Description

“Arabella wishes to participate in the contest for the best magical recipe witch. She knows she can count on her famous Japanese witch aunt, Yama-Uba, who will give her good advice. But will she be able to find the ingredients and complete each step of the recipe?”

“Arabella and the Recipe of Makis” is the first book in our “Witches and Cooks” collection
Discover a story full of encounters and discoveries! Find a wonderful recipe for Makis that can easily be made with the whole family. Used as a recipe book, this book will give you the opportunity to share a pleasant moment in the kitchen with your children.

Don’t hesitate to send us pictures of your best Maki creations! Happy reading and cooking!

Our heroes:
Arabella – The Young Witch   
Yama-Uba – The Japanese Witch
Maki and Sushi – The two fish

Bonus: Animal Hide and Seek
The book also features an animal hide-and-seek game. All the animals from the Contes Dessinés universe have hidden themselves within the illustrations of the story. Help us find them! This adds to the fun of bedtime reading for younger children.

You can also find us for sale online:

• Amazon: Arabella and the Recipe for Makis

The Legend of Japanese Witches

There are several legendary figures in Japanese folklore that are considered witches. Here are some examples of Japanese witches :

• Yama-uba: an old and scary witch who lives in the mountains. According to some versions of the story, she is described as a woman who was abandoned by her family and lived alone in the mountains for many years, where she learned to use herbs and plants to heal diseases. In other versions, she is described as a malevolent creature who lures lost travelers into the mountains and kills them for food.
• Kijo: a witch who often appears in the form of a beautiful woman and uses her beauty and charm to seduce and deceive men. According to legend, she is able to transform into different creatures, such as a cat or a bird, and fly through the air.
• Hone-onna: a witch who often appears in the form of a ghostly woman and is capable of possessing the bodies of the people she kills. According to legend, she is immortal and can only be killed by a katana (Japanese sword) tempered in deer blood.

The Maki Recipe with Arabella :

To make these maki rolls, here are the necessary ingredients :

• Sushi rice
• Water
• Rice vinegar
• Sugar
• Salt
• Nori seaweed (dried seaweed leaves cut lengthwise) • Filling ingredients, such as raw fish, cucumber, avocado, surimi sticks, mayonnaise – let your imagination run wild!

Here are the preparation steps :

1. Start by cooking the maki rice according to the package instructions. Once cooked, let it cool down a bit before seasoning it with a small amount of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix well so that the rice is well seasoned.
2. Prepare your filling ingredients by cutting them into thin slices or small dices.
3. Place a sheet of nori seaweed on a maki mat or on a clean and smooth surface. Spread a layer of rice on the lower half of the seaweed sheet, leaving about 1 cm of free edge on the sides.
4. Arrange the filling ingredients on the rice, aligning them in a row.
5. Fold the seaweed sheet over itself, starting with the stuffed side and leaving the other side open.
6. Use the maki mat and wet your fingers to prevent the rice from sticking and to better roll the seaweed sheet to obtain a well-formed maki.
7. Cut the maki into slices about 1.5 cm thick with a knife.
8. Serve the maki with wasabi, soy sauce, and ginger pickles.

Enjoy your meal!