A PROTEIN PROGRAM

In common conversation the protein component of our meals tends to take centre stage. If you ask 'What's for dinner tonight?' people will say "Chicken". What they mean is chicken plus vegetables plus other side dishes, but it is the chicken which is the central feature. The chicken is the protein - the other components of the meal - the vegetables and carbohydrates - are the side show.

Macrobiotics is not quite like that because it is, first and foremost, a grain-based cuisine. So in answer to the question, 'What's for dinner tonight?' the answer will be "rice" or "millet" or "barley" or some other whole grain. In cuisine macrobiotique the grain is centre stage and the other components of the meal are the accompaniments. This is as it should be. Whole grains are foundational. The meal is built around the grain. The grain is the main ingredient and the other elements of the meal are enjoyed in smaller amounts.

All the same, every square meal requires protein as well as grain. Certainly, whole grains contain some protein themselves, but it is incomplete. In general, every grain-based meal must also include an additional form of protein. There are narrow versions of macrobiotic dieting in which there is an extreme emphasis upon grains and very little protein, but this is really a type of selective fasting and can be dangerous if maintained for too long. The body needs protein. A "square meal" - meaning a full and wholesome meal suitable for a healthy person - will always include a starch (grain) and protein and additional vegetables.

In order to provide variety and to make planning easier during busy times I have often resorted to drawing up a program of protein components for the main meal of the day over the week or fortnight. The program includes protein foods from both plant and animal sources but with an emphasis on plant proteins - macrobiotics is a plant-based (but not plant-exclusive) cuisine. A typical program might look like this:

1. Adzuki beans
2. Tofu
3. Free range chicken
4. Lentils
5. Fish
6. Tempeh
7. Eggs
8. Chick peas
9. Shellfish
10. Mung

The challenge each day is to create a dish featuring the day's protein source. This is eaten in relatively small serves along with the grain of the day - the feature of the meal - and a good range of well-prepared vegetables.

Notes:

*Variety is the key. It can't be good to eat the same protein source too frequently. The idea is to mix it up. Macrobiotics - properly considered - embraces the full range of wholesome traditional foods. Balance and moderation are what are important. Too much meat eating is undoubtedly bad. But so too is too much  supposed "health food" and a one-sided narrow approach to healthy eating. Macrobiotic cuisine is diverse, nutritional, tasty and interesting.

*Tofu and tempeh should not be eaten too often. Many vegans and vegetarians over do it. Once a week for each is enough. These are beautiful traditional foods but too much of them can produce health problems.

*Different legumes have different protein profiles. It is good to eat a range of different legumes. In macrobiotics the smaller beans - adzuki and mung etc. - are preferred compared to the larger beans such as chick peas and kidney beans, but this is only a guiding principle, not a rule.

*Meals can also be accompanied by items that add extra proteins: nut sauces, miso soup etc.

*Some red meat (from a naturally farmed source) might be included now and then as a treat. The idea that red meat is "forbidden" in macrobiotics is erroneous. Nothing is forbidden. Although some people will choose not to eat meat for ethical or other reasons.

THE OLD APPLE

Tydeman's Early Worcester - an old aromatic and fragrant variety forgotten in the rush to industrialisation. 

The apple is a favoured fruit in cuisine macrobiotique. The reason for this is that it is, among fruits, comparatively yang. This is easily understood. If you eat half a bucket of plums you well know what the consequences will be. Like most fruits, plums are mostly water and sugar. Macrobiotics - as a general rule - takes the view that fruit is overvalued as a food for this reason. But, among fruits, apples are relatively balanced and you can eat a considerable number of them without suffering the same consequences as plums. They are less awash in water in sugar. They are a more balanced food. Compare the apple to the pear. The pear is somewhat more yin - which is to say it has more water and sugar than the apple. A good crisp apple is a better food than a sloppy, juicy pear in this respect. All things are relative, but in general we can say that apples are a more balanced and wholesome food than most other fruits which, in contrast, are watery and sugary. As with plums, you do not need to eat too many blackberries before you start to experience gastrointestinal upsets. Similarly, too many strawberries will make many people come out in a rash. Too much fruit is bad. Over indulgence in fruit is very common among 'health' enthusiasts - and then there is the lunacy of the 'fruitarian'. But, among fruit, the apple is a safe bet. Fruits are used sparingly in macrobiotic cooking, but apples can be used more often and in greater quantity than other fruits. An apple a day keeps the doctor away.

It is said that in 1900 there were several hundred types of apples in cultivation in Australia. By the mid century, though, this had dropped to only a handful. This is because many old varieties could not cope with the rough and tumble of industrial production. Accordingly, many excellent types of apples - some of them quite unique with remarkable qualities - almost disappeared as the buying public fell into the amnesia of consumerism. It is only of recent times that dedicated enthusiasts have sort them out and lovingly restored stocks so that these beautiful 'heritage' apples can be preserved.

As it happens, I maintain a handful of heritage apple trees in my garden and they performed exceptionally well this year. More to the point though, my son cultivates a very extensive range of heritage apples at his property near Trentham in Victoria and I've been happily munching on some of his crop for the past few weeks. These are beautiful apples, many with distinctive textures and flavours. Many of them were first cultivated hundreds of years ago. These are worth seeking out. Modern apples are not inherently bad - and some of the modern Japanese varieties such as the 'Fuji' are a triumph of modern breeding - but the older varieties have been tampered with less and in general are closer to type. They have a depth and complexity of flavour lacking in modern apples. As such they are especially suitable for use in the macrobiotic kitchen.

A superb range of old apple trees for cultivation can be acquired from Woodbridge Fruit trees in Tasmania. These people know their apples! See the link here:

https://www.woodbridgefruittrees.com.au/

The Graventstein - a popular apple in the 19th century. 

The other thing to note about the apple is that it is the best adapted fruit for temperate climate cooking. These days with industrial transport people in temperate regions tend to indulge in far too much tropical fruit.  In macrobiotic thinking it is best to eat what grows locally and in season. It is unnatural madness to live on bananas and mangoes from hot Queensland when you live in cool climate Victoria. This is a trap into which many health faddists, hipsters, vegans and vegetarians fall. They think it is healthy to eat lots of tropical fruit. It's not. For people in temperate zones tropical fruit ought to be treated as an occasional luxury. Instead, fruit consumption should be concentrated upon temperate zone fruits - and members of the apple family especially, with pride of place given to the apple itself. In temperate zones, the apple in the queen of fruit. Apples can find an appropriate place in macrobiotic cuisine as a dessert, as a snack and in other ways. Better still if the apples are old heritage varieties grown under organic cultivation by small-scale growers.

Cox's Orange Pippin - an esteemed old apple originating in Buckinghamshire, England, 1825. 

BRAISED FENNEL

Fennel, or Florence Fennel, is a much neglected vegetable. Whenever I buy one at the store the person on the checkout looks at me and asks "What is it again?" When I was a kid the Italians that lived all around us ate it all the time. We Australians regarded it as strange and exotic. But, of course, we were wrong. It is a beautiful vegetable, very healthy and has many uses. Here is a pic:

A basic way to proceed is braising. That is, we lightly fry the vegetable in a heavy pan beginning with a little oil and then reducing it down in its own liquid. First, dice into pieces, including the feathery tops:

Put into a pan with a little olive oil. Put on a low to medium heat and slowly braise. 

At the end, add some chopped parsley. I also stir through a light sauce made from tapioca starch. That is, one teaspoon of starch to half a cup of water. Add to the hot pan and stir. Here it is (steaming hot):

Lunch. Brown rice. Braised fennel. Baby carrots. Broccoli. A miso and lemon sauce. A rocket and lettuce salad. A few pieces of crumbed fish (in this case, ling). 

SANE MACROBIOTICS

It was put to me recently that there are a high proportion of "nuts" in the macrobiotic fraternity. The person who reported this had ventured online and had delved into various macrobiotic websites or blogs, or rather one in particular, and found it... well... "nutty". That is to say, paranoid, extremist, immoderate, given to bizarre theories, and so on. What reply did I have to this, they wondered?

My reply: yes, there are plenty of crazy types who hang out on the fringes of contemporary macrobiotics, just as there are on the fringes of, say, the raw food movement, or similar alternative food movements. It is an unfortunate fact of life. In fact, there is no shortage of crazy people in just about any walk of life, and macrobiotics is no exception. So, yes, you will find health nuts, food puritans, conspiracy theorists et al. among the macrobiotic fraternity. 

The best antidote to this is simply to read widely. Don't stop at one website. Explore further. There are a wide range of opinions and a wide range of temperaments out there. Do not judge macrobiotics by just one website or by one book. Be suspicious of people who say their way is the only way. Be prepared to encounter crazies, yes, but if you look deeper you will find plenty of sane, sensible, sincere people who advocate and enjoy this type of cuisine. Avoid extremists. Use common sense. 

That is the best advice. If someone tells you to eat nothing but brown rice as a means to communicating with higher intelligences from outer space - get another opinion! 

Hopefully, you will find an eminently sane and sensible approach to macrobiotic food on this present blog. Over the years, and through much reading, I have learnt to avoid extremes, to embrace compromises and to find a middle path to health and delicious macrobiotic cooking. For a start, I distinguish between macrobiotic cuisine and macrobiotic therapeutics. The therapeutic side of macrobiotics may sometimes seem extreme - but that is because it is for sick people. For example, fasting on nothing but brown rice may be useful for someone who is sick. But it is not a recommended practice for a healthy person and it is not part of macrobiotic cuisine. The cuisine is rich, varied, healthy and beautiful - not extreme at all. There are always fanatics who will try to impose their extreme views on things - avoid them and seek out sane voices. 

ENDLESS RICE BALLS

Rice balls are an endless treat, one of the staples of macrobiotic cuisine. They can be prepared in a thousand different ways and enjoyed all year round. The basic technique is very simple and is capable of endless variation. You can whip up some rice balls any time and keep them in the refrigerator to be enjoyed later either hot or cold. They can be used as a snack, a stand-by or as an acompaniament to other dishes. It is therefore an important thing to master. You should spend some time learning how to make good rice balls. 

The main ingredient, of course, is rice. Brown rice is our staple grain. Soak the rice for a few hours and cook it in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and a strip of kelp seaweed according to standard macrobiotic practice. Drain well and let cool. Best if it is refrigerated overnight. This then forms the basis of the balls. You can add a myriad of additional ingredients to it. In the pictures below we are using: finely chopped spring onions (scallions), finely chopped broad-leafed parsley and finely chopped and sauted leek, since these ingredients are readily available from the garden. Best to lightly fry off the sliced leek, although this is not essential for the spring onions and parsley which can be added raw. 

Using wet hands, knead the additional ingredients into the rice mix. Use a scruntching motion of the hands, pressing the mass together. If the rice is too dry, add a tiny amount of water. (If the rice has been undercooked the balls will not hold together. Best if the rice is slightly overcooked and starchy.) 

Now set the mix aside for a few hours. Again, best to put it in the refrigerator. (Time is an ingredient, don't forget. And yang. Many things improve over time, especially flavours and textures. Give the rice time to absorb the flavours of the other ingredients.) 

Rice balls can be deep fried without batter, but in my experience are best done tempera. In the picture below I am using a besan flour batter, i.e. a chickpea flour batter. You can add a little self-raising flour if you must, or a few spoonfuls of sourdough leaven, in which case you leave the batter in a warm place for a few hours before using. 

Now, dip the balls in the batter, deep fry in a good quality oil and drain on absorbent paper. 

Besan flour makes a lovely batter and, moreover, is an additional protein since chickpeas are a legume. Two-thirds besan and one third wholewheat is good too. Experiment with different flours. Be sure to have the oil hot (but not smoking) or else the balls may end up oily. That is the secret to all tempera foods. Having the oil at the right temperature is crucial to avoid oiliness. We want the food to cook in the oil without absorbing the oil - the key to this is temperature. 

Should we be eating so much oil-cooked food, you ask? Well, tempera is a basic cooking method in traditional Asian cuisine, and since macrobiotics is very light on fats we can afford to use deep frying as a basic cooking method. The Japanese, remember, are among the longest lived people on Earth and deep fried (tempera) dishes are a standard part of their diet. Don't be afraid of deep frying. If your diet is otherwise high-fibre and low-fat then you can enjoy deep-fried foods in moderation. Deep frying adds flavour and texture and crunch, as long as it is not over-done. Just be sure to use a good quality oil that is fresh and not rancid. 

Deep fried rice balls can be eaten with confidence. They are healthy and delicious. 

Again, there are endless variations possible. For a start, use coriander (cilantro) instead of parsley. Or add some finely chopped ginger. Or some crumbled tofu. And so on. Then try different batters. Use rice balls as a staple dish. It is a great way to eat more brown rice. 

SIMPLE PAN-FRIED TOFU

I was talking to a fellow kitchen worker lately and he confessed to me that he had never tasted tofu. I was surprised and though 'Where have you been?' but it seems that it is still something that is omitted or skipped over in cooking trade school. 

He asked me, "What is the best way to cook it?" The answer to this will depend on your tastes and what you want to achieve, of course. Tofu is wonderfully versatile. To my taste, it is best deep fried. But lightly pan fried is excellent and very simple too. Here is an example in the picture below:

Cut a firm or semi-firm tofu into one centimetre thick slices. Heat a heavy iron griddle and oil lightly with a good quality sesame oil. Fry on each side until just golden. That's it. Serve with stir fried rice and season with some soy sauce. A basic food.

THE JOY OF MILLET

Macrobiotique cuisine is essentially grain based. It is a reworking of the traditional foods of the great grain-based civilizations of the world. In this respect it is most definitely not "paleo" - a diet and a philosophy that is essentially pro-primitive and anti-civilization. Macrobiotic cuisine revolves around the use of wholegrain staples, and brown rice in particular. In some ways this is a historical accident. It so happens that modern macrobiotics was formulated by Japanese pioneers and so they naturally drew upon rice as their staple food. Had they been northern Europeans their staple grain would have been rye. If they had been northern Indians it would have been wheat. If they had been South Americans it would have been maize, and if they had been Tibetans it would have been barley. If they had been Africans it would have been millet. George Ohsawa (and after him Michio Kushi) were Japanese, and so their version of "macrobiotics" - which is to say a modern reformulation of traditional diets - is rice-based. It so happens, of course, that rice makes an excellent staple grain and in nutritional terms, and in terms of yin and yang, it is very balanced. It remains the foundation of macrobiotic cooking, and rightly so. 

Other grains should not be overlooked, though, if only for variety's sake. It is good for a macrobiotic chef to have expertise in a range of whole grains as well as brown rice. The one that I recommend is millet. This is a very ancient grain, is very nutritious, very delicious and has the added advantage of being strongly alkaline (non-acidic). I usually have millet-based meals two or three times a week, just as a break from rice. Here below is a simple millet dish:

Lightly fry a chopped onion in a little oil in a saucepan. Add two or three handfuls of millet grain. Cover with any suitable vegetable stock. Bring to the boil, turn down and simmer. Stir constantly and add more liquid as necessary. Towards the end add some finely chopped flat-leafed parsley. It takes about twenty minutes on a low heat. This is a basic recipe. From there you can improvize. It is a wonderful, versatile grain that should be enjoyed more widely than it is.