Top Beans

Soybean and Black Sesame Bread

Hokuren soybeans are cultivated in Hokkaido and are larger than regular soybeans. Using them gives this bread a raw, earthy tone. This recipe was featured in the September issue of Lettuce Club Magazine’s ‘Traveling Home Bakery’ section (home bakery means bread maker in Japan). The article introduces a chosen bakery’s original recipe each month. We (mainly my husband) have made a few breads traveling along with the article.

Located in Obihiro, Hokkaido, Harukoma Bakery relies on fresh, local produce as a big part of their operation. ‘Connecting smiles start with field of Tokcachi’ is their motto..humm what’s that? Sometimes it gets lost in translation. Whatever it is, I can feel their passion for making bread.

Ingredients and directions for Soybeans and Black Sesame Bread

Makes 1-9x5 loaf or 2-6x3 loaves

Necessary equipment: scale, bread maker.

• Soybeans 100g available in Japanese market or Whole Foods.
• Water 1 cup
• Salt 1 teaspoon

Pour water in the medium bowl then add salt and dissolve by stirring. Put soybeans in the salted water to soak overnight. Strain the water and paper towel dry the beans.

• Bread flour 250g with more for dusting.
• Instant dry yeast 3g
• Milk 170ml.
• Egg 15g beat well in a small bowl
• Unsalted butter 15g cut in half inch size. More for greasing pan(s).
• Sugar 10g
• Salt 3g
• Black roasted sesame seeds-If it’s not roasted already, pan dry roasted 20g*

1. In a bread maker pan, put 250g of flour in first then make small cavity, bury the yeast there and cover with flour.
2. Pour milk from the edge of the pan, add egg, butter, sugar and salt on the side of the flour.
3. Cover with lid and select ‘dough only’ course.
4. 15-20 minutes after it starts, open the lid and put the sesame seeds and overnight-soaked soybeans. Close and let machine make the dough.
5. When bread maker has finished making the dough, dust with a little bit of flour on surface you put dough on.Take out dough and cut in 4 equal sizes.
6. Try to put soybeans inside as much as possible to form 4 balls. Cover with moist towel over the balls and let rest for 20 minutes.
7. Butter lightly inside each loaf pan(s). Put 4 balls in the pan. If you’re using 2 small pans then put 2 balls each. Roll the balls around inside pan so that dough will be coated with butter. Loosely cover with plastic and let rise in warm place about 120F. for 40 minutes or so to double in size. 
8. Preheat oven to 355F. Put it (them) in the over and bake for 20 minuets. 
9. When it’s done, take out from pan(s), cool on wire rack. 

* Put sesame seeds in a non-stick pan and roast at medium high heat, constantly stirring with wooden spoon or shaking pan an inch above cook top for about 4-5 minutes.Toasted with butter is the way to go.

The Church Halloween Party was last Tuesday. I made pumpkin spice cupcakes for the cake walk. I did not have green food coloring for the frosting… I wanted to tell the “I’m melting…I’m melting” joke.My husband was on (not so) mysterious root beer drink duty. He dressed as a salary man. Borrring! But he is a hard working salary man for real.Many people dressed up in great costumes (I took over 500 pics!). This Star Wars family however comes in over the top! I’ve never seen this cute of a Chewbacca, not Ewok before.Fantastic homemade C-3PO and R2-D2 Believe it or not, they are related.Baby’s first Halloween. Sorry about the flash. I love him and his monkey costume!And his first too. Oh! so sweet!A family of Mario Brothers! Let’s play the game!

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away…Can you see I’m a big fan of Star Wars?! May the force be with you!Pumpkin carving contest

A friend took me to a belated birthday lunch. It was great to see her. She is an awesome savvy and chic person.

On bended knees, many prayers were said for nameless people on the East Coast and over a friend ‘D’ and her new born child.