kale Salad Recipes

Porchetta Calorie Counter

CALORIES	FAT	SATURATED FAT	PROTEIN	CARBS	SUGAR	SALT	FIBER
725 kcal	49.1 g	16.9 g	48.1 g	19.6 g	11.8 g	0.8 g	3.2 g

Try Other Jamie Oliver’s Quick and Delicious Recipes:

1) How to Make the Jamie Oliver's Savory Moroccan Vegan M'Hanncha - Vegetarian Recipes

2) Jamie Oliver's Paleo- Grain Free COCONUT BREAD Recipe (Original Gluten-Free Sandwich Bread)

3) How to Cook Beef Short Ribs? Try Sous Vide Boneless Short Ribs with Fresh Rosemary Recipe



REFERENCE:

Jamie Oliver. 2017. Jamie Oliver's Christmas Cookbook: For the Best Christmas Ever. Flatiron Books. ISBN-13: 978-1250146267


Related Pork Belly Porchetta YouTube Video: How Italy's Best Porchetta is Made