Fund-Raising Cookbook : It’s a Treasure-Trove of Asian Recipes

Centenary United Methodist Church will celebrate its 91st anniversary in October by breaking ground for new quarters at Third Street and Central Avenue in Little Tokyo.

To raise funds for the new building, the church women have compiled a cookbook, “Centenary Favorites,” that is a treasure-trove of Asian recipes.

“The book was put together with the idea of capturing some of our traditions and heritage,” said Mary Kurushima, co-editor with Rose Oshima.

A section on Japanese New Year foods and customs includes recipes for Tokyo, Kyoto and Kyushu styles of preparing mochi (rice cakes), which are traditionally served during the holiday.

New Year Dishes

Other new year dishes in the book include persimmon and vegetable salad, seaweed-wrapped pork, sweet eggroll and sweet potato paste with chestnuts. There is also a recipe for the cold buckwheat noodles that are served on Japanese New Year’s Eve to show respect to parents. The noodles are sprinkled with toasted seaweed; garnished with fish cake, tempura or spinach and accompanied by a dipping sauce that is based on dashi, which is Japanese-style soup stock.

A long section on sushi features such interesting varieties as age-zushi , which is stuffed into soybean pouches; ebi-zushi, which is a mound of rice and shrimp, and Korean-style bul gogi sushi. Diagrams show how to roll maki-zushi, how to prepare nigiri-zushi, and how to turn sushi into a doll for Girls’ Day, which is celebrated March 3. There is also advice on staging a make-your-own sushi party.

Chapters of Asian recipes range from appetizers through main courses to desserts. The recipes are mostly Japanese, but some Chinese, Korean and Filipino dishes are included. The 344-page book also has a full set of chapters on general cookery.

“Centenary Favorites” was published in December, 1986, and is now going into its third printing. The book can be ordered by mail for $12, which includes postage and handling. Make checks payable to Centenary Cookbook Project and send them to the Centenary United Methodist Church Office, 3738 Virginia Road, Los Angeles 90016.