A Package from My Mother-In-Law - It's from Japan!

Friday, December 2, 2016

A Package from My Mother-In-Law - It's from Japan!

Last month, my husband and I received a package which my mother-in-law sent from Japan. Since we moved to the U.S., she has sometimes sent a package from Japan. :) I'm going to share 9 Japanese products she sent for us this time with you.

1. Aji Nori (味のり)

Aji Nori

As you might know, nori (のり/ 海苔) is Japanese dried seaweeds which are known as ingredients of rice balls, sushi rolls and so on. This nori is called aji nori (味のり), aji tsuke nori (味付けのり) or okazu nori (おかずのり) in Japan. Aji (味) in Japanese means flavor or flavored. This nori is already seasoned with soy sauce and sugar. I will have aji nori with fresh steamed white rice. :)

2. Shio Konbu (塩昆布)

Shio Konbu

This is shio konbu (塩昆布), salted dried kelp. Shio (塩) is salt, and konbu (昆布 / こんぶ) is kelp. I will make rice balls with steamed white rice and shio konbu.

3. Seasoning for Wakame Steamed Rice (わかめごはんの素)

Seasoning for Wakame Steamed Rice

This is seasoning for wakame stemaed rice. Wakame (わかめ / ワカメ) is seaweeds which are known as ingredients for miso soup. However, this wakame is not for making miso soup. This is for wakame gohan (ワカメごはん), wakame steamed rice. This is salted dried seaweeds. You can just mix tablespoons of it and fresh steamed white rice. Then enjoy delicious wakame gohan. I also make wakame rice balls with this. :)

4. Seasoning for Wakana Rice Balls (若菜ごはんの素)

Seasoning for Wakana Rice Balls

This is seasoning for wakana rice ball. Wakana (若菜) is Japanese young green herbs. This also contains dried wakame. You can make delicious wakana rice ball with mixing it with steamed white rice.

5. Japanese Hard Candies with Soda Flavor (ソーダキャンディ)

Soda Flavored Hard Candies

This is Japanese hard candies with soda flavor. It has 8 kinds of soda flavors including coke and orange soda. When you put the candy into your mouth, it starts lightly fizzing in your mouth. :)

Soda Flavored Hard Candies

6. Sweet Potato Dacquoise (スイートポテトダックワーズ)

Sweet Potato Dacquoise

This time, she sent some foods made from barley and were new to us. These desserts were sweet potato dacquoise. In Japan, sweet potato is called satsuma imo (サツマイモ). Sweet potato (スイートポテト) in Japanese doesn't mean sweet potato in English. Sweet potato in Japanese is Japanese roasted dessert made from mashed sweet potatoes.

Sweet Potato Dacquoise

It was dacquoise with Japanese roasted sweet potato flavor. I really liked it. :)

Sweet Potato Dacquoise

7. Barley Macrobiotic Powder （大麦マクロビパウダー）

Barley Macrobiotic Powder

I've never tried barley powder before. This powder made of 17 kinds of grains such as barley and sesame seeds.

Barley Macrobiotic Powder

According to the instruction, this is healthy powder which is rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers, and you can just add the powder into your favorite foods and drinks such as milk and yogurt.

Barley Macrobiotic Powder

8. Barely Breakfast Cereal (大麦シリアル)

Barley Breakfast Cereal

This is barley breakfast cereal, and my husband eat it everyday now.

Barley Breakfast Cereal

9. Roasted Barley for Steamed Barley Rice (麦めしの素)

Roasted Barley for Steamed Barley Rice

This is roasted barley for steamed barley rice. According to instruction, you can make barley rice by steaming them with white rice in your rice cooker. I added tablespoons of it into white rice and water.