There are few flavors that excite me more than the combination of sweet and salty. These two drastically different tastes are magnificent and used in seemingly endless ways. Usually, I only find this flavor combo in unhealthy dishes. OK, I’ll be honest: that’s probably because the unhealthy dishes win most battles based on my own inability to say ‘no’.

That was the case until this salad came along.

Made with umeboshi, a Japanese plum that is dried then pickled, this salad is simple yet bursting with exotic flavors. The salty and tart flavor of the umeboshi can be strong on its own, but paired with creamy avocado and a walnut oil dressing, the flavor is a bit more mild. Mild, yes. Unnoticed, no. The flavor still pops, just like the pink color, in the midst of the crisp greens and smooth avocado. The addition of walnut oil vinaigrette, made with walnut oil and Japanese mirin, adds a slight earthiness that helps to counter the tang of the umeboshi. Because mirin is slightly sweet, the marriage of the vinaigrette with the umeboshi is perfect. Subtle and beautiful, this salad fulfills the need to quench my salty-sweet cravings in a healthy way. And how gorgeous are the black sesame seeds? The contrast in color is nearly as wonderful as the flavor itself.

I chose to use a bitter green for the salad, but any light, leafy green, such as bibb lettuce, frisée, or microgreens, will suffice.

If you are interested in giving umeboshi a try, check at your local Japanese or Asian grocery store.

Umeboshi & Avocado Salad

Serves 2 as a main dish and 4 as a side dish

1/2 cup umeboshi, pitted and roughly chopped

1 head leafy-greens, frisée…anything you prefer, washed and chopped

1 avocado, sliced

1/4 cup walnut vinaigrette (see recipe below)

2 teaspoons black sesame seeds

Pile the lettuce in a large bowl. Arrange the avocado slices on top followed by the umeboshi. Drizzle with the walnut vinaigrette and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. Serve.

Walnut Vinaigrette

Makes a scant 1/3 cup

1/4 cup walnut oil

3-4 tablespoons mirin

Whisk the walnut oil and mirin together. Season with salt if desired. (If using on the Umeboshi & Avocado Salad, refrain from using salt as the pickled plums are very salty on their own.)

This week marks the 1 year anniversary of Tokyo Terrace. There are so many things to say and people to thank. Let me start by saying: Otanjou-bi Omedetou Gozaimasu! Bon annivarsaire! Happy Birthday!

I woke up this morning to a soft, white coating of fresh snow over all of the roof tops outside my kitchen window. Within about 2 hours, the snow was completely melted and the sun was shining warmly. It’s fitting, actually, that such a drastic change in the weather happened in such a short amount of time today. The schizophrenic weather is similar to the last year of my life here in Tokyo. So many wonderful things have happened, with the occasional sprinkling of difficult times to keep me humble. all the while are moments when I sit down and think about what a huge blessing it is to be able to write about and share my stories with all of you. I say share my “stories” rather than my recipes because they are really one in the same.

Tokyo Terrace has not only been a way for me to express my love for food, but also  way for me to make sense of living in Japan. My time spent in Tokyo has been nothing short of amazing. However, I still find myself frustrated, homesick, and unsure about how to understand how to fit in. Tokyo Terrace has been my way of both staying sane and celebrating the experience of living in a culture so drastically different from my own.

This recipe is a fusion-inspired Rice Pudding. The addition of yuzu zest, sake and black sesame seeds to the traditional milk, vanilla and rice creates a light tasting, comforting dessert that is easy to make. Taking a classic dessert like Rice Pudding and adding a Japanese spin on it is symbolic of the last year of my life as Tokyo Terrace. I have not lost my love for traditional, familiar comfort foods that I knew before coming to Japan, but I have learned how to incorporate new ingredients to make these dishes more unique.

I look forward to another wonderful year spent with you, my dear readers and fellow food blogging friends. Thank you, wherever you find yourself as you read this, for being such a wonderful piece of my experience abroad. I hope that Tokyo Terrace has meant something to you the way it has to me.

Rice Pudding with Yuzu, Vanilla and Sake

Makes 2 servings

1/3 cup short grained or medium grained rice

2 1/2 cups whole milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

zest from 1 yuzu (or lemon if you can’t access yuzu)

2 tablespoons sake

1 tablespoon honey

1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

candied yuzu or lemon peel

In a medium skillet, combine the rice and milk over medium heat. Cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring constantly until the rice has absorbed about 1/3 of the milk and has become tender. Add the vanilla extract, sake, yuzu zest and honey. Stir to combine and cook another 10-12 minutes. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the refrigerator for about 2 hours and up to 1 day. Serve sprinkled with the black sesame seeds and the candied yuzu peel.

Whoa. Is my calendar correct? Is it really 2010 already? To be honest, I don’t think I ever really got used to it being 2009 and now I have to start with 2010. What’s a girl to do? Well, this girl decided that the best way to start the New Year is with a new recipe using new kitchen tools!

My wonderful hubs is a much better listener than I give him credit for. Granted, there are times when I could be jumping up and down screaming “FIRE” and he would look at me blankly and say “Are you talking to me?” But when he does listen, he listens well. Like when I look longingly at a mandoline and say, “But I neeeeeed one!” He listens to that.

How do I know that he listens? Because this year a mandoline appeared neatly wrapped in a package in my Christmas stocking from Santa Claus. Apparently, Brad called him up one day and said, “Listen big guy. I need you to do me a favor. You see, my wife thinks I don’t listen but I do!” You can imagine the rest of the conversation from there.

To break in my new toy, I decided to make lotus root chips. The slices have to be really thin, making this a perfect way to test out the mandoline. So, with the thinnest setting in place and my hand guard protecting my fingers, I began slicing the lotus root. Not only was this perfect for the mandoline’s first ride, it was also perfect because the lotus root is a food eaten around the New Year in Japan. According to what I’ve read, the lotus root’s holes represent seeing through to the new year or as a representation of the wheel of life. Either way, it is a delicious and healthy part of bringing in the New Year.

Throughout the past few days, I have found that much of the Japanese culture surrounding New Year’s Eve/Day involves cleansing. Whether it is scouring the home from floor to ceiling and everything in between, eating foods that are healthy and signify luck and prosperity, listening to 108 bells at the Buddhist temples, or sharing a paper cup filled with sake at the Shinto shrines, the Japanese view this as a time to start anew and wipe the slate clean. Check out the photo and video below of our celebration at a Shinto Shrine last night just after midnight. We enjoyed some sake, shiruko (sweet red bean porridge with mochi) and people watching.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pe1yHEyPk4M&hl=en&fs=1]

Of all the cultural traditions I have experienced living in Japan, this is one that will surely come with me when I leave. New Year celebrations are a time to be together, appreciating the community and the possibility of new and better things to come from that community in the approaching year. It is a time to let go of the past and move on to an unknown future with a belly full of mochi and sake. Sounds like a plan to me!

I hope you all have reasons to celebrate the coming of 2010 and the end of 2009. Here’s to starting over!

Lotus Root Chips with Toasted Nori-Sesame Salt
Makes 6 servings

1 lotus root, about 4 or 5 inches long, cleaned and peeled
Vegetable Oil for frying (you will need quite a bit, so be sure you have enough on hand)
1/4 cup white sesame seeds, toasted and ground (it is possible to find already ground sesame seeds- these will work just fine)
1/4 cup shredded nori or 4 2-3 inch sheets
1/3 cup sea salt

Using a mandoline or sharp knife, carefully slice the lotus root as thinly as possible. For me, I set my mandoline to the thinnest setting. You can go one step up form the lowest setting if that’s what you prefer, but I like mine paper thin.

Set the lotus root slices on paper towels to remove the excess moisture. I layer mine starting with a paper towel on the bottom, then a layer of lotus root slices, layer of paper towel, etc. Press gently on the layers to ensure the moisture is removed.

In a wok, heat 2 inches of vegetable oil. Test the oil temperature by placing a slice of lotus root in the oil. If the lotus root begins to bubble gradually, the oil is ready. If the oil bubbles rapidly immediately, the oil is too hot and the lotus root will burn. When the oil is at the proper temperature, work in batches being careful not to crowd the lotus root. Use a slotted spoon to remove the slices as soon as they have turned brown and carefully place on a cooling rack or a plate lined with paper towels.

When the lotus root chips are finished, make the nori-sesame salt by placing the sesame seeds and nori in a dry pan over medium high heat moving the pan around to keep the seeds and nori from burning. After about 3 or 4 minutes, the nori and seeds should be fragrant and the seeds should appear slightly browned. Remove from the heat and transfer to a spice grinder or small food processor. Pulse until uniformly sized. Add the sea salt and pulse to combine the ingredients. Transfer the salt to a small airtight container.

Sprinkle the lotus root chips with the salt and serve. Light, crispy deliciousness!