DAIKON Slicing Practice

So impressed by Japanese chef's knife skill in cutting DAIKON, I thought I would like to try it myself.  While I do not have the same straight knife to cut with, I think I did it pretty 'okay'.

 Slice the DAIKON - about 4 inches in length or the length my hand can handle, I place the knife straight against it and begin slicing it as though I am slicing off the apple peel.  I keep on rotating DAIKON carefully to not break the slicing.  Then, place it on the cutting board, julienne slice it.  I took the video of it, but not sure where it went.  But, Voila!

 I pickled them.  

Polly's Matcha MANJU Adventure with Butternut Squash Filling

Do you ever get inspired by TV drama involving food?   While I was watching this Japanese drama about a young lady who end up working as an apprentice in a Japanese pastry shop in ASAKUSA, Japan - MANGETSUDO (fictitious), I got fascinated by the tiny cute and beautiful life like pastries in the shape of flower, fruits, etc,... filled with sweet fillings.  It is amazing that even for an event, this shop's top pastry chef and assistant would make all MANJU by hand every single day - hundreds of them... well, it's a TV drama,  But you never know... they may be able to do so.  It is hard to believe such a shop would exist today, but that will be a prize find.   It is mostly made by machine today, I am guessing, but regardless, I thought I would like to try making one.  I don't normally eat MANJU because the filling is too sweet to my taste.  But if I make it myself, I thought I could control the sweetness and what to use. 
There is no recipe for this... I just made it up.  
Or follow this one: https://www.thespruce.com/manju-japanese-steamed-cake-with-sweet-red-bean-filling-2031082

Some pastry flours - I believe was one cup, a tablespoon of natural Matcha (green tea powder - not for the smoothie type fake green powder with food color), a bit of salt, a bit of sugar, a 1/2 tablespoon of baking powder, and just enough water to mix and form into a tender dough.
Filling:  Roasted butternut squash.  Strained and cooked with sugar (as much as I liked) until thick paste is formed.
Hold a small wad of the dough about a tablespoon size between palms and round it into a ball, then, squash, then, fingers with thumbs inward, start to stretch the dough in a circular motion. Form into a thin disc and enclose the filling.  In this testing the dough was not rolled out thin enough.  During my testing, about 4 mm or 3 mm is ideal.  I also made the size even smaller for a bite size.
Place the formed Mnaju on pre-cut organic parchment paper squares.
Steam for 10 min.

I used strained butternut squash, sweetened with sugar.  Cooked to evaporate moisture until thick consistency.

I can see that the dough needs to be more thin... may be 3mm would be better.

But the flavor or butternut squash is wonderful.   I now found another replacement to the normal overly sweetened red bean paste that is sold at the grocery stores.   Sure, you could make them fresh yourself, but red beans are something I don't really like to work with.  I watched it on TV that after they boil them, they smash them and strain them, then add sugar and knead them over the heat until moisture is reduced so the red bean paste are in perfect density.   But I like the butternut squash replacement.  It's my new finding.

This one is with Blueberries.   I added a couple of blueberries with butternut squash.
Yum!  the tangy taste of blueberries made the butternut squash even better.

Polly's Prickly Pear Adventure back in 2016

I am not sure if I posted this in 2016 summer, but nevertheless, it was one of a tasty adventure I had.  Come to think of it, I think I probably did post it, but since I already got the page all nice, I am going to post it anyways. 
This is mighty Prickly Pears in my mom's home garden.  It can become one of your favorite fruits when you learn to handle it and prepare them into refreshing fruits eaten fresh or cooked, or made into jam.

To harvest prickly pear, wear a pear of dedicate thick gloves, eye goggles, and a sharp knife or scissors.  You can torch it to remove the sharp fine needles by burning them off with a torch or by water method in a larger strainer.   Torching it would be faster, but I used the water method.  Use a pair of tong to hold onto prickly pear and cut off the pear off the paddle.  Place them carefully into a dedicated throwable bag.
Transfer them with a pair of tong into a large strainer a few at a time.
Run the sink water.   Shake and roll pears in the strainers back and forth until all needs have been removed.  I saw on the YouTube - a boiling method by experienced handlers.

 Use a fork to hold it up, slice the skin off with a sharp knife.

 It smells so wonderful and refreshing.

 Beautiful colors.

 And I ate them!!  a lot of seeds, but my gosh! the first time I have ever tasted home grown fresh Prickly Pear.  It tastes wonderful!

 The rest, I made into Prickly Pear Jelly.  Find a favorite recipe.  And just do it.

 I kind of followed the recipe on the Pectin instruction sheet, but... whatever, I just mixed them up and cooked them and strained them.

Sterilization of Mason jars and lids.

 Time to seal.

 Done!

One for my family, and two for me!