If you like Japanese food and flavours….then you’re going to love ‘Wafu’.
Wafu means ‘Japanese Style’, and a company in Montreal, Wafu Inc., manufacture and market authentic Japanese dressings and mayos. They are one of the best selling Japanese Dressings in Quebec and are now available in the rest of Canada and the U.S.
The product line started with the ‘Original Sesame Dressing’, a vinaigrette, developed by Mari Toyoda. After 25 years as a restaurateur, and more years conducting cooking classes, Mari launched Kai Conveni Glogal, a commercial sushi business, selling her product to supermarkets. Mari sold this multi-million dollar company in 2006 but kept the sesame based sauce she had developed to compliment sushi.
Aided by her business partner, Gil Michel-Garcia, and his wife Arabella (vice-president of marketing), a new company was born, Wafu Inc. Gil, who had been a previous customer of Mari’s, loved her sesame dressing and recognized the potential to grow the brand and expand the line.
There are now four vinaigrettes, including a carrot-ginger flavour, which is similar to the standard dressing for a garden salad, used in most Japanese restaurants. The line also includes 3 mayos. All of the products have been designed in the consumer’s best interest – no colour or artificial flavours, no cholesterol, and peanut-free. All of the Mayonaizu products are gluten-free and a source of omega-3 polyunsaturates. The dressings are also available in a gluten-free version.
Cooking with Wafu Dressings
After our Wafu discovery, my friend Maureen and I decided to try the products ourselves and enjoyed the flavour. We decided to prepare a whole meal based on the products, using recipes found on Wafu website. The ‘original sesame dressing‘ is delicious and very versatile, we used it in 3 recipes, including zucchini fritters – see below.
These fritters will fast become a family favourite; we were sold on the first delicious bite. We put the ‘wasabi mayo’ on our burgers, wow, what a wonderful idea that was. If you like the taste of wasabi, you’re going to love the Wasabi dressing and mayo, it adds a zing to your dining experience.
Zucchini Fritters Recipe
INGREDIENTS
50 g. Zucchini
1 tsp. Salt
Fresh ground Black Pepper
2 large Eggs
1 T Wafu Original Sesame Dressing
1\2 c Flour
1\2 T Baking Powder
4 T Olive Oil
Dill or Parsley for garnish
Serves: 4 (2 each)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 15 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Assemble the ingredients in a bowl Zucchini, Wafu’s Original Sesame Dressing, eggs, flour, baking powder, olive oil, sea salt, and pepper.
Using the large holes on your grater, grate the Zucchini then add salt and let stand for 5 minutes. Tip: This allows the zucchini to expel a lot of its water content. Gently drain, and squeeze the zucchini.
Add pepper, eggs and Sesame Dressing and mix well.
In a separate bowl mix the flour and baking powder, then slowly add flour mixture to zucchini mixture, stirring often to avoid lumps.
In a large pan heat 2 tablespoons of oil, when it begins to sizzle add zucchini,
2 tablespoons at a time, keep a few centimeters apart as they will spread a bit.
Cook fritters 2 – 3 minutes or until brown, flip and cook another 2-3 minutes.
Plate and serve with your favourite Wafu dressing.
*For a gluten-free version of this recipe replace with the gluten-free NATURAL WAFU® Roasted Sesame Japanese Dressing.
Serving suggestion: Zucchini Fritters are a perfect side dish with burgers, salmon or chicken or eat as a snack.
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Wafu is sold in stores in Canada and the United States check pricing and locations on the Wafu website www.wafu.ca.
If you love to cook then check out these additional recipes:
Recipes: Quick And Easy Waffles The Family Will Love
Cooking Indian with KFI Sauces
