Japan Food Addict

A New Year’s Tradition: Osechi

Mai — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 08:17:31 +0000

Osechi is the traditional Japanese New Year’s meal comprised of a number of small dishes into a single presentation. Each osechi dish has its own significance: from hope for a bountiful harvest, safety for loved ones, longevity, or fertility. Osechi is served in beautiful, ornate boxes and shared with family to celebrate the arrival of a new year.

While the preparation of osechi may seem daunting, it lends a sense of beauty and optimism for the coming year. If you can find the time to prepare even one or two of the dishes listed below, I think you’ll agree that it is a very special and rewarding ritual.

Osechi Recipes:

Kuromame: black soy beans simmered in sweet and savory sauce
Kurikinton: candied chestnuts and mashed Japanese sweet potatoes
Kouhaku kamaboko: Red and white broiled fish paste
Konbu Maki: Seaweed rolls
Kouhaku Namasu: Red and white (daikon and carrot) salad
Yawata Maki: Beef and vegetable rolls
Dashimaki Tamago: Japanese style rolled omelette
Chikuzen ni: A medley of simmered chicken and vegetables
Takenoko no Tosani: Simmered bamboo shoots with dried bonito
Osechi Ebi: Skewered prawns cooked with sake and soy sauce

Ozouni:

While not technically osechi, this miso based soup called Ozouni is regularly eaten on New Year’s day and deserves to be called out and enjoyed: Ozouni Recipe

Kurikinton

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:04:28 +0000

“Kuri” is the Japanese word for chesnuts and “kinton” means sweet potatoes. The color is is gold, and many Japanese believe this means you will have good finances this year.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 jar of chestnuts in syrup
1 sweet potato

Spices for sweet potato

1/3 cup mirin
pinch of salt

Spices

1/2 tbsp sugar
pinch of salt

Preparation

Cut sweet potato lengthwise, then soak it in water for about 10 minutes changing the water every three minutes.
Boil sweet potato until it softens
Strain water into a bowl and set the water aside
Add potatoes, 1/3 cup chestnut syrup, 1 tbsp saved sweet potato water, mirin to a food processor and process until smooth
Move sweet potato mixture to a pan, add 1/2 tbsp sugar, and dash of salt and chestnuts into a saucepan and stir it until it thickens (about 1 minute). Add some of the saved sweet potato water if it gets too thick.

Kuromame

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:53:36 +0000

Kuromame is the Japanese word for black beans and “mame” means good health.

Yield: 6 shrimp

Time: 7 hours

Ingredients

1/4 lb kuromame

Spices

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preparation

Wash the black beans and strain
Add water, sugar, soy sauce and salt in a saucepan, bring it to a boil, then turn off the heat
Add beans and baking powder and let it sit (still removed from heat) for 3 hours
After 3 hours, start boiling the beans over medium heat then skim the surface
Cover the mixture with a paper towel (inside the pot) to seal in the flavor. Boil another 4 hours (add water if the the liquid evaporates)
Cool and serve

Kohaku Namasu

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:38:53 +0000

Kouhakunamasu resembles traditional Japanese ribbons and kouhaku means red and white. Red and white are the colors typically associated with celebrations.　It a very healthy vinegar salad so good for appetizer for everyday dish as well.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 lb daikon (cut into thick, rectangular shapes)
1/8 lb carrot (cut into thick, rectangular shapes)
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Spices

1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Put daikon and carrot in a bowl, sprinkle salt, and mix. Leave it 5 minutes
Remove any excess water from the daikon and carrot, the mix in vinegar and sugar and finally sprinkle your sesame seeds
Cool in a refrigerator, then serve.

Kohaku Namasu Ingredient

Osechi Ebi

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:36:38 +0000

Shrimp appear to have long beards and a hunched back, which some Japanese associate with a long and fruitful life. So eat your osechi ebi and enjoy your longevity!

Yield: 6 shrimps

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

6 shrimp

Spices

1/2 cup dashi soup (or 1/2 cup water with 1/2 tsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder)
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Devein shrimp with toothpicks (See picture)
Mix spices in a sauce pan (dashi soup, soy sauce, mirin, sake) and bring it to a boil.
Add shrimp and boil for 4 minutes over low heat then let it cool in a saucepan.

Takenoko no Tosani

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:28:15 +0000

Takenoko is the Japanese word for bamboo, and Tosani describes the taste of bonito and soy sauce. Bamboo is known for its rapid growth, and as a result many Japanese believe that this dish brings positive growth to their families.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 lb boiled bamboo (cut into large chunks–see pic)
2 tbsp bonito

Spices

1 tbsp sake
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp tbsp mirin
1 1/2 cup dashi soup (or 1 tsp hondashi with 1 1/2 cups water)

Preparation

Boil the takenoko for 2 minutes then rinse with water.
Add mixed spices (sugar, sake, soy sauce, dashi soup), and bamboo in a saucepan, the boil for 10 minutes (or until water completely boils off)
Sprinkle bonito in a saucepan and mix
Serve!

Kohaku Kamaboko

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:26:15 +0000

Kamaboko is a Japanese fish cake (kouhaku means red and white, and these two colors are typically associated with congratulatory sentiments). I used only red kamaboko this year but it would be prettier if I had white as well.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 kamaboko

Preparation

Remove the kamaboko from its wooden base and slice it into 1/2″ pieces.
Slice each piece of kamaboko lengthwise from along the pink and white border, leaving about a 1/2″ uncut on the other side.
Turn the sliced piece over and make a 1″ incision along the middle, careful to leave the ends untouched (see picture)
Twist from the inside and lay the top back over the remainder of the kamaboko (see picture)

Chikuzen Ni

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:21:13 +0000

Chikuzenni is a commonly cooked at home in Japan. It features chicken and a variety of vegetables, including, carrots, renkon (lotus root), and konnyaku. “Chikuzen” used to be the name of what is now modern-day Fukuoka, and was the most popular cuisine from that city. The holes in the lotus root inspired people to believe that it had the power to reveal the future, and satoimo is known for its alleged powers of fertility, given the sheer number of potatoes that spring from the soil. Satoimo is beautiful when cut in a decorative way, and thus perfect for your osechi!

Yield: 4 people

Time: 70 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb thigh chicken (cut into bite sizes)
5 satoimo
1/4 lb renkon (lotus root)
1/4 lb carrot
5 shiitake mushroom
1/4 lb gobo
2.5 oz kinusaya (snow peas)
1 konnyaku

Spices for chicken

1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sake

Spices for chikuzenni

1.5 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp mirin

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups dashi soup (or 2 cups water, 1 tsp hondashi)

Preparation

Mix spices for chicken in a small bowl and marinate chicken inside for 10 minutes
Cut carrots into a floral shape (slice carrot into 1/2 inch pieces then cut around to make 5 petals–see pictures)
Cut renkon (lotus root) into a floral shape (same as carrot), then marinate them in 2 cups water with 1/2 tsp vinegar for 10 minutes (see pictures)
Shape satoimo (taro). Cut an edge onto the top and bottom of the potato, then cut six edges around the top and bottom, kind of like a six faceted a diamond (see picture). After the cuts are made, wash with cold water, then boil for 2 minutes
Pull the gobo’s skin with the back of knife and slice thin at a sharp angle (see pictures)
Make an incision in the center of the konnyaku and turn inside out to give it a spiraling shape (see pictures)
Cut each shiitake with an X on the top (see pictures)
Remove the stringy edge from the kinusaya (snow peas), boil for few minutes, then cut in half
Mix spices for chikuzenni in a small bowl
Put oil in a pan and sauté chicken for 2 minutes
Add carrot, satoimo, renkon, shitake, gobo, and mixed spices, then boil for 40 minutes
Arrange on a dish or inside oshechi box with kinusaya (snow peas)

Dashimaki Tamago

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:14:35 +0000

This is a very simple Japanese style omelette recipe, though difficult to master. It is a common item for bento boxes, and people love it. There are many kinds of Japanese omelette and this particular one features seafood broth (but it’s also good without). If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add some sugar or mirin in the eggs.

Yield: 4 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

4 eggs

Spices

1/3 cup dashi soup (or 1/3 tsp hondashi with 1/3 cup of water)
1/2 tsp soy sauce
dash salt

Preparation

Crack eggs in a bowl and mix
Add cold dashi soup, soy sauce and salt to the eggs and mix
Heat a retctangle shaped frying pan. Oil the pan by putting a little cooking oil on a paper towel and swiping it in the pan
Add about 25% of the egg mixture, and when it toughens, fold it over 5 or 6 times like an omelette until it takes up 1/4 of the space in the pan.
Using the paper towel, add a little more oil then add another 25% of the egg mixture to the surface of the pan. Lift the folded egg a little bit to let the new batch run underneath.
When the new batch toughens, fold the egg again, beginning with initial folded egg to create a singular folded omelette. Repeat this process twice more until you have one large omelette
Move the omelette to the side, letting it cool for a couple of minutes, then slice lengthwise into 1/2″ pieces.

Modifications

If you don’t have a rectangular pan, you can use a circular one and fashion it like a regular omelette.

Konbu maki

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 08:01:06 +0000

Konbumaki is rolled seaweed. “Konbu” is a play on words with “yorokobu,” which means “to be happy,” so we eat a konbumaki over New Year’s for good luck.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

5 seaweed rolls (dried kelp and konpyou rolled and packaged)
3 shiitake (sliced)

Spices

1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbspsoy sauce
1/2 tbsp tbsp mirin

Preparation

Soak seaweed in a water for five minutes to rehydrate (save 1/4 cup of the water afterward to mix with the spices)
Add the seaweed, shiitake and spices (soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar, water) to a small sauce pan and boil for 15 minutes over low heat, then let cool to absorb the flavor.
Remove and place on dish or in osechi box

Yawata Maki

Mai — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 01:48:10 +0000

Yawata maki uses either unagi (eel) or beef to wrap gobo and other vegetables in a little roll. Gobo is a root vegetable, which is a metaphor for a healthy and stable life.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/3 lb sliced beef
1/3 gobo (4″ thin cut, about 60g)
1/2 carrot (4″ thin cut, about 60g)

Spices for vegetables

1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp soy sauce

Spices for beef

1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup water

Preparation

Mix spices for vegetables (sake, mirin, sugar, soy sauce) in one bowl, and spices for beef (soy sace, sugar and water) in another.

Put the mixed spices for vegetables and gobou in a small frying pan and boil for 3 minutes, then add carrot and boil for another 3 minutes over low heat.

Set aside gobou and carrot, then wrap with sliced beef.

Put the beef rolls back in a same frying pan then add the mixed spices for beef and cover with a lid and cook until water evaporates.

Cut the beef rolls to 4 and serve.

Ozouni

Mai — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 08:19:20 +0000

Ozouni is a Japanese New Year traditional soup. Each family or prefecture have their own style of ozouni, suited to their particular tastes. We eat white miso soup for ozouni in Kyoto. It has a sweet milky taste. The traditional Kyoto style is to use round mochi and cut vegetables in circular shapes (however this time I had to use the square mochi that I had in my freezer).

Yield: 2 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

2 mochi
2 satoimo (cut into small pieces)
4 carrots (cut into small flower shapes)
4 sliced kamaboko
1/4 cup chopped konnyaku
3-5 tbsp white miso

Spices

2 cups dashi soup (or 1 tsp hondashi with 2 cup of water)

Preparation

Boil the konnyaku for 2 minutes, strain, and set it aside.
Put the mochi in water and microwave for 1 minute to soften
Boil satoimo and carrot for 5 minutes and set it aside
Add dashi soup, satoimo, carrot, and konnyaku in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
After the soup boils, add white miso and mix, then add mochi then boil for 2 minutes. (Sample the soup then add more miso if you want to sweeten)
Serve in a soup bowl

Nikumiso

Mai — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 05:20:35 +0000

This recipe is pretty simple but there are many ways to prepare it. Nikumiso is great with steamed rice, fried rice, fried noodles, pasta, sandwiches, and very tasty just wrapped in lettuce. The possibilities are endless… The recipe I made here was a nikumiso bento box (lunchbox), served on a bed of rice, and topped with a fried egg and carrots for extra deliciousness!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb ground beef (lean)
1 cup green onion (chopped)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 clove ginger (minced)

Spices

3 tbsp miso paste
2 tbsp sake
1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp water
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Preparation

Mix spices in a small bowl (miso paste, sake, soy sauce, sugar, & water)
Heat oil in a frying pan then add garlic and ginger then add green onion
Add ground beef, stir for 5 minutes.
Add mixed spice (miso, sake, soy sauce, sugar, water) and stir until the water boils off (about 5 minutes)
Add sesame oil and mix.
Serve and enjoy!

Niratama

Mai — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 05:53:40 +0000

Nira is a green vegetable called “chives” in English and tama means egg in Japanese. I used fresh, organic nira that my teacher, Don, grew in his back yard. This vegetable has a unique smell and may be new to you. But the smell goes away after you cook it, is loaded with vitamins, and is good for eliminating fatigue. If you have a chance to go to an Asian supermarket, please look for this vegetable! It’s a great side dish!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1/2lb nira (cut into 2″ pieces)
2 eggs

Spices

1 tbsp sake
2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp oyster sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation

Mix spices in a bowl (sake, soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, sesame oil)
Pour the eggs in a small bowl and beat
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir nira for four minutes (until it gets soft), then scoot the nira to the side of the frying pan
Pour eggs on the other side of frying pan and stir
Add mixed spices and mix
Sprinkle sesame on the niratama
Serve and enjoy!

Winter Melon and Beef Stew

Mai — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 22:30:41 +0000

Japanese: Tougan to Gyuniku no nimono. Tougan (winter melon) gets soft when you boil it, and it’s good either hot or cold. Winter melon has a healthy supply of vitamin C, and is good for your skin and immune system.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1/3lb beef (for stew, cut 1-2″ cubes)
1/4 winter melon (1 lb, remove seeds, skin. then cut into 1-2″ pieces )

Spices for beef

1 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
dash salt

Spices for soup

2 cups dashi soup (or 2 cup water and 1/2 tbsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder))
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce

Preparation

Mix beef and spices for beef (sake, soy sauce and salt) in a bowl
Mix spices for soup in a bowl (dashi soup, sake, soy sauce, sugar and mirin)
Heat oil in a sauce pan and stir beef for three minutes then add winter melon, stir then add mixed spices for soup.
Skim the soup, then boil it for 15 minutes over medium heat then turn it to low and simmer another 15 minutes.

Kinki no Nitsuke

Mai — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 03:57:14 +0000

Kinki is “rockfish” in English and nitsuke means boiled fish (or vegetables) in soy sauce. Winter is the best season for rockfish, and nitsuke is the most popular way to eat it. This picture is from yesterday’s dinner. The kinki is on the right side of the bento box.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 kinki steaks
3 slices of ginger

Spices

1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sake
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Mix spices in a bowl (water, sake, soy sauce, mirin, sugar)
Add Kinki, mixed spices, and ginger in a sauce pan, then boil for 15 minutes over hight heat. (Flip kinki over halfway through).

Gobo Salad

Mai — Wed, 08 Dec 2010 07:48:49 +0000

Gobo is known as burdock root in English. It is a fibrous vegetable seldom used in North America and Australia, but you can find it at most Asian groceries. This salad is popular way to eat gobo. Many izakaya restaurants serve this salad as an appetizer in Japan and you can also buy it at supermarkets or delis.

Yield: 2 people

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 lb gobo
1/2 carrot (1/5lb)

Spices

3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
2 tbsp ground white sesame
1 tsp vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar

Preparation

Wash gobo with water and remove the skin with a carrot peeler or the edge of a knife. Repeat with carrot.
Shred gobo and carrot into thin strips.
Put the gobo in a sauce pan with enough water to cover the gobo. Bring to a boil.
When it is boiling, keep it on for one minutes.
Then add carrot and boil for another minute.
Strain gobo and carrot then cool.
Mix all spices in a small bowl (mayonnaise, sesame, vinegar, soy sauce and sugar.
Mix gobo and carrot with mixed sauce, and serve.

Chicken Tofu Patties

Mai — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 07:01:25 +0000

This recipe is uses ground chicken and tofu, so it is very light and low in calories. Tofu is much cheaper than meat in Japan, so I use that often to save money on food.

Yield: 4 patties

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 lb ground chicken
1 package of soft tofu (3/4lb)
1 can of tomatoes
5 mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 onion (chopped)
1 egg (beaten)

Spices for chicken patty

1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic (ground)
2 tbsp flour

Spices for sauce

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp ketchup
2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1 cup water

Preparation

Wrap tofu in a paper towel, microwave for 90 seconds then pat dry with a fresh paper towel.
Mix tofu, ground chicken, onion, egg, salt, sugar, garlic and flower in a bowl and knead.
Divide and roll out four patties. (The patties are very soft, so take care while grilling)
Mix spices sauce in a bowl (ketchup, soy sauce, soy sauce, chicken powder and water)
Add about 1/2″ oil to a frying pan, then transfer patties and cook for 3 minutes over hight heat
Flip over, add mushrooms (see pic), then cook for 3 minutes over medium heat
Add tomato sauce, cover with lid, and simmer for 15 minutes over medium heat

Chicken Soba

Mai — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 22:59:37 +0000

This recipe is also called “tori nanban”. You can order it at any soba restaurant in Japan (it’s very popular recipe). It is getting cold out now, so stay warm and eat hot soba!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

2 bundles of soba noodles
1/3lb thigh chicken (1″ slices)
3 green onions (cut into 2″ pieces)

Spices for chicken

1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp mirin

Spices for soup

3 cup dashi soup (or 3 cup water and 1.5 tsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder)
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin

Preparation

Mix spices for chicken (soy sauce, sake and mirin) in a small bowl, as well as the spices for soup (3 cups of dashi soup, soy sauce and mirin) in a separate bowl.
Boil Soba noodles for 8 mins and strain. (Each type of soba has a different boiling time, so please follow the instructions on the package)
Heat oil in a sauce pan, add green onion and chicken, grill for 3 minutes over high heat, then add mixed spices for chicken, stir for 2 minutes.
Add mixed soup spices then boil for 3 minutes.
Put soba in a bowl dish, add put chicken, onion and sauce.
Serve and enjoy!

Daikon and Chicken Nimono

Mai — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 08:18:18 +0000

“Nimono” is the Japanese word for food that is boiled and seasoned. The taste is very mild and the aroma reminds me of the way my childhood home used to smell when I got home from school. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 daikon (about 1 lb, cut into 2″ thick half circles)
1/3 lb boneless thigh chicken
1/3 cup diced carrots
1/2 konnyaku (1/4 lb)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices

3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp mirin
1 tsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder)
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Mix all spices in a bowl (soy sauce, sake, mirin, hondashi and sugar).
Boil konnyaku for 3 minutes, strain, and set aside.
Add 3 cups of water and daikon in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Cook for 5 minutes.
Remove daikon, set aside, then add chicken and boil for 5 minutes. Skim the top
Add mixed spices, stir then add daikon, konnyaku, and carrot, cover with lid, and cook for 20 minutes over medium heat.
Add green onions and serve.

Gyoza Soup (Dumpling Soup)

Mai — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 05:04:01 +0000

This recipe is gyoza (dumplings) in chicken soup. Boiled gyoza is very common in Japan. Sometimes we add dumplings in nabe (hot pot). You can use many kinds of vegetables in this recipe, and feel free to use frozen or prepared gyoza.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes (not including time to make gyoza)

Ingredients

20 gyoza (frozen or hand made)
1/3 lb spinach (chopped into 1.5″ pieces)
1 cup bean sprouts
1/5 lb carrot (cut into small rectangles)
2 bok choy (chopped into 1.5″ pieces)

Spices

1.5 tbsp chicken bouillon powder
2.5 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

Mix all spices in a bowl (chicken bouillon powder, soy sauce, sake, salt, sesame oil).
Add 4 cup of water and carrots in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
Add mixed spices and stir
Add gyoza and vegetables, then cover with lid and cook for 7 minutes over high heat

Boiled White Fish in Soy Sauce

Mai — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 04:44:49 +0000

This is a nitsuke recipe using a white fish fillet. Nitsuke means boiled fish (or vegetables) in soy sauce. You can use any white fish (I bought mine at Costco) to make this recipe. I recommend that you serve it with steamed rice.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 12 minutes

Ingredients

2 white fish fillet (tilapia)
few thin cut ginger

Spices

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
1/3 cup water

Preparation

Mix water and all spices (soy sauce, sake, mirin, sugar) in a sauce pan, add fillets and ginger and cover with lid then boil for 10 minutes over medium heat.
(please check in a pan during boil, sometime to make sure it has not burn out.)

Beef and Bok Choy Stir-fry

Mai — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 04:31:13 +0000

This is simple, quick-stir fry recipe! It’s a great anytime dish, best served with salad and steamed rice. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb beef (cut into bite sizes)
3 bok choy (chopped into 2″ pieces)
3 mushroom (sliced)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices (for beef)

1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sake
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tbsp katakuriko
1/2 tsp garlic (ground)
1/2 tsp ginger (ground)

Spices (for sauce)

1 tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Mix beef and spices for beef (soy sauce, sake, sugar, sesame oil, katakuriko, garlic and ginger) and green onion in a bowl
Mix spices for sauce in a bowl (oyster sauce, sake, soy sauce, sugar)
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir beef mixture for 3 minutes over hight heat
Add mushroom and bok choy, stir for another 3 minutes
Add mixed spices for sauce and stir for 2 minute

Spaghetti Salad

Mai — Tue, 26 Oct 2010 03:52:08 +0000

Spaghetti salad is very popular in Japan. You can find ready made spaghetti salad everywhere (super market, store, delis, convenience stores, etc). It is also my favorite—I like it it with lots of salad leaves for lunch! You can get creative and add your own vegetables as well.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb spaghetti
2 egg
1/8 onion (chopped)
4 slices of ham (chopped)
2 tbsp pickles (chopped)
5 lettuce leaves (bite sized)

Spices

3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
dash salt and pepper

Preparation

Boil spaghetti al dente
Boil eggs and crushed
Microwave ham for 30 seconds
Mix egg, onion, pickles, ham, mayonnaise, then add spaghetti and mix
Put lettuce on the dish and top with spaghetti salad
Salt and pepper to taste

Garlic Beef Rice

Mai — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 04:13:36 +0000

Japanese steakhouses serve garlic rice after the meal, and many of them cook teppanyaki style (preparing the meal on a grill in front of you). It’s really fun to watch and be served by the chef moments after he cooks it for you!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 15 minutes (not including steamed rice)

Ingredients

2 small bowls of steamed rice
1/4 lb beef (chopped)
1/4 onion (chopped)
1/4 cup green onion(chopped)
1 tsp garlic (ground or minsed)
1 egg (beaten)

Spices

1 tbsp butter
1 tsp soy sauce (for mixing with egg)
1 tbsp soy sauce (for fried rice)
1/4 tsp salt
dash of fresh pepper

Preparation

Mix steamed rice, egg, and soy sauce in a bowl
Heat oil in a frying pan, stir green onion and onion for 3 minutes over high heat.
Add garlic, beef, and cook for 3 minutes.
Add butter, and once it melts, add egg and rice, and stir for 2 minutes, turning and separating the rice with the end of the spatula so that it properly separates.
Add soy sauce, salt, and fresh pepper, mix and serve!

Abekawa Mochi

Mai — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 01:40:53 +0000

This is a very common way to eat mochi. It is also called kinako (soy powder) mochi. This may be an unusual taste for the Western palate, but I’m confident its muted sweetness and unique texture will win you over.

Yield: 5 mochi

Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients

5 mochi
2 tbsp kinako
2 1/2 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Preparation

Submerge mochi in a bowl of water and microwave for 2 1/2 minutes (or until mochi gets soft)
Mix kinako, sugar, and salt in a bowl
Dredge mochi in mixture, one by one, covering thoroughly
Serve and enjoy!

Simple Grilled Chicken

Mai — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 06:13:08 +0000

This is a very simple grilled chicken recipe. I often put it in my lunch box. It is also good for larger pieces of chicken on the BBQ!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb thigh chicken (chopped)
1/2 tsp garlic (ground)
1/2 tsp ginger (ground)

Spices

2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sake
1 tbsp chicken bouillon

Preparation

Put spices (soy sauce, sake, chicken bouillon, garilc and ginger) in a bowl, mix, then marinate chicken for about 10 minutes
Heat oil in a frying pan and grill chicken for 4 minutes (watch closely, it burns easily)

Soumen Miso Soup (Soumen Misoshiru)

Mai — Wed, 13 Oct 2010 03:57:41 +0000

The Japanese eat somen noodles a lot, especially in the summer time. If we have cold somen noodles for lunch, my mom usually makes this recipe for dinner. It’s very light and good as a side or even a midnight snack.

Yield: 4 small bowls

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

1 bundle of somen noodles (1/4 lb)
1/3 lb soft tofu (cut into cubes)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices

3 cup dashi soup (or 2 tsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder) in 3 cup of water)
2 tbsp miso

Preparation

Boil soumen for 2 minutes and strain
Boil dashi soup, add miso, and mix
Add somen and tofu, heat untill boil
Serve with green onion

Daikon to Konnyaku no Nimono

Mai — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 05:32:02 +0000

Konnyaku is made from yams. “Nimono” means boiled and seasoned in Japanese. A few readers have requested more vegetarian dishes, so here is simple and delicious offering. If you can not find konnyaku, try daikon by itself, or other vegetables (potato, carrot etc), or tofu.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 lb daikon (1/2 inch slices then cut them lengthwise)
1 pack of konnyaku (1/2 lb) (cut in 1/2 inch triangles)

Spices

2 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp sake
1.5 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Boil konnyaku for 3 minutes, strain, and set aside.
Put 1 1/2 cups water and daikon in a sauce pan and bring to a boil.
When the water boils, add spices (soy sauce, sake, mirin, suger) and konnyaku, cover with lid, then boil for 25 minutes over medium heat.
※　Please keep the eye on the pan—if heat is too high, the water will evaporate quickly and the food will burn.

Yakitori

Mai — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 07:16:15 +0000

Yakitori is skewered chicken, a popular Japanese dish dating back over 400 years. “Yaki” means grilled and “tori” is chicken. There are many yakitori bars in Japan which serve many versions of the recipe. Your basic yakitori bar is small and usually has only one person grilling the food at the counter. It is really fun to go there with friends or co-workers after work. This is a simple yakitori recipe, and you can add vegitables, seafood, beef of pork and use same sauce or even salt to grill it with. It definitely tastes better if you make it on your BBQ! Have fun!

Yield: 6 sticks

Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb thin chicken
6 bamboo sticks

Spices

1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup sake
1/3 cup mirin
2 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp ginger (ground)
1/2 tsp garlic
1 tsp sesame oil

Preparation

Mix all spices in a sauce pan and boil for 5 minutes over medium heat
Skewer chicken on sticks (see pictures)
Put half the sauce in a dish and coat chicken on both sides
Grill chicken in a oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
Remove chicken from the oven and dip them in the rest of the sauce
Put chicken back in the oven and grill for 10 more minutes
※ The chicken will get cold quickly. If you don’t eat it right after cooking, you might want to warm it up in the microwave

Modifications

You can also make this dish using a frying pan, toaster oven, or BBQ grill with any other ingredients you think might go well with it!

Sukiyaki Beef Udon

Mai — Sat, 02 Oct 2010 21:29:00 +0000

Many Japanese will add udon noodles to the leftover soup from sukiyaki. This recipe is an evolution of that practice. Great tastes for the autumn season.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients (for sukiyaki beef)

3/4lb sliced beef
1/2 onion (sliced)

Spices (for sukiyaki beef)

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sugar

Ingredients (for udon soup)

2 pack of frozen udon
4 slice of soft tofu
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices (for udon soup)

3 cup dashi soup (or 2 tsp hondashi and 3 cup of water)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Pour hot water on Udon to defrost
Mix spices for sukiyaki beef in a small bowl (soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar)
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir onion for 4 minutes
Add beef, stir for 2 minutes, then add spices. Stir until the liquid evaporates, then set it aside
Boil dashi soup then add spices for udon (soy sauce, sale, mirin and sugar)
Add Udon and cook until it starts to boil
Put udon and soup in a bowl, then add tofu, and put sukiyaki beef on top
Sprinkle green onions on top

Chicken Meatball Soup

Mai — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 07:18:56 +0000

Toridango is Japanese for chicken meatball (tori = chiken, dango = ball). Please use your favorite vegetables and take care of your body! This is a great, healthy recipe if you’re on a diet (or not!).

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (for meatballs)

1/2 lb ground chicken
1/3 cup onion (chopped)
1/3 cup green onion (chopped)
1 tsp ginger (ground)

Spices (for meatballs)

1/2 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp katakuriko
1 tsp sesame oil
dash of salt

Ingredients (for soup)

1 cup carrots (thick chopped)
3/4 lb daikon (thick slice chopped)
15 spinach leaves (with stems, chopped into 2″ pieces)
3 bok choy (chopped into 2″ pieces)
1/2 lb tofu (cubed)

Spices (for soup)

1 1/2 tbsp chicken bouillon
1 tbsp sake
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

Mix chicken, onion, green onion, ginger, sake, soy sauce, katakuriko, sesame oil, and salt a bowl untill it thickens
Add 5 cups of water, daikon, and carrot in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat
When the water begins to boil, add meatballs then boil for 3 minutes. Skim the top
Add sake, soy sauce, chicken bullion, mix, then add spinach and bok choy. Cover and boil for 6 minutes on medium
Add salt and tofu, and boil for 2 minutes

Curry Pan

Mai — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 08:51:42 +0000

This recipe is a request from one of our readers. “Curry pan” (pan means bread in Japanese) is curry wrapped in dough and deep fried. It is very popular dish for us. Almost every bakery has curry pan and you can also buy it individually wrapped at conveinence stores. Usually you use regular flour dough but you can also use pancake mix. It’s sweet, easy and quick! You can also use your original curry or instant curry for this recipe. It reheats well too, so it’s perfect for leftovers or lunch boxes.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

1 1/2cup pancake mix
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Japanese curry roux (1 chunk). You can choose from any of three varieties: amakuchi (mild), chukara (medium), and karakuchi (hot)
1/4 lb ground beef
1/4 lb potato (chopped)
1/4 cup carrots (chopped)
1/4 medium onion (chopped)
2 cup panko
1 egg (beaten)
3 tbsp flour

Spices

1 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
Vegetable oil for frying

Preparation

Mix mayonnaise and 1 tbsp water in a small bowl
Mix pancake mix and yogurt in a bowl, add mayonnaise mixture, and stir
Knead dough until it solidifies, then divide into 4 pieces and ball up
Wrap the dough balls in cellophane and set aside
Heat frying pan and cook ground beef for 2 minutes on high
Add onion, cook for 2 more minutes
Add potato and carrot, cook for an additional 2 minutes
Add 1 cup of water and curry roux, then cook for 5 minutes over medium heat (or until water boils off). Set aside
Roll out each of the dough balls into 6″ circles. These will be the wraps for the curry. Be careful not to make them too thin or they will tear. If the dough is sticking, sprinkle a little flour on the surface
Divide the curry mixture among the dough wraps and seal them up (see pictures)
Sprinkle flour over the bread, dredge in egg, then cover with panko
Heat oil to 375 °F (190°C) and deep fry (about 3 minutes)

Cabbage and Bacon Pasta

Mai — Wed, 22 Sep 2010 06:40:06 +0000

This is one of my favorite pasta recipes. The garlic and bacon mingle well together, and the cabbage gives it a satisfying texture. This is a great meal to make on a budget, but essentially it’s just a fancy bacon delivery system!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cabbage (cut into 1″ squares)
4 slices of bacon
1/2 lb (ish) pasta
1 tsp garlic (ground)

Spices

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
1/2 tsp sesame oil
dash of salt and pepper

Preparation

Boil pasta al dente
Mix spices in a small bowl (soy sauce, mirin, garlic and sesame oil)
Trim fat from bacon and chop
Heat frying pan and cook bacon until it is mouth wateringly crispy
Sop up the grease in the pan with a paper towel then add cabbage and cook for 2 minutes
Add pasta, mixed spices, and stir
Remove from heat, sprinkle salt and pepper, and serve!

Teriyaki Burger

Mai — Sat, 18 Sep 2010 09:11:27 +0000

The teriyaki burger is an original Japanese recipe, and a popular menu item at fast-food restaurants. McDonalds is famous for their teriyaki burger in Japan. It almost as easy as making a regular burger. Impress your family or friends at your next BBQ party!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

2/3 lb ground beef
1/2 medium onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp garlic (ground)
1/2 tsp ginger (ground)
1 egg (beaten)
2 lettuce leaves
2 hamburger buns

Spices

1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp katakuriko (mix with 1 tbsp water)
dash of salt and pepper
2 tsp mayonnaise

Preparation

Heat oil in a frying pan cook onion for 5 minutes. Set aside and cool
Mix all spices in a small bowl (soy sauce, sake, sugar, mirin) and 1 tbsp water
Put ground beef in a bowl, add garlic, ginger and mix
Add beaten egg and knead until it becomes sticky, then sprinkle salt and pepper and mix
Form two hamburger patties
Heat oil in a frying pan, cook beef patties for 6 minutes (until cooked) then set aside (save juice)
Add mixed spices to the same frying pan, then add katakuriko/water mixture and stir until the teriyaki sauce has become sticky
At the same time heat buns in oven or toaster
Dredge hamburger patties in teriyaki sauce
Put the patty on the hamburger bun and add mayonnaise and lettuce

Hiroshimayaki (Hiroshima Okonomiyaki)

Mai — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 04:08:50 +0000

If you’re in Hiroshima, the people will call this simply “okonomiyaki”, but everywhere else it’s known as Hiroshimayaki or “Hiroshima style”. Hiroshimayaki is heavy on the cabbage and contains yakisoba—much different than Kansai style, which you can find here: Kansai style Okonomiyaki

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 cup okonomiyaki powder
1/3 lb sliced pork
1/2 small cabbage (sliced)
2 eggs
2 packs of yakisoba noodles

Spices

5 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce
2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
bonito (optional)
Dash salt and pepper

Preparation

Mix okonomiyaki powder with 1/2 cup water. Stir, then add an 1 tbsp of water
Heat oil in a big frying pan then add batter like a pancake (about 9″ wide)
Immediately heap half the cabbage on top, add half the pork, then drizzle half of the okonomiyaki powder mix on top. Flip and move to the side
Add one package of yakisoba next to the okonomiyaki with some water to make it separate, then cook three minutes
Add 1 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce to the yakisoba then season with sprinkle salt and pepper. Cook for one minute
Flatten yakisoba so it is roughly the size of the okonomiyaki then place the okonomiyaki pancake on top of the noodles
Add a little more oil to the pan, then crack an egg and mix
Stack the pancake on top of the egg, then cook for one more minute on low
Repeat for the second okonomiyaki
Serve okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and bonito (optional) on top

Miso Butter Udon

Mai — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 05:38:25 +0000

Miso and butter are a fantastic combination. This is a delightful, wonderfully rich, tasty soup that is a snap to make and tastes a lot like miso ramen.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

Udon for 2 (I used frozen but you can use frozen or fresh as well)
1/4 lb pork (sliced-about 1/8″)
1/4 green onion (chopped)
1/2 tsp garlic (ground)

Spices

2 tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp chicken bouillon soup
1 1/2 tbsp butter
1 tbsp ground sesame (optional)

Preparation

Pour hot water on frozen udon to defrost
Put mixed spices and 2 1/2 cup of water in a bowl (miso, soy sauce, sake, chicken bouillon soup, garlic and, optionally, sesame)
Heat oil in a sauce pan and cook pork for one minute, then add butter.
When the butter is almost melted, add mixed soup, and bring to a boil
Add udon (water will stop boiling). Bring it to a boil again, then remove from heat
Divide udon into two bowls, add soup, then sprinkle green onion on top

Japanese Mushroom Pasta

Mai — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 07:51:17 +0000

This is a lightly seasoned Japanese pasta, and is great for a school or work lunch box. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 lb pasta
5 mushrooms (sliced)
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
1/2 onion (sliced)
1/4 lb pork (sliced)

Spices

1.5 tbsp sake
1.5 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp ponzu
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Preparation

Boil pasta until al dente
Mix all spices in a small bowl (sake, mirin, soy sauce, ponzu, sugar, salt)
Heat oil in a frying pan and cook onion for 4 minutes over hight heat
Add pork, stir for 1 minute, then add mushroom cook for two minutes
Add mixed sauce and green onion, mix, then add pasta and mix
Serve and enjoy!

Tenshinhan

Mai — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 05:59:38 +0000

Tenshinhan is Chinese style Japanese food. You can find it in most of the Chinese restaurants in Japan, but you can not find it in China. It’s essentially a fried egg with kanikama (imitation crab) covered with a thick, sweet sauce. It’s great—one of the more unique Japanese foods you might find on this site.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

3 eggs (beaten)
2 small bowls of steamed rice
1 tbsp green onion (chopped)
3 sticks of imitation crab
1/4 tsp ginger (ground)

Spices

1 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp sake
1/2 tsp oyster sauce
1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
1 tsp katakuriko
Dash salt

Preparation

Split crab stick then mix with beaten egg, ginger, green onion and a sprinkle of salt
Put steamed rice on dish
Heat oil in a frying pan and make two round fried eggs then drape over the steamed rice
Mix all spices (sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, sake, oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, and katakuriko) and heat with 1 cup of water till the sauce thickens
Pour the sauce over the egg and rice
Enjoy!

Mitarashi Dango

Mai — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 05:06:24 +0000

Mitarashi Dango is a Japanese sweet with mochi (rice cake) and thick, sweet sauce. It is originally from my hometown, Kyoto, but you can find it everywhere in Japan—even convenience stores. It is very good with hot tea.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 lb dango powder (glutinous rice flour)

Tools

Bamboo skewers

Spices

1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin
1 tsp katakuriko

Preparation

Mix dango powder with 1/3 cup of warm water until it forms the shape of a ball
Roll it out and cut it into 15 pieces (see pic)
Make 15 small balls (dango)
Boil dango in a sauce pan for 2 minutes then set them aside. Discard water.
Put the sauce in the pan (soy sauce, sugar and mirin) and heat
Mix katakuriko with 1 tbsp water and add to sauce thicken
Skewer dango on a bamboo stick or put them on a dish and drizzle sauce on top

Sushi Rolls (Makizushi)

Mai — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 10:28:59 +0000

The Japanese word for sushi rolls is makizushi. And tuna rolls are called tekkamaki (tekka roughly translates to “red hot iron”, because of the tuna’s resemblance to one). Cucumber rolls are called kappamaki (kappa is a mythological Japanese creature whose favorite food is cucumber). These are the most common sushi rolls in Japan.

Yield: 8 rolls (4 cucumber, 4 tuna)

Time: 30 minutes (not including time for steamed rice)

Ingredients

Steamed rice. Follow the directions to make steamed rice here
4 sheets of seaweed (nori)
0.3 lb fresh tuna (cut into 1/2″ strips)
0.4 lb cucumber

Spices

2 tbsp sugar
3 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame seed
Dash of salt for cucumber
Some wasabi (I used wasabi from a tube, but you can buy the powdered stuff and mix it if you like) and soy sauce to serve with the sushi
Sesame seeds (optional)

Tools

Sushi rolling mat
Hand fan

Preparation

Sprinkle salt and massage cucumber for 1 minute then rinse with water and pat dry
Remove cucumber skin, cut out seeds, and cut into 1/2 inch strips
Mix spices (sugar, vinegar, salt) in a small bowl and microwave for 30 seconds, then mix
Put steamed rice in a big bowl and add 1/3 mixed spices. Stir while using a hand fan to cool it down (about two minutes). Repeat two more times, adding 1/3 of the mixed spices each time.
Moisten (just a little!) a paper towel and lay on the rice to keep the rice from drying out during preparation
Cut sushi sea weed in half (lengthwise) and lay it on the sushi rolling mat
Lightly wet your hands (to keep the rice from sticking), then add a small handful of rice (about 0.16 lb) on top of the seaweed and spread it around, leaving 1/2 inch at the top (this will be the piece that overlaps the roll on the outside)
Put cucumber or tuna on the rice (optional: add sesame seeds on top of the cucumber). Hold the filling with both index fingers on either side, lift the mat from the bottom, and curl the mat forward, rolling it all the way to the end. Moisten the bare strip at the top and seal the roll.
Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into 8 pieces
Serve with soy sauce and wasabi

Modifications

If you like spicy tuna rolls, mix 1 tbsp mayonnaise and 1 tsp of chili sauce and spread it on the tuna before rolling
For a little extra kick, add wasabi on the tuna or cucumber before rolling
Or do both if your are a glutton for punishment!

Steamed Rice (Regular and Sushi)

Mai — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 05:26:52 +0000

For those of you who do not have a rice maker, this recipe will show you have how to make Japanese steamed rice in a saucepan.

Yield: 4 small bowls of rice

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients (regular rice)

2 cups japanese rice
2 1/2cup water

Ingredients (sushi rice)

2 cups japanese rice (very important for sushi rice!)
2 1/4cup water

Preparation

Wash rice thoroughly, until the water is clear
Put rice in a saucepan pan, add water, cover with lid (do not remove the cover while it’s cooking, ever) and boil over high heat
After the rice begins to boil (you can tell if the cover is jiggling) turn the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes
Without removing the cover, turn off the heat and let the rice steam for 10 minutes
That’s it! If you’re making sushi rice, head on over to my sushi recipe and follow the directions to complete the rice.

Egg Plant and Beef with Sweet and Sour Sauce

Mai — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 04:39:03 +0000

“Nasu” is the Japanese word for eggplant, and “gyuniku” is beef. “Amazu” means sweet vinegar sauce. Japanese eggplant is smaller than western eggplant, but you can use either kind for this recipe.

Japanese: nasu to gyuniku no amazu itame

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

0.6 lb eggplant (1/4 inch slices)
1/2 lb beef (1/4 inch slices)
4 mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices (for beef)

1/2 tsp sugar
1tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sake

Spices (for sauce)

1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp vinegar

Spices (for eggplant)

1 tbsp flour

Preparation

Place beef in a bowl, add spices for beef (sugar. soy sauce and sake), and mix
Put eggplant in another bowl and sprinkle flour
Mix spices for sauce in another, small, bowl (soy sauce, sugar, vinegar)
Heat oil in a frying pan and stirfry beef for 2 minutes on high heat
Add eggplant and mushroom, stir for 3 minutes over medium heat
Adjust heat to low and add mixed spices untill sauce is fully absorbed
Sprinkle green onion on the top
Serve and enjoy!

Cucumber Sesame Salad

Mai — Tue, 10 Aug 2010 04:07:17 +0000

Kyuuri is the Japanese word for cucumber, and goma is sesame. Japanese cucumbers are much thin and shorter than American cucumbers, and the taste little different, but you can use either. If you do not like skin or seeds, please remove them before adding salt.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

3/4 lb cucumber (cut into 1/4″ slices)
2 tbsp sesame seeds (ground)

Spices

1/2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp salt
1 tbsp soy sauce

Preparation

Massage salt into cucumber slices and chill in refrigerator for 10 minutes.
Remove from fridge and drain water from the bowl
Add sesame oil, soy sauce and sesame seeds, mix and put it back the fridge for 3 minutes, or until you are ready to eat

Teriyaki Tofu Patties

Mai — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 01:20:55 +0000

We call hamburgers without the bun “hambaagu” so in Japan this dish would be called “Tofu Hambaagu”, even though there is no meat inside. This is a light dish, very healthy, and tastes almost like potatoes. Great for a side dish or the main dish of a small meal. Enjoy!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 lb soft tofu
1/4 medium onion (chopped)
1/8 lb panko
1 egg (beaten)
1/3 cup green onion (chopped)
1/4 tsp ginger (ground)

Spices

1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sake
Dash salt and pepper

Preparation

Heat oil in a frying pan and sautee onion 3 min over medium heat
Transfer onion to a dish and cool
Wrap tofu in a paper towel and cook in microwave for 1 min to remove excess water
Mix tofu, onion, panko, eggs, green onion, ginger, and salt and pepper to taste in a bowl
Knead for 1 min
Divide mixture into 4 parts and form into oval patties (see picture)
Mix soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake in a small bowl
Heat oil in a frying pan, and cook tofu patties for 2 mins, covered, over med. heat
Flip and cook another 2 minutes, still covered
Flip one last time and cook 1 more minute, without the cover
Turn heat to low, add mixed spices and sautee for 30 seconds, or until the sauce is absorbed by the patties

Modifications

I used teriyaki (soy sauce, sugar, mirin, sake) sauce for this dish, but for a healthier option use ponzu

Jyaga Bata Yaki

Mai — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 09:01:39 +0000

Jyaga Bata Yaki means baked potatoes with butter soy sauce. This is an easy side dish recipe that goes well with miso steak.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1 big potato (1 lb, cut into 1 inch pieces)
1/2 cup green onion (chopped)

Spices

1 tbsp butter
2 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp mayonnaise
dash of salt and pepper

Preparation

Microwave potato for three minutes
Put potato in a oven free dish, sprinkle salt and pepper, add soy sauce, mayonnaise and butter
Put in oven at 400 degrees for 10 minutes
Sprinkle green pepper on the potato and serve

Age Gyoza (Fried Dumplings)

Mai — Fri, 30 Jul 2010 06:52:53 +0000

This recipe is for fried gyoza (dumplings). Many restaurants actually use frozen dumplings, but this is how you make them by hand. They taste the best right after you pull them out of the fryer.

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

30 gyoza wrappers
3/4 lb ground pork
1/2 lb hakusai (Chinese cabbage)
1 dried shiitake mushroom (soaked in water for 10 mins, then sliced)
1 clove garlic (minced)
1 tsp ginger (minced)

Spices

1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sake
1/4 tsp sesame oil
Dash of salt and pepper
Soy sauce for dipping

Preparation

Add pork, Chinese cabbage, shitake, garlic, soy sauce, sake, sesame oil, salt and pepper in a bowl, and knead
Put roughly 1 or 1.5 tsp pork in the middle of a gyoza wrapper. Dip your fingers in the water, and spread it around the edge of the gyoza wrapper. Fold in half and pinch softly around the edge
Heat oil to 375°F (190°C) and fry gyoza for 3 minutes. (6-7 pieces at a time)
Serve gyoza with soy sauce

Mochi Cheese Okonomiyaki

Mai — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 06:50:03 +0000

The combination of cheese and mochi (rice cake) gives the okonomiyaki a gooey texture, kind of like a cheese pizza. It’s fun to make a variety of okonomiyaki for parties.

Also check out my recipe for Kansai style okonomiyaki.

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

1.5 cups okonomiyaki powder
1 1/4 cups water
1 beaten egg
1/4 lb sliced beef
3 cups sliced cabbage
1 cup shredded cheese
2 mochi (rice cake, about 2oz, chopped)
1/2 cup bonito (optional)

Spices

4 tsp okonomiyaki sauce
2 tsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie

Preparation

Mix okonomiyaki powder with water in a bowl until smooth
Mix in egg, cabbage, mochi and cheese in a bowl
Heat oil in large frying pan then pour in the batter (like a big pancake), but leave some room around the edge to grill the beef (see picture).
Add beef around the edge and cook cake and meat for 3 minutes
Put the beef on top of the cake, flip the cake, and cook for another 3 minutes.
Spread on okonomiyaki sauce and mayonnaise, then sprinkle on some bonito (if desired)

Modifications

If you don’t have okonomiyaki sauce you can use oyster sauce, ketchup, soy sauce, and mayonnaise, 1 tsp each
You may substitute beef with shrimp, pork, or squid

Japanese Pizza – Teriyaki

Mai — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 06:52:37 +0000

Pizza is a popular food to order in Japan, but we have some original recipes as well. This recipe is for a teriyaki chicken pizza. Perhaps it’s very different than the pizza that you may be used to, but it’s unique and tastes great!!

Yield: 2 servings

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients (dough)

1 cup bread flour
3g dry yeast
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tbsp olive oil
5 tbsp warm water

Ingredients (pizza)

1/2 lb thigh chicken (sliced)
4 mushrooms (sliced)
1 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup green onion (chopped)
Seaweed (chopped, optional)

Spices

1/2 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise, such as Kewpie
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
dash of salt and pepper

Preparation

Mix bread flour, dry yeast, salt, sugar, & olive oil in a bowl. Slowly add warm water and mix. Knead dough by hand.
Sprinkle flour on a clean surface and roll out the dough into a circle with a rolling pin (continue to add flour to keep it from sticking to your hands and rolling pin)
Heat the oil in a frying pan and grill chicken for 3 minutes over hight heat. Sprinkle salt and pepper.
Add soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and cook for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Spread mayonnaise on the dough, then add teriyaki chicken, mushrooms, and cheese.
Put pizza in the oven for 15 minutes at 430 degrees F.
Remove from oven, sprinkle with green onion and seaweed, and serve!!

Konnyaku no Nimono

Mai — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:53:27 +0000

Konnyaku is made from konnyaku potato (yams). It has lots of fiber and is very low in calories, so its very good for your diet!

Yield: 4 servings

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

2 packs of konnyaku (9 oz each)
6 oz sliced pork
1/2 medium onion (sliced)
1/2 cup green onion(chopped)
8 oz daikon (chopped)

Spices

1 cup dashi soup (or 1 cup water and 1/2 tsp hon-dashi (soup stock powder))
4 tbsp soy sauce
4 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sugar

Preparation

Mix all spices (dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sugar)
Boil konnyaku for one minute and cut into bite sizes
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir pork for one minute
Add onion and daikon, stir for 3 minutes over medium heat
Add konnyaku and mixed spices, and stir for 10 to 15 minutes until liquid evaporates
Serve in a dish and sprinkle green onion on top