Thursday, January 31, 2008

Nama Shoyu, Spring Rolls with an Amazing Dipping Sauce, the Market and Kevin Giannis online Health Seminar

I had a couple delicious spring rolls yesterday - I had just finished making cookies (raw, chocolate) at the Cacao Loft - Chocosol Headquarters and took a walk up Yonge St. to go to Noah's (health food store) & get some more Nama Shoyu (see empty bottle in background next picture). Nama Shoyu is the only raw unpasteurized, enzyme & lactobacillus rich, soy sauce and it is amazing that only one company makes it - Oshawa.

"From the village of Godspring, high in the mountains of Japan, comes a shoyu that is truly a living food. This village historically has made shoyu for the emperor of Japan using a careful process that requires a great deal of patience. Made from mountain spring water and aged for four years in cedar casks, the production of this healing food is truly a labor of love, which may explain why high-quality artisan shoyu is now so difficult to find. We are excited to offer this full-bodied shoyu, high in B12. It is the only unpasteurized and organic variety available." ~http://www.celticseasalt.com/OSHAWA_NAMA_SHOYU_P442.cfm

Noah's didn't have it. It's not so easy to find..but worth the treasure hunt to get it.
And I stopped in at the Green Mango and got what I thought were raw spring rolls. My brother & I had a long discussion about if rice wrappers were raw or not, and after looking it up last night I have decided that they probably are not.. but they were really good (& they could be). ..& so I tried to copy it in a very 'raw-style' way last night.. by blending & dehydrating ground & soaked chia and young coconut meat & water.. I probably shouldn't mention it cause it wasn't a huge success. They taste great but they came out too dry this morning - out of the dehydrator & crumbled when I tried rolling veggies up in them, even after wetting them to rehydrate.. O well, but this is how sometimes great ideas are born.

But I made a great dipping sauce! I love to experiment with sauces and tried recreating the amazing dipping sauce that came with the spring rolls - really the best part.. they had this amazing distinctive taste.. that made you want to keep dipping, you could drink this stuff!
The secret ingredient was surprisingly caraway - which is a spice I rarely use..but it worked so well in this. Probably not exactly like theirs, but it tasted amazing &..
This is not the most simple recipe, tamarind is a bit of work... but always so worth it.. one of the most amazing flavours.. Here's my recipe:

Spring Rolls

Unless you come up with a raw rice paper analogy-alternative ( & if you do please tell me!!!) use a vegetable leaf as the wrap, like romaine, or collard or even iceburg would work. Then finely slice or grate on mandolin or spiralize some veggies: carrots, cucumber, daikon radish, zucchini - and sliced celery or green onions, and sprouts are good in them. (I used beets, just cause I had them prepared..
Wrap a wonderful assortment of veggies & finely sliced or grated ginger and a few mint leaves are amazing in there also, in your leaf.

Spring Roll Sauce

1 c tamarind paste - Take 1/4 block of tamarind and soak in 1 c water to soften then mash through strainer- more instructions from a previous post & most excellent recipe here)
1/2 c agave
2 T nama shoyu
2 T olive oil
1 t grated ginger
1 t salt
3/4 t caraway
1/2 t ground coriander seed
small sprinkle of anise and garlic powder

Pour some into a little bowl, dipspring rolls in and enjoy. It's sooo good!

Oh..I went to the market today - had to meet a friend to trade the next Anastasia book with (she's almost caught upwith me) Hey, & another friend there, Duane, had the new book just out Book 8.1 - The New Civilization. cool! I'm still into Book 7, and its on hold for a bit..trying to stay focused. my own thing..sorting through piles of recipes that I have experimented with and written over the past few years.. Thankfully I have them almost all in one place! ..and that I have kept records and written them down. There are some bursts of brilliancy and inspiration in there. ; )
Markets have the best shopping ever, premade raw organic salads and check the date on the cider - it was fresh pressed just hours ago from local apples- cool!!! & local greens, raw pesto, hot chocolatl drinks, up the vibe!! local greens, best honey, To sprouts, wonderful friends.. going to the market is soul food too!

Oh, & I listened to Mike Adams last night.. was interesting and I will post some about it tomorrow.. already started listening to Byron Katie now as I type this- multitasking.. have to go pay attention.. will post more on this tomorrow.
These online health seminars are from Kevin Gianni's 'The Healthiest Year of Your Life' - each night he has an hour long podcast available for 24 hours.
The one tonight with Byron Katie, is available till 8pm tomorrow evening, available here:

& coming up (note links for free access):
Feb 4th - Jon Barron
Feb 5th - Dr. Richard DiCenso
Feb 6th - Nomi Shannon
Feb 7th - Jim Katsoulis
Feb 10th - Jill Fleming
Feb 11th - Craig Pepin-Donat

& back to sorting through recipes... adios amidos, buenos noches!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Robin!!

They have nama shoyu at the health store on baldwin street!
I saw it there the other day!

Take care
Greg

Robin 'Keiko' Gregory said...

Thanks Greg.. good to know!
But I lucked out on someone who is going to get it for me!! yay!
Nice hearing from you.. xo, All the Best!