yogurt into the fabric, gather up the excess cloth, and tie them up with string. Place the setup (including the sieve and the bowl) in the refrigerator until the yogurt is very thick, about 3 hours.
Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Finely chop or grate the cucumber, place it in a small bowl, toss with 1 tsp salt, and place it in a fine-mesh sieve set over the sink to drain for 1 hour.
Scoop the yogurt out of the cheesecloth and place it in a medium serving bowl; discard the whey and cheesecloth. Rinse the cucumber, pat it dry with paper towels, and place it in the bowl with the yogurt. Finely chop the garlic and then use the side of a chef’s knife to smash the garlic until it is a fine paste. Add the garlic paste to the yogurt and cucumber and stir well to combine. Season with additional salt and allow the dip to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Drizzle with the olive oil immediately before serving. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
WASABI EDAMAME SCHMEAR
The fresh, clean flavor of this thick soybean-based dip, or schmear, as I like to call it, goes well with the sesame seeds on the Crispy Wonton Triangles ( page 77 ) and the soy and mirin flavors of the Senbei ( page 39 ). It’s even more virtuous served with thinly sliced carrots and blanched pea pods. The heat from the wasabi will intensify with time; so if you prefer just a whisper of wasabi, add it right before serving.
MAKES 1½ CUPS/360 ML
One 12-oz/340-g bag frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), defrosted
⅓ cup/75 ml water
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp sesame butter (tahini)
2 tsp wasabi paste (not powder)
Fine sea salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the edamame, water, lemon juice, sesame butter, wasabi paste, and 1 tsp salt. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl once or twice while blending. With the machine running, slowly add the vegetable oil and process until incorporated. Taste the dip and season with salt, if needed. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
SPICY MINT AND CILANTRO CHUTNEY
This emerald-green dip mingles on the tongue with an appetizing balance of fresh minty flavor, tartness, sweetness, and a bit of heat. It’s best to follow the recipe, let the chutney sit for an hour so the flavors have a chance to bloom, and then add additional chile, sugar, or lime if desired.
MAKES 1¼ CUPS/300 ML
½ cup/40 g dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
3 cups/40 g loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 cups/25 g loosely packed cilantro leaves (see Dip Tip)
1 serrano chile, chopped
¼ cup/60 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Fine sea salt
Place the coconut in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
In a food processor or blender, combine the drained coconut, mint, cilantro, serrano, lime juice, sugar, cumin, coriander, and enough of the soaking liquid (about ¼ cup/60 ml) to encourage the ingredients to move around in the bowl. Process or blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl or carafe frequently, until the chutney becomes a smooth paste.
Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl or airtight container. Allow the chutney to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Season with salt and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Dip Tip: A few cilantro stems in the chutney won’t do any harm, but avoid any mint stems; they’re much tougher and will have an adverse affect on the texture of the chutney.
FIGGY BOURBON CONSERVE
Figs grow in bumper crops here in the Pacific Northwest, and most folks with fig trees beg their neighbors to pick as many of the beautiful pod-shaped fruits as they can carry before they fall to
Peel the cucumber, halve it lengthwise, and scoop out the seeds. Finely chop or grate the cucumber, place it in a small bowl, toss with 1 tsp salt, and place it in a fine-mesh sieve set over the sink to drain for 1 hour.
Scoop the yogurt out of the cheesecloth and place it in a medium serving bowl; discard the whey and cheesecloth. Rinse the cucumber, pat it dry with paper towels, and place it in the bowl with the yogurt. Finely chop the garlic and then use the side of a chef’s knife to smash the garlic until it is a fine paste. Add the garlic paste to the yogurt and cucumber and stir well to combine. Season with additional salt and allow the dip to sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to allow the flavors to develop. Drizzle with the olive oil immediately before serving. Store in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
WASABI EDAMAME SCHMEAR
The fresh, clean flavor of this thick soybean-based dip, or schmear, as I like to call it, goes well with the sesame seeds on the Crispy Wonton Triangles ( page 77 ) and the soy and mirin flavors of the Senbei ( page 39 ). It’s even more virtuous served with thinly sliced carrots and blanched pea pods. The heat from the wasabi will intensify with time; so if you prefer just a whisper of wasabi, add it right before serving.
MAKES 1½ CUPS/360 ML
One 12-oz/340-g bag frozen shelled edamame (green soybeans), defrosted
⅓ cup/75 ml water
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp sesame butter (tahini)
2 tsp wasabi paste (not powder)
Fine sea salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
In the bowl of a food processor, combine the edamame, water, lemon juice, sesame butter, wasabi paste, and 1 tsp salt. Process until the mixture is smooth, about 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down the sides of the work bowl once or twice while blending. With the machine running, slowly add the vegetable oil and process until incorporated. Taste the dip and season with salt, if needed. Keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
SPICY MINT AND CILANTRO CHUTNEY
This emerald-green dip mingles on the tongue with an appetizing balance of fresh minty flavor, tartness, sweetness, and a bit of heat. It’s best to follow the recipe, let the chutney sit for an hour so the flavors have a chance to bloom, and then add additional chile, sugar, or lime if desired.
MAKES 1¼ CUPS/300 ML
½ cup/40 g dry, unsweetened coconut flakes
3 cups/40 g loosely packed fresh mint leaves
2 cups/25 g loosely packed cilantro leaves (see Dip Tip)
1 serrano chile, chopped
¼ cup/60 ml freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
Fine sea salt
Place the coconut in a medium bowl and cover with hot tap water. Soak for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving the soaking liquid.
In a food processor or blender, combine the drained coconut, mint, cilantro, serrano, lime juice, sugar, cumin, coriander, and enough of the soaking liquid (about ¼ cup/60 ml) to encourage the ingredients to move around in the bowl. Process or blend, scraping down the sides of the bowl or carafe frequently, until the chutney becomes a smooth paste.
Transfer the chutney to a serving bowl or airtight container. Allow the chutney to sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour to allow the flavors to develop. Season with salt and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Dip Tip: A few cilantro stems in the chutney won’t do any harm, but avoid any mint stems; they’re much tougher and will have an adverse affect on the texture of the chutney.
FIGGY BOURBON CONSERVE
Figs grow in bumper crops here in the Pacific Northwest, and most folks with fig trees beg their neighbors to pick as many of the beautiful pod-shaped fruits as they can carry before they fall to
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