Japanese food has long been seen as a source of rich superfoods, unparalleled for its health and vitality benefits. Japanese cuisine offers a traditional vegetable based cuisine renowned for being tasty and wholesome.

Yoshiko Takeuchi uses her knowledge of ancient Japanese wisdom to put together a book of recipes incorporating Japanese superfoods in the traditional style and offering ideas on how to use these superfoods and create your own dishes.

The book also covers the benefits of these ancient Japanese Superfoods.

We are lucky to be able to share some of these recipes with you.

KUZU APPLE JUICE
Serves 1

Ingredients
1 tbsp kuzu
200 ml (7 fl oz) apple juice

Method

To dissolve the kuzu, start with a small amount of apple juice and mix thoroughly. Then add the remaining juice, stir constantly until it is well dissolved.

Add the mixture into the saucepan and cook on a low heat, mix vigorously until it becomes transparent and thickens.

KUZU APPLE
Serves 1 to 2

Easy and yummy medicine! Great for a sore throat, balancing the intestine and at the beginning of a cold. You can add cinnamon or lemon juice to enjoy the variation.

Ingredients
1 large apple (200 g/7 oz), chopped into small pieces
2 tbsp water
1 tbsp kuzu, dissolved with 4 times amount of water (4 tbsp/80 ml/3 fl oz)
1 tsp unrefined sugar

Method

– Place the chopped apple, sugar and 2 tablespoons of water in a saucepan and cook over a medium low heat with a lid until the apple is transparent.

– Add the well dissolved kuzu water into the saucepan and mix vigorously until the kuzu becomes transparent and thickens.

REDUCING MUSCLE STIFFNESS

Kuzu is helpful in relieving muscle aches and pains, especially in the neck and shoulders.

Puerarin (main isoflavon) in Kuzu dilates blood vessels and directs efficient blood oxygen supply to the muscles. Kuzu loosens the muscle nerves and enhances blood circulation, alleviating muscle stiffness.

HOME REMEDIES

The natural antacid concoction, shoyu- (soy sauce) kuzu with umeboshi (good as an antacid)is helpful for indigestion or overeating (see recipe ume-sho bancya on page 115). It is also great for treating the beginning of the flu.

A natural relaxing concoction, apple-juice kuzu pudding may help counterbalance contraction, tightness, cramping, as well as tension, anger and irritability. It also may help digestive disorders. You can also use an apple instead of apple juice (see both the apple and apple juice kuzu recipe on page 49).

Japanese Superfoods is available now for $29.99 from Angus & Robertson Bookworld, Booktopia and where all good books are sold.