Macrobiotic Glossary Of Food Terms
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Key: 2-Gold Mine Natural Foods, 3-Eden Foods, 4-Natural Lifestyle,
6-Lima Food, 7-Terrasana Whole Foods, 8 Clearspring, 9-Natural Import, 10-Rhapsody Natural Foods, 11-South River Miso, 12-Suzanne's Specialties, WFM-Whole Foods Markets, &-and other natural food stores.
a-also, b-bar, c-can, d-dry, f-fresh, h-hulled, j-jar, s-soft container, p-pearl, *-sometimes
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Aduki bean: a small dark red bean with a thin white line ridge, grown in Japan, China, and the United States. Considered to be excellent for the kidneys and kidney disorders. Also known as azuki or adzuki beans. 3c, 4d, 7d, 8j, 9d a, WFM*&,
Agar agar: a sea vegetable that's available in the form of bars, flakes or powder. It can used for making gelatins, kanten and vegetable aspics or used as a thickening agent. 2f, 3b f, 4f, 6p, 7p, 8f af, 9bf, WFM &,
Amasake: made from fermented sweet brown rice or brown rice, amasake can be used as a dessert, snack, natural sweetening agent, baby food, salad dressing or smoothie. 7sj, 8sj a a, 9s, 10s, WFM*&,
Arame: a thin wiry dark stranded brown sea vegetable. Like hijiki, it is used as a regular side dish. 2, 3, 4, 8, 9, WFM&
Barley, pearl barley is eaten to dissolve excess protein and fat from animal consumption and to clean up blemishes on the skin: hulled barley contains more nutrition than pearl barley. See Hato Mugi. 3p, 4ph, 6p, 9ph a a a a, WFM&
Barley malt: a syrup sweetener made from sprouted barley. Great in bean dishes, pies, cakes, puddings, and tea. 3, 8, WFM&
Brown rice: Whole unpolished rice that comes in short, medium, and long grain. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 a a a, WFM&
Brown rice syrup: a sweetener made by fermenting brown rice. 4, 6, 8, 9, 12 WFM&
Brown rice vinegar: a mild vinegar made from fermented brown rice, it has a high concentration of essential amino acids. It is recognized not only for its mellow taste but also for its medicinal quality.
2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, WFM&
Burdock: a hardy wild root vegetable used in stews and various vegetable dishes, strengthens and purifies the blood. 9d, WFM*&
Couscous: steamed balls of crushed durum wheat semolina pasta, originally from Morocco. 6, 7, 8, WFM&
Daikon: a long white root vegetable. Used dried, fresh in a variety of vegetable dishes and also pickled. Very good for dissolving fat and mucous deposits in the body. 3d, 4d, 7d, 9d, WFM&
Dried tofu: tofu that has been dried via freezing. Used in a variety of vegetable dishes, dried tofu has less fat than fresh tofu. 3, 9, WFM*&
Dulse: a reddish purple sea vegetable used in soups, salads, and vegetable dishes. Dulse is high in protein, iron, vitamin A, iodine, and phosphorus. 3, 4, 8, 9 a, WFM&
Grain coffee: a coffee substitute made of roasted grains, beans, and roots. It contains no caffeine. It is considered an occasional beverage. 6 a a a a, 9, WFM&
Hato Mugi: also known as Job's Tears, this wild grass is cooked as is, with other grains, in soups and stews. It is particularly good at eliminating old animal fats. 4,
Hijiki: a sea vegetable, hijiki comes in dry, black, wiry strands. It should always be rehydrated before cooking. Also known as hiziki. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, WFM &
Kabocha squash: also known as Hokkaido or Japanese pumpkin: a type of winter squash very similar to the buttercup and Hubbard varieties. Either deep orange or dark green. WFM&
Koji: a grain, usually semi-polished or polished rice, inoculated with bacteria and used to begin the fermentation process in a variety of foods, including miso, amasake, tamari, rice vinegar and sake. 9, 10, 11
Kombu: a sea vegetable that comes in thick, wide strips. Used in bean dishes, vegetables dishes, condiments, and various home remedies. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, WFM &
Kukicha: sometimes called bancha twig tea, kukicha consists of the twigs and leaves of (Camellia sinensis) tea bushes. High in calcium, kukicha also alkalizes the blood. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a, 9, WFM*&
Kuzu: a medicinal thickener derived from the kudzu plant, which grows wild in Japan and the southern United States. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7 a, 8, 9, WFM&
Lotus root: a beige-colored root with hollow chambers inside, dishes and home remedies. 3d, 4d, 7d, 9d
Mirin: cooking wine made from sweet brown rice. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 a a, 9, WFM &
Miso: a protein-rich fermented soybean paste made from ingredients such as soybeans, barley, and brown or white rice. Miso is used in soup stocks and as a seasoning. The most medicinal miso is barley miso aged two years or more. Darker miso aged two years or more does not need to be refrigerated, but younger, lighter misos should be. Miso aids digestion, alkalizes the body, and is considered able to reduce the effects of radiation on the body. There are many different types of miso– rice, chickpea, soybean. Barley miso is used most regularly for daily miso soup. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, WFM&
Mochi: sweet rice steamed and pounded into a cake. Sometimes flavored with raisins, sesame seeds, or other ingredients. It is used as is, in vegetable dishes, or as croutons. A great dish. 2, 3, 4, 7, 8 a a, 9, 10, WFM&
Natto is a traditional Japanese food made from soybeans fermented with Bacillus subtilis var. natto. Some eat it as a breakfast food. It is served with soy sauce, mustard and green onion or chives. 10
Nori: a sea vegetable pressed into sheets. Untoasted nori is black. Used as a snack, in condiments, and for rolling sushi. Nori is rich in vitamin B12, containing as much cobalamin as liver. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a a a, 9, WFM&
Sea salt: salt that is the product of evaporated sea water. The sea salt contains no chemical additives. 2, 3, 4, 6 a, 8, 9, WFM&
Seitan: is made traditionally washing wheat flour to remove bran an starch leaving wheat gluten cooked overnight in a broth of shoyu, kombu, ginger and water and then used in stews or as a meat substitute. 6, 7, WFM*&
Shiitake mushroom: usually used in the dried form, shiitake mushrooms are used in soups, stews, and home remedies. They are particularly good at helping the body to discharge excess animal fat. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, WFM*&
Shiso: also known as a beefsteak leaf, the shiso leaf is used in the pickling of umeboshi plums and gives them their red color. 2, 3, 7, 9
Shoyu: is the Japanese word for soy sauce made of soybeans, wheat, salt, koji and water. Shoyu is used and as a seasoning in bean and vegetable dishes as well as for soups. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a a , 9, WFM&
Soba: noodles made from buckwheat flour or a combination of buckwheat and whole-wheat flour. Soba can be served in broth, in salads, or with vegetables. In the summer, soba noodles are good chilled. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a a, 9, WFM&
Somen: very thin white or whole-wheat Japanese noodles. Thinner than soba and other whole-grain noodles, somen are often served during the summer. 2, 6, 7, 9, WFM&
Sweet brown rice: a slighty sweet, high-protein, and glutinous form of brown rice. It is called glutinous (Latin: glūtinōsus)[1] in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten (which it does not).! Sweet brown rice is used in mochi, vinegar, amasake, and other foods. 2, 4, 9, WFM*&
Tahini: is a condiment made from toasted ground hulled sesame seeds. until smooth and creamy. 3j, 11, WFM&
Takuan: is a partialy dried daikon pickled in sea salt and rice bran. 2, 3, 4, 7, 9, WFM*&
Tamari: is the Japanese word for soy sauce made of soybeans, salt, koji and water.Tamari darker in appearance and richer in flavor than shoyu, does not contain wheat and is an excellent seasoning for those on a wheat free diet. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 a, 9, 11, WFM&
Tekka: a strong condiment made from miso, sesame oil, burdock, lotus root, carrot, and ginger. Cooked for several hours, it is rich in iron and is usually store-bought as opposed to made at home. 2, 3, 7, 8, 9,
Tempeh: an Indonesian food made It is made by a natural culturing and controlled fermentation process that binds soybeans into a cake form from split soybeans and water and is a beneficial bacterial starter. High in protein and, if unpasteurized, might also contain some vitamin B12. 10 a, WFM&
Tofu: also known as bean curd, is a food cultivated by coagulating soy milk and nigari, then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks, Used in soups, vegetable dishes, and dressings. WFM&
Udon: Japanese thick flour noodle made from wheat, whole wheat, or whole wheat and unbleached white flour. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a a, 9, WFM&
Umeboshi: salty, pickled plums. Umeboshi plums alkalize the blood and stimulate salivation and appetite. They are used as pickles, in condiments, cooking grain, and in many home remedies. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, WFM&
Umeboshi paste: is not as medicinal but is also used as a seasoning or in makizushi. 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9, WFM*&
Umeboshi vinegar: the brine produced when preparing umeboshi; although the term translates as "plum vinegar that is the by-product of making umeboshi plums. Salty and sour, umeboshi vinegar is used as a seasoning in dressings and vegetable dishes. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, WFM
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Wakame: a long, thin sea vegetable used in soups and sometimes in bean dishes. Also used in condiments and pressed salads. 2, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 a a, 9, WFM&
Taken from the GLOSSARY OF TERMS found in The Hip Chick's Guide to Macrobiotics: A Philosophy for achieving a Radiant Mind and a Fabulous Body by Jessica Porter
And the GLOSSARY in Aveline Kushi's Complete Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking: For Health, Harmony, and Peace by Aveline Kushi with Alex Jack (read for free on Internet Archive)
And Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia
a local restaurant, in Waltham outside of Boston, Masao's Kitchen sells aduki beans, agar-agar, arame, brown rice syrup, kombu, kukicha, kuzu, mirin, miso. mochi, nori, sea alt, shiitake mushrooms, shoyu, tamari, tekka, umeboshi plums, umeboshi vinegar, and wakame to his diners!
The ABCs of Vegan Home Cooking:The art of simple and wholesome cooking by Masao & Evelyne Miyaji
Instant pdf version viewable on any device (click on PREVIEW to see samples of inside pages)
Apple strudel recipe missing from the both the paper pdf editions or the above cookbook!:
