Category Archives: Japanese

Tamagoyaki/Dashimaki Tamago with Mitsuba (Japanese Rolled Omelette with Herbs)

tamagpp Dear Japanese friends and all the experienced tamagoyaki makers, please be indulgent. What you see above is only my second attempt at the delicate task of preparing the Japanese omelette. The first time I tried making it, the result was tragical, so I expected a long series of failures. Surprisingly, this second omelette didn’t fall into pieces (even when I cut it) and, in spite of its messy looks, tasted wonderful. It made me so happy, I simply had to share my joy with you.

Tamagoyaki 卵焼き/玉子焼き, also called dashimaki tamago, is different from its European counterparts, not only because it contains some soy sauce and is sweet, but, most of all, because of a different frying method. Seasoned, beaten eggs are fried in thin layers, which are rolled successively with long cooking chopsticks and end up in a – hopefully neat – cylinder. A special rectangular or square pan is the traditional utensil, but it can also be made in a simple, round pan. I have seen the tamagoyaki making process dozens of times on television and internet and it always looked extremely difficult, especially for someone who, like me, lacks patience and dexterity and who isn’t used to cook with chopsticks.

Last year I decided to brave the tamagoyaki challenge and put the special pan as an obligatory item on the shopping list for my trip to Japan. I came back with a small rectangular pan and… didn’t have the courage to use it for over eight months! I don’t remember what has triggered my sudden urge to use it, but last week I thought I was fed up seeing the pan still unpacked in my drawer. I desperately needed very precise instructions, so I started to look for videos and finally followed the famous YouTube show called Cooking With Dog. I found it comprehensive, very well made and the concept of a talking dog funny and completely crazy. I have chosen this video also because the recipe called for mitsuba, the Japanese plant which starts forming a small forest on my balcony and which is particularly good with eggs. It was a sign I should choose this show and no other.

The video was very helpful and, apart from scaling down the recipe’s amounts, the only thing I changed was eliminating the sugar. Japanese omelettes are always sweet, the thing which doesn’t suit my taste buds, so my home-made tamagoyaki, even though clumsy and messy-looking, was the best because it was 100% savoury, just the way I love it. Check the Cooking with Dog show to see the original three-egg recipe and very comprehensive instructions, but, please, do not compare the final result to mine!

TIPS:

PAN: The special square or rectangular pan is not necessary. Tamagoyaki can be prepared in a round pan too. The important thing is to adapt the size of the pan to the number of eggs you want to use. I have bought the smallest pan I found because it was adapted to a two-egg omelette, perfect for one serving. My rectangular pan’s measures are: 18 x 13 cm (7 x 5 inches), so if you want to make an omelet with two eggs, take a similarly-sized round pan.

HERBS: I have used here mitsuba because I love it and am lucky to grow it on my balcony, but of course any fresh herb of your choice will be great here. I recommend chives, tarragon or dill.

SERVING: My favourite way to serve tamagoyaki is with good French buttered bread (baguette or similar bread with crunchy crust), but you can have it as a snack or in a more Asian way, as a part of a meal with rice, pickles, vegetables…

Tamagoyaki is often served cold, but personally I like it still slightly warm, with a splash of soy sauce.

Special equipment: long cooking chopsticks. As difficult as it may seem, in my opinion cooking chopsticks are a perfect tool for this omelette. You can try also with normal eating chopsticks, but they might be too small.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves one as a main course, for example breakfast):

2 eggs

2 tablespoons Japanese stock (dashi), but in my opinion chicken stock will be perfect here too (you can dissolve a pinch of instant stock of course)

1 teaspoon soy sauce

(ground black pepper)

pinch of salt

about 10 sprigs mitsuba leaves or any other herbs of your choice (chives, tarragon, dill…)

oil

(soy sauce and grated daikon radish to serve)

Chop the herbs (if you use mitsuba, use also the stalks!).

In a wide bowl mix the eggs, add the stock, the salt, the soy sauce and the pepper, if using. Combine with the chopped herbs.

Heat a pan (keep in on medium heat) and grease is slightly using chopsticks and a piece of folded paper towel soaked in oil and brushing the surface with it.

To check if it’s hot enough Cooking with Dog’s chef advises pouring a small drop of egg mixture: if it sizzles, it means the pan is ready.

Pour a part of the omelette mixture (in case of my pan’s size 100 ml/about 3,5 fl oz was the ideal amount) onto the pan and move the pan so that the egg mixture covers the whole surface.

When it’s half-cooked, lift the pan from the heat and start rolling the omelette. I found that rolling in the direction towards me was easier.

Push the roll towards one side of the pan (the one with the handle is more practical).

Grease the pan once more, holding the soaked paper towel in chopsticks.

Pour once more the same amount of egg mixture. Spread it evenly, moving the pan.

Make sure it arrives under the rolled first part of the omelette (lift the roll slightly while spreading the mixture).

Fry it, destroying with your chopsticks the bubbles forming on the surface.

When this portion is almost cooked, lift the pan from the heat and roll the omelette, starting with the roll you have previously made.

Push it towards one side of the pan (preferably close to the handle), grease slightly the surface and repeat the whole process until you finish the egg mixture.

Make sure you are not left with a tiny amount of egg mixture! It’s better to make the last rolled layer too thick than too thin. If it’s too thin it will break or/and be overcooked.

Squash slightly the roll with a wide spatula, transfer it onto a chopping board.

Let it cool down slightly and cut into 4 equal pieces.

Serve cold or slightly warm (it is usually served cold).

Cooking with Dog show’s chef recommends serving it with grated daikon radish and a splash of soy sauce. I like it served still warm, with good buttered French bread (with crunchy crust), with a splash of soy sauce and, optionally, with some chili or chili paste.

Hitokuchi katsu (Japanese Breaded Tenderloin, or Mini Tonkatsu)

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hitokuchik When asked what are my favourite Japanese dishes, I never forget to mention tonkatsu (豚カツ), or breaded pork cutlet. Thanks to the deep-frying method and the use of crisp panko instead of softer bread crumbs, this dish is my opinion superior to its European breaded, shallow-fried cousins (in fact “katsu” is a Japanised version of the word “côtelette” or “cutlet” and has obvious Western origins). Needless to say, every tonkatsu meal is a real treat. After dozens of batches, I have never considered swapping loin for any other pork cut until I saw the tenderloin version on Hiroyuki’s blog. Intrigued by the cute, mini-tonkatsu, called hitokuchi katsu, I decided to give them a try. As you have probably guessed, the result was thoroughly satisfying. To tell you the truth, it has recently become my favourite version of tonkatsu.

Hitokuchi katsu means “bite-sized cutlet” and is usually made with tenderloin (though I have seen it somewhere on internet made with pork belly). In reality these mini-cutlets require rather two or three bites, but due to their small size, they can still be treated as snacks or “drink” food. I have enjoyed them served with rice, in a “proper” meal, but they were also excellent with some pickles and a glass of shochu (click here to learn more about shochu). As its name suggests it, tenderloin is softer than loin and in spite of being lean, it doesn’t dry as easily as loin. I have tested both thick and thin versions of hitokuchi katsu and both were excellent, the latter being crisper and the former juicier. If you already know – and like – tonkatsu, you will not regret experimenting with tenderloin.

Hiroyuki, thank you so much for this excellent idea and constant inspiration!

If you have never tasted or cooked Tonkatsu, you might want to try its most popular pork loin version first:

or the equally good chicken version, called Chicken Katsu:

TIPS:

Deep-frying scares many home cooks, but in my opinion it becomes very easy and quick with time. Everyone has different preferences of course, but the basic rule to observe is to make sure the food is completely dry before it’s fried (or breaded) to minimise the risk of oil splashes. Personally I prefer deep-frying in a small cooking pan (I have one which is only for deep-frying) using a small amount of oil. I also place the pan as far as possible from myself, just in case the oil splashes.

Deep-fried food should “swim” easily, so do not overcrowd the pan (otherwise the temperature becomes lower, the food fries slowly and absorbs more oil).

In order to make sure all the pork slices are hot when served, I place a baking dish in the oven at 100°C/212°F, line it with paper napkins and put there tonkatsu, one by one, until the whole frying process is finished.

Frying oil can be reused as long as it doesn’t darken and is filtered after each use (I usually throw it away after three times). If you fry a lot of batches, you might want to strain the oil in the middle of frying, after 4-5 batches (there will be lots of burnt panko pieces which will stick to freshly fried cutlets).

From my experience, deep-fried food, if the oil temperature is correct and the pan is not crowded, absorbs less oil than shallow fried, so if you have a choice between the two, try deep-frying.

Sauce suggestions: Traditionally tonkatsu is served with “tonkatsu sauce” available in Japanese grocery shops. Thanks to Hiroyuki’s kind advice (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking), I know it can be substituted with a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. I actually prefer now this home-made sauce because it is not as sweet as the commercial version.

Another “sauce” I love with tonkatsu (and hitokuchikatsu) is mayonnaise and hot chili oil sediments from taberu rayu (and sometimes with hot chili paste, such as Korean gochujang).

I have recently discovered that my Tomato Indian-Style Chutney is simply perfect with tonkatsu (hereby I encourage you to try making it this year and stock your pantry!).

Slicing tip: You can cut the tenderloin into 1/2 – 1 cm (1/4- 1/2 in) slices, depending on your preferences; the thicker the slices, the juicier they will be; the thinner ones will be crispier. I always slice tenderloin diagonally, starting with a very small angle and increasing it at the thinner tip of the tenderloin.

Preparation: about 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves two-three):

10 – 12 slices of pork tenderloin (1 or 1/2 cm or about 1/2 or 1/4 in thick, depending on your preferences: the thicker the slices are the juicier they will be; the thinner ones will be crispier)

about 10 heaped tablespoons of panko

5 tablespoons wheat flour

1 egg, slightly beaten

salt, pepper

oil for deep-frying

tonkatsu sauce to serve (or a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce) or mayonnaise + thick chili paste or taberu rayu sediment or Indian Tomato Chutney

Season the pork slices with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oil for deep-frying.

(I don’t have the special thermometer and put some panko in the oil to check the temperature. If it starts making bubbles, doesn’t fall down and is golden immediately, it means the oil is hot enough.)

Dust the pork slices with flour, dip them in the beaten egg and coat in panko, pressing so that the whole slice is covered.

Deep-fry them until golden on both sides (it usually takes one minute per side).

Remove excess fat, placing the pork slices on paper towels.

Keep them in a warm oven (see the TIPS) until you finish frying all the slices.

Serve on rice or on shredded cabbage or simply as a snack with drinks, with tonkatsu sauce or with mayonnaise and chili paste (or chili oil sediment).

Chicken, Carrot and Mizuna Spring Rolls

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mizunarollsp

In spite of the coldest spring I remember, mizuna has been growing like crazy on my balcony. I have sown this delicious Japanese plant for the first time and am thrilled to see it adapts so easily to a different climate. Actually, it grows with such a speed, I have already harvested several handfuls in recent weeks. The only, very simple way I knew to enjoy mizuna was to make it into a green salad or mix with other leaves, but these spring rolls were well worth the small additional effort.

Mizuna (水菜) is one of the most popular Japanese leaf vegetables, used both raw and briefly cooked. Its long, thin fringed leaves are in a certain way similar to rocket (aka arugula) or dandelion, but they have a much more delicate taste, with a subtle peppery note (the younger the more delicate they are of course). Until now I have been using it only in salads, but given its growth easiness, I will certainly have many occasions to experiment.

These fresh spring rolls (also known as summer rolls) are very similar to those I posted here (with surimi, avocado and lettuce) and are a nice alternative to a salad starter, appetiser or a lighter replacement of a sandwich, for example at a picnic. I have always associated uncooked rice paper rolls with Vietnamese cuisine, but I have recently learnt they are also known in Japan as “harumaki” (春巻き), though I think mizuna is not their usual ingredient. In my opinion the extremely versatile rice paper can be filled with practically everything one likes, as long as it’s not leaking, and mizuna has been an interesting change.

You can serve these rolls with a mixture of soy sauce, chili oil and vinegar, but they were particularly good with this sesame paste dressing treated as a dip.

TIPS: If you add transparent (glass) noodles, these rolls will be more filling (in this case cut down the carrot and mizuna amounts).

Preparation: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (8 rolls):

8 (22 cm or 8 3/4 in diameter) rice paper sheets

2 big handfuls of mizuna leaves

2 big carrots

1 big baked, grilled, boiled or steamed chicken breast

mayonnaise

(chili paste or sauce)

(mint leaves)

Julienne the carrots.

Cut the mizuna leaves in two.

Cut the chicken breast in two horizontally and then into thin strips.

Fill a big wide bowl with warm (not hot) water.

Divide the mizuna, the chicken breast, the carrot (and the mint if you use it) into ten equal portions.

Dip rice paper sheets one by one in the water, immersing them delicately so that you don’t break them.

As soon as the sheet softens (after about ten – twenty seconds), put it onto a big chopping board.

Place first 2/3 of 1 portion of mizuna leaves in the middle, horizontally (at the edge which is closest to you) julienned carrot, a piece of chicken breast, mayonnaise, (chili paste and mint leaves if you choose to do so), cover with the remaining 1/3 of mizuna’s portion. You should aim at approximately 9cm/3,5 in long roll.

Roll tightly starting from the edge which is closest to you.

Proceed in the same way with the remaining rolls.

Serve them immediately as they are or cut in two horizontally with the sesame paste dressing/dip or with a mixture of soy sauce, chili oil and vinegar.

If you wish to serve them later, wrap them individually in cling film because they dry out very quickly.

Asparagus Maki Sushi

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makiaspergepp

After green salads, maki sushi are my second biggest spring cooking frenzy. I am not able to prepare perfectly shaped and equal rolls, but the taste is there, so my lack of dexterity doesn’t stop me from preparing them regularly (I guess I should write about them more often…). Maki sushi are quick (and become quicker and easier to prepare with practice), cheap, healthy and offer endless combinations. Crunchy, slightly blanched green asparagus gives a fresh seasonal spring touch to maki sushi and confirms once more that asparagus, in spite of its distinct taste, creates marvellous dishes even with such bold ingredients as seaweed. Here I have combined it with mayonnaise and katsuobushi (shaved bonito flakes, see below). I find the result extraordinary, but if you don’t like or cannot find shaved bonito, asparagus alone is an amazing maki sushi filler.

Even though I play rather freely with different ingredients, the idea of asparagus maki sushi came from Shizuoka Gourmet blog, an excellent source of virtual culinary trips to Japan (or rather to the Shizuoka prefecture!). Without Robert-Gilles’s blog I would never imagine that asparagus and katsuobushi might be a perfect company. Its smoky taste, combined with crunchy fresh asparagus and mayonnaise is stunning. It’s a pity I cannot prepare these maki sushi all year round. Thank you, Robert-Gilles, for this wonderful idea!

If you are fond of asparagus, you might like some of these ideas (click at the images):

Tama Konnyaku with Asparagus

Chawan Mushi (Egg Custard) with Asparagus

Asparagus with Chicken and Miso

Asparagus Tempura

Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls

Asparagus with Cashew Nuts and Chicken

You might also like these sushi maki versions:

with Ground Beef

with Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber

TIPS: As you see above, I prefer maki with less rice than usually served in restaurants and on most blogs, but if you prefer the “standard” rice amount, count 500g (about 2 2/3 cups) rice and not 300g (1 1/2 cup).

Dried shaved bonito flakes (katsuobushi) are sold in bags in Japanese grocery shops. Together with konbu seaweed it is one of the ingredients of the most popular version of Japanese stock (dashi, see the recipe here). It cannot be substituted by anything, but if you don’t find it, these maki sushi will be excellent anyway.

Sesame seeds are far from obligatory too. I am just addicted…

Special equipment:

rice cooker (unless you know how to cook the rice in a “normal” pan)

maki rolling mat or a special futomaki roller

Preparation: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour for rice cooking and cooling)

Ingredients (serves 2 – 3):

5 nori seaweed sheets

300g (about 1 1/2 cup) sushi rice (or 500g/about 2 2/3 cups if you prefer “standard” rolls)

Rice mixture:

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

Filling:

15 green thin asparagus spears (about 1 cm diameter), 3 for every nori sheet

10 heaped tablespoons katsuobushi

mayonnaise

(grilled white sesame seeds)

soy sauce+wasabi

a bowl of rice vinegar

(marinated ginger)

Cook the rice in the rice cooker (or in a pan if you know how to do it!). Put the hot rice into a bowl and add the rice mixture ingredients. Stir well and leave to cool down.

In the meantime cut off the toughest lower part of the asparagus spears (usually the lower 20%).

Blanch the asparagus spears (about 2 minutes) and let them cool down.

When the rice has cooled down to the room temperature (it can’t be completely cold!), put a nori sheet vertically on the rolling mat, shiny side down.

With fingers dipped in a bowl of rice vinegar spread 1/5th of the rice evenly, leaving a 1 cm gap on the top, far edge.

Arrange the filling ingredients on the rice, in a horizontal line, close to the bottom edge.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Roll the maki starting from the bottom edge, gently pressing after each turn.

Moist the upper edge with rice vinegar before doing the last turn.

Press gently the roll and put it aside.

In order to obtain more or less similarly sized pieces, cut the roll first in two parts, then put them in a row and cut them in two parts, etc..

(It is easier to cut maki with a moist knife blade.)

Arrange them on a plate and serve with wasabi, soy sauce and marinated ginger.

Miso Vinaigrette

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misovinp

I never get bored with dressed green salads. After years of having it regularly, both as a side-dish and a starter, I am always excited at the discovery of a new dressing, especially when warm spring days arrive and salad leaves are bought with higher frequency. This miso vinaigrette is simple, but original in its creamy consistency and quite complex taste it owes to miso. I have written below a short recipe, but to put it simply, it’s a traditional mustard vinaigrette with miso used instead of mustard. Accidentally this salad was a perfect company for the recently posted Chicken with Soy Sauce, Garlic and Molasses.

Miso has been frequently appearing on my table (see below) for several years now, but I have never thought of putting it into a vinaigrette. I have found this excellent and obvious idea in Japanese Farm Food by Nancy Singleton Hachisu, an American married to a Japanese farmer and living in rural area for several decades. The book contains both classic recipes and Nancy Singleton’s own inventions based on local ingredients. It is also full of stories about family, neighbours, local producers and, in general, describes life in the Japanese countryside. The book is a particularly compelling read, a beautiful object, a good source of recipes and I strongly advise it to all the Japanese cuisine fans, even novices because the majority of the recipes are easy and clearly explained.

For those who haven’t tasted miso (味噌), it’s a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans and/or barley or rice and one of the most important ingredients of the Japanese cuisine (Korean and Chinese cuisines use very similar pastes too). Miso is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals and some people claim it even helps to fight the radiation sickness. In Japan miso has three main colour types: white (shiromiso), red (akamiso), black (kuromiso), and there is also mixed miso (awasemiso). The only downside of miso is that is can be very high in sodium, so look for special “low sodium” misos (some high quality misos don’t even have this mention, but are less salty). Whatever the salt content, white miso has always a milder taste, so it’s a good idea to start one’s adventure with light-coloured miso. Apart from the three basic colours, there are myriads of different misos, depending on the brand or producer, the ingredients, the region…

If you have bought a tub of miso and wonder what to do with it, you might like:

Asparagus and Chicken Stir-Fried with Miso Sauce

Garlic Miso Chicken Breast

Miso Soup with Shrimp and Tofu

Mackerel Simmered in Miso

Chicken and Aubergine in Garlic Miso Sauce

And if you look for other salad dressing ideas, you might be interested in my recent delicious and very unusual discovery:

Sesame Paste (Tahini) Dressing

Apparently I am not the only one who eats more salads at the arrival of spring. This week Nami (Just One Cookbook) has posted a gorgeous seaweed salad and a miso (!) dressing, while Gourmantine (Gourmantine’s Blog) has presented no more no less but eight salad dressings. Visit their blogs for more inspiration!

TIPS: The below amounts should only be treated as approximate and adjusted to your taste, the miso kind or brand. (I have slightly modified the original amounts too). I have added some agave syrup to mellow the flavours (not present in the original recipe), but it’s not necessary.

I don’t like my salads drown in sauce, so double the below amounts if you prefer a very moist, rich salad.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves two – three):

1/3 lettuce head, washed and torn into smaller pieces

(cucumber, tomatoes or any other raw vegetables cut into pieces)

Dressing:

3 heaped teaspoons miso of your choice (I wouldn’t advise the very dark, strong miso)

2 teaspoons oil

4 teaspoons rice vinegar

(1 teaspoon syrup or honey in case you need to adjust the taste; I have used agave syrup)

In a glass combine well the vinaigrette ingredients.

Place the salad leaves and other vegetables in a bowl and pour the miso vinaigrette over them just before serving.

Chicken with Soy Sauce, Garlic and Molasses (Treacle)

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soymolasseschick2p

I am not scared of twenty-ingredient Indian curries or similar laborious meals. I prepare them quite regularly, but most of the time I don’t have time or patience for long cooking sessions which require my constant attention. Apart from totally improvised everyday dishes, I have a mental list of straightforward recipes I keep on going back to even when I’m very tired, in a hurry or simply feel lazy. No matter how exotic they seem, such dishes don’t require much attention or time and I manage to memorise them sometimes even before I prepare them. This is exactly the category into which falls this soy sauce and molasses chicken, a slightly modified version of Honey Soy Sauce Chicken posted by Nami from Just One Cookbook.

Sticky chicken pieces marinated in a simple soy sauce mixture looked both attractive and original and seemed so easy, I couldn’t resist testing Nami’s recipe hardly a few days after seeing it. I had different chicken cuts (Nami has used drumettes) and no honey, so I had to modify it slightly. Apart from using halved skinned chicken legs, I have replaced the honey with molasses (also called treacle) and added some garlic (sometimes I just cannot help it… I am a garlic addict). It was one of the most rewarding chicken dishes I have ever had and, most of all, one of the rare meals where I wouldn’t replace legs with my usually preferred chicken breasts. The taste and stickiness reminded me a bit of teriyaki glaze, but with a deeper flavour (probably thanks to dark molasses) and a garlicky kick. Thank you so much, Nami, for this terrific recipe. I will think of you every time I prepare it and something tells me I will do it very often…

If you prepare drumettes instead of legs, check Nami’s recipe here.

TIPS: The baking time depends on the chicken’s rearing conditions: the more the chicken walked, the more time the legs will stay in the oven, i.e. free-range and organic legs will require more time.

I have used molasses (also known as treacle) because I always have them in stock (you will not believe me but it’s mainly in case I suddenly long for my beloved Guinness Gingerbread), but you can substitute them with honey, originally used by Nami, or anything similar (such as a syrup).

Preparation: 45 – 60 minutes + min. several hours in the fridge (it’s best to leave the chicken to marinate overnight)

Ingredients (serves two):

2 chicken legs (skinned or not) cut in half

Marinade:

3 tablespoons molasses (also known as “treacle”) or honey

3 tablespoons soy sauce (you can use more if you have low-sodium soy sauce)

2 tablespoons sake

(salt)

(2 medium garlic cloves)

ground pepper

If you want to skin the legs, do it before you cut them in half. (It’s very easy if you start separating the skin from the meat at the thicker end, helping yourself at first with a small sharp knife; then the skin can usually be torn away with your hand and occasionally cut off with your knife).

Cut the legs in two pieces and prick them all over with a fork.

Put the marinade ingredients in a ziplock bag or other thick plastic bag and mix them well.

Put the chicken pieces in the bag, close it and rub the meat making sure it’s well coated in the marinade.

Put the legs for several hours in the fridge (I left them overnight).

Heat the oven to 200°C.

Place the chicken pieces in a baking dish and bake them until they are tender (it will take 45 – 60 minutes; check it with a fork), basting them with the marinade twice during the baking process.

After 30 minutes check if the meat is not too dark. If it is well browned but not soft yet, cover it well with aluminium foil.

Baste with the marinade from the bottom of the baking dish and serve with a green salad.

Asparagus and Chicken Stir-Fried with Miso Sauce

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aspchickmisop

As you might have guessed by this second appearance of asparagus in one week, this is one of my favourite vegetables. Its season is quite short, so I try to profit from its presence as much as I can and cannot promise this will be the last time I talk about it this year. Green variety, especially when not too thick, is in my opinion the most versatile asparagus. Most of my experiments prove it is excellent in both Western and Asian dishes and pairs well even with unexpected products, such as miso (Japanese fermented soybean paste; see below). The stir-fry you see above was a part of one of the quick and simple, improvised “donburi”, or Japanese-style rice bowls dish I prepare quite often (thank you, Nami!). The crunchy blanched asparagus, the creamy miso sauce and tender chicken breast created a pleasant spring topping for rice and will probably be my staple until asparagus is in season. /UPDATE: I have just learnt that a stir-fried dish with miso sauce is called “miso itame”. Thank you, Hiroyuki!/

Miso (味噌), a thick paste made by fermenting soybeans and/or barley or rice, is one of the most important ingredients of the Japanese cuisine (Korean and Chinese cuisines use very similar pastes too). Miso is healthy; it is packed with protein, vitamins and minerals and some people claim it even helps to fight the radiation sickness. In Japan miso has three main colour types: white (shiromiso), red (akamiso), black (kuromiso), and there is also mixed miso (awasemiso). In general, the lighter the colour, the more delicate the taste, but it’s not always the case, so it’s worth asking the shop assistant or reading the label before buying it. The only downside of miso is that is can be very high in sodium, so watch out for special “low sodium” misos (some high quality misos don’t even have this mention, but are less salty). Whatever the salt content, white miso has always a milder taste, so it’s a good idea to start one’s adventure with light coloured miso. Apart from the three basic colours, there are myriads of different misos, depending on the brand or producer, the ingredients, the region…

Miso soup is usually the first dish in which foreigners discover this Japanese staple, but it’s also used in simmered dishes, as a seasoning for grilled fish and meat, in sauces, pickles… Its complex flavour is an excellent taste booster in stir-fries and I love the creaminess it adds to sauces. Miso is, at least for me, highly addictive, probably because it is rich in the umami, or fifth taste, made famous by a Japanese professor.

If you are still hesitating if you should invest in a package of miso, here are some other ways to use it:

-Garlic Miso Chicken Breast

-Aubergine with Ponzu, Miso and Sesame Sauce

-Miso Soup with Tofu

-Miso Soup with Shrimp and Tofu

-Mackerel Simmered in Miso

-Chicken and Potatoes in Miso Stew

-Chicken and Aubergine in Garlic Miso Sauce

TIP: The less you boil/cook miso, the more you preserve its precious nutrients, so it’s best just to heat it at the end.

The garlic’s presence is not obligatory in this sauce, but since I discovered garlic and miso combination thanks to Nami’s Garlic Miso Chicken Wings (Just One Cookbook blog), I have fallen in love with it. I adapted Nami’s recipe in Garlic Miso Chicken Breast and used miso and garlic sauce in Chicken and Aubergine in Garlic Miso Sauce).

Preparation: about 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

12-14 green, medium thick or thin asparagus stalks

1 chicken breast

1 tablespoon sake

1/8 teaspoon salt

Sauce:

2 tablespoons miso

2 tablespoons sake

1 tablespoon syrup (I used agave syrup) or 2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if using low-sodium soy sauce)

1 clove garlic, grated or crushed (the garlic is not obligatory)

(toasted white sesame seeds)

Bring to a boil one litre of water in a big pan.

Cut up the chicken breast into bite-sized pieces, combine with sake and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Cut off the toughest part of the the asparagus stalks’ (I usually cut off 1/4 if I use the above-mentioned, medium thick asparagus).

Blanch the asparagus for one minute (or even less if the stalks are very thin) and quickly put into very cold water to stop the cooking process.

Cut into bite-sized pieces.

Combine all the sauce ingredients. Put aside.

Heat two tablespoons oil in a pan or wok.

Drain the chicken, pat it fry.

Stir-fry the chicken until it is cooked.

Than add the asparagus and stir-fry for 30 seconds.

Add add the miso sauce and heat for about 30 seconds, stirring, until everything is well heated.

Serve with rice and, if you wish, sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Chawan Mushi with Asparagus (Japanese Savoury Egg Custard with Asparagus)

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chawanaspergesp

Chawan mushi is a perfect representative of these comforting, universally enjoyable dishes, which are hardly known in Europe and which surprise all those who still associate Japanese food with sushi and raw fish. For me it has all the qualities of a perfect dish: it is light and healthy, but filling; it is extremely versatile, both in terms of ingredients, as well as serving occasions, and, most of all, it tastes wonderful. It can be made in advance, then reheated or served cold and since it is prepared in individual containers, it also looks cute on the table. The only obligatory Asian ingredients here are sake and soy sauce, so I hope it’s accessible for home cooks all around the world. Accidentally, it’s perfect after short food indulgence periods, such as Easter.

Chawan Mushi (茶碗蒸し) was the first recipe I made from “The Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art” by Shizuo Tsuji, one of the best cookery books I have ever had and I have only slightly modified the amounts’ ratio. I have already written about this amazing dish almost a year ago, but here is a quick reminder. Chawan mushi, meaning “steamed in a tea cup”, is a light custardy mixture of seasoned stock (Japanese or Western) and eggs, to which different “fillings” are added. The traditional version includes a long list of ingredients (including ginko nuts!), but in my opinion this is a typical versatile dish that can easily be modified depending on one’s preferences, seasons or simply contents of one’s fridge.

My first chawan mushi was made with shrimp and green peas (see the recipe here), but I have already played with different meats, seafood, vegetables, mushrooms and the results were satisfactory every time. The ways to serve this custard are also endless: it’s perfect as a part of the main course, with rice and some Asian pickles, or Western way, with bread and a bowl of green salad dressed with vinaigrette. I find it excellent as a cold or warm starter, as an afternoon snack, as breakfast, as a picnic snack… Possibilities are endless.

Asparagus and egg are a well known successful pairing, so you will not be surprised if I say this is – at least now – my favourite version of chawan mushi. As a notorious carnivore I have added small pieces of chicken breast marinated in sake, but you can forget them and keep it strictly vegetarian. Shizuo Tsuji advises chicken stock if dashi is unavailable and, I will probably shock some Japanese cooks, but here, with bits of chicken I have definitely preferred chicken stock (I have tested both). (Of course vegetarians can use vegetable stock I guess).

If you don’t like asparagus, you might enjoy chawan mushi with shrimp and green peas:

TIPS: Even though chawan mushi is easier to prepare in a steamer, Shizuo Tsuji’s suggestion to use a water bath in the oven gives excellent results. Actually this is the way I prepare it because the steamer plate in my rice cooker is too low for my heatproof cups.

If you don’t have a nearby Japanese grocery shop, individual, but high heatproof cups may be difficult to get. I have found very good ones at IKEA (even though without lids), but as soon as I got hold of the beautiful Japanese chawan mushi cups you see above, I stopped using the old ones.

Mitsuba is the traditional herb served with Chawan Mushi (it is usually steamed on the top of the custard), but as you see I haven’t added it because my mistuba hasn’t even sprouted yet (check the lovely mitsuba decorated version on Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook)). You can add any herbs on top, as long as they suit the ingredients, but frankly these custards were perfect without any herb.

Special equipment:

individual heatproof cups (at least 6 cm high, mine were 6,5 cm high,with a 7,5 cm diameter)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Ingredients (4 portions):

10 medium thick green asparagus (less than 1,5 cm thick in the thickest place) or double this amount if you want a vegetarian meal

2 small chicken breasts

1 tablespoon sake

salt

(mitsuba leaves)

Custard:

2 eggs

300 ml dashi (Japanese stock) or chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sake or mirin (with mirin the custard will be slightly sweetish)

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 220°C (or prepare your steamer).

Cut up the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces, combine with sake and sprinkle with a bit of salt.

Put aside.

Cut off the toughest part of the the asparagus stalks’ (I usually cut off 1/4 if I use the above-mentioned, medium thick asparagus).

Cut the rest into bite sized pieces.

Boil a lot of water and prepare a big baking dish at least as high as the heatproof cups.

Mix the eggs very delicately in a bowl. In another bowl combine the dashi (or chicken stock), salt (it depends on how salty your stock is), sake/mirin and soy sauce. Pour the stock mixture over the eggs and stir well, without beating.

Strain the chicken pieces. Divide them and asparagus equally into four heatproof cups.

Put mitsuba leaves on top (click here to see how Nami ties them in a cute traditional way).

Strain the custard mixture and pour into the garnished cups.

Cover the cups with aluminium foil or the lids if you have special cups with lids.

If you use the oven, place the cups in a big baking dish. Fill the dish with hot water (not boiling). The water should arrive up till 3/4 of the cups’ height.

Put the dish in the oven and let the custards bake for 30 minutes.

If you use a steamer, steam for about 20 minutes.

If you use herbs which do not support well the heat, sprinkle chawan mushi with them just before serving.

Serve hot or cold with bread/toast for breakfast, with a salad for a lunch, as a snack or as a starter.

You may serve it with soy sauce. Personally I think it is not necessary.

Even though the eggs’ mixture sets during the cooking process, the mushrooms or other vegetables might release juices, so think about putting a spoon on the table!

Easter Party Ideas

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Wonton Cups, or Edible Snack Containers

Zsuzsa, my blogging friend from Zsuzsa is in the Kitchen, has recently invited me to join her and other bloggers (Eva from Takarékos Konyha, Elisabeth from Food and Thrift and Eva from Kitchen Inspirations) and, just like them, post my Easter menu suggestions. I was honoured, but at first I panicked because apart from a Chicken Terrine (see below) I don’t really have traditional Easter dishes on my blog. Both Zsuzsa and Elisabeth have convinced me to present whatever I might serve for such an occasion, even if it is not traditional in any country or region of the world. Thank you, ladies, for your advice! Thus, I have chosen some festive dishes I love, regardless their origins or relation to Easter celebrations. Thank you so much, Zsuzsa, for your kind invitation. I hope my eclectic choice, far from Easter traditions will not disappoint you.

Here is a list of dishes I would take into consideration if I had guests for Easter (of course I wouldn’t serve all of them!). All of them can be served at a buffet-style party, my recent favourite way to entertain. Such a concept usually means more work beforehand because, contrary to traditional meals, one cannot serve just three dishes, but this way I offer a bigger choice to the guests, who are not forced to eat all they are served, but most of all such a party has a more relaxed atmosphere. Apart from one exception, I have chosen easy recipes, which either can be prepared very quickly or made in advance. They have both Western and Asian origins, so I hope you will find here some useful ideas, not necessarily for Easter.

First of all, I would never skip the obligatory Wonton Cups, or Edible Snack Containers (see the photo above). Versatile, cute and easy, these edible containers are nowadays a staple not only when I have guests (thank you, Juliana!).

Last-minute Crackers can be prepared really just before the guests arrive as long as you have some puff pastry in the fridge. These star-shaped crackers were prepared for Christmas, but you can give them any shape you wish, such as bunnies…

These olives are so easy to prepare you will never consider buying them seasoned by someone else again.

This Smoked Mackerel and Egg Spread can be prepared with any smoked fish of your choice, of course.

Recently discovered Taramosalata (Fish Roe Spread) is one more thing I will never ever even think of buying. Home-made version is incomparably better.

Light Chicken Terrine with Nutmeg is actually the only dish I used to have as a child for Easter and other festive occasions.

Savoury Cake with Goat Cheese and Dried Tomatoes (aka Goat Cheese and Dried Tomatoes Bread) is a wonderful alternative to canapés.

Cake with Ham and Olives, another canapés substitution, is a real crowd-pleaser.

If you feel like serving Japanese food (why not?), try preparing Maki Sushi with Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber. They will not necessarily look as perfect as in your sushi shop, but they are really easy to prepare.

Spring Rolls with Leftover Roast and Carrots, an Asian sandwich alternative, can also be prepared with the remains of your roast, after the Easter holidays.

Sesame-Coated Chicken Nuggets (Tori no goma age) can be made in advance and will please all the sesame fans.

Japanese Chicken and Leek Skewers (Negima) are brushed with teriyaki glaze and usually please every guest.

Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls are incredibly easy to prepare and are one of my favourite ways to serve asparagus.

Unbaked chocolate Cake with Biscuits (Chocolate Terrine with Speculoos) is a rich creamy dessert which doesn’t require baking and is incredibly simple to prepare.

Coconut, Chocolate and Rum Truffles (Bounty Truffles). Who doesn’t like chocolate truffles?

Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles are the only ones which might be tricky to prepare, but they are green, fresh, festive and have this amazing slightly bitter matcha flavour…

Chocolate and prunes are all you need to prepare these luscious Prunes in Chocolate, a quicker and easier alternative to chocolate truffles.

This Kiwi and Rum Cocktail seemed perfect for a spring party.

I strongly encourage you to check the wonderful Easter menu suggestions proposed by my blogging friends and would like to wish you all a very happy Easter and wonderful holidays to those who don’t celebrate it!

Light Coconut Agar Cream with Pear and Lime Zest

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cocopoire

The last couple of days have been so warm and sunny, I don’t even care if they announce snow for next week. Spring is in the air and nothing will change it. The spring evoking exquisite, bright green matcha latte posted by Kelly (from Inspired Edibles) has inspired me to begin the season of refreshing, light desserts. I found some dying pears at the bottom of my fridge and instead of a cake or tart, I decided to incorporate them into the easiest and quickest light dessert I know.

Some of you might remember my discovery of a wobbly, creamy dessert based on two milks (coconut and cow milk) and agar. This discovery has changed into a real addiction and I must have already prepared dozens of batches. The basic mixture is extremely versatile, sets quickly (agar sets at room temperature) and, since I put a tiny amount of sugar or sometimes even only sweetener, it’s one of the lightest desserts I know. I have already experimented many different versions, such as chocolate, coffee or matcha (see below). Even though agar is a jelling agent, I use it in scarce amounts and obtain a slightly wobbly, “falling off the spoon” consistency, rather than a well-set jelly, hence the name “cream”.

My first plan was to cut up the pears and simply pour the cream over them (just like I did with canned peaches here). It seemed however a bit boring (especially visually), so I decided to grate some lime zest on top for decoration and… it was a revelation! As silly as it may sound, it was the first time I have combined pear with lime zest and I found it extraordinary. The mellow, “flat” sweetness of the pear and coconut suddenly becomes exciting with the tangy, refreshing and slightly bitter zest. I am very tempted to explore further this surprising combination, at least until summer fruits appear.

As a reminder, agar (“kanten” in Japanese) is a gelatinous substance obtained from certain seaweed varieties, usually sold powdered or (in Asian countries) in long sticks. Look for it in Asian grocery shops or in organic (health-food) shops or… in normal supermarkets (they sell it in my Swiss supermarkets). Even though some people say agar-agar is a gelatin equivalent, I cannot agree with it. The way it sets food is different from the gelatin I have been using for years and, if you buy it powdered, only a tiny amount is required. When used in scarce amounts, agar yields a creamy, wobbly, delicate result, but when a big amount is used, it sets the food stronger than gelatin, so it’s a bit tricky when used for the first time.

If you feel like experimenting with agar, here are some ideas you might like:

Wobbly Rhubarb Delight

Light Chocolate and Coconut Cream

Matcha and Coconut Cream with Agar

Light Coconut Cream with Canned Peaches

Coffee and Coconut Cream with Agar

TIPS: Look closely at your agar package instructions. On mine 1/2 teaspoon is said to set 500 ml/2 cups liquid to a jelly. I use only 1/3 teaspoon and obtain a wobbly, “falling off the spoon” consistency. If you prefer a well-set jelly, use the amount advised on the package.

Do not wait until the cream becomes cold before pouring it into the bowls because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!

Preparation: 15 minutes + 2-3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4 – 5):

250 ml coconut milk

250 ml cow milk

4 flat tablespoons sugar (or less, if, like me you prefer moderately sweet desserts; I have put only 2 tablespoons)

1/3 flat teaspoon agar agar in powder

3 medium pears

2 – 3 limes

Dissolve the sugar and agar-agar in the mixture of the two milks. Bring to boil and, constantly stirring, let it simmer for about a minute.

Put aside.

Prepare four individual bowls or low glasses.

Peel the pears and cut them up into cubes.

Distribute them equally into the bowls. (Do not wait until the cream becomes cold because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly).

Pour the milks’ mixture into the bowls and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve very cold decorated with grated lime zest (you can also incorporate it into the dessert, before it sets, but it won’t have the same freshness).

Chicken Katsu チキンカツ (Japanese Breaded Chicken)

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chickenkatsup

Japanese cuisine can be divided roughly into washoku 和食, traditional Japanese food, and yoshoku 洋食, which defines dishes inspired by Western cuisines. Unsurprisingly, the former is healthy and light, while the latter contains many deep-fried, rich dishes. I quickly realised my heart goes very often (maybe too often) to the westernised cuisine and such deep-fried delicacies as korokke コロッケ(potato croquettes), ebi fry (breaded shrimp) or tonkatsu 豚カツ (breaded pork loin) are among my favourite Japanese dishes. The fact that these dishes were the only ones I could read on menus in Japan (they are in majority written in one of the two Japanese syllabaries, much easier to decipher than Chinese characters) makes me love them even more.

Breaded chicken cutlets, or chicken katsu, (“katsu” is a Japanised version of the word “cutlet” or “côtelette”), are at least as excellent as tonkatsu, their close cousins, but in my opinion they are easier, quicker and more crowd-pleasing. Some of my friends call them Japanese chicken nuggets. The main difference in the preparation is that, unlike pork loin, chicken breast is often cut into smaller pieces and briefly marinated before being fried. (Although I have seen also bigger chicken katsu versions too).

I know I’m repeating myself, but I have to emphasize that Japanese breaded dishes are not mere copies of their Western counterparts. First of all, Japanese flaky panko creates a lighter, crunchier result than simple dried bread crumbs. Moreover, thanks to deep-frying, the dishes cook quicker, absorb less oil and are juicier. (Of course, if you prefer shallow-frying, you can easily shallow fry chicken katsu).

As a big fan of Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook), an infinite source of well-explained and beautifully photographed Japanese recipes, I naturally chose her Chicken Katsu recipe and wasn’t disappointed. The result was perfect, as every time I follow Nami’s instructions and advice. Thank you so much, Nami, for one more infallible recipe!

If you prefer pork, you might like my Thin version of Tonkatsu, or Breaded Pork Cutlets (as you see this is one of my favourite bowls…):

thintonkatsupj

TIPS:

Traditionally both tonkatsu and chicken katsu are served with a dark, thick sauce called “Tonkatsu sauce”. It is available in Japanese grocery shops, but is too sweet and too heavy to my taste. Thanks to Hiroyuki’s kind advice (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking), I make my own version mixing ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. I also serve chicken katsu with mayonnaise and hot chili oil sediments you see above or with hot chili paste, such as Korean gochujang.

Deep-frying scares many people, but becomes easy and quick with time. Everyone has different preferences of course, but the basic rule to observe is to make sure the food is completely dry before it’s fried (or breaded) to minimise the risk of oil splashes. Personally I prefer deep-frying in a small cooking pan (I have one which is only for deep-frying) using a small amount of oil. I also place the pan as far as possible from myself, just in case the oil splashes. If you are really not comfortable with deep-frying or don’t have enough oil, you can of course shallow fry this dish.

Deep-fried food should “swim” easily, so do not overcrowd the pan (otherwise the temperature becomes lower, the food fries slowly and absorbs more oil).

You will probable have to fry in several batches (unless you have a big deep-frying dish or make a small batch). In order to make sure all the chicken pieces are hot when served, I place a baking dish in the oven at 100°C/212°F, line it with paper napkins and put there deep-fried bits, one by one, until the whole frying process is finished. This way they keep warm and if you serve them in the same hot baking dish, they will stay warm on the table too.

Frying oil can be used as long as it doesn’t darken and is always filtered after each use (I usually throw it away after three times, but it depends on what you fry… Fish for example can make the oil smell strong, so keep it only for fish or seafood frying).

Preparation: about 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

2 medium chicken breasts

about 10 heaped tablespoons of panko

5 tablespoons wheat flour

1 egg, slightly beaten

salt, pepper

1 tablespoon sake

oil for deep-frying

tonkatsu sauce to serve (or a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce) or mayonnaise + thick chili paste or taberu rayu sediment

Slice chicken breasts diagonally into 1 cm (about 1/2 inch) thick slices.

(If you keep the chicken tenderloins; i.e the thin strips attached to the breast, but usually sold with the breast, separate them from the main piece of breast and simply cut them in horizontally in two).

Season the chicken slices with sake, salt and pepper.

Put aside.

In the meantime preheat the oil for deep-frying.

(I don’t have the special thermometer and put some panko in the oil to check the temperature. If it starts making bubbles, doesn’t fall down and is fried immediately, it means the oil is hot enough. )

Dust the chicken slices with flour, dip them in the beaten egg and coat in panko, pressing so that the whole slice is covered.

Deep-fry them until golden, in batches, trying not to overcrowd the pan (unless you have a very big frying dish), on both sides (it usually takes 2- 3 minutes per side).

Remove excess fat, placing the meat slices on paper towels.

Keep them in a warm oven (see the TIPS above) until you finish frying all the batches.

Serve with rice, on shredded cabbage or a light salad with the special Japanese tonkatsu sauce or, like I do, with mayonnaise and chili paste (or chili oil sediment).

Chicken tonkatsu is also excellent as a snack (you can cut it in bite-sized pieces too).

Chicken Loaf “Wind in the Pines” (Toriniku Matsukaze-yaki (鶏肉松風焼き)

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windin_pp

I am always drawn to poetic dish names, so rare in European cuisines. Doesn’t Wind in the Pines (Toriniku Matsukaze-yaki, 鶏肉松風焼き) sound incomparably better than Chicken Loaf? One might wonder how a baked chicken loaf can bear such a beautiful name? According to Shizuo Tsuji, the author of the magnificent “The Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art”, where I found this recipe, the grains sprinkled over the top evoke the sand on a pine-bordered beach, while the boiling kettle in tea ceremony is like wind blowing through the seaside pines. To be precise, toriniku means chicken, matsukaze ”wind in the pines” and yaki describes the grilling/pan-frying cooking method (even though this is supposed to be baked in a hot water bath, not grilled, but I suppose this is due to the fact that baking is not really popular in Japan…).

Apart from the magical name, the final original step of this recipe was what has captured my attention. The beautiful yellow colour is obtained by brushing raw egg yolk over the freshly baked loaf; the yolk cooks instantly and forms a sunny layer over the otherwise pale, unappetising dish. Even though my first Chicken Loaf looked and tasted wonderful, I have allowed myself several modifications, hoping they do not destroy the original idea. My way to prepare this dish gives a very similar result: a filling and warming, but surprisingly light meal. It has certainly brought a ray of sunshine to the cloudy, snowy weather we have been having.

My first Chicken Loaf seemed too dry, which is often the case with cooked minced lean meat. Therefore, I have added some silken tofu, the trick which I have been practising with dumplings for quite a long time. Since I always try to simplify the cooking steps, I have switched from hot water bath in the oven to steaming (but both methods are described below). Not only is it easier this way, but much quicker. Moreover, if you serve rice too, both can cook in the rice cooker at the same time. Last but not least, I have decided to serve this loaf in individual baking dishes rather than preparing a traditional big flat loaf. If you want to know the original recipe, I advise consulting Shizuo Tsuji’s book.

This dish would be equally good served with rice and Japanese pickles and, in a more European way, with a green salad and bread. I would advise also serving it with a sauce of your choice.

TIP: If you wonder what to do with the two leftover egg whites, you need exactly this amount to prepare the Easy Chewy Coconut Cookies:

kokos_pj

Special equipment: individual baking dishes (not obligatory)

Preparation: 1 hour

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 small chicken breasts, minced (you can mix them in a food processor) or 2 medium chicken breasts, if you skip tofu

4 heaped tablespoons drained silken tofu

2 tablespoons sake

1 egg

2 egg yolks

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tablespoon sugar (or syrup)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if you use low-sodium soy sauce)

1 teaspoon fresh ginger juice (squeezed from freshly grated ginger, about 2,5 cm/1 inch)

white poppy seeds or toasted white sesame seeds

If you decide to bake the dishes in the hot water bath, preheat the oven to 230°C.

If you decide to steam them, wash the rice and prepare it to cook in the rice cooker.

Put half of the ground chicken in a pot with saké. Cook over high heat, stirring until the meat changes the colour.

Drain it.

In a big bowl combine the raw meat, 1 egg and 1 yolk, salt, sugar, soy sauce, tofu and mix well with a spoon or your hand.

At the end add the cooked meat and the ginger, mix again.

Spread the meat mixture in the individual dishes and bake them in bain-marie (hot water bath) for 30 minutes or put them on the steaming tray in your rice cooker and leave there until the rice is cooked.

Remove the dishes from the oven and brush quickly with the remaining egg yolk and sprinkle with the seeds (the yolk will cook on the hot surface and give a beautiful colour).

If you have steamed the dishes, the yolk might not set (your loaf might not be as hot), so either brush it with yolk and put back to the steamer for a minute (and sprinkle with sesame afterwards) or brush it with yolk, sprinkle with seeds and put under the broiler for one minute.

Serve with a sauce of your choice, rice, bread, salad, pickles…

Harihari Zuke (はりはり漬け), Pickled Dried Daikon

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harihari_pj

Drying fruits, vegetables and mushrooms is not only a way of preserving them. First of all, they have a different use in the kitchen and often become so good and unique, they could never be substituted by their fresh versions (it’s maybe a question of personal preferences, but I would never put fresh mushrooms in Ragù alla bolognese). I have been drying fresh produce for many years (I have recently posted here several methods to dry apples), but doing this with the long Asian white radish called daikon has never crossed my mind. When I saw pickled dried daikon at Hiroyuki’s blog (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking), I was very intrigued and curious but didn’t expect much more than a moderately flavoursome, interesting side-dish and certainly not the excellent taste and extraordinary texture it has changed into! I also like fresh daikon a lot, but once dried and pickled, it undergoes a magical transformation.

Daikon is one of the staple Japanese vegetable and its dried version is quite popular too. It is often used in simmered dishes and sold in two forms: wari boshi daikon (thicker strips) and shredded daikon called kiri boshi daikon (go to see the difference here at Hiroyuki’s blog). Harihari zuke (pickled dried daikon) calls for the thicker version (wari boshi daikon). Just like most Japanese pickles, these have a delicate, slightly sweetish taste, but this is where the similarity ends. The very special chewy, but at the same time crunchy texture is what makes them unique and, in my case, addictive. Thank you so much, Hiroyuki, for this extraordinary discovery!

If you don’t find thickly cut dried daikon, wari boshi daikon is ridiculously easy to prepare, whatever method you use (it’s also an excellent way to use up leftover wilted, dying daikon!). I haven’t even checked if I can get it in my city because I knew it would be cheaper when made at home and moreover I wanted to use organic vegetables. For this first experiment I used only one daikon, but after the surprisingly good outcome I have just started to dry a new, this time much bigger batch. This way I will have dried daikon ready any time I feel like preparing this wonderful snack again.

I have slightly changed Hiroyuki’s proportions in the pickling liquid and have omitted seaweed strips (see the original Hiroyuki’s recipe here).

If you don’t feel like drying daikon, you might like these tsukemono (Japanese pickles):

kyurinop

Cucumber Pickled in Vinegared Soy Sauce (Kyuuri no kyuuchan)

gingerpickledp

Pickled Ginger (Gari)

pickledradishp

Pickled Pink Radish

TIPS: In Japan daikon is usually dried in the sun. Of course, given the season, I couldn’t do this. In the winter I dry fruits and vegetables on radiators: it’s quick, it doesn’t require much attention and doesn’t consume any additional energy. If you don’t have radiators, you can dry them using either the oven set at lowest temperature or hang it over the stove and wait until it dries by the heat produces while you cook (the latter can last a bit more). Of course, if you have a dehydrator, you don’t need me to tell you how to do it. Click here to see detailed description of the drying methods I used for example with apples and which apply to most cut fruits or vegetables.

Fresh chili is not obligatory here, but a it is very pleasant addition if you like hot food.

Preparation (3 hours + drying process, if you don’t have dried daikon, which depends on the method used, see here):

Ingredients:

1 medium daikon (about 300 g – 350 g/about 11-13 oz) or a handful (filling loosely a 125 ml/ 1/2 cup container) of wariboshi (thick strips of dried daikon)

4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce or 3 tablespoons normal soy sauce+1 tablespoon water

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 flat tablespoon sugar (I have used agave syrup)

1 fresh medium-hot small chili, seeds removed

Frist dry the daikon (wariboshi, i.e. thicker version).

Peel the daikon, cut horizontally into 7 – 8 cm (about 3 in) chunks (I have cut my daikon in three parts).

Then cut each piece lengthwise in two, then cut each half lengthwise into 1 cm-thick strips.

They should be more or less similarly thick, but not necessarily identical.

Dry it following the instructions I gave here (using a radiator, an oven or hanging it above the stove).

When the daikon has dried completely (it has to be tough when you touch it: the drier it is, the longer it will keep; otherwise it can become mouldy), you can start the pickling process.

If dried daikon strips are too long to be considered “bite-sized”, cut them in two.

Put the daikon strips into a bowl of boiling water and leave there for about 30 minutes.

In the meantime dissolve the sugar in the mixture of vinegar and soy sauce.

Shred the chili pepper and put into the pickling mixture.

Squeeze the soaked daikon and dry it. Put it into the pickling mixture and leave in the fridge for 3 hours, shaking from time to time so that it pickles equally.

Eventually, the dried strips will absorb all the pickling liquid (the photo above was taken only after ten minutes’ pickling, hence the liquid at the bottom).

Such pickles can be left in the fridge for several days (or maybe weeks? I have no idea because I have managed to keep them only for two days).

Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake) with Bok Choy and Chicken

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okono_bokchoypj

If you don’t know okonomiyaki yet (I have written about it here and here), I will repeat what I have said in one of my posts: this messy-looking dish is one of the most brilliant inventions of the Japanese cuisine. Easy, quick, versatile and full of flavours, it is a dish one falls in love with at first bite and becomes instantly addicted to. Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き ), often called “Japanese pancake” or “Japanese pizza”, means more or less “grill what you like” (“okonomi” means “what you like/want” and ”yaki” means here “grilled”). In fact, apart from a regular “basis”, different ingredients can be added and okonomiyaki restaurants offer a whole range of versions. I have fallen in love with okonomiyaki at the first bite, it has become the most frequent Japanese dish I prepare and never get tired of it after dozens of meals. I have to say once more that this is one of those Japanese dishes which could become famous and loved all around the world due to its versatile ingredients and the lack of obligatory “exotic” products.

As a reminder, okonomiyaki is composed of three parts: the batter, the filling and the toppings. The batter has two main regional versions: Kansai (Osaka) style, according to which pancake batter is mixed with shredded cabbage, and Hiroshima style, which contains also noodles. I “practice” only the former which is lighter and easier to prepare. Beef, pork, dried shrimp and squid are the most popular ingredients added to the basic mixture, which is formed into a thick circle and fried or grilled. In Japanese restaurants clients grill the mixture of their choice over a smooth teppanyaki grill and I remember my okonomiyaki lunch as lots of fun.

Just before serving, okonomiyaki is topped with different ingredients. My favourite – and now obligatory – are mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce (which I prepare with a mixture of ketchup, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce), katsuobushi (dried shaved bonito, hated by many Westerners) and chives or spring onions. I also like to spice it up, adding hot paste, hot oil, chili bean sauce… Many people serve pickled ginger on top, but I prefer to serve it aside.

Visit Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking, Nami’s Just One Cookbook, Robert-Gilles’s Shizuoka Gourmet, Arudhi’s A Box of Kitchen to learn more about other okonomiyaki versions and Charles’s Five Euro Food to see a very European interpretation.

Since I discovered how to make okonomiyaki (here I must thank once more Hiroyuki, Nami, Robert-Gilles, Arudhi and Charles, who inspired me greatly with their different okonomiyaki versions), I must have prepared at least dozen different permutations (I have posted only two of them: first one with eringi mushrooms, bacon and dried shrimp and another one, with chicken). Nowadays fried pieces of chicken breast are my absolute favourite addition to the batter, although a Japanese friend told me this is unheard of in Japan. Anyway, I can add what I want, can’t I? As for toppings, these never change.

Bok choy, or pak choy (“chingensai” チンゲンサイ in Japanese) is not a traditional okonomiyaki ingredient . I only use it in stir-fries, so my choice of pak choy was purely accidental: it was late and my shop ran out of cabbage, but had beautiful, fresh bok choy. It is softer and much more delicate than white cabbage, therefore I worried it would become mushy and lose its delicate taste. I was wrong of course! Bok choy’s stalks were still slightly crunchy, the taste was subtler and made this okonomiyaki seem lighter and fresher. It was a nice change from the regularly used cabbage and I was glad to discover a new way to use bok choy. Needless to say, if you are familiar with okonomiyaki, I encourage you to try it with bok choy and if you are not, do try preparing any of the versions, such as these:

chickenoko2p

… with Chicken

oko2p

… with Eringi Mushrooms and bacon

TIPS: Okonomiyaki batter mixture in powder can be bought in Japanese grocery shops or prepared from the scratch. Personally I am happy to prepare it from the scratch since it takes two minutes and I’m sure it tastes better. I have seen different batter recipes. Mine is composed of an egg, flour, dashi (Japanese stock), salt, pepper, baking powder and, last but not least, grated mountain yam (or yamaimo in Japanese), a slimy cousin of the potato (I find it in organic shops but it is sold in Asian groceries too) and I sometimes add a splash of milk. Both yam and dashi are not obligatory. When I don’t have yam or dashi, I simply omit them, trying to keep the same pancake-like texture (milk can be used instead of dashi). The result is still delicious, albeit slightly different.

Okonomioyaki mixture (with the cabbage) can be prepared in advance and fried/grilled the following day. As an addict, I often make a bigger batch and have it two days in a row. (Actually I even had it recently for three meals in a row: a lunch, a dinner and a lunch the following day…).

Special equipment: a big pancake spatula is very useful to flip okonomiyaki

Preparation: 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

Batter:

5 slightly heaped tablespoons flour

30 ml (about 1/8 cup) dashi (Japanese stock, home-made or instant) or milk or a mixture of both

1 egg

3 cm grated mountain yam (yamaimo) (can be omitted, but then less flour should be added)

salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

(pepper)

Filling:

10 bok choy leaves and stalks (or more if the bok choy is small) chopped or finely cubed

1 chicken breast

1 tablespoon oil

Topping:

dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

okonomiyaki sauce (or a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce)

mayonnaise

chopped chives or spring onions

2 tablespoons oil

(chili paste, oil or sauce, such as Taberu Rayu)

(pickled ginger)

Cut up the chicken breast into small cubes (1 cm x 1 cm). Season with salt and pepper, fry until golden brown and put aside.

In a big bowl combine the batter ingredients. Add the filling ingredients and adjust their amount (the mixture should be very thick, not liquid and the batter should only bind the ingredients together and not dominate them).

Heat one tablespoon oil in a frying pan or on a smooth grill (called teppanyaki grill or la plancha).

Put half of the okonomiyaki mixture in a more or less round-shaped heap (you can adjust it on the pan).

Flatten delicately the pancake, but not too much. Otherwise it might fall into pieces when you turn it over. (My okonomiyaki is max. 1,5 cm/about 1/2 inch high)

Cover the pan and let it fry at medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes until you see the upper part of batter set. If you use an old-fashioned pan (steel or iron), you might have to turn down the heat to the lowest because it might burn.

Flip the pancake over, cover once more and fry for another 5 minutes.

Repeat the same with the remaining batter mixture.

Serve topped with (I always do it in this order): okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, dried bonito flakes, chives (or spring onion) and chili sauce/oil or paste or anything you wish.

Thin Tonkatsu 豚カツ (Thin Japanese Breaded Pork)

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thintonkatsupj

When I try to explain, for the hundredth time, that sushi is not the daily fare of the huge majority of the Japanese and that my favourite, regularly eaten Japanese dishes are not based on raw fish, I usually get incredulous looks and am asked to give some examples. Apart from Korokke, Okonomiyaki, Oyakodon and Karaage, I always cite Tonkatsu. Even though this dish has obvious Western origins (“katsu” is a Japanised version of the word “cutlet” or “côtelette”), it is different from its European counterparts. When I am asked, often with a mocking smile, what is so special about it, I say without hesitation: panko and deep-frying.

For those who have never seen panko, these crunchy flakes made of flour and water are used in Japanese cuisine instead of Western bread crumbs. They are flaky, thin, much crunchier and much lighter after the frying process and, strangely, absorb less fat than traditional bread crumbs. As for deep-frying, it is quicker and gives less fatty results than the European shallow frying method (as long as the right oil temperature is maintained). After having shallow-fried breaded pork all my life, I was amazed to see the dramatical change obtained thanks to panko and deep-frying.

I started to prepare Tonkatsu before meeting Hiroyuki, Nami or Robert-Gilles, bloggers who are my main internet source and inspiration in Japanese cooking adventures. I do not even remember the exact recipe I used for the first time, but it was probably taken from one of the books I own. Every cook has of course his or her tips, but the basic tonkatsu preparation can be resumed in very short instructions. The thick cutlets are pounded, seasoned, dipped in flour, egg, panko and then deep-fried. Tonkatsu is served either on a “bed” of shredded cabbage, on top of a rice bowl or in a sandwich, usually with the equally famous commercial tonkatsu sauce. When I was in Tokyo I had a tonkatsu burger, the most delicious fast food treat I have ever tasted.

Even though I have always wanted to share with you my enthusiasm for this simple dish, it was left in the waiting list because my favourite, very thin tonkatsu is far from the traditional thick version. In my opinion very thin pork cutlets are lighter, crispier, quicker and easier to prepare (no need to pound them), but I had been convinced no one prepared them this way and I didn’t want to be accused of sacrilege.

Imagine my surprise when, last week, while browsing through my friend Nami’s older recipes (Just One Coobook), I saw a thin Tonkatsu version! I was pleasantly surprised to have had the same idea as such a renowned expert and this discovery has emboldened me to write about my version, in spite of the messy presentation and an unorthodox way to serve it. In fact, instead of the traditional tonkatsu sauce (see the TIPS) I most enjoy my tonkatsu with mayonnaise and thick crunchy chili oil sediments ( taken from my Taberu Rayu).

TIPS:

Deep-frying scares many people, but in my opinion it becomes very easy and quick with time. Everyone has different preferences of course, but the basic rule to observe is to make sure the food is completely dry before it’s fried (or breaded) to minimise the risk of oil splashes. Personally I prefer deep-frying in a small cooking pan (I have one which is only for deep-frying) using a small amount of oil. I also place the pan as far as possible from myself, just in case the oil splashes.

Deep-fried food should “swim” easily, so do not overcrowd the pan (otherwise the temperature becomes lower, the food fries slowly and absorbs more oil). I often have to cut mu pork slices in two, but they still taste great.

I am able to fry only one cutlet at a time. In order to make sure all the pork slices are hot when served, I place a baking dish in the oven at 100°C/212°F, line it with paper napkins and put there tonkatsu, one by one, until the whole frying process is finished.

Frying oil can be used as long as it doesn’t darken and is always filtered after each use (I usually throw it away after three times).

As I have mentioned above I serve my tonkatsu with mayonnaise combined with hot chili oil sediments (and sometimes with hot chili paste, such as Korean gochujang). The traditional tonkatsu sauce is available in Japanese grocery shops. Thanks to Hiroyuki’s kind advice (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking), I know it can be substituted with a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. I actually prefer now this home-made sauce because it is not as sweet as the commercial version.

If you want to see the very well explained and beautifully presented traditional thick Tonkatsu, hop to Nami’s blog.

A similar dish can be prepared with chicken breasts. Click here to see Nami’s Chicken Katsu recipe.

Preparation: about 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves two-three):

6 thin slices of pork loin (about 1/2 cm or about 1/4 in thick)

about 10 heaped tablespoons of panko

5 tablespoons wheat flour

1 egg, slightly beaten

salt, pepper

oil for deep-frying

tonkatsu sauce to serve (or a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce) or mayonnaise + thick chili paste or taberu rayu sediment

Season the pork slices with salt and pepper.

Preheat the oil for deep-frying.

Dust the pork slices with flour, dip them in the beaten egg and coat in panko, pressing so that the whole slice is covered.

Deep-fry them until golden, one by one (unless you have a very big frying dish), on both sides (it usually takes one minute per side).

Remove excess fat, placing the pork slices on paper towels.

Keep them in a warm oven (see the TIPS) until you finish frying all the slices.

Serve on rice or on shredded cabbage with tonkatsu sauce or with mayonnaise and chili paste (or chili oil sediment).

Fried Buckwheat Groats

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friedbuckwheatpj

Fried rice is the most extraordinary leftover meal I can imagine. It’s easy, quick, versatile and it often tastes better than the meal for which the rice was previously cooked. I had been convinced that nothing could replace good white rice here until I tried buckwheat groats. This experimental, fusion version of this popular Asian dish was a revelation.

Buckwheat grains/groats (sometimes called “kasha”, the word which in reality refers to “groats” in general and not necessarily buckwheat groats) are dried, slightly triangular seeds of a plant (Fagopyrum genus) which is not a grass, nor a cereal, even though it looks like one and is not related to wheat. They are very rich in protein, contain minerals, antioxydants, iron and are gluten free, so they can be consumed by people who don’t tolerate it or try to reduce it. Apart from all these healthy sides, buckwheat grows very quickly and easily. That is why it can be cultivated in cold climate and crops can be easily multiplied in hot regions. Buckwheat grains, in their roasted form, are widely consumed in certain Eastern and Central European cuisines (such as Russian, Polish or Ukrainian). In Japan, India or France, often only buckwheat flour is known (although the grain form called “soba gome” is sometimes also eaten in Japan). If you have ever had soba noodles or French “galettes” (savoury crêpes), then you are familiar with buckwheat flour. Japan produces also soba shochu (alcohol distilled from buckwheat seeds).

I grew up eating buckwheat much more often than rice. It was usually served with meat in sauce (it absorbs sauces in a marvellous way) and even though I have never disliked it, I felt I could happily live without it (I have certainly never seen it as wonder food, the way in which it is made popular now by nutritionists in many countries). Taste buds change with age and the older I get, the more often I crave buckwheat’s nutty, strong fragrance and its curious, partly crunchy, partly soft texture. I eat only roasted, light brown buckwheat groats and would strongly advise everyone to try this version first, because the roasting process gives them a unique nutty aroma and a slightly bitter – but pleasant – taste (see the TIPS).

Unlike white rice I always use, buckwheat groats are not overwhelmed by bold-tasting products, such as garlic, chili or smoked meat, and are absolutely irresistible with miso. The choice of ingredients in this dish was mainly dictated by the content of my fridge (just like it happens when I prepare fried rice), so feel free to put any meat, vegetables or spices you prefer. I have opted for a miso and garlic sauce, but a simple addition of soy sauce would work great here too. The below recipe should be treated only as an example of what can be added to fried buckwheat which is certainly a pleasant change for those who eat rice on a daily basis.

TIPS: In many countries, where buckwheat is not traditionally consumed (such as France or Switzerland) buckwheat grains are sold in health/organic shops often only in a “raw” dried form in which they have a pale greenish colour and bland taste. For me (and several buckwheat fans I know) such buckwheat is simply inedible (especially when you know how marvellous it becomes once roasted). To tell you the truth, the only time I bought such pale buckwheat groats, they ended up in the bin because I couldn’t force myself to eat them. You can apparently roast them on your own in a pan (I have never tried it though), but the best idea is to look for the brown, roasted groats sometimes also sold in organic shops and practically always available in Russian and Polish grocery shops.

If you don’t have miso, you can simply omit it. It is far from being obligatory.

Preparation: 20 minutes + about 40 minutes (buckwheat cooking time)

Ingredients (serves one):

80 g (about 1/2 cup) roasted buckwheat groats + 250 ml water + 1/2 teaspoon salt or 250 ml/1 cup leftover cooked buckwheat groats

1 small courgette

2 thick slices of smoked bacon or other smoked meat (I have used smoked pork loin)

1/2 small onion

1 chili pepper

1 egg

Garlic miso sauce:

1 flat tablespoon miso

1 garlic clove (grated or crushed)

1 teaspoon sake

1 tablespoon soy sauce

chili oil

sesame seeds

Cook the buckwheat:

Pour the water into a pan. Bring it to the boil, add the salt.

Throw the buckwheat grains into the pan, give them a stir and let them cook partially covered at medium heat for about ten minutes.

Lower the heat and let it simmer, this time completely covered, for about 5 more minutes.

Put the pan aside, leaving the cover on and leave the buckwheat for 15 minutes in a warm place.

Cooked buckwheat can be kept in a closed container in the fridge for several days and reheated in a microwave.

Combine the sauce ingredients.

Slice the onion and the chili pepper.

Cut the bacon and the courgette into bite-sized pieces.

Fry the onion in a heated pan with oil.

After 3-4 minutes add the chili pepper.

Fry it on medium heat for one minute.

Add the bacon and the courgette to the pan.

After 5 minutes, add the buckwheat and the miso sauce.

Stir-fry until the buckwheat is well heated.

In the meantime fry an egg in another pan.

Serve the fried buckwheat with a fried egg on top. I loved it with coriander leaves, toasted sesame seeds and a splash of chili oil.

Chicken and Myoga Skewers with Wasabi

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chickenmyogapj

Myoga will always have a special place in my heart because I fell under its spell during the first meal I had in Japan. Actually I ordered it accidentally in Morimoto, a fabulous Tokyo izakaya (a pub where food is served) specialising in skewers. I absolutely wanted to taste there the famous Japanese rare chicken breasts and these were skewered with myoga, then brushed with wasabi. I was obviously concentrated on the half-raw breasts, which proved extraordinarily tender and juicy, but myoga was a flavoursome bonus I didn’t expect at all. It was a perfect company for delicate chicken breasts and its combination with wasabi was a successful mixture of bold flavours and scents. I didn’t even dream that day being able to reproduce anything similar at home.

If you have never heard about myoga (茗荷), it’s a plant belonging to the ginger family (Zingiber mioga) and what you see above are its edible flower buds, which at first sight might be similar to French shallots (at least when skewered and grilled, served in a dark izakaya!). Myoga is popular in both Japan and Korea and, according to Wikipedia, its shoots are also eaten but I haven’t had the chance to taste them yet. Myoga buds can be eaten raw (shredded on rice or on tofu, as advised me Nami from Just One Cookbook, served in vegetarian sushi, according to Shizuoka Gourmet), but they are also excellent grilled and absolutely amazing when pickled. Myoga has a rather strong and complex aroma, but the flavour is surprisingly delicate. When pickled, it becomes bolder in taste and so irresistible, I could have pickled myoga every day with every single meal.

I have learnt at Shizuoka Gourmet blog that myoga contains vitamins B1, B2 and B6, helps stamina, digestion and is known in Japan since the IIIrd century as a medical plant. Combined with different food products it is said to prevent cancer, kidney diseases or combat ageing… In short, it’s a wonder food.

I regretted a lot I hadn’t brought any fresh myoga with me, so imagine my joy when I saw fresh myoga sold in my Japanese grocery shop! I didn’t even look at the price (luckily!) and snatched the last remaining bag. The humble-looking skewers you see above are my attempt to copy the excellent chicken skewers I had in Morimoto (of course I didn’t try to serve my chicken rare!; unless you live in Japan and have access to specially bred chickens, do not attempt it). Even though the skewers didn’t taste half as good as in Morimoto, I brushed them with freshly grated wasabi brought from Japan and it was one of the best meals I have ever had in my life. If you ever stumble upon myoga, I advise these skewers with a glass of good shochu on the rocks.

Talking about, wasabi, I have good news for those lucky people who live in UK! I have recently discovered the existence of Wasabi Company which grows… wasabi and which is located in Dorchester. They sell even single wasabi roots. Click here to see their website.

TIPS: If you have a garden you can try growing myoga which is apparently very resistant to low temperatures and easy to grow. I plan buying it next year and growing it on my balcony.

I don’t have a real grill, so I grilled these skewers (like most of my skewers) on a grill pan.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (for ten skewers):

2 chicken breasts skinned

10 myoga buds

salt

wasabi

(oil for the grill pan)

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

Cut the myoga buds in two vertically.

Skewer both ingredients, putting two myoga halves per skewer.

Season with salt.

(Brush the grill pan, if you use it, with oil and heat it.)

Grill on both sides until the meat is done. (If you use a grill pan, cover it when you grill the first side of skewers. When you turn them, grill without covering).

Served brushed with wasabi.

Shochu on the Rocks (Shochu Rokku) with Yuzu

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shochuyuzupj

If it wasn’t for the presence of the extraordinary yuzu, I would have never mentioned this simple – though excellent – drink I usually have with lime. Yuzu is an Asian citrus (shaped like a small grapefruit and either green or yellow depending on its ripeness) very popular in Japan, but quite difficult to get in Europe, apart from the bottled juice. It was one of the few food items I brought from my recent trip to Japan and also the one I was going to taste for the first time in my life. Since I had only two fruits, I promised myself to use them wisely. I knew that yuzu’s acid juice is often used as a seasoning in salads, but spicing up my weekend glasses of shochu (see below) with slices of this marvellous fruit seemed the wisest – and, frankly, more amusing – option.

I will not exaggerate if I tell you I was spellbound by the compelling aroma of yuzu’s zest. Instead of finishing my drink, I kept on inhaling its magnificent scent which has transformed my good old glass of shochu into a mysterious, sophisticated drink. I thought that this simple but elegant drink was a good excuse to share with you my discovery of fresh yuzu, but most of all to write once again about shochu, my favourite and most frequently drunk Japanese alcohol. (I have talked about it here, here and here)

I still consider shochu the most surprising alcohol discovery of my life because, honestly, I didn’t expect anything special. I have simply fallen in love with the first sip. I don’t know why it took me so many months to finally notice it in my favourite Japanese grocery, but the day I asked about shochu (I had read about it somewhere) I realised that its different brand and varieties filled at least a third of the alcohol shelves in my grocery shop. This is how my adventure began.

Shochu (焼酎) means “burning sake” (sake meaning generally alcohol) and has been produced in Japan since the XIVth century. It is distilled from different ingredients, such as barley, sweet potato, buckwheat, rice… Some shochu are also flavoured (my favourite are flavoured with shiso and… yuzu of course!). Its alcoholic content is usually between 20 – 25 %, but it can be stronger too. Apparently, the consumption of shochu has tripled since the 80s and is rising every year. It is no longer considered cheap alcohol for manual workers, it is produced with more care and some bottles reach very high prices. More and more Japanese women choose it because shochu has very few calories (35 kcal in 50 ml, which is almost 3 x less than vodka for example). Oh, and I would have forgotten to add it doesn’t end up with a hangover the following day, even drunk in big quantities! (This information was checked more than once…).

I think I love all the shochu types I have tasted: the often amber-coloured barley shochu, the nutty soba one (distilled from buckwheat), the subtle rice one or sweet potato shochu which is not sweet and which seems to be the most popular in Japan. Some shochu types (like barley for example) are reminiscent of good quality, single malt whisky, but in a subtler version. Luckily my two Japanese grocers vary the brands all the time, so I keep on discovering new bottles.

Shochu can be drunk alone, warm or cold. When it’s cold, it’s served on the rocks (“shochu rokku”) or in a “sour” (pronounced “sawa”): a weak cocktail with sparkling water and fruit juice or with sweet soda. My favourite way to drink it is on the rocks, especially in Japan where ice cubes are huuuuge and shochu stays cold for eternity without being diluted. At home I often add one or two slices of lime and sometimes just a bit of sparkling water. Of course, the better the bottle, the less you want to dilute it…

During my recent trip to Tokyo, among the glasses of shochu I had practically every night, one has left particularly vivid memories. It was an exceptionally strong barley schochu (40%) called Hundred Years of Solitude 百年の孤独 (Hyakunen no kodoku) and aged in wooden barrels. I will never forget the izakaya (pub) where with my Japanese friend we both enjoyed a glass of this fiery piece of art which seemed a subtler, mellower version of single malt whisky.

TIPS: There are two main types of shochu: produced with continuous distillation (kourui 甲類) and single distillation (otsurui 乙類) (thank you, Hiroyuki!). The latter is considered superior and above a certain price all the shochus are produced this way. The useful word to remember (and ask in a shop) is “honkaku” 本格. Apparently it means “genuine, classical method” and marks a good quality product (but not all the shochu bottles are marked this way, alas).

If you prefer a lighter cocktail with yuzu and shochu, check Nami’s (Just One Cookbook) Yuzu Sour cocktail recipe .

If you don’t have yuzu, you can of course prepare the same drink with lime.

Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

a generous splash of a more delicate, not aged shochu variety (I have had rice shochu here, but sweet potato shochu is a good option too)

two slices of yuzu

lots of ice

Put everything in a glass and enjoy.

(You can slightly squash the yuzu slices if you want).

I Love Japan

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Many of you have certainly noticed my passion for the Japanese cuisine and read more than once about my desire to visit Japan. I have been learning Japanese, dreaming of this magic, distant trip… Finally my dream has come true and a couple of weeks ago me and my husband had the chance to taste the marvels of the Japanese cuisine, most of the time guided by my gourmet Tokyo friend (who, like me, loves shochu, shopping and long city walks). As ridiculous as it may seem, I can affirm I love Japan after only one week spent in Tokyo. Apart from the amazing food, I was impressed by the Japanese politeness, the mutual respect, the dynamics, the flawless organisation, the cleanliness, the high standard of services, the feeling of safety at any time of day or night…. How could I not love the country where finally no one makes disgusted faces when I ask for chicken cartilage, where my favourite geso (squid legs) are often on the menu and where I am not the only adult who gets excited at a visit in the Moomin Café (see the photo above)! Paradoxically, my enchantment is the main reason why I have taken very few photos. In fact, I am one of these people who, faced with strong emotions and/or excitement simply forget to take out their camera and immortalise the moment… unless a kind soul reminds them they have such a thing in their bag. I hope you will forgive me the small number of photos and most of all their poor quality.

I thought I should start with you the most extraordinary gourmet moment since my discovery of foie gras. Imagine eating thick, hard snow infused with green matcha tea… This is the only way I could describe the experience I had while tasting shaved matcha ice cream for the first time in my life. The colour was so stunning, it seemed unreal, while the bitterness and grassy aroma of my beloved matcha were perfectly soothing on a humid and hot summer day. The balls you see around the ice were made of rice and were really delightful as well as the light green, “standard” matcha ice-cream portion (although they were largely shadowed by the huge mountain of shaved ice).

We had this matcha dessert in a small and very friendly tea shop in a quiet part of Chuo-ku. As a big matcha fan I couldn’t go away without drinking this gorgeous matcha ice tea. After the sweet dessert this bitter drink was a perfect thirst quencher and a real feast for the eyes. Having such a double matcha treat was an experience I hadn’t even dreamt of.

Talking about cafés and tea rooms, I couldn’t stop myself from showing you this box because it illustrates so well the Japanese ingenuity, practicality and care for the client’s comfort. As you see you can put there your handbag, shopping bags etc. instead of squashing them on your chair or leaving dirty on the floor (although floor in Japan never seems dirty!) and I have seen it in several cafés or tea rooms. Another thing I loved was the plastic film they put on shopping bags during rainy days so that the items you have bought as well as the paper bag stay dry. I have never seen either in any European country. Am I the only one under the charm?

Another marvellous taste experience I wanted to share with you is unaju (a dish of caramelised seasoned eel served on a “bed” of rice). As a child I have always loved eel, but all I had in Swiss restaurants were fishy-smelling, tiny portions of tasteless slabs of a fish vaguely recalling eel. My Japanese friend, who lives in Tokyo and who knew my fondness for eel, took me to an old an old, eel-serving restaurant. I have had there the best eel dish in my whole life (excuse me the unappetising photo). The eel was served in a lacquered box (jubako) with two things I tasted for the first time in my life: black miso soup and small slimey nameko mushrooms. Sprinkled with the Japanese sansho pepper, it was the most exquisite lunch during my whole trip (and also one of the best ones in my life).

Unfortunately I have no photos to prove it but Morimoto, the izakaya you see above, serves the best skewers in the world (at least among the several izakayas I have tested during my trip) and is the first place where I had a dinner in Tokyo. This is also the place where I have had a most unusual experience with rare chicken breasts. I still remember how surprised I was when I first read at Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog about rare chicken breasts served in good Japanese restaurants. Robert-Gilles (the blog’s author) also posted a fascinating article about the way certain chickens are bred in special hygienic conditions in order to be served half raw in total safety. Since then I promised myself I would taste rare chicken breasts during my first visit to Japan and I did. Slightly grilled, rare chicken breast smothered with freshly grated wasabi made me feel in heaven… It was so extraordinary I ordered them five times! (I knew I would never be able to taste them outside of Japan if it’s a good explanation of my gluttony). Thank you so much, Robert-Gilles! Without your enthusiasm and knowledgeable posts I would never know such a miracle existed. Apart from the sensational rare sasami (chicken breast), Morimoto serves succulent, state-of-the art tsukune (ground chicken skewers) and other delicacies I could have every single day for the rest of my life… I found the address of this and other great Tokyo izakayas in Izakaya: the Japanese Pub Cookbook by Mark Robinson, the book I have already mentioned (I have prepared several successful recipes from it, such as Ume Shiso Chicken Skewers or Chicken and Leek Skewers (Negima 葱鮪)) and strongly advise to all the Japanese cuisine fans.

Another experience I will never forget is the Japanese beef. I often mentioned that I am not a beef fan. When I say “meat” I think “chicken” or “pork” and apart from well made steak tartare I go crazy for, I never take beef in restaurants. After reading and hearing lots of enthusiastic stories, I started however to dream of tasting the famous wagyu. Our Japanese friend took as to an exquisite yakiniku (Korean-style grill) dinner. The restaurant, owned by a butcher guaranteed the highest quality and freshness of the meat and also offered a huge array of cuts. You will understand why I say I love Japan if I confess that during this evening, for the first time in my life, I preferred beef to pork!

Unfortunately the grilled beef disappeared too quickly and the above raw meat photo and the one I took outside are the only ones I have taken.

Oh, and this magnificent picture with beef cuts comes from the restaurant too! All I need to do is learn them by heart before my next trip to Japan and I will be ready to order in any yakiniku place

Takoyaki, the simple, unfussy dish par excellence, were also an obligatory item to taste. Takoyaki are fried balls, similar to doughnuts and filled with octopus. They are served in casual cheap shops and are as good as an octopus fan can imagine. The ones we had in a takoyaki-dedicated chain restaurant were simply perfect and I still regret that the takoyaki pan was too heavy to transport to Europe because I would love to experiment with this cute snack.

I could go on forever with the desriptions of other gourmet moments I had such as korokke (breaded pork) hamburger (my favourite hamburger in the world!), mentaiko onigiri (rice balls with spicy fish roe) or monjayaki (a close cousin of my beloved okonomiyaki), Japanese potato salad, stir-fried burdock, tiny fish (shirasu) I had every day for breakfast, fantastic sushi or different kinds of my beloved shochu ”rokku” I drank every night… The thing I have absolutely fallen in love with is myoga (see the Wikipedia link here), an aromatic flower bud from the ginger family which at first made me think of the European shallot, but which has an unequaled, complex flavour and which I am desperate to cultivate on my balcony if I ever find bulbs. The funniest thing is that I haven’t tasted even a tiny part of what I wished to, so there is plenty food to explore during my future trips to Japan.

Apart from the clothes and beauty products which probably do not interest the majority of my dear readers, I have brought home some cooking gadgets, such as a fish scaler:

or the tiniest mandolin I have ever seen:

or the tiniest, cutest ginger grater in the world:

Several bags of konnyaku jellies (my favourite grape flavour) were heavy and made me abandon many other planned buys, but I don’t regret at all. They are one of the most addictive sweet treats I have ever tasted and are now impossible to get in Switzerland. I don’t regret the excess luggage we had to pay!

Last but not least, I have also brought a wasabi root!

I you have any ideas how I could wisely use this extraordinary vegetable as well as the two yuzu fruits I have also brought, I would be extremely grateful. I already plan yuzu shochu cocktails for next weekend drinks and chicken skewers (of course well cooked!) seasoned with freshly grated wasabi.

To sum up, one week was not enough even for one city! I came back with a huge motivation to learn Japanese more intensely then ever and to go back to this amazing country as soon as possible. For me Japan is definitely not a country one visits only once (or even twice). Even though I plan to visit other regions (Shizuoka is on the top of my list and I regret not having been able to see it this time), as a big city fan, I find Tokyo highly addictive. I am already hungry for next trips and not only in the culinary sense of the word.

Hereby, I would like to thank my dear friend Nami from Just One Cookbook for her precious and kind advice concerning this last-minute trip.

Spring Rolls with Soba Noodles and Cucumber

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Still in a joyful mood as a recent Charles’s guest blogger, here I am, travelling far across the ocean, straight to MJ’s Kitchen. Fascinated by MJ’s Southern cuisine, so exotic and different from mine, and impressed by her meticulous approach to every single recipe and ingredient, I am very proud to guest post for her today and sincerely hope you will visit her beautiful blog.

Given my passion for the Asian cuisine, I was glad that MJ suggested it for today. The last hot sunny days are still there, so I have chosen to present you a recent snack discovery. It is a cross between Vietnamese and Japanese cuisine, driven by an inspiring recipe on a… Korean blog. It sounds a bit complicated, but in reality this four-ingredient recipe is quite quick and simple.

Vietnamese rice paper used to prepare the famous spring rolls is a versatile staple I enjoy every summer. It is easy to stock, it has a very long shelf life and filled with vegetable or meat leftovers, it can be transformed into delicious, light sandwich alternatives. Even though I experiment a lot with rice paper, I would have never thought of combining them with Japanese soba noodles (see below), if I hadn’t spotted Soba and Kimchi Rolls at Heart Mind and Seoul blog. The rolls looked delicious and the presence of soba noodles was particularly surprising and tempting. The day I decided to recreate this recipe I ran out of kimchi, so I decided to replace it with cucumber for a crunchy, fresh note.

These simple rolls proved one of these rare vegetarian (and even vegan) snacks in which, even as an avowed carni- and piscivore, I didn’t mind the absence of fish or meat. This was probably due to the fact that soba noodles have a high protein content and are quite filling. They are satiating, but not heavy thanks to the substantial amount of the cucumber and the light, hot dipping sauce. They are an excellent alternative to sandwiches and I have particularly appreciated them as an afternoon snack. Halved horizontally, they make original party finger food. For a more complete meal, I can imagine them as a side dish with grilled meat or fish. Thank you, Sook, for the inspiration!

Soba (蕎麦) means in Japanese both buckwheat and buckwheat noodles. Soba noodles have a nutty taste and a characteristic strong aroma and can be served in both hot and cold dishes, the latter being particularly popular in cooling summer dishes. They are popular in whole Japan, but are apparently particularly in Tokio. According to wikipedia, in the Edo period (from 1603 to 1868) the rich population of Edo (the ancient name of Tokio) who consumed only white rice, poor in thiamine (vitamin B1) the deficiency of which lead to beriberi. When it was discovered that soba was rich in thiamine, the Edo population started to consume it in big amounts.

Buckwheat is not only transformed into flour and consumed not only in Japan. In fact hulled and roasted buckwheat grains are very popular in several Central and Eastern European countries (Russia, Poland, Ukraine…). In France “gallettes” or savoury crêpes originating from Brettany region are also made with buckwheat flour. Belonging to the Fagopyrum genus, buckwheat is not a grass, nor a cereal, even though it looks like one. Its qualities are so numerous, it is surprising most of the Western countries never consume it. It is very rich in protein, minerals, antioxydants, iron and doesn’t contain any gluten, so can be consumed by people who don’t tolerate it. Moreover, buckwheat grows very quickly and easily. That is why it can be cultivated in cold climate and crops can be easily multiplied in hot regions. If you ever have the chance, taste buckwheat honey. It has an unforgettable aroma and taste.

TIP: Dried noodles called “soba” can be bought in Japanese grocery shops, but most of them contain a mixture of buckwheat and wheat flours, so check well the ingredients before buying. My favourite are 100% buckwheat soba (juwari 十割 or towari) because of their intense flavour and aroma, but some people find it too strong. Soba noodles are usually light brown, but they can also be green when mixed with green tea (cha soba) or seaweed (hegi soba) and light pink when flavoured with cherry (sakura soba).

Preparation: about 20 minutes

Ingredients (for 5 – 6 rolls):

6 rice paper sheets (22 cm/about 8,6 in. diameter)

50 – 60 g (about 2 oz.) soba noodles

1/2 big cucumber

2 – 3 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Dipping sauce:

5 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or less if using standard soy sauce)
1 tablespoon chili oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar

Cook the soba noodles for 3-4 minutes in boiling unsalted water (the time depends on the brand and the kind of noodles, so check the exact time on the package).

Drain the noodles with very cold water to stop them from further softening.

Cut the noodles in two (shorter noodles will be easier to use here) and put aside.

Prepare the cucumber cutting it in 6 cm sticks.

Fill a big wide bowl with warm (not hot) water.

Dip rice paper sheets one by one in the water, immersing them delicately so that you don’t break them.

As soon as the sheet softens (about ten – twenty seconds), put it onto a chopping board.

Place horizontally, about 5 cm/2 in. from the rice paper edge which is closest to you, a stack composed of noodles and cucumber pieces.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and roll tightly but delicately, starting from the edge which is closest to you.

Proceed in the same way with the remaining rolls.

Serve them immediately as they are or cut in two horizontally.

If you wish to serve them later, wrap them individually in cling film because they dry out very quickly.

Shiso and Bacon Fried Rice

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This is not ordinary fried rice, but a delightful example of the Japanese excellence in simplicity. Few humble ingredients, quick and easy preparation, subtle seasoning and a sensational result. Even though I have prepared it at least a dozen times this summer, each time I take a first bite I am astounded by the flavours’ complexity and perfect choice of ingredients. I have found this wonderful recipe on Humble Bean blog, a source of refined, but unpretentious Japanese dishes, where I have also discovered the unequaled Tomato and Shiso Salad, my staple during the whole tomato season. Thank you, Azusa, for another extraordinary shiso dish idea.

Shiso (紫蘇) or perilla is a herb widely used in both Korean and Japanese cuisines. I am addicted to its herbaceous, slightly bitter flavour and its strong aroma and apart from the above mentioned salad, you might have seen here some other delicious ways to use it. I know some of you either don’t know shiso or have difficulties in finding it, or both. For those who don’t have nearby Japanese or Korean grocers, I have good news: shiso can also be found in Vietnamese shops (the one I buy is imported from Thailand). Those who cannot find a Vietnamese grocer either, can prepare this simple, but surprisingly flavourful meal using any other herb which supports well warm dishes and which is strong enough to face the powerful scent and flavour of smoked bacon. I haven’t tried it yet, but I have some replacement ideas if anyone is interested.

I have modified the original recipe, stripping this dish of the scrambled egg (after numerous meals, I realised I preferred it either “pure” or with a fried egg on top with a runny yolk) and slightly modifying the proportions. Click here to see Azusa’s exact recipe.

Talking about bacon… I wanted to share with you something I never get tired of (and believe me, I have watched it more than once), with a special dedication to all the bacon fans:

Now you know one of my biggest secrets: Ron Swanson is my idol and role model.

TIPS: One day old rice gives here the best results (or even two days’ old according to Azusa), but definitely not freshly cooked rice. If you don’t have one day old rice, cook eat several hours beforehand, leave it to cool down and refrigerate for at least one-two hours.

Very cold rice might be difficult to break into grains, so I always microwave it just before adding to the wok. Warm rice is easier to incorporate.

Azusa says this dish is particularly good with brown rice. Since I’m not a big fan of it, I haven’t tried this version yet, but if you like brown rice, it’s worth remembering.

Preparation: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

150 g (about 4 oz) cooked rice (the best one is leftover from the day before, but it has to be at least cooked several hours beforehand and refrigerated)

1/2 small onion

2 thin strips of smoked bacon

5 big shiso leaves

1/3 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sake

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more if using low-salt soy sauce)

freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon sesame oil (to add at the end)

(salt)

(1 egg)

Cut up the bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Fry it until crispy.

Put aside on paper towels.

Slice the onion and fry it with ginger until the onion softens.

Warm the rice in a microwave (it will help to separate the grains).

Add the rice to the onion and stir-fry, separating the grains for about 30 seconds.

Add the bacon, the sake, the soy sauce and stir-fry until everything is hot.

(If the bacon is not very salty, you might need to add salt. Do not exaggerate with soy sauce, which might destroy the balance of flavours).

Finally add the shiso cut into thin strips, sprinkle with ground pepper, pour some sesame oil, stir well everything until shiso warms up and serve.

You can fry an egg and serve it on top or incorporate it in the middle of frying process (see Azusa’s instructions).

Kyuuri no Kyuuchan (Pickled Cucumber with Soy Sauce and Ginger)

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Kyuri no kyu chan (きゅうりのキューちゃん) is brand name of extremely popular Japanese cucumber pickles. I’m always thrilled at the idea of reproducing a famous factory made product at home (I still keep on preparing my own Taberu Rayu, a Japanese thick chili oil), so when I saw the recipe on Hiroyuki’s blog on Japanese cooking, I knew I would try it soon. This first test was particularly exciting since I have never actually tasted the original pickles. I have no comparison, but Hiroyuki’s home version, slightly modified and prepared with big, long Western cucumbers turned out delicious.

Unlike Western strong pickles, Japanese style pickles (tsukemono) have a low acidity level, are more or less sweet (sometimes too sweet for my taste) and, unless store-bought, they belong to short-term preserves; as such they have to be kept in the fridge. The low acidity is sometimes a nice change from stronger European pickles which cannot be served at every meal. The sweetness level of many Japanese dishes is however often too high for me, so I have slightly reduced here the sugar amount. I have also used low-salt soy sauce (Hiroyuki said they were very salty). I was very happy with the result and found these pickles addictive. They were so delicate and versatile, I had them with every single meal (breakfast too). Moreover, I was astounded by the incredible taste of the pickled ginger strips. They were supposed to be only a part of cucumbers’ seasoning, but I enjoyed fishing them out and eating separately. My next batch will be bigger and I will certainly add more ginger. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for this excellent recipe!

If you find yourself with a big batch of cucumbers, I strongly recommend trying the incredibly easy and particularly flavoursome Cucumber Kimchi:

cucumberkimchip

or the Moomins’ Cucumber Salad I posted last year and have been putting into jars this weekend:

Preparation: 15 minutes + 12 hours

Ingredients:

2 Japanese cucumbers or 1 big long Western cucumber

1 tablespoon fresh ginger slivers

1 tablespoon sugar

100 ml (about 3,4 oz) low-salt soy sauce

50 ml (about 1,7 oz) rice vinegar

toasted sesame seeds

Cut the cucumbers into 1 cm (about 1/2 in) slices and if they are big, cut the slices in two.

Put the sugar, the soy sauce and the vinegar in a pan. Bring to the boil.

Add the cucumbers and the ginger strips. Let them simmer for 2 minutes.

Put aside and once cooled, refrigerate them overnight.

Serve sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds.

Shiso and Garlic Infused Soy Sauce

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Nami (Just One Cookbook) posted this recipe a long long time ago and I made it shortly afterwards. I loved this aromatic sauce at once and must have prepared it at least a dozen times since then. I intended to write about it much earlier, but somehow kept on forgetting to take a photo. I cannot say I’m happy about this one, but I didn’t want to wait any longer to share my impressions with you and to thank Nami for this surprising discovery, which has become a staple in my house.

As the title says, the recipe calls only for the garlic, the shiso and the soy sauce. They are simply assembled, put into a jar or a container and wait in the fridge for 24 hours. After a couple of days the leaves can be exchanged for fresh ones, the soy sauce added and thus this short-term preserve can be refilled and used for about three weeks. These few ingredients create a surprisingly good and complex sauce, which is a real delicacy for fans of garlic an shiso.

Shiso (紫蘇) or perilla, is widely used in both Korean and Japanese cuisines and you have probably seen it on my blog. I am mad for its herbaceous, slightly bitter flavour and its strong aroma and can no longer imagine many of my meals without it. Here it has largely contributed to the complexity of flavours and gave this sauce a very original, fresh touch. This sauce is quite versatile. It can be used as a light dip for deep-fried dishes, added to fried rice, as a stir-fry seasoning and I even pour it on steamed rice instead of the standard soy sauce (I’m one of those Europeans who almost always add soy sauce to rice…). Thank you, Nami, for this wonderful and easy recipe. (Click here to see Nami’s original post).

Shiso is in full season now, so in case you look for some other ideas, here are some of my previous recipes using this fabulous herb:

Tomato and Shiso Salad

Chicken and Shiso Balls

Chicken and Shiso Dumplings

Ume Shiso Chicken Skewers

Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura

Teriyaki Pork Rolls with Sweet Pepper, Shiso and Gochujang

TIP: Shiso is available in Japanese and Korean grocery shops, but I was surprised to find it in a Vietnamese shop and quickly noticed they have it almost every day in stock, so do check all the Asian grocers in your city.

Preparation: 5 minutes+at least 24 hours in the fridge

Ingredients:

10 big shiso leaves

3 cloves garlic, chopped

soy sauce (enough to cover the ingredients; I usually add 125 ml or 1/2 cup)

Put the garlic and the shiso leaves in a jar or a plastic container.

Cover with soy sauce. Close tightly and leave for at least 24 hours before tasting.

When the leaves become very dark, you can exchange them for new ones.

You can also keep on filling the container with more soy sauce.

Such a “renewal” can last for about three weeks.

Matcha and Coconut Cream with Agar

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I am thrilled whenever I discover a simple recipe which is versatile enough to be modified eternally. Savoury recipes are of course much easier to fiddle with, but sometimes I find real versatile gems among the sweet ones too and the Coconut Cream I first prepared with Canned Peaches slowly proves to be one of them. Some of you might remember it was my first successful dessert prepared with agar (also called agar-agar or kanten), a gelling agent made with seaweed. The satisfying result encouraged me to carry on with agar experiments, but I must admit I didn’t suspect that the coconut cream would be versatile. Luckily I was wrong and the Light Chocolate and Coconut Cream, based on the same recipe, turned out a pure delight. Ping’s (Ping’s Pickings) gorgeous Mango Coconut Cream is another wonderful twist on this basic combination and even though I haven’t tasted it, I can well imagine how fabulous are the flavours.

The matcha version you see above has been on my mind for many weeks, but I hesitated. Matcha (抹茶), the Japanese powdered green tea, is one of the most fascinating products, but apart from successful outcomes (see below), I have experienced at least the same number of total failures, realising this is a particularly unpredictable ingredient. I haven’t made any web research about coconut and matcha pairing, so I had no idea if my experiment was risky or not, but I gave it a go and, as you have probably guessed, it was a big success.

First of all this cream is perfect for hot summer days. It is light and extremely cooling, thanks to the matcha’s subtle bitterness. Even though matcha’s flavours dominated, coconut cream was still discernible and I found the combination harmonious. Just like the above creams, the texture of this one was closer to a thick yogurt rather than a thick jelly and the preparation was quite easy (although this time, due to matcha’s dissolving issue, the cream had to be passed through a sieve). I highly recommend this dessert, but only to the fans of matcha’s unique, slightly bitter, “grassy” flavour or of course to those who are willing to discover it.

In case you are interested in matcha experiments, here are some other matcha desserts I have posted and enjoyed:

Matcha Crème Brûlée

Light Matcha Cream

Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles

Matcha, White Chocolate and Oat Truffles

Do not wait until the cream becomes cold before pouring it into individual serving dishes because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!

Preparation: 15 minutes + 2-3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4 – 5):

250 ml/about 1 cup coconut milk

250 ml/about 1 cup cow milk

4 flat tablespoons sugar (as a fan of moderately sweet desserts I used two flat tablespoons)

1/3 flat teaspoon agar agar in powder

2 tablespoons matcha (heaped, if you are addicted to its grassy, bitter flavour)

(more matcha or dessicated coconut for decoration)

Mix the coconut milk, the cow milk and the matcha in a food processor.

Dissolve the sugar and agar-agar in the above mixture. Bring to boil on low heat and, constantly stirring, let it simmer for about a minute.

If matcha isn’t completely dissolved, pass it through a fine sieve and then bring back to boil. Boil for another minute.

Put aside.

Prepare four individual bowls or low glasses.

Pour the hot mixture into the individual bowls (agar sets at room temperature, so the cream’s temperature should be higher before it is poured; make sure it is not too hot and doesn’t break the bowls or glasses though). Let it cool down to room temperature and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve very cold sprinkled with coconut or more matcha.

Bacon and Shiso Fried Rice

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baconshisoricep

Talking about bacon… I wanted to share with you something I never get tired of (and believe me, I have watched it more than once), with a special dedication for all the bacon fans:

Now you know one of my biggest secrets: Ron Swanson is my idol and role model.

Very cold rice might be difficult to break into grains, so I always microwave it just before adding to the wok. Warm rice is easier to incorporate.

Azusa says this dish is particularly good with brown rice. Since I’m not a big fan of it, I haven’t tried this version yet, but if you like brown rice, it’s worth remembering.

Preparation: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

150 g (about 4 oz) cooked rice (the best one is leftover from the day before, but it has to be at least cooked several hours beforehand and refrigerated)

1/2 small onion

2 thin strips of smoked bacon

5 big shiso leaves

1/3 teaspoon finely chopped fresh ginger

1 teaspoon sake

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or more if using low-salt soy sauce)

freshly ground pepper

1 teaspoon sesame oil (to add at the end)

(salt)

(1 egg)

Cut up the bacon into bite-sized pieces.

Fry it until crispy.

Put aside on paper towels.

Slice the onion and fry it with ginger until the onion softens.

Warm the rice in a microwave (it will help to separate the grains).

Add the rice to the onion and stir-fry, separating the grains for about 30 seconds.

Add the bacon, the sake, the soy sauce and stir-fry until everything is hot.

(If the bacon is not very salty, you might need to add salt. Do not exaggerate with soy sauce, which might destroy the balance of flavours).

Finally add the shiso cut into thin strips, sprinkle with ground pepper, pour some sesame oil, stir well everything until shiso warms up and serve.

You can fry an egg and serve it on top or incorporate it in the middle of frying process (see Azusa’s instructions).

Chicken and Aubergine in Garlic Miso Sauce

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Miso has made me fall in love with the aubergine. For long years I used to associate the aubergine with, certainly good, but fat dripping and soaked in oil dishes. Then I started to explore the Japanese cuisine, discovering miso /see below/ and pairing it with the aubergine. The first time I tasted this combination, it blew me away. Since then I kept on playing with it in different stir-fried, grilled or simmered dishes and it has always confirmed my first impression of miso as the perfect aubergine flavours’ enhancer.

This simple stir-fry is only an example of my frequent use of aubergine these days. The slightly sweetish miso and garlic sauce proved a successful experiment (inspired by the excellent Garlic Miso Chicken Breasts, a modified version of Nami’s Garlic Miso Chicken Wings). I usually add garlic earlier, but I have recently learnt from Korean cuisine, how different and refreshing it tastes is when added crushed at the end of the cooking process. It worked perfectly well here too, slightly spicing up the mellow aubergine, creamy miso and the delicate chicken breast.

For those who don’t know miso (味噌), it is a thick fermented soybean paste and it has three main colour types: white (shiromiso), red (akamiso), black (kuromiso), and also mixed miso (awasemiso). In general, the lighter the colour, the more delicate the taste. There are myriads of different misos, depending on the brand, the ingredients, the region… Miso is very healthy, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. It is however important to choose it with a lesser amount of salt, otherwise it is no longer very healthy and may be difficult to cook (the miso’s coulour doesn’t have anything to to with its saltiness, my black miso being the least salty of all). Miso soup is usually the first dish in which foreigners discover this Japanese staple, but it can be used in different simmered and stir-fried dishes. Korean doenjang is similar to miso and Chinese cuisine also has its fermented soybean paste versions. I find miso’s flavour highly addictive, probably because it is rich in the umami, or fifth taste, made famous by a Japanese professor.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

1 big chicken breast (or two small)

2 medium aubergines (they shrink while fried)

salt, pepper

Sauce:

2 tablespoons miso

2 tablespoons sake

1 tablespoon syrup (I used agave syrup)

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if using low-sodium soy sauce)

2 cloves garlic, grated or crushed

Cut up the chicken breast into bite sized pieces. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.

Slice the aubergines and then cut the slices into quarters.

Combine all the sauce ingredients. Put aside.

Heat two tablespoons oil in a pan.

Fry the chicken until it is half cooked.
Than add the aubergine and stir-fry until the aubergine is cooked.

At the end add the miso sauce and heat for about 30 seconds.

Serve with rice.

Homemade Pickled Ginger (Gari ガリ)

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garip

A very funny thing happened to me about a week ago (my Asian friends will laugh their socks off now!). I went to my Asian grocery shop, took some shiso, some lemongrass, sweet thai basil and – at least that is what I thought I took – a package of galangal. When I came back home I looked closely at my galangal and it seemed a bit different… Then I read on the label it was actually young ginger. You might think I was angry, disappointed or both, but not at all! Not only was I happy to have young ginger, but actually instantly knew what to do with it.

As a notorious preserver and pickler I repeat my favourite recipes year by year, but also constantly look for new ideas, so when I saw Pickled Ginger in Street Café. Japan by Emi Kazuko, I made it straight away. The recipe called for fresh ginger and I didn’t understand at first that “fresh” meant young, cream-coloured bulbs without the hard brown skin. Needless to say, my experiment with “standard” ginger was a bit disappointing and when I finally realised after some web research what the problem was, I assumed I will never be able to make this delicious pickle at home because I had never seen young ginger anywhere in my city. Imagine my joy when only after a couple of weeks I realised I was actually able to buy it in my favourite Asian grocery shop!

I have slightly modified the original recipe . Moreover, apart from the short-term, “fridge” pickled ginger (will keep up to three months apparently), I have also prepared a second batch of long-term, Western-style processed pickles (the only difference is that I processed the jars in boiling water). I will be updating this post to report about the changes (if there are any) throughout the year. The pickling liquid in both jars has taken on a slightly pink hue (alas the ginger colour hasn’t almost changed at all, maybe because I used cider vinegar) and the fridge version turned up exactly as I wanted it to be: refreshing, slightly crunchy, but still soft, not too sweet and without the “soapy” aftertaste I sometimes find in store-bought pickled ginger. It wasn’t as soft as the store bought pickled ginger, but it didn’t really bother me. Apparently young ginger is in season until the end of summer, so I hope I can prepare more of these pickles.

UPDATE: After several months the long-term pickled ginger (processed in boiling water and stored in my pantry) tastes even better!

TIP: If you plan long-term pickles, change slightly the amounts and do not add water (see the ingredients’ list below)

Special equipment: a mandolin to slice the ginger

Preparation: 40 – 50 minutes + at least 24 hours before tasting

Ingredients (yields at least 1 x 300 ml/ 10 oz jar; if you prepare long-term pickles, prepare 1 more small jar just in case):

150 g fresh, young ginger, peeled

2 tablespoons sea salt

125 ml (1/2 cup) rice vinegar (I have used 4,5 % cider vinegar, simply because I have several bottles in stock; use 250 ml/1 cup vinegar if you prepare long-term pickles)

60 ml (about 1/4 cup) water (for long-term pickles I have skipped water)

60 ml (about 1/4 cup) white sugar (for long-term pickles I used 90 ml/ about 0,4 cup sugar)

1 teaspoon salt

Cut up the ginger into knobs and then, using a mandolin, cut each knob lengthwise into paper-thin slices (lengthwise direction is very important!).

Rub the ginger with salt and put aside for 3 hours (the ginger will soften).

Rinse the ginger, pat dry and put into a jar.

Bring to boil the vinegar, the sugar, the salt and the water, if you prepare short-term pickles.

Pour the hot (not boiling) mixture over the ginger, close the jar.

Leave it to cool down and then refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

It can stay in the fridge for three months.

If you prepare long-term pickles, place the cooled jars into a big pan, bottom lined with an old kitchen towel folded in two (this will prevent the jars from breaking), cover up with hot – but not boiling- water to the level just below the lid. Bring to boil and keep on a very low heat, in simmering water, for around 15 minutes.

Stick on self-adhesive labels, write the name of the pickle and don’t forget to mark the date.

These will keep for at least a year in your pantry. I will update this post saying if the ginger taste changes.

NOTE (concerns only the long-term pickles): For the readers who live in the USA, the USDA-approved canning method is different. You can find it described here: http://www.uga.edu/nchfp/publications/uga/using_bw_canners.html

Spring Rolls with Surimi Crab Sticks, Avocado and Lettuce

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Despised by many people, surimi crab sticks (or imitation crab sticks) are one of the rare processed products I regularly buy. They are the lightest snack I can imagine, have a long shelf – or rather fridge – life, they are easy and quick to use in salads, maki sushi and are quite enjoyable if paired with certain ingredients. There is also a question of brand because imitation crab can easily become awful. Among all the French brands I have tested, only one (Coraya) is edible. In short, I stick to one brand, I don’t expect too much from surimi sticks and they never disappoint me.

I often use surimi crab sticks in maki sushi and this was the first time I tested them in spring rolls. When a couple of days ago I saw A_Boleyn’s appetising Shrimp Summer Rolls, I thought I should write about my rolls which, apart from rice sheets, are completely different from hers. I left out glass noodles and even though I haven’t followed any recipe, I must have been influenced by the Japanese Nama Harumaki, raw spring rolls containing lettuce. The rolls were really good and refreshing, not as filling as the traditional ones (with glass noodles), but perfect as a light meal or snack or why not a breakfast on a hot summer day. Since they contain already mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco, they do not necessarily need any additional dipping sauce, but a simple mixture of low-sodium soy sauce, chili oil and vinegar is the best option for me.

TIP: Do not use bitter lettuce here (I used here my favourite “rougette” with slightly violet leaves, but the international iceberg would be perfect too)

Preparation: 15-20 minutes

Ingredients (10 rolls):

10 (22 cm or 8 3/4 in) rice paper sheets

10 small lettuce leaves (or 5 big leaves, halved);

1 avocado

10 surimi/imitation crab sticks

1/2 big cucumber

mayonnaise

Worcestershire sauce

Tabasco

Cut both the avocado and the cucumber into thick strips.

Remove the thick and tough parts of lettuce leaves (they might tear the delicate rice sheets).

Fill a big wide bowl with warm (not hot) water.

Dip rice paper sheets one by one in the water, immersing them delicately so that you don’t break them.

As soon as the sheet softens ( after about ten – twenty seconds), put it onto a big chopping board.

Place first a lettuce leaf, horizontally (at the edge which is closest to you), then cucumber strips, avocado strips, some mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco and a crab stick. You should aim at approximately 9cm/3,5 in long roll.

Roll tightly starting from the edge which is closest to you.

Proceed in the same way with the remaining rolls.

Serve them immediately as they are or cut in two horizontally.

If you wish to serve them later, wrap them individually in cling film because they dry out very quickly.

Teriyaki Pork Rolls with Sweet Pepper, Shiso and Gochujang

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First I saw Hiroyuki’s Pork and Radish Rolls, then Kelly posted her Sticky Pork Ribs… Not only have I started to crave pork, but most of all, I realised it has been ages since I wrote about a pork dish. As you might have noticed I am a big pork fan. Most of the meat dishes posted on my blog call for pork and even though I eat much more chicken, it illustrates my affection for this animal, which until recently had been receiving a lot of bad press. You might have also noticed how enthusiastic I have become with Japanese- and Korean-style meat rolls stuffed with vegetables. The meat I choose most often is of course pork (I have wrote about Okra Teriyaki Pork Rolls, Potato Teriyaki Rolls, Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls, Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura). I cannot think of a more amusing way to prepare and to have meat and vegetables in one dish. I have such rolls for lunch, as a snack, dinner and it’s great finger food at a party. This is a new combination idea I had last week.

Since I had a huge bunch of shiso (see below), I thought it might be a good idea to pair it with bell pepper (hot pepper was excellent in the Korean Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura). I usually coat pork rolls with teriyaki glaze, but this time I longed for a fiery meal and added gochujang (slightly sweet Korean chili pepper paste) to my teriyaki glaze. Gochujang, shiso, pork and pepper combination turned out perfect. While the previously posted Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls had a spring character, these seemed suitable for hot summer days.

For those who don’t know shiso, or perilla (lat. Perilla frutescens), it’s a herb used in Japan (紫蘇) and Korea (ggaennip, 깻잎), although the Korean variety is apparently slightly different. It is usually sold as a bunch of rather big leaves, similar to nettle leaves in shape (see the leaf on the photo). I buy my shiso in a Vietnamese grocery shop and I suppose it is used in other Asian countries. They are either green either slightly violet. The taste is astringent and the smell quite strong, but not as overwhelming as for example coriander. Shiso can be used raw or cooked.

If you don’t like this pepper filling idea, here are other pork rolls I have written about:

-Okra Teriyaki Pork Rolls

-Potato Teriyaki Rolls

-Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls

-Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura

TIPS: Of course in this recipe any herb of your choice can be used, as long as it supports well the frying/grilling process (I would recommend green onions, coriander or Thai sweet basil).

Pork rolls (raw) can be prepared the day before, stored in the fridge and fried just before serving.

Preparation : 40 – 45 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2 – 3):

12 -15 thin pork slices (max. 3 mm thick)

1 big bell pepper (or another variety of sweet pepper)

12-15 big shiso leaves (or more if they are small)

flour

salt, pepper

oil

Teriyaki glaze with gochujang:

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

3 tablespoons sake

1 heaped tablespoon gochujang (or less if you gochujang is particularly hot – mine is medium hot – or if you don’t like very hot dishes)

Cut the bell pepper into thin strips (cut them in two horizontally if they are very long; their length should be adapted to the size of pork slices, so that they do not stick out too much).

Season slightly the pork slices with salt and pepper.

Prepare the shiso leaves.

Place the pork slice on a cutting board, seasoned side up. Put one or more shiso leaves to cover most of the surface.

Put 3 pepper strips at one end of the pork roll.

Roll it tightly and put aside.

Do the same with all the pork strips.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Dust the pork rolls with flour and fry (sealed side down), covered on a medium heat until they are well browned (it will take about 15 minutes).

Combine the teriyaki sauce ingredients and heat them in a small pan or in a microwave.

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the rolls and make sure they are well coated.

Let the sauce thicken for about one minute.

Transfer the rolls to a plate and garnish with the remaining sauce.

Hot & Cold Rice Bowl with Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber

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This dish is one of the main reasons why I always prepare a bigger batch of rice, making sure I will have leftovers the following day. It has started as an accidental, “what-I-find-in-the-fridge” meal, but has quickly become one of the most frequent and most comforting meals. I have it for breakfast, for lunch, as a snack and for dinner; at any time of the day and in any season, since I practically always have avocado, cucumber and shrimp in stock. I still remember the first time I made this bowl. I just needed something quick and light, but filling and I didn’t suspect it would become a staple.

For me shrimp, avocado and cucumber have always been a winning trio, but I suppose I took this bowl idea from the maki sushi I have been making for quite a long time (click here to see Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber Maki), so this bowl is almost a kind of deconstructed version of these. If I bothered to use freshly steamed and then seasoned rice, this bowl would be called “chirashi sushi” (scattered sushi). Since it’s basic, one day old, unseasoned rice, I simply call it a rice bowl.

Even though I post this dish only now, I think I must have made it at least 50 times with exactly the same ingredients. Over the months (or rather years) I gradually added some important details and modifications. The thing I absolutely adore is microwaving the rice until it’s hot and topping it with very cold ingredients, taken straight from the fridge. Somehow the contrast is very pleasant. The seasonings play also an important role here: mayonnaise, Tabasco or chili oil, Worcestershire sauce and toasted sesame seeds have become obligatory items. I find the combination of all these ingredients simply perfect (or rather perfectly adapted to my tastebuds).

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves 1):

one portion leftover rice

1/2 avocado

1/4 big cucumber or 1/2 small one

7-8 medium shrimps

mayonnaise

Worcestershire sauce

toasted sesame seeds

Tabasco or chili oil

Boil some water in a pan and cook the shrimps for a couple of minutes until they change their colour.

Put them quickly in cold water. Shell them and devein them.

Cut the cucumber and the avocado into bite-sized pieces.

Heat the rice in a microwave. Place it in a bowl.

Cover the rice with avocado, cucumber and shrimps.

Add some mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce and Tabasco or chili oil.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds and enjoy.

Chawan Mushi (茶碗蒸し), or Egg Custard with Shrimp and Peas

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Beautiful, uncomplicated, healthy, nourishing and luscious. Most of you will not be surprised if I add it is a Japanese dish I’m talking about. On the other hand, those who associate Japanese cuisine with sushi, seaweed and miso soup, would certainly be in awe if they tasted Chawan Mushi, one of the most universally enjoyable Japanese dishes.

Chawan Mushi (茶碗蒸し) was the first recipe I made from “The Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art” by Shizuo Tsuji. I was offered it a year and half ago, but I still consider this as the most extraordinary cookery book in my life (actually, apart from testing more than a dozen recipes I have read this book at least three times!). As soon as I prepared my first Chawan Mushi, I posted it, but when, later, I saw the gorgeous Chawan Mushi on Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook), I felt really ashamed and quickly deleted my hideous photo together with the text. I have completely forgotten to repost it, even though I prepared this dish regularly. Yesterday, I finally felt brave enough to take new shots and even though it might not be the best-looking Chawan Mushi, I decided to present you once more this extraordinary dish.

Chawan Mushi belongs to the mushimono (蒸し物), or steamed Japanese dishes family, and could be described as a seasoned stock and egg mixture combined with different ingredients. It is served hot or cold depending on the weather and preferences. The most popular version seems to include, among others, shrimp and mushrooms, but Shizuo Tsuji affirms that the savoury egg custard basis is the only obligatory part of this dish and modifications are more than welcome. I have already made Chawan Mushi with different ingredients and it was excellent every single time because the basic mixture is quite versatile. It can also be served practically at any time of the day: for breakfast, with a green salad for a light lunch, as a starter or as a light, but nourishing snack. Since sweet peas start to appear on the markets, I thought they would look nice in the yellow custard, combined with shrimp. In fact, not only did they look nice, but, most of all, they this Chawan Mushi tasted great served both hot and cold.

TIPS: Even though Chawan Mushi is easier to prepare in a steamer, Shizuo Tsuji’s suggestion to use a water bath in the oven gives excellent results. Actually this is the way I prepare it because my steamer is too low for my heatproof cups.

If you don’t have a nearby Japanese grocery shop, individual, but high heatproof cups may be difficult to get. I have found very good ones at IKEA (even though without lids).

Mitsuba is the traditional herb served with Chawan Mushi (it is usually steamed on the top of the custard), but you can add any herb of your choice, but if you’re not sure how it will taste baked, sprinkle the dish with it just before serving. (Chives are a very good option).

Special equipment:

individual heatproof cups (at least 6 cm high, mine were 6,5 cm high,with a 7,5 cm diameter)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Ingredients (4 portions):

15 medium shrimp (deveined, shelled and boiled)

200 g green peas (fresh or frozen), blanched

mitsuba leaves or another herb of your choice, such as chives

Custard:

2 eggs

300 ml dashi (Japanese stock) or chicken stock

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon mirin

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 220°C (or prepare your steamer).

Divide the shrimp and the green peas equally into five heatproof cups.

Put mitsuba leaves on top (click here to see how Nami ties them in a cute traditional way).

Boil a lot of water and prepare a big baking dish at least as high as the heatproof cups.

Mix the eggs very delicately in a bowl. In another bowl combine the dashi (or chicken stock), salt, mirin and soy sauce. Pour the stock mixture over the eggs and stir well, without beating. Strain it and pour into the garnished cups. Cover the cups with aluminium foil or the lids if you have special cups with lids.

Place the cups in a big baking dish. Fill the dish with hot water (not boiling). The water should arrive up till 3/4 of the cups’ height.

Put the dish in the oven and let the custards bake for 30 minutes.

If you use a steamer, steam for about 20 minutes.

If you use chives, sprinkle chawan mushi with them just before serving.

Serve hot or cold with bread/toast for breakfast, with a salad for a lunch, as a snack or as a starter.

You may serve it with soy sauce to pour over the custard. Personally I think it is not necessary.

Even though the eggs’ mixture sets during the cooking process, the mushrooms or other vegetables might release juices, so think about putting a spoon on the table!

Maki Sushi with Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber

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makishrimpp

Maki sushi is one of the staples in my house. I make sure I always have nori seaweed sheets, Japanese rice is my recent addiction, so I never run out of it, so I season it and then simply fill the rolls with whatever I find in the fridge. They make a perfect lunch, dinner, afternoon tea snack, they are great served at a party or at a picnic. Even though it is worldwide known the rolls should be freshly prepared, I love having the leftover maki for breakfast, taken straight out of the fridge and dipped in soy sauce (I know my Japanese friends will be outraged reading it, but I don’t even mind the chewy seaweed and hard rice). Apart from miso soup this is also the most soothing hangover morning meal I know. Contrary to the popular belief, if raw fish is not used, maki sushi make one of the cheapest meals I can think of (at least in Switzerland, where all the basic ingredients are available and not expensive).

The reason why I rarely post about these rolls is that dexterity is not my good side and they never look as perfect and neat as those seen on some friendly blogs. From time to time I decide to post about different maki versions even if they looks clumsy and messy, because the taste is still there (I have written about Asparagus Maki Rolls and Ground Beef Maki Rolls). Shrimp, avocado and cucumber is the filling I make very often, especially in spring and summer because it is particularly light and refreshing. I also practically always have all the necessary ingredients (the shrimp is frozen in small batches) and this is not accidental because I love them separately as well as combined together.

Since many people think maki sushi is extremely difficult and/or long to prepare, I would like to insist once more that it is absolutely false. Maybe the first rolling experience is a bit tricky because it’s a new technique to learn, but if I remember well, the second, third and fourth rolls are already easier and quicker to prepare. Of course, depending on your patience, skills and attention to details, the result will be more or less beautiful, but it is always rewarding and, for me, experimenting with new ingredients also means lots of fun. I start treating maki sushi a bit like sandwiches which can be made with practically anything.

If you don’t like this combination, I have also posted these maki recipes:

Ground Beef Maki Sushi

Asparagus Maki Sushi

TIPS: Since I am able to devour lots of maki rolls, I reduce the rice amount in order to make them lighter and low-calorie. As you see on the photo above, contrary to the traditional maki rolls, the filling takes here more space than the rice. If you prefer a standard, not lightened maki version, increase the rice amount (500 g or about 2 2/3 cups instead of 300 g or 1 1/2 cup).

I add sake to the rice mixture (I think it adds a pleasant aroma), but this is not the usual mixture recipe, so skip it if you want.

Special equipment:

rice cooker (unless you know how to cook the rice in a “normal” pan)

maki rolling mat

a brush

Preparation: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour for rice rinsing, cooking, seasoning and cooling)

Ingredients (serves 2 – 3):

5 nori seaweed sheets

300g (about 1 1/2 cup) sushi rice (or 500g/about 2 2/3 cups if you prefer “standard” rolls)

Rice mixture:

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

(1 tablespoon sake)

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

20 medium sized cooked shrimps (deveined and peeled); I need about 4 shrimps per sheet

1 big cucumber

1 avocado

mayonnaise

grilled white sesame seeds

soy sauce+wasabi, marinated ginger

a small bowl of rice vinegar (for brushing and finger dipping)

Cook the rice in the rice cooker (or in a pan if you know how to do it). Put the hot rice into a bowl and add the rice mixture ingredients. Stir well and leave to cool down.

In the meantime cut the avocado flesh and cucumber into long pieces.

When the rice has cooled down to the room temperature (it can’t be completely cold, otherwise it won’t be sticky enough), put a nori sheet vertically on the rolling mat, shiny side down.

With fingers dipped in a bowl of rice vinegar spread 1/5th of the rice evenly, leaving a 1 cm gap on the top, far edge.

Arrange the filling ingredients on the rice, in a horizontal line, close to the bottom edge.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Roll the maki starting from the bottom edge, gently pressing after each turn.

Brush with rice vinegar the upper edge before doing the last turn (it will help to seal the roll).

Press gently the roll and put it aside.

In order to obtain more or less similarly sized pieces, cut the roll first in two parts, then put them in a row and cut them in two parts, etc.

(It is easier to cut the rolls with a moist knife blade.)

Arrange them on a plate and serve with wasabi, soy sauce and marinated ginger.

Egg Croquettes (Tamago no Korokke)

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I love eggs and have always considered myself an exceptionally big egg consumer until I read that the Japanese eat more than 300 eggs per person a year. Nowadays everyone agrees that an egg a day is perfectly safe (for healthy people of course), but when eggs were on a nutritional black list in Western countries, this Japanese preference, paired with national low cholesterol levels must have seemed mysterious for our health specialists. I have recently realised that many of my blogging friends share my love for eggs (a special mention here for Hiroyuki’s neverending list of delightful egg recipes which could fill a whole cookery book!). I have bookmarked many recipes and intend to prepare them in the near future, but in the meantime they made me long for a dish I loved as a child, namely Egg Croquettes.

Egg Croquettes are an easy, comforting, home dish everyone seems to enjoy. They call for only three ingredients and are one of these dishes you can make when you think there is practically nothing left in the fridge. I have always used to serve them with a refreshing well-vinegared salad and some bread. This time, maybe keeping in mind the Japanese love for eggs I had them with a bowl of rice and it turned out to be an excellent option too. They make a perfect lunch, dinner, brunch or big breakfast and I am sure they would be an excellent picnic snack and why not a bento box item?

Actually I have “Japanised” these croquettes even more. They are usually shallow-fried, but since deep-frying is not only much quicker, but also less fat-absorbing, I decided to deep-fry them just like I proceed with the famous Japanese korokke (Potato and Meat Croquettes). They turned out better than all my previous egg croquettes and I will never go back to the traditional method. I have also found that Japanese panko crumbs created a crunchier, less soggy crust. Of course, if you prefer however shallow frying and standard breadcrumbs, I guarantee that such traditional croquettes will be excellent too.

Egg croquettes don’t require any sauce, but I have accidentally discovered that they are simply irresistible served with mayonnaise and Thick and Crunchy Japanese Sauce (Taberu Rayu). With all these Japanese touches I decided even to give it a Japanese name. I hope my Japanese friends will not scold me for this.

In case you are also a big egg fan, here are some recipes with eggs playing an important or main role:

-Spring Salad with a Fried Egg

-Smoked Mackerel and Egg Spread

-Tanindon (Rice Bowl with Eggs and Pork)

-Mixed Salad with a Fried Egg

-Bread Baskets with Eggs

-Oyakodon (Rice Bowl with Eggs and Chicken)

TIP: Even though it takes one more hour, I found out that refrigeration makes the forming process much easier: cold ingredients are simply stickier.

Preparation: 1 hour (or two, if you choose to refrigerate the egg mixture)

Ingredients (serves 2-3):

6 hard-boiled eggs

1 raw egg

4-5 tablespoons breadcrumbs (or more)

salt, pepper

5-6 tablespoons chopped chives or spring onions

breadcrumbs for coating (several tablespoons)

oil for shallow- or deep-frying

Chop the eggs as finely as you can (you can mix two of the eggs in a food processor to make the texture creamier, but not all of them!).

Combine them with the raw egg, the chopped chives or spring onion and season with salt and pepper.

Add gradually breadcrumbs until the mixture can be formed into balls (it depends on the egg size, the breadcrumbs, the chopping etc.).

(Putting the mixture into the fridge for one hour will make the forming process easier but you can start doing it straight away).

Preheat the oil in a pan.

Squeezing tightly the egg mixture, form balls and flatten them to round or oval patties (5 cm/2 in. diameter).

Coat them in breadcrumbs and shallow- or deep-fry.

If you deep-fry, my test for the right temperature is throwing some breadcrumbs into the pan. If they don’t fall down, but bubble and fry immediately, then the temperature is high enough.

Deep-frying will take only about one or two minutes. Shallow frying will take much longer (at least 15 minutes).

Put the croquettes on paper towels to remove excess oil and serve them either with bread or with rice.

Tama Konnyaku and Asparagus Skewers

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In spite of what some of you might think the white balls you see above are not gnocchi or any other floury dumplings, but tama konnyaku, a wonderful, healthy, almost zero calorie Japanese product made with a plant called konnyaku (Amorphophallus konjac). Often called devil’s tongue, yam or konjac this plant is transformed into flour and then mixed with water to produce a sort of gelatinous, transparent substance, sold as noodles (shirataki or ito konnyaku), rectangular blocks (ita konnyaku) and the “balls” you see above (tama konnyaku). All these products are very rich in fiber, contain no carbs, have almost zero calorie per 100 g and an amazing capacity to absorb the flavours from the sauce or the soup they are served with. The high fiber they contain regulates the digestion, gives a very quick sensation of satiety, while the low-calorie and low-carb intake allows even the biggest diet freak to enjoy a fabulous dish. Konnyaku is called in Japan “the broom for the stomach” due to its high fiber content.

Until now I have posted only two konnyaku-based recipes (Stir-Fried Shirataki or Ita Konnyaku Noodles and Tama Konnyaku with Bacon and Shiitake), but I stir-fry them quite often, which is not the way they are usually served in Japan (very often served in broths or soups). Whenever I know I will have a rich, high-calorie dinner, I prepare my lunch with konnyaku noodles or balls and can guiltlessly indulge in a pizza, foie gras, duck confit or another rich dish I adore.

This is how a package of konnyaku balls looks like:

Last week, when I decided to prepare a tama konnyaku lunch, I had a quick flash of skewered tama konnyaku probably seen on a website, a blog or a tv program. I combined them with asparagus, my favourite spring vegetable and served as a side-dish with stir-fried chicken breasts. Since konnyaku balls don’t have much taste, a sauce was obligatory and teriyaki glaze seemed the easiest choice. I must say I was very happy with this first skewered side-dish in my life. It looked cute and was a perfect lunch the day I planned to dine in my favourite pizzeria (I needn’t add I do not go there to have a light salad…).

TIPS: Tama konnyaku is sold in bags filled with water. They have a very long shelf life if kept in the fridge. If you don’t use the entire bag content, rinse the balls, put them in a bowl, cover with fresh water and keep tightly closed for a couple of days in the fridge.

I don’t have a grill, so this recipe explains how to prepare the skewers on a simple grill pan.

If you prefer a sweeter teriyaki glaze, add some sugar. (For me the sweetness of mirin is enough).

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 3-4 as a side dish):

1 bag of tama konnyaku (400g)

10 green asparagus stalks

Teriyaki glaze:

2 tablespoons mirin (can be substituted with 1 – 2 tablespoons syrup)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4-5 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

3 tablespoons sake

Soak the skewers in water for at least 15 minutes to avoid burning.

Cut up the asparagus stalks into bite-sized pieces, preferably similar in length to the tama konnyaku thickness.

Drain and rinse tama konnyaku. Cook them in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Rinse them once more.

Thread the konnyaku balls and the asparagus pieces on skewers.

Heat an oiled grill pan (or a grill).

Place the skewers on the pan (oil brushed side down) and grill about 7 minutes on each side (or more depending on the asparagus thickness).

In the meantime bring the teriyaki glaze to boil in a small pan and boil it until it thickens. Put aside.

Place the skewers on serving plates and brush them with teriyaki glaze on both sides.

Pickled Pink Radishes

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Pickles take a big space in my pantry and apart from the regular ones (like Pickled Sweet Pepper), I like experimenting with new vegetables or new recipes (my recent discovery, Moomins’ Cucumber Salad was a big hit). When I saw pickled radishes recipe in “Street Café. Japan” by Emi Kazuko I realised I had a big bunch of radishes in the fridge and it was an excellent occasion to prepare these first short-term pickles in my life.

This recipe is based on pickled Japanese turnip (kabu), but the author proposes to substitute it with pink radishes, Western turnips being too tough for this method. Before the pickling process Japanese turnips are often vertically cut in the upper part, which makes them resemble chrysanthemum leaves. According to Emi Kazuko similarly cut pink radishes will resemble cherry blossoms. I have only found oval radishes and I don’t think they produce the desired visual effect, but they do take on a beautiful hue, which slightly reminds me of pink cherry blossoms. The funny looking vertical cuts are very useful: they enable the vinegared mixture to penetrate the interior of the radish.

I loved everything about these pickles: their easiness, the quick pickling time, the beautiful hue, the unusual, surprising look and most of all the amazing taste. They will certainly become my regular spring side dish. I still have to check how they react to long-term pickling.

TIPS: The author advises of course rice vinegar, but since I had several bottles of cider vinegar I usually keep for pickling purposes, I used this one instead. The result was delicious even with basic, cheap cider vinegar.

These pickles can be made with any variety of small pink or red radishes.

Preparation: 40 minutes + one night in the fridge

Ingredients:

15 radishes

150 ml rice vinegar (I used 4,5% cider vinegar)

50 ml water

2 flat tablespoons sugar

2 teaspoons salt

Cut off the radish stalks in the way that a flat base is formed.

Put the radishes flat base down and keeping it with your left hand make 4-5 vertical cuts in the upper 3/4 of each radish.

Turn the radish 90 degrees and make similar cuts.

Put the radishes in a bowl, rub them with the salt and put a heavy object on the top (for example a small plate).

After 30 minutes drain the liquid rendered by the radishes.

Dissolve the sugar in the mixture of water and vinegar, combine with the radishes and put into the fridge for 24 hours.

Pickled radishes keep for at least one week in the fridge.

Japanese Chicken Pancake, or Tori no Okonomiyaki (鶏のお好み焼き)

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Okonomiyaki is one of the most brilliant inventions of the Japanese cuisine. Easy, quick, versatile and full of flavours, it is a dish one falls in love with at first bite and becomes instantly addicted to. I wrote here about my first impressions a couple of months ago and have never got tired of it since then. I must have prepared okonomiyaki for at least thirty different meals. As I said then, I still think that if well advertised this dish has a potential to become as popular and loved as pizza. If only the Japanese cuisine wasn’t associated with sushi, seaweed and miso soup, but with such universally enjoyable dishes as this one… To those who see it for the first time, okonomiyaki might look messy and/or unappetising, but in reality few people are able to resist it (I still have to meet someone who does).

As a reminder, “okonomiyaki” means “grill what you like/want” and apart from the several obligatory ingredients and toppings (which also depend on the region), this thick pancake can be made with practically anything. There are two main types of okonomiyaki: Hiroshima-style, containing noodles, and a lighter Osaka (Kansai) style. My okonomiyaki are rather Osaka-style (thank you, Hiroyuki). After numerous experiments, I have now two favourite versions: the mushroom okonomiyaki (click here to see the recipe) and chicken okonomiyaki I am presenting today. The latter has also become the most frequent version, because, as a big chicken fan, I always have chicken breasts either in the fridge or in the freezer. A Japanese friend told me she has never seen chicken okonomiyaki in her country, but since I can add whatever I like…

Okonomiyaki’s ingredients can be divided into three groups: the batter, the filling and the topping. The batter’s amount is small and it’s there only to bind the filling, which is often composed mainly of shredded/chopped cabbage. The toppings can be adapted to everyone’s taste, but in my opinion chives (or spring onion), mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce are obligatory. My favourite topping is composed of mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, chopped chives and I put lots of my beloved dried bonito flakes. I know some Europeans who love okonomiyaki but hate dried bonito, so it can be omitted of course. Pickled ginger is one of the traditional toppings too, but somehow I prefer it as a side dish. One the other hand I always add chili sauce or paste (most often Taberu Rayu I wrote about here). Thanks to Hiroyuki‘s advice I no longer buy okonomiyaki sauce (which was too sweet for me anyway) and prepare my own sauce mixing ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for this precious recipe!

TIPS: Okonomiyaki batter mixture can be bought in Japanese grocery shops or prepared from the scratch. Personally I am happy to prepare it from the scratch since it takes two minutes and I’m sure it tastes better. I have seen different batter recipes and mine is composed of an egg, some flour, some dashi (Japanese stock), salt, pepper, baking powder and, last but not least, grated mountain yam (or yamaimo in Japanese), a slimy cousin of the potato (I fin it in organic shops). When I don’t have yam or dashi, I simply omit them, trying to keep the same pancake-like texture. The result is still delicious, albeit slightly different. Dried shrimp is not obligatory either.

Okonomioyaki mixture can be prepared in advance and fried/grilled the following day. As an addict, I often make a double batch and have it two days in a row. (Actually I even had it recently for three meals in a row: a lunch, a dinner and a lunch the following day…).

Special equipment: a big pancake spatula is very useful to flip okonomiyaki

Preparation: 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

Batter:

5 tablespoons flour

30 ml (about 1/8 cup) dashi (Japanese stock, home-made or instant) or milk or a mixture of both

1 egg

3 cm grated mountain yam (yamaimo) (can be omitted, but then less flour should be added)

salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

(pepper)

Filling:

4 – 5 big white cabbage leaves chopped or finely cubed (the hard central “vein” removed)

1 chicken breast

1 tablespoon oil

8 thin slices of smoked streaky bacon, cut into bite-sized squares

(3 tablespoons dried tiny Japanese shrimp (sakura ebi); I don’t advise other types of shrimp or dried shrimp from other countries: they might be chewy and tough)

Topping:

dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

okonomiyaki sauce (or a mixture of ketchup, Worcestershire sauce and soy sauce)

mayonnaise

chopped chives or spring onions

2 tablespoons oil

(chili paste, oil or sauce, such as Taberu Rayu)

Cut up the chicken breast into small cubes (1 cm x 1 cm). Season with salt and pepper, fry until golden brown and put aside.

In a big bowl combine the batter ingredients. Add the filling ingredients (except for the bacon!) and adjust their amount (the mixture should be very thick, not liquid and the batter should only bind the ingredients together and not dominate them).

Heat one tablespoon oil in a frying pan or on a smooth grill (called teppanyaki grill or la plancha).

Put half of the okonomiyaki mixture in a more or less round-shaped heap (you can adjust it on the pan).

Put the bacon slices on top, flatten delicately the pancake, but not too much. Otherwise it might fall into pieces when you turn it over. (My okonomiyaki is max. 1,5 cm/about 1/2 inch high)

Cover the pan and let it fry at medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes.

Turn the pancake over, cover once more and fry for another 5 minutes.

Repeat the same with the remaining batter.

Serve the bacon side up, topped with mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, chives, dried bonito flakes and chili sauce/oil or paste.

Sesame Coated Tuna Nuggets (Maguro no goma age)

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As you can see I’m getting really obsessed with rolls, skewers, finger food and all types of snacks. In fact, I start serving them more and more often as a part of main courses and find them much more fun to prepare and to eat. Some of you might remember the Sesame Coated Chicken Nuggets I wrote about a couple of months ago. Even though I named them “nuggets”, the recipe is Japanese and was found in my favourite cookery book (Japanese cooking. A simple art by Shizuo Tsuji). The chicken nuggets were coated in egg white, than in sesame seeds and then deep-fried, i.e. prepared according to the “kawari age” or “variation frying” methods described by Tsuji and consisting in coating deep-fried food in different, sometimes very surprising products. Until now I have tested and adored chopped nori seaweed (Scallops Fried in Nori) and my beloved sesame seeds, which proved wonderful with chicken, but too bitter and strong with scallops.

Last week, when I saw red tuna sold on special price (otherwise it’s horribly expensive), I decided to treat it exactly like chicken breast. I have cut it into cubes, coated with egg whites, sesame seeds, quickly deep-fried and loved it! The fish was soft, juicy and the sesame seeds formed a crunchy, slightly nutty crust. Moreover, just like chicken nuggets, these were not soaked in fat because sesame seeds do not absorb as much oil as certain coatings.

I had these nuggets twice: first with a bottle of white wine along with other snacks, and then, the following day, I prepared them once more and served with rice and pickles for lunch. They can be dipped in any sauce of your choice, but I found my Hot Mango Sauce a perfect pairing. (It can be substituted by a quick mixture of mango, chilies and vinegar.)

TIP: This is an excellent way to use up egg whites!

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

300 g tuna steak

1 flat tablespoon flour

1 egg white

4 heaped tablespoons (or more) white sesame seeds (it depends how thick you want the crust to be)

salt

oil for deep-frying

Preheat the deep-frying oil (it’s hot enough when a tiny piece of bread thrown into the fat doesn’t “sink” and stays on the surface, instantly browning).

Cut up the tuna steak into bite-sized cubes.

Season the cubes lightly with salt.

Beat the egg white slightly with a fork.

Dry the tuna pieces well with paper towels.

Dredge them slightly in flour, shake off the excess, then in the egg white and at the end roll them in sesame seeds.

Deep fry them for about 30 seconds in small batches (the time depends on the temperature of your oil and the size of your pieces).

Cucumber and Wakame Sunomono (Cucumber and Seaweed Salad)

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Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook) is one of my biggest Japanese cuisine inspiration sources. If I hadn’t written about any of her recipes recently, it’s only because several of those I had tested and posted have become my staples (Korokke or Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls are the best examples). This refreshing salad has been bookmarked for a long time and after testing it I already feel that it will regularly appear on my table too.

If you go to a Japanese grocery shop (or to an organic food shop), you will find several types of seaweed, most of them sold in dried form. They have different colours, textures, they are cut in different shapes, they are used in slightly different ways and of course their taste is different. This salad calls for wakame seaweed which is usually sold pre-cut, in small bags. When soaked, wakame’s size increases in a very impressive way. Since it happens very quickly, I am still amazed every time I watch it “grow” in a bowl of water. Since the only dish I have been making with it was miso soup, I was glad to find a second and completely different way to use this seaweed.

This salad is a part of Japanese “sunomono” or vinegared dishes category. Even though I have already had this type of salad in Japanese restaurants, it was my first home-made and I must say I loved everything about it. The colours, the lightness and tanginess of the dressing, the slightly crunchy wakame texture, the dynamic “kick” julienned ginger provided and, most of all, the aroma. In fact, once mixed with the dressing and chilled, the salad’s smell reminded me of freshly caught, fried small fish… This unusual impression is probably due to the combination of wakame, dashi (Japanese stock) and sesame oil. Thank you, Nami, for one more amazing recipe.

TIP: My only modification was reducing the sugar content because I prefer acid dressings. If you want it milder, double the sugar amount (1 tablespoon instead of 1 teaspoon).

Dashi, the Japanese stock, can be bought instant or prepared at home. I make it once a week and refrigerate it (it is used in many Japanese dishes I prepare). Click here to see the recipe.

Toasted sesame seeds were not included in Nami’s recipe, but I just couldn’t stop myself from adding them…

Preparation: 15 minutes + chilling time

Ingredients (serves 2):

1/2 long cucumber or 1 shorter (about 15 cm)

1 teaspoon salt

Dressing:

3 tablespoons rice vinegar

2 tablespoons dashi (Japanese stock; click here to see how to make it at home)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 flat teaspoon sugar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

2 thin slices of julienned fresh ginger

Soak the wakame in a bowl of cold water and drain it after 10 minutes.

Peel the cucumber, leaving the skin with every second stroke of the peeler, so that you obtain a nice pattern.

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise and then into thin slices.

In a bowl combine the cucumber with salt, mixing well with your hands, and leave for 3 minutes.

Squeeze the cucumber to eliminate the water it has produced and put it into the fridge.

In the meantime combine the dressing ingredients (vinegar, dashi, soy sauce, oil, sugar) and bring them to boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar.

Put aside.

When the dressing has cooled down, combine it with wakame and cucumbers.

Chill the salad.

Sprinkle with ginger. Serve.

Japanese Chicken and Leek Skewers (Negima 葱鮪)

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Looking for some new Japanese dish ideas in Izakaya: the Japanese Pub Cookbook by Mark Robinson, I stumbled upon some luscious skewers photographs, and among them grilled chicken skewers (yakitori) with negi 葱 (one of the Japanese cousins of the leek and spring onion). I must have seen a similar combination hundreds of times in books and on the web, so it was time to give it a go, but substituting naganegi with simple leek. I have decided to call it negima 葱鮪, in spite of a different plant variety. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for this advice!

Even though I don’t have a grill (not to mention a charcoal one featured in the book) and even though I didn’t use the teriyaki glaze in the traditional Japanese way (the skewers should apparently be basted while they grill), the result was most satisfactory: the chicken breasts were juicy, while the leek was soft (but not mushy) and not as burnt as I have initially feared. The final teriyaki brushing step was more than welcome. For once I have stopped myself from sprinkling this dish with sesame seeds and used slightly tangy ground sansho pepper, which seemed (and proved) more adequate.

The happy grill owners will certainly know how to grill these skewers in the best way, so my instructions are only for grill pan users.

TIP: I have sprinkled my skewers with the Japanese sansho pepper, but if you cannot find it, you can omit it or sprinkle them with anything you want.

Special equipment: skewers, preferably short

Preparation: 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 3):

2 chicken breasts (skinned)

2-3 leeks (maximum 1,5 cm thick)

2 tablespoons oil

Teriyaki glaze:

2 tablespoons mirin (can be substituted with 1 – 2 tablespoons syrup)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4-5 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

(1 teaspoon sugar; I usually omit sugar)

3 tablespoons sake

(ground sansho pepper)

Soak the skewers in water for at least 15 minutes to avoid burning.

Cut up the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces and salt them slightly.

Discard the leek leaves, leaving the white and also the light green part.

Cut up the leek into bite sized pieces too (similar in width to the chicken pieces).

Thread the meat and the leek pieces on skewers alternating a white leek piece, a chicken piece and a light green leek piece.

Brush the skewered meat and leeks on one side only.

Heat an oiled grill pan.

Place the skewers on the pan (oil brushed side down) and cover it (this way the meat will cook quicker without excessive drying).

After about 5 minutes check if the meat is not burnt and grill, still covered, for about 5 more minutes.

Brush the top of the skewers with oil and turn them.

In the meantime bring the teriyaki glaze to boil in a small pan and boil it until it thickens. Put aside.

Grill the skewers for 5 more minutes.

Place the skewers on serving plates and brush them with teriyaki glaze on both sides.

Sprinkle with sansho and serve.

Light Chocolate and Coconut Cream

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This chocolate cream is my second successful experiment with agar. I have followed the Light Coconut Cream with Canned Peaches recipe, simply substituting fruit with dark chocolate. Just like the Cream with Peaches, this one had a light, thick yogurt texture. Dark chocolate and coconut combination proved excellent and, thanks to the cow milk content, the coconut taste was tamed down, allowing the chocolate flavours prevail. Because of the chocolate’s presence I cannot say this cream was as low-calorie as the previous one, but it certainly was the lightest chocolate dessert I have ever had and, accidentally one of the most flavoursome too.

As a reminder, agar (agar-agar, “kanten” in Japanese) is a gelling agent very popular in Asia. Contrary to what one might think, this is not a gelatin substitute. It is prepared in a slightly different way and, most of all, gives different textures and consistencies. In Europe it is widely used in food industry and is quite popular among vegetarians, since agar is produced from seaweed (not bones, like gelatin). Apart from gelling properties, agar has considerable health benefits. It helps digestion and is often consumed as a slimming diet booster. A Japanese friend has confirmed what I had already read about: in her country some women dissolve it in tea to help digestion and to suppress appetite (I haven’t checked if it works on my appetite though).

In short, this cream is not only the lightest chocolate dessert I know; it is also probably the healthiest one. With dessicated coconut and shaved chocolate it has made me think of a light Bounty bar in a glass.

Do not wait until the cream becomes cold before pouring it into serving bowls or glasses because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!

Preparation: 15 minutes + 2-3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4 – 5):

250 ml/about 1 cup coconut milk

250 ml/about 1 cup cow milk

4 flat tablespoons sugar (I used two flat tablespoons because I don’t like very sweet desserts)

1/3 flat teaspoon agar agar in powder

60 g/about 2,5 oz good quality dark chocolate, min 70% cocoa

(shaved chocolate, dessicated coconut)

Dissolve the sugar and agar-agar in the mixture of the two milks, add the chocolate broken into pieces. Bring to boil on low heat and, constantly stirring, let it simmer for about a minute. (If the chocolate isn’t completely dissolved, mix everything in a food processor and then bring back to boil).

Put aside.

Prepare four individual bowls or low glasses.

(Do not wait until the cream becomes cold because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!).

Pour the mixture into the bowls or glasses and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve very cold sprinkled with coconut and shaved chocolate.

Asparagus Teriyaki Pork Rolls

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Observing some of my friends’ blogs (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking, Just One Cookbook and Shizuoka Gourmet) I quickly deduced rolling vegetables into thin meat slices is one of the favourite pastimes of the Japanese home cooks. Then, thanks to Hyosun’s recipes (Eating and Living), I discovered Koreans are also fans of rolls. After all it is not surprising: meat and vegetable rolls are healthy (a roll usually contains more vegetables than meat), easy and quick to prepare (thin meat slices stick together very easily), convenient (the rolls can be made even 24 hours prior to frying and they work as a part of main course or cute party snacks), but, most of all, I find them cute and fun to eat.

Since I made Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls found on Nami’s Just One Cookbook, I haven’t stopped looking for new meat rolls ideas. The delicious Okra Teriyaki Pork Rolls inspired by Shizuoka Gourmet blog were followed by the Korean-style fantastic and hot Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura (from Eating and Living blog)… Last week I decided to experiment with asparagus. Combined with soft pork and sticky teriyaki glaze they created fantastic, light, crunchy rolls. A real dream dish for pork and asparagus fans. I already feel these rolls will be my staple meal as long as the asparagus is on the market.

TIPS: Choose the thinner asparagus stems: maximum 1 cm (a bit less than 1/2 inch) diameter at the bottom, so that you don’t need to peel or precook them. This way the asparagus will be only slightly cooked, but still crunchy.

These asparagus can be cut and rolled into pork slices in advance and kept even 24 hours in the fridge. Only flour coating and frying stages should be carried out shortly before serving.

Ready-to-use teriyaki mixture can be bought in every Japanese shop, but it takes one minute to prepare it and one can adjust for example the sweetness to one’s preferences.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (makes 10 mini pork rolls):

10 thin slices of pork (max 1 mm thick); I have used pork loin

10 green asparagus stalks (only the non-stringy, soft part, usually the upper 3/4 – 2/3 length)

salt, pepper

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons oil

Teriyaki glaze:

2 tablespoons mirin (can be substituted with 1 – 2 tablespoons syrup)

3 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4-5 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

(1 teaspoon sugar; I usually omit sugar)

3 tablespoons sake

(grilled sesame seeds)

Cut the asparagus soft parts in two or three equal pieces (they shouldn’t stick too much when wrapped in meat slices).

Combine the teriyaki glaze ingredients in a glass or bowl.

Season slightly the pork slices with salt and pepper.

Put two asparagus pieces at one end of the pork roll (salted part up). (To make the rolls look cuter, put one tip and one medium piece).

Roll it tightly and put aside.

Do the same with all the pork strips.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Dust the pork rolls lightly with flour, shake off the excess flour.

Put the rolls on the heated pan, sealed side down and fry on a medium heat, covered, until they are well browned.

Flip the rolls over at least once, after ten minutes.

The whole frying process will take more or less 15 minutes.

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the rolls and make sure they are well coated.

Let the sauce thicken for about one minute, turning the rolls frequently.

Transfer the rolls to a plate and garnish with the remaining sauce.

(Sprinkle with roasted sesame seeds if you like them).

Serve with rice as the main dish or on their own, as a snack.

Matcha, White Chocolate and Oat Truffles

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Yeast hates me. This is all I can say after another failure with this capricious baking ingredient. I love good home-made yeast cakes, but whenever I try making them at least one in three ends up in the bin, just like my yesterday’s attempt. I do not give up, of course, but such an incident is always a bit depressing, so, instead of starting another battle with yeast, I felt I needed to cheer myself up with something completely different.

Since I made Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles and have fallen in love with matcha and white chocolate combination, I have been planning to make their rustic version with oats. I have based my recipe on the popular black chocolate and oats truffles I sometimes make and the truffles have turned out perfectly in terms of both consistency and taste. Contrary to Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles, these are crunchy, slightly chewy, rather filling and definitely healthier thanks to the presence of rolled oats. Last but not least, I was thrilled by their beautiful, bright, green grass hue obtained with a more expensive matcha I have recently bought. In short, these cute snacks have obviously improved my mood and almost made me forget yesterday’s disappointment.

If you look for an easy, quick sweet treat with a healthy twist and a sophisticated matcha touch, I strongly recommend these truffles. I wish you all a joyful and sunny Easter, happy Passover and wonderful holidays!

In case some of you are interested in experiments with matcha, here are some delicious suggestions:

Matcha crème brûlée

Light Matcha Cream

and the above-mentioned Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles.

TIP: The most advised method to melt chocolate is in a water bath (in a small pan put into a bigger pan filled with very hot water), but I am used to a very slow melting process directly on the stove or in the microwave. The important thing is not to overheat the chocolate. Otherwise it will become hard and grainy and impossible to use.

Preparation: 15 minutes + 1 – 2 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (about 15 truffles):

100 g rolled oats (not oatmeal!)

100 g white chocolate

1 full teaspoon matcha

7 teaspoons liquid cream (any fat content works here, as long as the cream is not thickened or soured; I have used 25% fat cream)

Chop roughly the chocolate, put it in a small pan with the cream and the matcha powder.

Let the chocolate melt on a very low heat, constantly stirring. Make sure it doesn’t “bubble” and take off the stove, stirring, if you are afraid the temperature increases too quickly. If the chocolate becomes grainy and very thick, it’s ruined.

Put aside.

(If you use a microwave, put the broken chocolate, the cream and the matcha in a bowl and heat for 15 seconds. Give it a stir and put back for another 15 seconds and so on until the chocolate melts.)

Throw the oats into the pan and combine them with the chocolate mixture.

Prepare a bowl with cold water.

Dip your hands in the water and form walnut-sized truffles.

Moist your hands at least every second truffle.

Put the balls on a plate or in a flat container and refrigerate for at least one hour.

Light Coconut Cream with Canned Peaches

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A couple of weeks ago a Japanese friend invited me for a lunch which ended with a most sensational light dessert. Actually her coconut cream was one of the lightest desserts I have ever had in my life, in terms of both calories and texture and certainly one of the most delicious things I have ever tasted. Luckily the recipe wasn’t secret! I did hesitate however before making it because it called for agar-agar, a product which brings back awful memories. Since I had been assured the preparation was simple, I gave agar-agar another chance. The cream was very easy indeed and the result was perfect at the first attempt.

Agar-agar (“kanten” in Japanese), apparently meaning “jelly” in Malay, is a gelatinous substance obtained from certain seaweed varieties, usually sold in a form of powder or (in Asian countries) in long sticks. Even though it has been used by food industry all around the world, it is rarely used in European households, gelatin being the most popular gelling agent. It has been gaining popularity probably thanks to its vegetable origins and to its health benefits. In fact agar-agar contains water soluble agents, which help digestion and are considered excellent in slimming diets. Even though some people say agar-agar is a gelatin equivalent, I cannot agree with it.

As I have recently told Charles (Five Euro Food) in my opinion food set with agar-agar is different and someone who is used only to gelatin has to experiment a bit with it on order to obtain satisfying results. This is my first successful dish with agar agar, but certainly not the last because somehow I feel I couldn’t obtain the same results with gelatin. The cream has a very delicate consistency, close to natural yogurt . Since both coconut and cow milk are used, the coconut taste is not overwhelming. In short, an addictive, elegant and refreshing dessert.

Prepared with canned peaches and canned coconut milk, this quick cream is a perfect solution for a last-minute, pantry-based dessert served practically all year round. I find it particularly good now, since we are having very warm sunny Spring. My friend served it with fresh mango and I think any fruit (apart from raw kiwi and raw pineapple) can be used. I am impatient to test it with strawberries!

Do not wait until the cream becomes cold before pouring it into the bowls because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!

Preparation: 15 minutes + 2-3 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4 – 5):

250 ml/about 1 cup coconut milk

250 ml/about 1 cup cow milk

4 tablespoons sugar (I have put only 2 but I like moderately sweet desserts)

1/3 flat teaspoon agar agar in powder

4 – 5 halves of canned peaches

Dissolve the sugar and agar-agar in the mixture of the two milks. Bring to boil and, constantly stirring, let it simmer for about a minute.

Put aside.

Prepare four individual bowls or low glasses.

(Do not wait until the cream becomes cold because agar sets at room temperature and once disturbed, it will not reset properly!).

Cut up the peaches into cubes and distribute into the bowls (one half per bowl).

Pour the creamy mixture over the fruit pieces and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Serve very cold.

Carrot and Canned Tuna Salad

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This salad is another very simple, but surprisingly good dish I have found on the Humble Bean blog. Azusa adapted it from a Japanese cook’s recipe (Harumi Kurihara’s) and even though at first sight the salad seems European, its simplicity, its perfect choice of ingredients and the method have a typical Japanese touch. The recipe was published in January, but during this particularly cold Winter light salads were the last thing I craved. Somehow it stayed engraved in my memory and proved excellent at this warm beginning of the Spring.

Even though I have prepared it only twice, I already feel this salad will become a staple in my house. Carrots are available all year round, they have quite a long storage life, not to mention the canned tuna I always have, so this will be convenient in any season. It is light, but surprisingly filling and if served with crunchy, buttered baguette (in my opinion the best choice), it works not only as a healthy snack, but even as a light main course. I think what I love the most about this salad is the difference of textures. The partly cooked crisp carrot, combined with soft tuna and mustard – or sesame – seeds, create an exceptional effect. Even though I have slightly modified it (click here to see Azusa’s original recipe), the result was stunning. Thank you, Azusa, for one more extraordinary and simple recipe!

Preparation: 15 minutes + 1 hour in the fridge

Ingredients (serves two for main course or four as a starter):

1 can tuna, drained (white tuna works better here)

4 medium carrots, julienned

1 onion or shallot thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 tablespoon oil

Sauce:

5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

1 heaped tablespoon whole grain mustard (or smooth mustard + 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds)

2 tablespoons white wine vinegar (I used rice vinegar)

ground pepper

In a big bowl combine the sauce ingredients with the crumbled tuna.

Heat oil in a pan and fry the onion until it softens.

Add the garlic and the carrots.

Stir-fry until the carrots are a bit softened (about 5 minutes).

Let the carrots cool down.

Put the carrots into the bowl and stir well.

Refrigerate for one hour.

Serve with crunchy bread and butter.

Easy Shrimp Dumplings

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Ready-to-use, frozen dumpling skins were a huge revelation to me. As soon as I realised how quickly they thawed and how easy they were to handle, I started to treat dumplings as one of those quick staples I make when I am in a hurry and lack ideas. I used to stuff dumplings with ground meat or ground meat and tofu, but one day I decided to have shrimps instead. After a complete failure with ground raw thawed shrimp filling I opted for roughly chopped, cooked shrimps. The result was perfect and reminded me of the Chinese transparent shrimp dumplings I sometimes have in restaurants. These dumplings are light, slightly crunchy and really simple. Ginger, garlic and chives make them less plain or boring (the only thing I regretted about the restaurant ones). In my opinion they do not need to be fried and taste even better when simply cooked in stock or in salted water (the stock, even instant, gives however much better results). I suppose they can also be steamed. I love them sprinkled with chili oil (or Taberu rayu).

TIPS: I have no access to fresh raw shrimp, but if you do, you might experiment with raw shrimps instead of cooked ones. My experience with thawed raw shrimp wasn’t successful.

If I want to accelerate the thawing process, I put the dumpling skins (still in their package) in a bowl of lukewarm (not hot!) water.

Special equipment : brush (to moist the dumplings’ edges)

Preparation: 45 minutes

Ingredients (serves 3 as a main dish or 5 as a starter):

about 25 cooked shrimp, shelled and deveined (26/30 per pound size, mine are usually about 4 cm long without heads)

a package of 24 thawed dumpling skins (I use gyoza skins, but any round Asian thin dumpling skins will be perfect)

2 litres vegetable or chicken stock

1 egg

chives or green onion

1 cm grated fresh ginger

1 big grated garlic clove

salt, pepper

(chili oil)

Heat the stock in a big pan.

In the meantime chop the shrimp with a knife into 4-5 pieces each. (Do not mix them in a food processor).

In a bowl combine a slightly beaten egg, the shrimps, the chopped chives, the ginger, the garlic, the salt and the pepper.

Prepare a small bowl or glass with cold water.

Put several dumpling skins on a chopping board (or any other clean surface).

Brush their edges with water (about 1 cm from the border).

Place a heaped teaspoon of the shrimp filling, discarding the excess egg. Close dumplings, pinching the edges.

Repeat with the remaining dumpling skins.

Cook them in the boiling stock no more than 6 at a time (they shouldn’t be too crowded) for about 5 minutes.

(I usually make the first batch of 5-6 and then, while they cook, I make a second one, and so on.)

Take them out with a slotted spoon, drain them and serve immediately sprinkled with chili oil.

Dumplings can be refrigerated for two days in a container separated with plastic film (otherwise they will stick).

I reheat them in a microwave.

Daikon Remoulade

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I have bought some daikon (white radish) with a plan to make a Japanese daikon salad or pickles. Once julienned, the daikon reminded me of celeriac… Since the only way I have celeriac is celeriac remoulade, I have decided to give a Japanese twist to this famous French classic. I have substituted the French mustard with wasabi paste and skipped pickled cucumbers which would make it too harsh. Otherwise I think the sauce still can pretend to the name “remoulade”. (See here the traditional Celeriac Remoulade recipe)

This version of remoulade is light, refreshing, with a hot wasabi kick and a slight crunch. Made with a Winter vegetable, but in a springtime spirit. Ideal for a sunny March day.

TIP: This salad can be made in advance (even the day before). Actually it tastes even better the following day.

Preparation: 25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

200 – 250 g daikon (white radish), peeled and finely julienned or grated

2 tablespoons mayonnaise

2 tablespoons capers (drained and washed if they were preserved in salt)

1 tablespoon green onion, chopped (or (an)other fresh herb(s) of your choice)

1 teaspoon wasabi paste (or fresh grated wasabi if you are one of those lucky people who can get it)

salt

Put the daikon in a bowl.

Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt toss well and let it stand for about 15 minutes.

Wash the daikon with very cold water and drain it well.

Put in a big bowl.

Combine all the remaining ingredients and then stir them into the grated daikon.

Adjust the seasoning and serve.

Thick and Crunchy Japanese Chili Oil and Sauce (Taberu rayu)

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I don’t have the habit of praising factory-made sauces or condiments, but when I discovered taberu rayu, I have instantly fallen in love. This Japanese condiment is sold in tiny jars filled half with chili oil, half with a crunchy mixture of fried garlic, sesame seeds and chili and it goes well with almost every dish I tested (not only Japanese). Since me and my husband are both addicted to this rather expensive sauce, I thought I should try reproducing it at home. I had no idea what to start with, so I turned for help to Robert-Gilles, my blogging friend from Shizuoka (Shizuoka Gourmet). Robert-Gilles has already saved me from many culinary troubles (daikon leaves rice topping is one of the best examples) and here he was once more extremely kind, generous and helpful. In short, as if by magic, the taberu rayu recipe appeared the following day on his blog!

As Robert-Gilles has written here, taberu rayu (食べるラー油) appeared in 2009 in Okinawa as a modified version of chili oil, originating from China. The name means literally “chili oil for eating” probably because, as I have mentioned above, a part of the condiment is solid. My Japanese grocers sell two types of taberu rayu: one contains dried garlic and the other both dried garlic and dried shrimp. Since I find the former version more versatile, I have left out the shrimp in this first experiment. The recipe proved quite easy (although I did burn the first batch of fried garlic…), rather quick and the result was surprisingly close to the “original” condiment. Home-made taberu rayu is hot and slightly sweet. It has a pleasant crunch due to the sesame seeds and garlic, combined with the stickiness of gochujang (Korean chili paste) and a wonderful bright red colour. Maybe because it lacks artificial after-taste, I find it even more addictive than the factory-made version. Thank you so much, Robert-Gilles, for this extraordinary recipe and for your kind help!

TIP: If you don’t find gochujang (Korean chili paste), you will find a recipe also on Shizuoka Gourmet blog. You can substitute it here with a bigger amount of chili flakes and a bit more sugar, but the texture will be different.

Preparation: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients (fills a 200 ml jar):

100 ml canola oil (or another oil with a neutral taste)

50 ml sesame oil

1 dried chili

3 thick slices of fresh ginger

10 cm piece of leek

2 tablespoons gochujang (Korean chili paste)

2 heaped tablespoons Korean chili powder (or half of it if you don’t like very hot seasonings)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon sugar (I used agave syrup)

2 tablespoons white sesame seeds

(about 2 tablespoons dried shrimps, chopped)

Fried garlic:

deep-frying oil

5 big garlic cloves, finely chopped (or roughly mixed in a food processor)

Fried onion:

deep-frying oil

1/2 onion, finely chopped (or roughly mixed in a food processor)

First prepare fried onion and fried garlic.

Heat some oil in a small pan and when it’s hot enough to fry the garlic (a bit of garlic thrown into the oil will stay at the surface, the oil will start bubbling around and instantly frying it), throw delicately the chopped garlic and take out as soon as it is slightly golden. It will take about one minute or less. Drain the excess oil on paper towel and put aside.

Filter the oil and fry the onion in the same way. It will take more time (a couple of minutes). Drain the excess oil on paper towel and put aside.

In a metal bowl combine the sesame seeds, (the shrimp), the chili powder and 1 tablespoon sesame oil.

Pour the remaining sesame oil and canola oil into a pan. Add the ginger, the leek and one dried chili.

Fry at low heat for a couple of minutes.

Take out the vegetables and heat the oils until they start smoking.

At this point pour slowly, stirring, the hot oils into the sesame and chili paste.

Add the remaining ingredients, stir well, put into a jar and keep for one month at room temperature.

Thick and Crunchy Japanese Chili Sauce on Punk Domestics

Okonomiyaki お好み焼き, or Japanese Pancake with Eringi Mushrooms and Bacon

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Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き ) can be translated roughly as “grill what you like” (“okonomi” means “what you like/want” and ”yaki” means here “grilled”). This thick savoury pancake with an impressive variety ingredients might look weird, messy, not very appetising and definitely not photogenic, but I can assure you it is one of the most palatable dishes I have ever had in my life. In my opinion, if well advertised and popularised, okonomiyaki could conquer the whole world, just like Italian pizza did. It has certainly won over the whole Japan, even though it has origins in Osaka and Hiroshima. For me this is another example of a typically Japanese, but universally enjoyable dish. Depending on the ingredients and toppings, okonomiyaki could satisfy even the pickiest eaters and those who are afraid of the Japanese cuisine (yes, they do exist).

As its name suggests, okonomiyaki can be prepared with practically everything. At first it looks and tastes as if the ingredients were chosen randomly. In reality, in spite of many different okonomiyaki versions, there are certain recurring items such as a thick pancake batter, shredded or cubed cabbage or grated mountain yam (yamaimo). There are also two main okonomiyaki styles: Kansai (Osaka) and Hiroshima style. Both are very well described and accompanied by detailed recipes on Shizuoka Gourmet blog. Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki contains noodles, while Osaka (Kansai) style is lighter and doesn’t include them. My okonomiyaki is rather Osaka-style (thank you, Hiroyuki).

I heard – or rather read – about okonomiyaki for the first time on Hiroyuki’s blog on Japanese Cooking. Then I realised Robert-Gilles (Shizuoka Gourmet), Charles (Five Euro Food), Nami (Just One Cookbook) and Arudhi (A Box of Kitchen) have also posted okonomiyaki recipes. Hiroyuki’s award winning okonomiyaki included several types of mushrooms and was vegetarian, Nami’s recipe included squid, Arudhi’s shredded beef, Charles’s recipe was surprisingly Europeanised and free-style, while Robert-Gilles has posted a whole encyclopedia of different okonomiyaki styles, including the recipes… All these fascinating posts proved extremely useful, informative and helped me to choose the ingredients for my first experiment.

Here is my very first version of okonomiyaki. I must say it will be one of the most beautiful food memories of my life. The first bite of okonomiyaki is a magical experience. It is like an explosion of different flavours, colours and textures, which surprisingly stay in a perfect harmony. I love okonomiyaki also because it can be made with leftovers, because it is quick, healthy and because it encourages me to be creative. Thank you so much, my blogging friends, for your for help, inspiration, detailed information and, most of all, for making me discover this extraordinary dish.

My version doesn’t reproduce any of the mentioned okonomiyaki recipes because I have picked ideas from each of them and adapted to my taste. I wanted to keep my okonomiyaki as Japanese as possible, so I used dashi, dried shrimp, mountain yam, eringi and Japanese toppings too. I am very happy I have opted for the smoked and not raw bacon because it proved excellent here. If you want to start experimenting with okonomiyaki, I advise reading attentively all the above-mentioned posts and choosing what you feel will please you most.

TIPS: I find mountain yam (yamaimo) in organic shops in France, so maybe it is also easy to find in this type of shops in other countries.

Special equipment: a very big pancake turner is very useful here

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

Batter:

50 g flour

30 ml dashi (Japanese stock, home-made or instant)

1 egg

3 cm grated mountain yam (yamaimo)

salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

(pepper)

Filling:

2 big white cabbage leaves chopped or finely cubed (the hard central “vein” removed)

2 handfuls chopped eringi mushrooms

5 tablespoons cubed smoked pork loin

4 tablespoons dried tiny Japanese shrimp (sakura ebi); I don’t advise other types of shrimp or dried shrimp from other countries: they might be chewy and tough

1 handful fresh mungo bean sprouts

4 thin slices of smoked streaky bacon

4 thin slices of eringi mushrooms

Topping:

dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi)

okonomiyaki sauce (I used tonkatsu sauce instead and it was great too)

ao nori (powdered light green seaweed)

mayonnaise

2 tablespoons oil

In a big bowl combine the batter ingredients except for the sliced bacon and sliced eringi. Add the filling ingredients and adjust their amount (the mixture should be very thick, not liquid and the batter should only bind the ingredients together and not dominate it).

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan or on a smooth grill (called teppanyaki grill or la plancha).

Put half of the okonomiyaki mixture in a more or less round-shaped heap (you can adjust it on the pan).

Put the bacon and eringi slices on top, flatten delicately the pancake, but not too much. Otherwise it might fall into pieces when you turn it over.

Cover the pan and let it fry at medium heat for 5 – 10 minutes.

Turn the pancake over, cover once more and fry for another 5 minutes.

Repeat the same with the remaining batter.

Serve the bacon side up, topped with mayonnaise, sauce, ao nori and dried bonito flakes.

Daikon Simmered with Squid (Ika Daikon)

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Yesterday I realised I had a dying daikon in the fridge. One or two more days and I would have to throw it away, but I simply had no idea what to do with it. First, advised by Robert-Gilles (from Shizuoka Gourmet) I wanted to pickle it, but then I realised I have never had cooked daikon (long white radish) and decided to look rather for warm dish recipes. Daikon simmered with squid I saw in Street Café Japan by Emi Kazuko seemed too unusual too ignore it.

If, like me, you are sceptical about the simmered daikon and even more about its pairing with squid, do not even try to guess the final taste. I have loved this dish, but it didn’t resemble anything I had ever had before. The simmering mixture of dashi, soy sauce, sake and mirin creates a delicately flavoured, warming and light meal. I am very happy I have discovered this simple recipe because it is one of these Japanese comforting dishes which I will never have a chance to discover in any of the restaurants I know.

I have slightly modified the recipe.

TIP: This dish can be prepared in advance and reheated (on low heat or in a microwave).

Preparation: about 1 hour

Ingredients (serves 1 – 2):

10-15 cm thin daikon (or less if it’s very thick)

1 15 cm squid (cleaned)

400 ml dashi (Japanese stock, see here the standard and the simplified recipe)

4 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if using home-made, saltless dashi)

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons sake

English mustard, ground sansho (Japanese pepper)

(sesame seeds)

Peel the daikon and cut into 1 cm slices.

Wash the squid and cut it into thick rounds. Cut the tentacles in two or more pieces (depending how long they are).

Put both ingredients in a big saucepan, cover with dashi and let it simmer for 30 minutes.

Afterwards add mirin, soy sauce and sake.

Let the dish simmer until 1/2 of the liquid evaporates.

Serve with English mustard or/and sansho pepper.

Chicken and Potatoes in Miso Stew

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As I have recently mentioned, I start getting bored with Winter vegetables. On the other hand, as much as I enjoy cucumber kimchi or refreshing citrus drinks, they will never feed me or keep me warm as much as a hearty, thick, potato and carrot soup. A couple of days ago I had some leftover chicken stock and decided to make a quick soup with what I had in the fridge at the moment. I tasted it and felt something was missing. I opened the fridge, took a big tablespoon of miso and was thrilled to discover that this simple gesture gave my basic soup a sophisticated, fusion twist. As a big fan of miso, I have always found its complexity amazing, but I would have never suspected a tablespoon of this condiment can transform such a simple dish into something worth writing about.

For those who still haven’t used miso (味噌), this thick paste made by fermenting soybeans and/or barley or rice, is one of the most important ingredients of the Japanese cuisine. Miso has three main colour types: white (shiromiso), red (akamiso), black (kuromiso), and also mixed miso (awasemiso). In general, the lighter the colour, the more delicate the taste. There are myriads of different misos, depending on the brand, the ingredients, the region… Miso is very healthy, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. Miso soup is usually the first dish in which foreigners discover this Japanese staple, but it’s also used in simmered dishes, as a seasoning for grilled fish and meat, in sauces, pickles…

Here are some other miso use ideas:

-Garlic Miso Chicken Breast

-Aubergine with Ponzu, Miso and Sesame Sauce

-Miso Soup with Tofu

-Miso Soup with Shrimp and Tofu

-Mackerel Simmered in Miso

TIP: Adding the miso just before serving (not boiling it) preserves its precious nutrients.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

200 ml chicken stock

1/2 chicken breast, sliced

1 small carrot, chopped

1 small potato, peeled and cubed

1 tablespoon miso (or more)

(soy sauce if the soup is not salty enough)

Put the stock, the carrot, the potato and the chicken into a small pan. Cook it for about 20 minutes until the potato cubes are cooked.

Put the pan aside and stir one tablespoon miso, making sure it is well dissolved.

Serve.

Tanindon (他人丼) or Tanin Donburi with Ginger

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Some of you certainly know (and others maybe remember from my previous post) Oyakodon, a delicious Japanese rice bowl with chicken fried with eggs and onion. Oyakodon (親子丼) or Oyako Donburi (meaning parent and child – i.e. chicken meat and egg – bowl) is the most famous variation of donburi dishes (rice bowl with a topping) and one of the most frequent meals I prepare. In fact, since I made it for the first time it has been on my table for every single Sunday brunch.

When I published Oyakodon recipe, Hiroyuki (from Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking) has drawn my attention to a less famous tanindon (他人丼), “stranger bowl”, prepared more or less like oyakodon, but with beef or pork instead of chicken. Both oyakodon and tanindon are traditionally served with mistuba leaves and when about two weeks ago, I saw a small mitsuba sprig still growing on my balcony I thought it was probably the last chance this year to make tanindon with mitsuba leaves.

I have followed the Oyakodon recipe, choosing pork of which I am very fond of. I have sliced it very thinly and marinated in ginger and sake. Tanindon proved an very flavoursome oyakodon alternative, with a stronger and livelier taste, but still keeping the same comforting dish character. Even though oyakodon will always have a special place in my heart, the pork version of this donburi, or rice bowl, has also become a staple. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for giving me this wonderful idea!

I usually prepare it with freshly cooked rice and freshly fried meat, but both oyakodon and tanindon are excellent ways to use up leftovers.

TIP: The egg(s) shouldn’t be mixed like when you make scrambled eggs. It should be delicately stirred and the best tool here is a chopstick. You should obtain an egg white with “ribbons” of yolk.

Before I pass to the recipe I would like to express my gratitude to Barbara from Profiteroles and Ponytails for giving me the Versatile Blogger Award. Thank you, Barbara! I am very proud and flattered by this distinction. The Award consists in revealing some personal facts and giving the award to other bloggers, but since someone has kindly passed me this award not a long time ago, I hope Barbara will not mind if I simply link to the related post (click here).

Preparation: 25 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

a portion of freshly cooked rice

50 g pork, thinly sliced and cut into 1 cm strips

salt

pepper

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

1 tablespoon sake

1 small shallot or spring onion, thinly sliced

1- 2 eggs, slightly stirred (see the TIP above)

Sauce:

50 ml dashi (Japanese stock)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sake

sprigs of mitsuba

Season the pork slightly with salt and pepper, add sake, ginger and let it stand for about 10 minutes.

Fry it or deep-fry it and when it’s almost done, put it aside.

Fry the onions in the same pan and add all the sauce ingredients (previously combined together).

Lower the heat and bring it to boil.

Add the pork and cook together until it is done (do not overcook).

(Here, if you judge the sauce amount is too big, discard some of the sauce. Using the above amounts of liquids I have never felt like discarding it).

Pour the egg over the sauce with pork and, without mixing, wait until it is cooked. (I don’t like runny eggs, so they are always well cooked, but the consistency depends on personal preferences).

Put some hot rice into a bowl and transfer the egg and pork topping onto the rice.

Garnish with mitsuba sprigs.

Avocado and Walnut Salad

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Happy New Year to everyone! I hope you have spent lovely holidays and a wonderful New Year’s Eve. I also hope you haven’t exaggerated with rich festive food and drinks, but if you did, switching to healthy and simple recipes might help you recover from the recent indulgences or at least make you feel better.

The avocado and walnut combination is a recent discovery, inspired by Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog, and to be precise, by his creative wife’s bentos. Her avocado, mayonnaise and walnuts salad looked appetising, simple and proved a very interesting combination of flavours and textures. Apart from the obvious crunchy texture, walnuts provide a slight bitterness, which counterbalances the mellow avocado taste. The cucumber I have decided to add lightened the dish without modifying the flavours. Apart from the wonderful flavour, this salad is packed with blood pressure-lowering potassium, anti-oxidants, has a high fiber content, vitamins and even though it does contain a dash of mayonnaise, it is a very pleasant change from the heavy dishes I have recently exaggerated with. In short, this simple salad is a delicious and healthy side-dish, ideal for this time of the year. Robert-Gilles, please thank your wife for one more culinary inspiration.

Before I pass to the recipe I would love to say how proud and happy I was to learn Ping from Ping’s Pickings has tested my simple Last Minute Crackers recipe, making gorgeous star- and tree – shaped crackers. Click here to see how wonderfully she used up her puff pastry cuttings. Thank you, Ping, for this New Year’s gift!

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves two as a side-dish):

1 avocado

10 cm fresh cucumber

5 walnut kernels (+more 2-3 for decoration)

1 tablespoon mayonnaise

Tabasco

Worcestershire sauce

salt, pepper

Cut up the avocado and the cucumber into bite-sized pieces.

Chop up the walnuts.

Mix the mayonnaise, Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper

Combine the sauce with the walnuts, cucumber and avocado.

Serve chilled.

Cake with Shrimp and Edamame/Shrimp and Edamame Bread

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I have fallen in love with edamame a couple of months ago. These bright green, kidney-shaped young soy beans are the healthiest and one of the most delicious snacks I know. In Japanese edamame (枝豆) means twig bean and it designs not only the beans themselves but the simple snack of boiled edamame, often served in izakaya bars. Young soy beans are also eaten in China and Hawaii, but the Japanese seem to be particularly fond of them.

Apart from their big advantages as a light, rich in protein snack, edamame beans can easily be blended into all sorts of preparations and their lovely green hue embellishes every dish. I love mixing them with rice, stir-fried dishes or putting them in soups. When a couple of days ago I started to look for an original New Year’s Eve snack idea, edamame instantly came to my mind. I decided to make a Japanese version of the French savoury cake I wrote about ten days ago (click here), adding also shrimp, sesame seeds and “moisturising” the cake with silken tofu instead of the usual quark cheese.

I must say I was very pleased with the results of this surprisingly easy experiment. Apart from the beautiful, bright, Spring colours, this French-Japanese cake is moist, light, delicately flavoured and, in spite of being boiled and baked, edamame add a slightly crunchy note. If you still have time to buy edamame and shrimp, this might be a good idea for an original New Year’s Eve appetiser. It will certainly go well with a glass of white wine, champagne, shochu or sake.

Happy New Year, my dear friends!

Preparation: 1h15

Ingredients (for a 30 cm x 10 cm (about 12 x 4 inches) baking dish or two 4 cm x 30 cm (about 1,6 x 12 inches) dishes):

200 g (7 oz) silken tofu (or 200 g quark cheese/fromage blanc + 125 ml milk (approx. 1/2 cup) )

50 ml oil (approx. 1/5 cup)

250 ml flour (approx. 1 cup)

1 flat tablespoon salt

4 eggs

1 package baking powder (16 g/ about 0.5 oz)

200 g (7 oz) cooked edamame beans

200 g (7 oz) cooked and shelled shrimps or prawns, cut into pieces (unless they are very small)

(2 tablespoons sesame seeds)

Preheat the oven to 200°C.

Mix the eggs, the tofu (or the cheese+milk), the flour, the baking powder and the oil in a food processor until the batter is smooth (if you use the cheese you don’t need a food processor; a spoon is enough to combine everything). Season with salt. Add the edamame beans and the shrimp. Stir delicately.

Grease a rectangular 30 x 10 cm baking dish or line it with baking paper.

Pour the cake preparation. (Sprinkle with sesame seeds if you like them.)

Bake one hour or until the cake is golden brown. Let it cool down. Serve it sliced and then cut into 2 or 4 bite-sized pieces or, if using as a sandwich alternative, simply cut into slices.

Matcha and White Chocolate Truffles

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Today I am blog-sitting for Nami! In other words I have the honour of guest posting on Nami’s Just One Cookbook. Nami is a constant inspiration in my exploration of Japanese cuisine and a dear friend I look up to for her culinary and photographic skills, so I am very proud she has left today her blog in my hands. I strongly encourage you to click here and see my post on Just One Cookbook, where you will find more pictures, my blogging confessions and, most of all, Nami’s extraordinary recipes and photos.

This recipe is a modified version of chocolate truffles I have been making for years. If, like me, you love the soft chocolate truffles bought at confectioner’s shops, you will be happy to learn they are quite easy to make at home. Set in individual paper cases and placed in a nice box, they are quite an impressive edible present. They are also an elegant alternative when served with tea or coffee at the end of a meal.

The basic preparation of such truffles is called ganache (pronounced “ga-nash”), a mixture of melted chocolate and cream, sometimes with a bit of butter. Confectioners often coat such truffles in melted chocolate, but I prefer to coat them in different ground nuts, cocoa or dessicated coconut. Dark chocolate ganache is my favourite, but, especially for today, I have decided to modify these festive treats and adapt them to Nami’s magic world of Japanese cuisine.

Until now my experiments with matcha (powdered green tea) proved successful, so I have decided to use it as the Japanese touch in my chocolate truffles. Opting for white chocolate was a very wise decision. It was a perfect pairing for the sophisticated, subtle taste of matcha. The truffles are not overly sweet and have a very original, slightly bitter, typical matcha taste, mellowed by the buttery creaminess of white chocolate. If you are a fan of matcha, I hope you will enjoy them as much as I did.

TIPS:

During the chocolate melting process, keep a very low heat, stir constantly and do not let it boil.

While forming the truffles, make sure your hands are not too warm, running cold water on them from time to time and rolling the truffles between your fingers and not on the palm of your hand (which is warmer).

The truffles should be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part of the fridge), so make sure you say it while offering a box to someone.

Preparation: 30 minutes + at least 6 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (makes 20 – 25 truffles):

150 g high quality white chocolate

100 ml liquid cream (at least 25% fat)

2 heaped teaspoons matcha

a couple of tablespoons each: cocoa, ground almonds and dessicated coconut

Break the chocolate into small pieces. Put into a small pan with matcha and cream.

Let the chocolate melt on a very low heat, constantly stirring.

Pour into a food processor and mix until very smooth.

Transfer the mixture into a container, close tightly with a lid and refrigerate until the ganache has thickened (at least 3 hours).

(It can also stay in the fridge overnight or even for several days).

Prepare small, deep bowls with the coatings you have chosen.

Your hands shouldn’t be too warm, otherwise the ganache melts and truffles are impossible to form.

Run your hands under cold water every five or six truffles and clean them quickly with a paper towel.

Dust the inside of your hands with the chosen coating, quickly form a truffle, but using only the fingers (the palm of your hand is always much warmer), put it into a bowl with coating and, moving the bowl, coat the truffle thoroughly.

Repeat until you want to switch to another coating.

Place the truffles on a plate or in paper cases and refrigerate a couple of hours before serving or before offering them.

The truffles should always be kept in the fridge (it can be the warmest part, but the fridge is obligatory).

Okra Teriyaki Pork Rolls

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Japanese and, as I have recently noticed, Korean habit of rolling thin meat slices around different vegetables is among the most extraordinary culinary inventions I know. Such rolls are fun to make, to eat, they usually look cute and are an excellent occasion to develop one’s culinary creativity. Carrots, green beans, leftover potato purée, shiso and chili… when it comes to the choice of fillings, sky is the limit. Until now I have been preparing only two types of meat rolls: Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls (found on Nami’s Just One Cookbook) and Pork Rolls and Shiso in Tempura (found on Hyosun Ro’s Eating and Living). I thought it was high time I found a new recipe. Last weekend, while browsing through Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog or, to be precise, looking for inspiration in his wife’s lovely bentos, I stumbled upon pork rolls filled with okra. They looked very intriguing for someone who had never tasted okra and seemed perfect to extend my short list of meat and vegetable rolls.

Even though I had no instructions, my improvised recipe proved successful. Since I am a clumsy cook, of course every roll had a different size, they didn’t look half as attractive as in Shizuoka Gourmet‘s bento, but they were amazingly good. The crunchy and delicate okra went very well with the strong taste of pork and the sweetish, sticky teriyaki coating. This first experiment with okra was one of the best and healthiest tv snack-dinners I have ever had.

TIP: Pork rolls can be prepared the day before, stored in the fridge and fried just before serving.

Preparation : 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

12 -15 thin pork slices (max. 3 mm thick)

12 – 15 small okra pods or 6 – 8 big

flour

salt, pepper

oil

Teriyaki sauce:

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

1 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons sake

Wash the okra and cut it in two if required.

Season slightly the pork slices with salt and pepper.

Put the okra at one end of the pork roll.

Roll it tightly and put aside.

Do the same with all the pork strips.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Dust the pork rolls with flour and fry (sealed side down) on a medium heat until they are well browned (it will take about 15 minutes).

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the rolls and make sure they are well coated.

Let the sauce thicken for about one minute.

Transfer the rolls to a plate and garnish with the remaining sauce.

Sesame Coated Chicken Nuggets, or Tori no goma age

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These humble-looking golden and black chunks are one of my biggest culinary discoveries of this year and the dream dish for sesame seed lovers. The idea to prepare it came while I was leafing through my favourite Japanese cookery book (Japanese cooking. A simple art by Shizuo Tsuji). Some of you might remember Scallops Fried in Nori I have prepared according to “kawari age” or “variation frying” methods described in Tsuji’s book. As a reminder, just like tempura, these methods consist in deep-frying, but first the food is dipped in the egg white and then in different types of coating. After several coating tests on scallops nori proved the best choice, while my beloved sesame seeds gave a bitter and rather unpleasant taste. In spite of this bad experience, I risked the sesame crust on chicken and the result totally blew me away. It was crunchy, nutty, not bitter and, contrary to tempura, it stayed crisp for quite a long time.

I had these nuggets for lunch, with rice and some pickles, but they could easily be served as snacks at a party. My Hot Mango Sauce was the absolute winner among other dips I have tried. I suppose it can be substituted by a quick mixture of mango, chilies and vinegar. Next time I will only stick to white sesame seeds coating. Black ones were slightly bitter and left a strange aftertaste.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

100 g chicken breast or thigh cut into bite-sized pieces

1 heaped tablespoon flour

1 egg white

4 heaped tablespoons (or more) white sesame seeds

salt, pepper

oil for deep-frying

Preheat the deep-frying oil (it’s hot enough when a tiny piece of bread thrown into the fat doesn’t “sink” and stays on the surface, instantly browning).

Season the chicken pieces lightly with salt and pepper.

Beat the egg white slightly with a fork.

Dry them well with paper towels.

Dredge them slightly in flour, then in the egg white and at the end roll them in sesame seeds.

Deep fry them for about 3-5 minutes depending on the temperature of your oil and the size of your pieces.

Miso Soup with Shrimp and Tofu

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I usually drink only a big coffee for breakfast and don’t start being hungry before 10 am. If I happen to work at home, this is the moment when I have my late breakfast and my absolute favourite meal is miso soup (miso shiru 味噌汁). It is quick, healthy, full of proteins, low in carbs and quick to prepare. In short, a perfect breakfast. However, by soup miso I don’t mean the tiny bowl which is a part of traditional Japanese meals. I have my miso soup in a bigger bowl and the ingredients I add are often more then unorthodox.

For those who have never had or made a miso soup, it is composed of dashi (Japanese stock) and miso (fermented soybean paste). The most popular dashi version seems to be made with dried bonito flakes and konbu (a type of seaweed). It can be bought ready-to-use, but making dashi at home is very easy and in some countries (like in Switzerland) it is simply cheaper. I make my dashi stock every other week, in big batches, and then store it in the fridge, ready to be reheated. For me the biggest advantage of a home-made dashi is the lack of salt (present in instant dashi). It means I can add more of the delicious miso paste or soy sauce when using my stock. (Click here to see Primary and Secondary Dashi recipes.) Apart from the miso soup, dashi is necessary in many Japanese dishes, such as Fish in Barbarian-Style Marinade, Oyakodon or Udon Soup.

Going back to the miso soup, I always make sure it is packed with proteins, which keep my hunger away for much longer than anything rich in carbs. Tofu is the most frequent ingredient I add, but I also like to use leftover cooked vegetables, mushrooms, seafood or meat. Shrimps are among my favourites; I often have them in my freezer and they are very quick to cook. Today, apart from the shrimps, I have also added some of my beloved firm tofu and sprinkled everything with frozen dill, which is not only ideal for shrimps, but, strangely, goes perfectly well with miso soup on its own. If someone had told me a year ago that dill is the ideal seasoning in miso soup, I wouldn’t believe it, but now I keep it chopped and frozen all year especially for my regular shrimp soups.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

300 ml dashi stock

6 medium cooked shrimps

60 g tofu cut into cubes (I prefer the firm one here)

1/2 teaspoon fresh or frozen chopped dill

1 heaped tablespoon miso

Combine the dashi with miso.

Add the shrimps and the tofu and heat in a small pan, stirring from time to time.

(Do not let it boil!).

When the soup acquires the desired temperature (I prefer it warm, not hot), pour it into a bowl and sprinkle with chopped dill.

Korokke (コロッケ) with a Spicy Twist, or Potato, Meat and Mushroom Croquettes

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“Comfort food” usually means uncomplicated, nostalgic home dishes, often bringing back childhood memories. Sometimes, however, a new culinary discovery feels instantly homely and comforting, almost like a regular meal from a previous life. This is exactly what happened when I tasted these croquettes. They are simple, contain almost exclusively Western ingredients (apart from the Japanese panko, which in my opinion is at the top in the world of bread crumbs) and are so universally enjoyable, I cannot imagine anyone hating them. Even their cute shape somehow makes me smile and feel relaxed.

The name “korokke” (コロッケ) comes from the French word “croquette” and this dish first appeared in the Japanese cuisine at the beginning of the XXth century. Korokke are based either on white sauce or potatoes and contain such additional ingredients as ground meat, mushrooms, vegetables or shrimps. My first potato korokke bought in a Japanese fast food shop was bland and completely uninteresting. I didn’t think for a second of preparing anything similar at home. This was before I saw the version made by Nami (Just One Cookbook), the never-ending source of marvellous Japanese dishes. Nami’s appealing photos didn’t lie: her korokke have absolutely nothing in common with the bland pretenders I remembered. Thank you, Nami, for the umpteenth delight you have made me discover!

Since I have a very annoying habit of modifying even the perfect dishes, I did something I have been doing for years with mushroom and beef dishes: I added a bit of ground cumin. Its taste is not recognisable, but like in the case of my Mushroom Soup, it adds a certain je-ne-sais-quoi I am very proud of. I have also added more mushrooms and vegetables, so that they make at least half of the korokke mixture. As I have already mentioned, I often prepared korokke with button mushrooms instead of shiitake. The result was different, but by no means worse. I have skipped the raw egg since, surprisingly, my patties kept perfectly well together without any “gluing” agent. Click here to see Nami’s original recipe.

TIPS: Korokke can be prepared one or two days in advance, kept in the fridge and then taken out one hour before breading and frying process. If you use button mushrooms, double the amounts, since they are not as aromatic as shiitake.

Preparation: 1 h 30 – 2 h

Ingredients (serves 4):

1 kg potatoes

400 g ground beef

100 g shiitake or 200 g button mushrooms

2 carrots

1 big onion

salt, pepper

1 heaped teaspoon ground cumin

1 egg

10 tablespoons flour

20 tablespoons panko breadcrumbs

oil for deep frying

Chop finely the carrots and the onion.

Heat a small amount of oil in a pan, add the onions, fry them for a couple of minutes and then add the carrots together with the mushrooms.

When mushrooms start changing their colour, add the beef, salt, pepper and cumin.

Cook until the carrot pieces are soft.

In the meantime cook the potatoes. Peel them and mash them with a fork or with a potato masher, leaving some chunks.

Combine the potatoes with the vegetables. Taste the mixture and season once more if needed.

Shape flat round patties (mine had a 6 cm diameter), coat them first in flour, then in the raw egg and then in panko.

Deep fry in small batches (they should be able to “swim” easily) until golden brown. (I put some panko in the oil and if it starts making bubbles and fried immediately, it means the oil is hot enough).

They are very good served with the Japanese tonkatsu sauce (Bull Dog).

Chicken and Shiso Dumplings

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Shiso (紫蘇), or perilla, a herb I discovered only a couple of months ago, has become a staple in my kitchen. Its elegant, slightly bitter taste and grassy aroma make it exceptional and absolutely impossible to compare to any other plant. Even though it can be used both raw and cooked, it is not as versatile as parsley, coriander or chives. On the other hand, once you find a good company for shiso, it will become an obligatory ingredient, enhancing basic and bland flavours and creating interesting, original dishes. Two main varieties – red shiso (akajiso in Japanese) and green shiso – have the same shape, but vary slightly in colour and intensity (red one is more pungent). Apart from the Japanese cuisine, perilla is also used for example in China, Vietnam or Korea.

Some time ago a Japanese friend told me how she makes beef and shiso gyoza dumplings. I promised myself I would try her recipe one day. A couple of days ago, finding a package of gyoza skins in my freezer I have decided to try shiso in dumplings. I have chosen ground chicken for two reasons. First, I only had chicken breasts in my fridge and secondly, both Ume- Shiso Chicken Skewers and Chicken and Shiso Balls have convinced me that shiso and chicken combination was foolproof. I was right: instead of dominating the delicate chicken breast flavours, shiso enhanced and sophisticated them. The dumplings were so good, I had them for dinner two days in a row. Thank you, R., for this excellent idea!

If you cannot find shiso in your Japanese shop or if it’s horribly expensive, try other Asian grocers. I find cheap shiso all year round in a Vietnamese shop. I don’t dare calling my dumplings “gyoza” since they were simply cooked and then some of them reheated by pan frying. If you want to prepare them like real gyoza, see Nami’s “Just One Cookbook” blog for detailed instructions.

In case you have a big bunch of shiso and wonder how to use it, here are previously posted dishes, all calling for shiso:

-Aubergine with Ponzu, Miso and Sesame Sauce

-Chicken and Shiso Balls

-Tomato and Shiso Salad

-Ume-Shiso Chicken Skewers

Before I pass to the recipe details, I would like to express my gratitude to Mr. Three-Cookies (from Three Cookies blog) for making and posting my Layered Herring and Beetroot Salad. His presentation is absolutely gorgeous and I’m very proud that, as the ultimate herring specialist, Mr. Three-Cookies enjoyed my favourite herring dish (click here to see his wonderful version).

Preparation: 1 hour

Ingredients (makes 24 gyoza skin dumplings):

24 gyoza skins (or other thin dumpling skins)

2 chicken breasts (minced or whole)

4 tablespoons chopped shiso

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1 medium onion

salt and pepper to taste

2-3 litres chicken stock

If using minced chicken breasts, combine them in a bowl with finely chopped onion, shiso and the remaining ingredients.

If using whole chicken breasts, cut them into chunks and mix, with onion, in a food processor.

Afterwards combine with the remaining ingredients.

Prepare a big pan of boiling chicken stock (may be prepared with granulated chicken stock).

Brush the dumpling skins’ edges with water.

Place a heaped teaspoon of the filling on each skin and seal them.

To make sure the dumplings are well sealed, I always prick the sealed edges with a fork (on both sides).

Cook in boiling stock for about 10 minutes. (Put only a couple of dumplings at a time, so that they can “swim” easily).

Serve boiled or fried.

These dumplings can be made in advance and frozen or refrigerated. If you want to refrigerate them, separate them with cling film. Otherwise they might stick to each other.

Scallops Fried in Nori, or Hotate no nori age

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This simple, but surprising way to prepare scallops is another palatable – but maybe not visually appealing – discovery I owe to the Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji. I have already written about this incredible book for example here, so I will not bore you with my enthusiastic impressions or details. I will just say that not only do I praise it as highly as at the beginning, but the longer I have it, the more I am convinced it is the best cookery book I have ever seen in my life.

This frying method is defined as “Kawari age”, meaning “variation frying”. According to Shizuo Tsuji, it is quite a recent innovation in the Japanese cuisine (although the book was written about 30 years ago). Just like tempura, this method consists in deep-frying, but first the food is dipped in the egg white and then in different types of coating.

As a recent, but avowed fan of deep-fried scallops (see here the recipe for Deep-Fried Breaded Scallops), I decided to try them in one of the kawari age coatings. I experimented with several of them, with more or less successful results (e.g. I strongly advise you against poppy seeds, which become very bitter), but chopped nori seaweed (the one used for maki rolls) was the absolute winner. Fried nori darkens and becomes crunchy, but doesn’t lose its delicate “oceanic” flavour or aroma and proves extraordinary with scallops. Strangely, scallops in crunchy nori remind me a bit of the freshly caught, fried, small river fish.

The instructions are quite easy to follow, the only really tricky part being the stickiness of the chopped nori. While coating the scallops I would advise placing chopped nori on a flat surface, a portion only for one scallop at a time.

I have almost forgotten to emphasize it’s an excellent way to use up leftover egg whites.

Preparation: 30 minutes (or more, depending on the batch and the size of the deep-frying pan)

Ingredients (serves 2):

10 scallops without the coral and opaque, tough “foot” (cut horizontally in two, if they are very big)

3- 4 sheets of nori seaweed

a couple of tablespoons flour

1 egg white

(salt)

Preheat the deep-frying oil (it’s hot enough when a tiny piece of bread thrown into the fat doesn’t “sink” and stays on the surface instantly browning).

Chop the nori seaweed very finely (scissors are very handy here) and place a portion for one scallop on a flat surface.

Beat slightly the egg white with a fork or with chopsticks.

Sprinkle some salt on the scallops (this step is not necessary) and dip them first in the flour, then in the beaten egg and then roll them in the chopped nori.

Deep-fry the scallops until they are golden.

I found them delicious served simply with soy sauce and rice.

Tama Konnyaku with Bacon and Shiitake, or Zero-Calorie Gnocchi

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If you have read this post about Shirataki, or Konnyaku noodles, you probably remember what konnyaku is. As a reminder, it’s a Japanese plant also called konjak, devil’s tongue or yam (Amorphophallus konjac), transformed into flour and then mixed with water to produce a sort of gelatinous, transparent substance, which is usually formed into noodles or rectangular blocks.

Until a couple of weeks ago I had thought the above where the only forms in which konnyaku was sold. This was before I saw these:

They are called “tama konnyaku” and translated as konnyaku balls, although in my opinion they look more like gnocchi. Just like the noodles and the rectangles, these are sold in bags filled with water, have almost zero calories, no carbs, contain lots of fiber and give a very quick sensation of satiety. I have bought them and only afterwards started to wonder how to prepare them. Thanks to Hiroyuki’s (Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking) kind translation of some Japanese recipes, I was finally ready to cook. I have also learnt, thanks to Hiroyuki, that my tama konnyaku were not just any tame konnyaku, but a high quality product. Another reason to cook them properly!

I have decided to combine both recipes I was kindly given, substituting dried squid with dashi (as Hiroyuki advised), modified them a bit and then had this crazy idea to add fried bacon (or the smoked lean pork you see on the above photo), onions and shiitake. The result was a surprisingly good combination of Japanese and Western flavours, giving a false high-calorie feeling (especially when lean pork is used). Black pepper somehow binds this fusion.

Preparation: 30-40 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

1/2 package of tama konnyaku

5 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (or 3 tablespoons normal soy sauce)

10 tablespoons dashi

1 tablespoon sake

1 teaspoon potato or corn starch

1 tablespoon oil

5-6 fresh or dried, sliced shiitake (if dried, soak them in boiling water until they are soft)

50 g bacon or lean smoked pork (sliced)

1 onion (sliced)

lots of freshly ground black pepper

Drain and rinse tama konnyaku. Cook them in boiling water for about 5 minutes.

Rinse them once more.

Put aside.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Fry the onion on low heat until it softens.

Add the bacon or lean smoked pork and shiitake.

Fry at higher heat until shiitake are cooked.

Put the onion, the bacon and the mushrooms in a bowl.

Without washing the pan, stir-fry tama konnyaku for a couple of minutes.

Add the soy sauce, the dashi, the sake and the water shiitake were soaked in if you used dried shiitake.

When half of the liquid has evaporated, add the cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water and stir well so that it coats well tama konnyaku.

At the end add the onion and the bacon, ground black pepper, heat everything in the pan and serve.

Shoyu Chicken, or Chicken in Thick Soy Sauce

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shoyuchickenp

Before spotting it on the Humble Bean blog, I have never heard of “shoyu chicken” and would have never guessed it was a Hawaiian dish, since “shoyu” is a Japanese word meaning “soy sauce”. Its presence reflects the influence of the Japanse cuisine in Hawaii, where apparently immigrants from different ethnic groups have left a rich, fusion culinary heritage.

Last week, when I realised Shoyu Chicken was one of the best dishes I have ever had, I started to google for some more information and found myriads of different versions bearing the same name, but only one recurring ingredient, namely the soy sauce. The recipe from Humble Bean is made with very few ingredients (among which tomato is a very surprising one), doesn’t require any particular attention and cooks literally on its own, so the fabulous, original result is even more impressive.

Hardly a couple of days after my first experience with Shoyu Chicken I saw an incredibly similar “nonya” dish on Mr. Three-Cookies blogs (Three Cookies and Easily Good Eats), called Tau Eu Kay. Thanks to Mr. Three-Cookies I have learnt “nonya” combines “Chinese and Malay cooking, as well as influences from other cuisines such as Thai”. This coincidence made me wonder if nonya and Hawaiian, both fusion cuisines, have more similar dishes. I hope to explore both in the future!

Going back to my – slightly modified – recipe, I made it first with the skin on, but even though my chicken is always free-range and runs a lot (I hope), the sauce was too fat for my taste, so my second Shoyu Chicken was made without skin. The result was perfect, the meat wasn’t dry, so this is the way I intend to prepare it the future. There are always some leftovers of the delicious sauce, which I use the following day on rice, fried vegetables or noodles.

This dish has a historical importance. It is the first time in my life I prefer dark chicken meat from breasts (I have tested both and encourage all the chicken breast fans to try both). Another interesting point is that this is the first Asian dish I know which goes better with red wine (a sturdy one is a better choice here).

Thank you, Azusa, for this wonderful and simple recipe which has already become a staple in my house.

This dish is perfect with Tomato and Shiso Salad I have found on the same blog and the Japanese Onion Salad from Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking.

Preparation: 1 hour

Ingredients (serves 2 hungry people):

2 chicken thighs (preferably cut in two pieces) with or without skin

125 ml (1/2 cup) Japanese soy sauce (or 150 ml if you have a low-sodium soy sauce)

100 g (1/2 cup) sugar (I have substituted it with 60 ml agave syrup)

2 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 heaped teaspoon powdered mustard

125 ml (1/2 cup) canned tomatoes (I have put 3 tablespoons tomato paste+125 ml water)

Bring all the sauce ingredients to boil.

Lower the heat, put the chicken into the sauce and let it simmer for at least one hour.

Serve with rice.

Aubergine with Ponzu, Miso and Sesame Sauce

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This is another lovely recipe I have found on Nami’s extraordinary blog (Just One Cookbook) and another one which confirms my fondness of the aubergine. If, like me a couple of years ago, you associate the aubergine with fat-soaked tasteless slices, you should try this simple and healthy dish, which makes me regret the aubergine season is almost over. I think it’s an excellent introduction to the sophisticated and simple way the Japanese cook their vegetables, bringing the best out of their subtle taste.

I hope Nami will not be angry to learn I have slightly changed her recipe, skipping konbucha/kombucha (昆布茶, ”seaweed tea”), one of the sauce ingredients I kept on forgetting to buy. According to Nami its presence guaranteed umami taste, so for me miso (fermented soy bean paste), as the quintessence of umami, was the obvious substitute to experiment with. The experiment was so successful that now, having tried both versions I couldn’t say which one I prefer. Both create a perfect, complex flavours’ combination of flavours and both are ideal with the grilled aubergine. The sauce with konbucha is lighter and more delicate, while the one with miso is creamier and has a stronger taste. (Unfortunately, I couldn’t advice any substitute for ponzu (ポン酢), a mixture of soy sauce and yuzu juice. I tried once to combine soy sauce with lemon, then with lime juice, but the results were not satisfactory.)

After much hesitation I have decided to post the miso version in case some of you don’t have konbucha (it’s a bit more difficult to get than miso), but I strongly encourage you to follow Nami’s original recipe and try both of them.

I have accidentally discovered this grilled aubergine is ideal served with Garlic Miso Chicken Breast Skewers, also adapted from Nami’s Garlic Miso Chicken Wings recipe). Nami, I am so grateful for the sophisticated simplicity and delight your Japanese meals bring to my table!

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

1 medium eggplant, in 1/2 cm thick slices

1 tablespoon sesame oil

2 flat tablespoons chopped chives or green onions

3 tablespoons chopped shiso leaves

Sauce:

2 tablespoons ponzu

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon miso (or 1/4 teaspoon konbucha, click here to see the details on Nami’s blog)

Brush both sides of the aubergine slices with sesame oil and grill them or pan-fry them on both sides. (Or heat some oil in the pan instead of brushing the slices).

In the meantime combine the ingredients of the sauce (I close them in a small container with a lid and shake like a cocktail; it helps to dissolve the cold miso).

Arrange the aubergine on a plate, sprinkle with chives and shiso and pour the sauce.

Serve warm or cold (I prefer it warm).

Shirataki (白滝,しらたき), Ito Konnyaku (糸蒟蒻), or Zero-Calorie Noodles

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This title is not a joke. Of course the above bowl’s content doesn’t have zero calories, but the white, slightly transparent threads have zero – or almost – calories. They are also healthy, natural and I still remember being totally blown away when I discovered them at my Japanese grocer’s. Shirataki (白滝 orしらたき), sometimes called konnyaku noodles or ito konnyaku 糸蒟蒻 (see Hiroyuki’s and Nami’s comments below), are made from konjak (Amorphophallus konjac, also called devil’s tongue, yam or konnyaku), which is transformed into flour and then mixed with water to produce a sort of gelatinous, transparent substance. The latter is sold most often in two basic forms: noodles (shirataki or ito konnyaku) and rectangular, often brownish, blocks (ita konnyaku). Both are sold in bags filled with water and, kept in the fridge, they have a very long shelf life.

In Japan noodles and rectangular blocks are usually used in stews and soups. The blocks are often torn into pieces to increase the surface which will absorb more flavours and juices. See how in the Shinya Shokudo (深夜食堂) opening (my beloved tv series), Master tears into pieces a block of konnyaku to prepare tonjiru (a pork soup):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgQtA4iJHsM

If you want to see a detailed and well explained tonjiru recipe, go to Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking. His post and appetising photos made me crave a bowl of shirataki and gave me the idea of today’s post too! Thank you, Hiroyuki, for the inspiration!

Konnyaku is very rich in fiber, and so are shirataki. Visually they resemble the Chinese glass noodles: they are also transparent, have hardly any taste and absorb the flavours from sauces and food products they are cooked with. The main difference is that shirataki’s caloric value approaches zero (to be exact it’s about 3 kcal per 100g, which beats even the cucumber)! The high fiber they contain regulates the digestion, makes one feel they are very filling and suppresses the hunger, while the low-calorie and low-carb intake allows even the biggest diet freak to enjoy a fabulous bowl of noodles. I have also read on many websites that konnyaku is called in Japan “the broom for the stomach” due to its high fiber content. Both, noodles and block, keep for a very long time in the fridge, so it’s easy to have them at hand. In short, it’s THE wonder food!

Before passing to the recipe I would like to show you the wonderful knife I won a couple of weeks ago in 5 Euro Food‘s giveaway and which I am thrilled to use every day. I don’t want to make a free ad for this brand, but just say that if you still don’t have a high quality knife, do get you one! Cutting is easier, quicker, lighter, the grip is perfectly comfortable… This knife is also a particularly beautiful object with its unusually coloured, slightly reddish wooden handle (it also has my initials engraved on the other side of the blade!). Needless to say, cutting is now my favourite pastime! Thank you, Charles, for this lovely gift!

This recipe is just one of the cook-what-you-have-in-the-fridge examples of stir-fried noodles I make. It is not particularly Japanese, nor Chinese, it’s just a simple dish I had for my lunch yesterday and if it wasn’t for shirataki, I would never post such an ordinary stir-fry.

UPDATE: Hiroyuki and Nami, thank you so much for your precious feedback!

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

1 package shirataki

50 g chicken breast

1 small green chili

1 small courgette

1 big shallot or small onion

1 garlic clove

1 cm fresh ginger

salt, pepper

grilled sesame seeds

oil for stir-frying

Sauce:

4 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce (or 2 tablespoons regular soy sauce)

2 tablespoons sake

1 tablespoon corn starch

Rinse the noodles with cold water and boil for 2-3 minutes (dont’ be scared of the initial unpleasant smell; it will disappear).

Rinse them once more and put aside.

Combine all the sauce ingredients.

Cut the chicken breast into thin strips. Season with salt and pepper.

Peel the garlic clove and ginger and chop them finely.

Slice the shallot and the chili.

Cut the courgette into long pieces.

Heat some oil in a pan. Add first the garlic and the ginger, then after a minute, add the onion.

Fry it about a minute, stirring.

Then add the chicken and the chili pepper.

Stir fry until the chicken is cooked.

At the end add the courgette and fry it for about two minutes to keep it crunchy (or more if your prefer it soft).

Finally, add the noodles and the sauce with corn starch.

Fry everything, constantly stirring, until the sauce thickens.

Serve sprinkled with grilled sesame seeds.

Garlic Miso Chicken Breast

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When I saw Nami’s Garlic Miso Chicken Wings on Just One Cookbook, I instantly felt it would become my staple. It called for my beloved miso, it was simple, light and, last but not least, it looked irresistible. Since, as usually, I had several chicken breasts in my fridge and absolutely no wings, I decided to adapt Nami’s recipe to suit them. Adding sake to the marinade and brushing the breast pieces with oil was sufficient to stop them from excess drying. The result was so good that I prepared this dish at least five times in the last couple of weeks. Its flavour is typical of the Japanese cuisine: complex and simple at the same time. It is also versatile enough to be served with hot, sweet or sour sauce (try it with ume plum paste!) and practically with every possible vegetable. Thank you, Nami! You have made me discover a wonderful dish that I feel I will never get tired of!

Skewers are not necessary of course, but they make the flipping over much easier. The meat can be marinated for a couple of hours, but the taste and texture seriously improve when it is left overnight in the fridge. If you use the skewers, make sure you soak them enough in the water. Otherwise (as you can see above) they will simply burn.

If you want to grill chicken wings, ignore the below instructions and click here to see Nami’s original Garlic Miso Chicken Wings recipe. Garlic miso wings are beautiful, crunchy (the thing I will never obtain with breasts) and luscious.

Before passing to the recipe, I would like to thank Ping (from Ping’s Pickings) for two flattering awards. I am very honoured to say I have received both the Interesting Blog Award and the Cherry on Top Award. Thank you so much, Ping!

Special equipment:

skewers (not necessary, but make the flipping over process easier)

Preparation: 10 minutes+ marinating time (at least 3 hours, but definitely better overnight)

Ingredients (serves 1 – 2):

1 big or two small chicken breasts

1 big clove garlic grated or squashed

1 teaspoon soy sauce (or 1 tablespoon if, like me, you use low-sodium soy sauce)

1 tablespoon miso (I used red miso)

1 teaspoon mirin

1 tablespoon sake

1 tablespoon oil to brush the meat before grilling

(chives)

Cut the breast into bite-sized pieces.

Combine all the ingredients (apart from the oil) with the chicken and put into the fridge for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven grill/broiler.

Soak the skewers in water for at least 10 minutes so they don’t burn like mine.

Put the meat pieces on the skewers and place them on aluminium foil.

Brush the meat with the marinade (if there is some in the bowl) and finally with the oil.

Grill the meat until it becomes golden (about 10 minutes). Then flip over and grill for a couple more minutes.

(You may sprinkle the skewers with chopped chives. I have used Chinese chives here).

Chicken and Shiso Balls

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Shiso, or perilla (紫蘇) is a Japanese herb with a fresh, “grassy” aroma and a strong flavour. When I had a chance to taste it for the first time, I have fallen in love instantly and since then have been on a constant search for new ways to use it. Probably the most frequent dish I make with this herb is a Tomato and Shiso Salad, but the real breakthrough was when I discovered how good it tastes combined with chicken in Ume-Shiso Chicken Skewers. It made my realise how good the combination of my beloved chicken and shiso might be.

Naturally, the chicken patties wrapped in shiso leaves I saw on Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog didn’t go unnoticed. First I wanted to copy exactly what I saw in his bento, but then I talked to a Japanese friend of mine (thank you, R.!) who suggested chopping the shiso leaves and incorporating them into the patties. Shiso brings complexity and a fresh note to these simple chicken balls, while soft tofu stops them from drying out. I love serving chicken with sour Japanese ume plum paste (bainiku), but it can be served with any sauce of your choice. Shiso’s flavour is strong enough to stand most of the flavours. I had this dish for lunch and once for dinner, but I can very well imagine it on toothpicks served as a snack.

I haven’t bought ground meat on purpose: I mixed it with garlic, tofu and ginger in a small food processor (the one used for baby food, the same I use to mix cocktails).

Before I pass to the recipe details I cannot stop myself from sharing with you the great news which made me literally jump with joy: I have won a beautiful, high-quality knife in a contest organised by Charles from 5 Euro Food! Actually it was like a wish list gift for me since I have been meaning to buy a serious, good quality knife for ages. Thank you again, Charles, for this wonderful prize!

Preparation: 25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

1 chicken breast (ground or whole if you wish to grind it yourself)

1 cm fresh ginger

1 small garlic clove

salt

about 3 heaped tablespoons chopped shiso

about 3 heaped tablespoons soft (silken) tofu

1-2 tablespoons oil

bainiku (ume paste)

If your meat is already ground, grate or crush the garlic clove and the ginger, chop the shiso, add the tofu and the salt and combine everything in a bowl.

If your meat isn’t ground, cut it in 4-5 pieces and put into a food processor with the remaining ingredients (apart from shiso!). Mix well. Put into a bowl and combine with shiso.

Heat the oil in a pan.

Form the meat mixture into apricot-sized balls, slightly squash them and fry for about 15 minutes.

First fry them with a lid (this will make the balls fry quicker without burning). Then turn to the other side and finish frying, uncovered.

Serve with rice and ume pasteor another sauce/paste of your choice.

Light Matcha Cream

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This refreshing, light cream is the second dish I have made with matcha, Japanese powdered green tea. It has become my staple throughout the Summer and since hot days are soon over in Europe, I thought it was high time I posted it. I based my recipe on the Joël Robuchon’s cream (in “Le meilleur et le plus simp le de Robuchon “), the same one I used while preparing Light Coffee and Cardamom Cream.

As an avowed – though still inexperienced – matcha desserts fan I find this cream extraordinary. It is a distant cousin of Matcha Crème Brûlée, but without the crunch and with a bit less calories. As always, matcha adds elegant bitterness and makes the cream particularly cooling. This is most of all a dessert, but it can also be served between the meals as a palate “refreshener”, recently fashionable in many restaurants.

Beware! This recipe is far from being perfect. In spite of double straining, a part of matcha powder accumulates on the bottom of the dish, creating a darker thin line. This doesn’t alter really the taste, but is quite annoying… If anyone has an idea how to avoid it, please let me know! (Strangely I have never had this problem with Matcha Crème Brûlée).

Preparation: 1 hour + at least 2 – 3 hours in the fridge

Special equipment:

3 or 4 individual baking dishes

Ingredients (makes 4 small or 3 medium creams):

400 ml milk (I used skimmed)

4 egg yolks

4 tablespoons sugar (or sweetener)

2 flat tablespoons matcha

Pour the milk into a pan.

Slowly bring the milk to boil.

Put aside.

Heat the oven to 140°C.

Combine the yolks, the sugar and the matcha.

Strain the warm milk into the bowl with egg yolks and mix everything with a spoon.

Wash the pan.

Pour the cream mixture into the pan.

Heat the mixture for about 10 minutes (without boiling), constantly stirring.

Strain it and put aside.

Boil a big amount of water.

Prepare a baking dish at least as high as the individual cream dishes and big enough to contain all the creams.

Strain the cream mixture once more into the individual dishes.

Place them in the big baking dish.

Fill the big dish with boiling water so that half of the creams is covered.

Cover the creams tightly with aluminium foil and put (very carefully!) into the oven.

(This step is very important to avoid a thick “skin” forming on the top of the creams.)

Bake for about 25 minutes (the creams are ready when only the centre is slightly trembling, but the rest is set).

Let them chill and put into the fridge for several hours.

Serve very cold.

Aji no hiraki (鯵の開き), or Salted and Grilled Horse Mackerel

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Aji no hiraki (鯵の開き) is probably the least photogenic dish I have ever made. This is the reason why I have waited several months and went through at least a dozen of long photo sessions before posting this recipe. Every time I prepared this dish I took photos and every time they looked as scary and as uninviting as the one you see above. I decided to post it anyway, hoping you will believe me if I say it has an extraordinary taste and figures on the top 5 list of my favourite fish dishes. In short, appearances can be deceptive.

The first time I stumbled upon aji no hiraki was on Hiroyuki’s blog on Japanese Cooking. It was on the long list of dishes featured in my beloved Japanese manga and film series, Shinya Shokudo 深夜食堂 (Late-Night Diner). Unfortunately, the manga wasn’t translated, so I cannot read it, but the film is moving, full of subtle humour and if the bar where all the episodes are filmed existed, I would love to be there every night. Every episode focuses on a particular dish and a character and I really regret the series has only one, short season. Here is the theme song I also adore:

Anyway, aji no hiraki (鯵の開き), or cut-open and grilled horse mackerel, is featured in the manga 68th episode and the 9th episode of the series (thank you, Hiroyuki, for the correction!). After my questions about the mysterious dish, Hiroyuki kindly promised to make it, take the photos and publish the recipe, the things for which I will always be very grateful. (See here his detailed photos and helpful instructions). The preparation consists of cutting open the whole fish (head included), soaking it in a brine and then drying it in the sun. Afterwards the horse mackerel is grilled.

Drying in the sun requires two factors: a sunny, warm weather (but not too hot and preferably a bit windy) and a drying net. Unfortunately I don’t have a special drying net, which keeps off the flies and other bugs (not to mention the lack of the sun the first time I made it), so I decided to dry my fish in a slightly warm oven (65°C). I suppose sun-dried mackerel tastes better, but I was completely satisfied with my oven drying too! Of course soaking, drying and grilling are easy steps, although time-consuming. The stage I find particularly tricky is cutting open the fish If you have a good fishmonger who knows how to cut open the fish (something i have never seen in Europe), you will skip the only difficult part. If you don’t have this possibility (like me), Hiroyuki referred to this website (in Japanese) with very helpful fish preparation photos.

Even after several times the cutting open process is not an easy one for me, but the final result is definitely worth it. The mackerel acquires a very deep, buttery taste, reminding me of a slightly smoked fish. Even though it’s a Japanese recipe, after many tests I must say it tastes the best with crunchy baguette spread with butter. I hope you will not be shocked if I say it’s a wonderful, nourishing and healthy breakfast dish. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for introducing to me this fantastic and unusual delicacy!

Special equipment:

a toothbrush to clean off the fish blood

(a drying net if you dry the fish in the sun)

Preparation: 5-6 hours (can be done in two days)

Ingredients (serves 2-4):

4 medium-sized horse mackerels (aji)

1 litre water

50 g salt

Cut the fish belly and remove the innards.

If you want, you can scale it, but I didn’t.

Cut the fish lengthwise from the head to the tail, very carefully so that you don’t cut it through.

Remove the gills (at this step the head sometimes falls off… so be careful) and wash the fish with a toothbrush, removing the slightest traces of blood.

(Look at this website for a detailed description.)

Dissolve the salt in the water and soak the fish for about 40 minutes. (If the final result is too salty or not salty enough, the following time increase the soaking time).

Dry the fish with paper towels, but don’t rinse it.

Put it in the net and sun-dry first open side up, then open side down for minimum 4 hours up to half a day (it depends on the sun and temperature).

If you want to dry the fish in the oven, preheat the oven to 65°C.

Put the fish on a sheet of baking paper.

Dry for about 4 hours, first the open side up, then the skin side up.

(At this stage you can grill the fish or put it into the fridge and grill it the following day.)

Preheat the oven upper grill (broiler), put the fish the open side up and grill until slightly golden (I like mine a bit drier, so I grill it more).

Serve with whatever you want, but do try with buttered crunchy baguette.

Ground Beef Maki Sushi

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Since I realised clumsy, but delicious maki sushi is very easy to make at home, I have been preparing it quite often. In the summer refreshing, light rolls become a staple. Even though I never put raw fish inside (I am not sure if the fish I buy and cook has the required freshness or/and quality for a raw use), I play with different ingredients and often add what I happen to find in my fridge.

A couple of days ago I craved maki sushi and, apart from the cucumber, I didn’t have any of my usual filling ingredients (I often use canned tuna, avocado and cucumber). I spotted however a tiny amount of ground beef, left over from the previous night’s hamburger dinner. This is how I had this risky idea to fry it and put into my rolls. The experiment was a big success and even the presence of cumin, dried coriander and chili didn’t spoil the surprising flavours’ harmony. I added lots of cucumber for a refreshing and crunchy touch (and also because I love cucumber). Now I know nori can resist even the weirdest pairings!

You might also like these maki sushi versions:

Asparagus Maki Sushi

Shrimp, Avocado and Cucumber Maki Sushi

TIP: I always put much less rice than most people do (I tend to eat too much rice…), so if you prefer standard rolls with a normal amount of rice, cook 500g (about 2 2/3 cups) instead of 300g.

Special equipment:

rice cooker (unless you know how to cook the rice in a “normal” pan)

maki rolling mat or a special futomaki roller

Preparation: 20 minutes (+ 1 hour for rice cooking and cooling)

Ingredients (serves 2 – 3):

5 nori seaweed sheets

300g (about 1 1/2 cup) sushi rice (or 500g/about 2 2/3 cups if you prefer “standard” rolls)

Rice mixture:

4 tablespoons rice vinegar

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

100 g ground beef

1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

1 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 big cucumber

grilled white sesame seeds

soy sauce+wasabi

marinated ginger

a bowl of rice vinegar

Cook the rice in the rice cooker (or in a pan if you know how to do it!). Put the hot rice into a bowl and add the rice mixture ingredients. Stir well and leave to cool down.

In the meantime heat some oil in a frying pan, add the ground beef, the coriander, the cumin, the chili and some soy sauce. Fry until the beef is well cooked. Put aside and let it cool down.

Cut the cucumber into thin, long pieces.

When the rice has cooled down to the room temperature (it can’t be completely cold! otherwise it won’t be sticky enough), put a nori sheet vertically on the rolling mat, shiny side down.

With fingers dipped in a bowl of rice vinegar spread 1/5th of the rice evenly, leaving a 1 cm gap on the top, far edge.

Arrange the beef and the cucumber on the rice, in a horizontal line, close to the bottom edge.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Roll the maki starting from the bottom edge, gently pressing after each turn.

Moist with rice vinegar the upper edge before doing the last turn.

Press gently the roll and put it aside.

In order to obtain more or less similarly sized pieces, cut the roll first in two parts, then put them in a row and cut them in two parts, etc.

(It is easier to cut these rolls with a moist knife blade.)

Arrange them on a plate and serve with wasabi, soy sauce and marinated ginger.

Sakana no Nanban-zuke (南蛮漬け), or Japanese Marinated Fish

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nanbanzp

The first time I saw a photo of nanban-zuke on Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking I instantly felt I would love it. It was original, not at all what I imagined to find in the Japanese cuisine, but certainly very promising. Hiroyuki kindly told me to look for the recipe in my beloved Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji. Actually, he gave me even the exact page number (here I must add I was extremely proud to discover we had the same cookery book, although we probably use it and see it in a different way). Anyway, as all the Tsuji’s recipes, nanban-zuke proved excellent, so thank you, Hiroyuki, for one more useful tip!

Shizuo Tsuji explains the name “nanban” comes from the XVIth century when Spanish and Portuguese missionaries arrived to Japan. These “nanban-jin” (Southern barbarians) introduced hot red peppers to Japan and, since then, dishes containing these peppers often have the word “nanban” in their name. “Zuke” means “marinade”, so it’s often translated as ”fish in barbarian style marinade”. Nanban-zuke (南蛮漬け) consist of frying fish or meat and then marinating it in a mixture of dashi (Japanese stock), soy sauce and vinegar with onions and, of course, hot peppers. During the time spent in the fridge the fish absorbs the vinegared hot marinade and becomes one of the most cooling Summer dishes I have ever tasted.

I was surprised, but when I first tasted nanban-zuke, it brought my childhood memories. In fact, when I was a child, my mum – who is far from being Japanese – would fry small fish and then put it into a jar filled with vinegar and spices for several weeks. I used to love this home-pickled fish as much as I adore the slightly different and more delicate Fish in Barbarian-Style Marinade.

This recipe can be made with both whole fish (gutted, scaled) or fillets. I opted for small fish fillets and cheap whiting (Merlangius merlangus) proved perfect here (alas, I haven’t found the Japanese name). If you use whole fish, you should keep it for one or two days in the fridge (the bones have to soften so that you can eat them too). Fillets require 3-4 hours only. I am sorry to tell the Japanese cuisine purists i didn’t like it with rice. The best company proved to be fresh French crunchy baguette with a thin layer of good quality butter…

(I have slightly modified the proportions and added more peppers and more onion.)

Preparation: 1 hour + 3-4 hours in the fridge

Ingredients (serves 4):

600-700 g small fish fillets

salt

wheat flour

oil

Marinade:

125 ml rice vinegar

170 ml dashi

2 tablespoons mirin

3 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if using low-sodium soy sauce, I have put 6 tablespoons)

3-4 dried hot red peppers (or more if your peppers are not very hot or if you like hot dishes, keep the seeds if you want it really hot)

1 big onion

Slice the onion and fry it until it softens.

Crush the red peppers.

Bring to boil the vinegar, the dashi, the mirin and the soy sauce with red peppers. Put aside.

Add the onions to the marinade.

Salt the fillets slightly on both sides and leave for 15 minutes.

Pat dry the fillets, cut them into 2-3 pieces (not obligatory, but I found it easier to handle with chopsticks), dredge them in flour, shake off the excess flour and deep-fry about 5 minutes or until they start becoming golden.

Put the warm fish in a shallow dish.

Bring the marinade to boil and pour over the fish.

Let the dish cool and then put into the fridge, covered, for at least 3 hours.

Serve with whatever you want, but do try the crunchy baguette and butter.

Udon Soup, or Kake Udon かけうどん in a Ramen Disguise

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What you see above is my very first udon soup and the unorthodox toppings have only one explanation: I wanted to prepare a ramen soup*. I have been planning it for months, but when I discovered I had a choice between three different broth types, I was unable to take a decision. Hot Summer days were not very motivating either. I kept on reading attentively Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking, his instructions, recipes, testing his patience with endless questions and discussions… Then, I also searched Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook) for all her Japanese soup recipes, asked her some more questions, received precious advice and… still hesitated. Thank you both for your patience!

Finally, when it started to rain and the temperature fell, I felt ready for my first ramen, but I realised I only had thicker and slightly chewy udon noodles. Then I remembered the questions Charles (from Five Euro Food) asked on my blog about a good noodle broth recipe and Hiroyuki’s answer (see both here) and decided to switched to kake udon idea (かけうどん), in other words, udon soup made with kakejiru broth (meaning “soup for pouring on”).

Even though in some source (such as Shizuo Tsuji’s “Japanese Cooking“) kakejiru contains salt and sugar, I sticked to the broth recipe given by Hiroyuki, slightly modifying his ingredients ratio (12:1:1). Since I use only low-sodium soy sauce, I doubled it and I must say it was not too salty at all. Finally, I ended up with 25:5:2 ratio for, respectively, (home-made) dashi, soy sauce and mirin and found this broth particularly good and versatile enough to withstand the strong taste of the pork marinated in ginger and garlic. Thank you, Hiroyuki, once more for all your patient and detailed advice!

IMPORTANT UPDATE: Having exchanged several messages with Hiroyuki, I have decided to add something important: if you use instant dashi (containing sodium), stick to Hiroyuki’s original 12:1:1 ratio and adjust the taste afterwards. I was able to add so much soy sauce and created 25:5:5 ratio only because home-made dashi is not salty and because I use low-sodium soy sauce.

The kake udon photos I have seen didn’t feature as many toppings and I admit the garnish was chosen rather to match my original ramen idea. However, I was right to dare it since the soup taste was simply fabulous. Looking at my photo I think I should still work on an efficient method to cut neatly a medium-cooked egg in two… It’s not as easy as I thought!

*Ramen is a nourishing wheat flour noodle soup with different toppings, served in a big bowl and adored by most Westerners, for example my husband.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (makes one big bowl):

Broth (kakijuru):

250 ml home-made dashi (I have posted the recipe here, but you can use the instant dashi, however stick to Hiroyuki’s original ratio 12:1:1, since instant dashi contains salt; afterwards you may adjust the taste of course)

50 ml low sodium soy sauce or 25 standard soy sauce

20 ml mirin

1 egg

100 g thinly sliced pork (mine was lean)

1 small clove garlic, grated or crushed

1 cm fresh ginger, grated

1 tablespoon soy sauce

chopped chives

finely sliced small red onion

1 package udon

Combine the soy sauce, the garlic, the ginger and the pork and put aside to marinate for 15 minutes.

Prepare udon according to the instructions on the package.

Put the egg into a small pan with cold water (just enough to cover it) and cook it exactly 6 minutes after the water starts to boil.

Put it aside.

In the meantime stir fry the pork and put aside in a warm place (slightly heated oven is a good option).

Warm up the broth ingredients and put aside when they are almost boiling.

Put the noodles into a big bowl. Cover with the broth.

Carefully place the pork, the egg cut in half and chopped chives.

Serve.

Chicken Karaage

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After Shira-ae dressing and Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls, Chicken Karaage is another fantastic recipe I found on Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook). In fact, I wouldn’t have noticed it in Nami’s older posts if it wasn’t for the Cooking Gallery blog, where I kept on admiring Chicken Karaage, always neatly arranged in bentos and prepared according to Nami’s recipe. Thank you Nami for one more wonderful recipe and thank you CG for making me crave it!

Like the previous Nami’s recipes I have tried, this one was both easy and perfectly well explained. Needless to say, Chicken Karaage is now among the most frequent Japanese dishes I prepare. “Kara” means “empty” and “age” means “fried”, so the cooking method could probably be translated as “plain fried”, since the chicken is barely coated before being deep fried. This explanation has however some detractors, who maintain that “kara” here means Chinese and that the method has Chinese origins… Whatever the meaning, this popular chicken dish is crunchy, juicy, quick and somehow I feel that this particular coating absorbs less oil than other Japanese deep-fried, or agemono dishes.

I served it here with a dollop of bainiku (ume plum paste) mixed with mirin, but Chicken Karaage will be perfect with any hot sauce (I don’t want to boast, but my Hot Strawberry Sauce is the winner with deep-fried chicken). It can be served as a main dish or as a party snack, presented on a tray with toothpicks.

Nami prepares it with deboned thighs, but I made it with chicken breasts, the part I prefer.

Preparation: 1 hour

Ingredients (serves 2):

Marinade:

2 skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons sake

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger

about 50 g corn or potato starch (I used corn starch)

oil for deep-frying

Cut the chicken breasts into bite-sized pieces.

Combine the marinade ingredients, add the meat and marinate for 30 minutes in the fridge.

Heat the oil (when a pinch of starch thrown into the pan doesn’t fall to the bottom and stays, frying, on the surface, the temperature is usually good for frying).

Prepare a bowl with the corn starch.

Dip the chicken pieces in the starch, shake off the excess coating and deep-fry them for several minutes.

(To obtain a higher degree of crunchiness, deep-fry the chicken twice, but it’s not necessary).

Drain on paper towels and serve.

Japanese Onion Salad

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Before seeing this dish on Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking I had never heard of a raw onion – based salad and had not imagined it might be palatable. Yet, on Hiroyuki’s photo it looked both intriguing and seducing, so I decided to try it as soon as possible. When I finally took the first bite, I was simply speechless. I still find it hard to understand how an onion salad can be so refreshing, light and complex, even though the other ingredients play here an irreplaceable role. Together with the Tomato and Shiso Salad, it has become one of my staple side dishes for hot days. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for this excellent and original recipe!

If you cook Japanese, you probably already have all the necessary ingredients. If you don’t, the only two “exotic” products you need to buy is katsubobushi (shaved bonito) and ponzu sauce (which may be substituted here by a mixture of soy sauce and lime juice). I have lots of shallots I was offered by my family, so I used shallots instead of onion. Soaking onion is not necessary, but I don’t like the harsh onion taste and always do this.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 medium onions or two shallots

1 handful of shaved bonito (katsuobushi)

3 tablespoons ponzu (or 2 tablespoons soy sauce+1 tablespoon lime juice)

1 heaped tablespoon mayonnaise

Cut the onion/shallot into thin slices (or use a mandolin to make transparent slices).

Put them in a bowl of cold water and let it soak for 15 minutes (or not, if you like a stronger onion taste).

Drain and pat dry.

Put the onion on a serving plate.

Sprinkle with ponzu, cover with katsuobushi and top with mayonnaise.

Serve.

Daikon Leaves Furikake (大根葉振り掛け)

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Even though I grow my plants only in balcony boxes, I have several herbs (chives, mint, dill, basil, marjoram… and even mitsuba!) and such weird things as… daikon. A kind friend send me once several packages of grains from Japan and among those was daikon the big white radish). I suppose I should say rather daikon leaves, since only leaves were featured on the package and I suppose this variety is not supposed to have huge radishes, just like the parsley I have on my balcony, which contrary to my other parsley variety, doesn’t grow big roots.

Anyway, my daikon leaves grew extremely quickly and frankly even though their taste was pleasant, I didn’t know what to do with them. Imagine my joy when Robert-Gilles, from Shizuoka Gourmet blog kindly offered to help me and posted a Daikon Leaves Furikake recipe. Thank you, Robert-Gilles, for this thoughtful gesture and for the excellent recipe! This furikake was so good I made it already several times.

Furikake (振り掛け) means “a condiment sprinkled over a dish” and is something between a condiment and a topping put over the rice (I must say I had problems with classifying it in my Western categories…). It was the first furikake I have ever made, but thought it was an excellent idea and will certainly look for some more furikake recipes in the future.

I have slightly modified the recipe and used some leftover rice combined with green peas instead of white rice. Dried shrimp or fish is not obligatory and since I didn’t have either, I skipped it.

It’s a great way to use leftover rice and to avoid throwing away the daikon leaves if your radish has them.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

a big handful of finely chopped daikon leaves with stems (they will shrink)

1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons cooking sake

1 tablespoon mirin

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce (or more if, like me you have a low-sodium soy sauce!)

3 tablespoons katsuobushi (shaved bonito)

2 tablespoons roasted white sesame seeds

(dried small shrimps or dried small fish)

Heat the sesame oil in a pan.

Fry the chopped leaves over high heat until they become soft.

Add sake, mirin and soy sauce, stirring before adding each of them.

Fry the fish or shrimp in a separate pan.

Add the fish/shrimp, the sesame seeds and katsuobushi to the leaves mixture and fry, stirring, for 30 seconds.

Put over a bowl of rice and serve.

(It can be kept in the fridge and served cold too).

Ajiten or Horse Mackerel Tempura

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Horse mackerel, or jack mackerel (aji in Japanese, Trachurus genus in Latin, chinchard in French) is highly praised in Japan, but treated as a cheap, secondary fish variety in most European countries. I have recently noticed my fishmonger carries horse mackerel almost all year round, especially the smaller ones. Following Hiroyuki’s kind advice (from Hiroyuki’s Blog on Japanese Cooking), I decided to make aji tempura or ajiten.

Until now my only experience in tempura was asparagus (see here), shrimp and tiny fish fillets. Ajiten means frying the whole fish only with head removed and I was afraid that both the preparation and frying would be tricky. I needn’t have, since this tempura proved quite simple. Thanks to Hiroyuki’s research I learnt here and here how to prepare the fish, while coating and frying it was easier than in the case of asparagus. The fried fish was juicy inside, slightly crispy outside and, surprisingly, not greasy. I took to horse mackerel at once because it has a delicate flesh and doesn’t have the overwhelming typical saltwater species smell. Moreover, its taste brings me back to my childhood holidays, when I would ask my mum to fry for me freshly caught small river fish for breakfast every day…

I don’t know if my ajiten looked or tasted as it should, nor if my decision to make a thicker tempura mixture was right. I had this tempura only with the Tomato and Shiso salad (click here) and it was one of the best meals I can remember. Thank you, Hiroyuki, for your help!

Preparation: about 20 minutes + 20 minutes marinating

Ingredients (serves 2):

6 smaller horse mackerels (mine were about 15 cm long)

3 tablespoons cooking sake

salt

5 tablespoons tempura mixture + 3 tablespoons ice cold water

Wash the mackerels.

Gut them and prepare them, scaling them, cutting off the head, removing the main bone and spreading them flat, see here how to make it:

or here:

Wash the mackerels, pat them dry, sprinkle some salt and sake on the open side and let it marinate for about 20 minutes.

Combine very roughly and quickly the tempura mix with ice-cold water (the chopsticks are here perfect, since they will not produce a smooth batter, but a lumpy one).

Check the oil temperature by dropping a bit of the batter. If it stays only a bit under the surface and then quickly moves up and starts bubbling, the temperature is good.

Pat dry the mackerels, dip them in the batter keeping the tail in your hand, and deep fry for about 5 minutes.

Drain with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels before serving.

Watermelon and Ginger Cocktail

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I have recently realised it has been a very long time since I wrote about cocktails. It doesn’t mean however I haven’t been enjoying drinks and constantly looking for new recipes, which would stand out from the traditional margaritas, mojitos and other popular cocktails. Most recipes call for the ingredients available all year round, but I find it very interesting to profit from the seasonal fruits, stretching the seasonal eating idea to seasonal drinking. Watermelon is now in high season, I eat tons of this refreshing and light fruit, I have never see it in a juice version, so when I saw the Watermelon and Ginger Cocktail on the Shizuoka Gourmet blog, I knew I had to try it.

This cocktail was created by Wasaru Matsumoto, the owner and bartender at Botanical (comfort bar) in Shizuoka City. I have slightly modified it, keeping the most important, e.i. ginger, watermelon and gin mixture. The important thing I omitted was the salt on the glass rim (margarita style). At first, I admit, I have forgotten, but then, the cocktail was so fantastic without it, I thought I would do this another time. I don’t know how to describe the taste… The delicate and sweet watermelon is seriously boosted by the ginger juice, which should be used sparingly, so that it doesn’t overwhelm the combination.

If you are lucky to visit Shizuoka or if you live there, go to Shizuoka Gourmet blog to find the Botanical address and opening hours. If, however, you live far from Japan and love watermelon and ginger, try this recipe out (with or without salted rim). Very refreshing, seasonal and addictive!

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

125 ml (1/2 cup) strained juice from mixed watermelon pulp

50 ml gin

1 1/2 teaspoon ginger juice (I grated about 2 cm fresh ginger and squeezed the pulp) /the original recipe calls for 1 fresh leaf ginger/

ice

(salt)

(I skipped this step). Moist the big glass rim and dip it in salt.

Place the ice in the glass.

Put all the ingredients in a shaker (apart from the ice) and shake well.

Pour over the ice and enjoy!

Tomato and Shiso Salad

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Forget the basil, forget the chives, the mint or the parsley; shiso is undeniably the tomato’s best friend. Shiso (紫蘇) or perilla, a staple in the Japanese cuisine, has a herbaceous, slightly bitter flavour and a strong aroma. It is used as well in raw as in cooked dishes (see the Ume-Shiso Chicken Skewers). I took to shiso instantly and the more I use it the more I like it. Looking for some shiso use ideas I stumbled upon a wonderful inspiring blog called Humble Bean, where I found the Tomato and Shiso Salad and felt at once I would not be disappointed.

I was right. The salad was a revelation. It is falsely simple, yet proves sophisticated and complex, which for me is a perfect definition of the Japanese cuisine. The sweetness of the tomato, the bitterness of the shiso and the lively crunch of the onion are already an ideal combination, but the delicate sauce makes it extraordinary. The salad is so addictive I served it two days in a row and I feel I could have it not only every day, but with every meal or even in between, as a light snack. The only modification was substituting the onion with a shallot (I ran out of onions). In theory the below amount serves two, but for me it makes only one portion for one shiso addict. Thank you, Azusa, for this marvellous discovery.

(A shiso leaf photo for those who are not familiar yet with this aromatic herb).

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

1 chilled tomato

3 big shiso leaves

1/2 small onion (I used 1/2 shallot)

Sauce:

1/2 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon sesame oil

several turns of the freshly ground pepper

Remove the tomato stem and slice it.

Chop finely the onion and soak it for 5 minutes in cold water.

Do the same with shiso (in a separate bowl).

Combine the sauce ingredients.

Drain the onion and the shiso and pat dry.

Arrange the tomato slices in a bowl.

Sprinkle with the onion, then with shiso and drizzle the sauce over it.

Pasta with Eringi and Bacon

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Eringi is my most recent discovery in the mushroom world. I saw it for the first time about a year ago and it was a love at first bite! I buy it every time it appears, which means quite often and more or less all year, since my eringi is not picked wild, but imported from Korean indoors farms.

I have already written about this mushroom (click here), but, as a reminder, eringi (エリンギ, king trumpet, king oyster, saesongi 새송이, in Latin Pleurotus eryngii) grows in many parts of the world, but is practically unknown in Europe and particularly appreciated in China, Japan and Korea. I find the Korean farm video very amusing and interesting, so I thought I’d put it once more in my post:

When raw, eringi doesn’t have any smell or taste but stir-fried or grilled, it develops a subtle, inimitable aroma and the famous “umami” (うま味) or 5th primary taste. It has an elegant, delicate flavour and a meaty texture. Until yesterday my favourite and the only way to prepare it was simple grilling or pan-frying and serving it with teriyaki sauce.

Yesterday I decided to combine eringi with Italian pasta. Smoked bacon was a perfect link and a necessary addition for an avowed carnivore, and instead of hiding the delicate taste it brought out the “meaty” qualities of eringi. Since both parmesan and eringi are very representative of the umami taste, I have grated the parmesan on the top. The result was wonderful: simple dish with a complex taste. In my opinion it was a very successful intercontinental fusion.

I thought this pasta didn’t require any sauce, but if you think it’s too dry, a splash of good quality olive oil would be sufficient.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

200 g pasta

300 g eringi (sliced lengthwise or cut in two, lengthwise)

100 g bacon cut into cubes

parmesan

black pepper

Cut the eringi in two (lenghtwise) and grill them or pan-fry in a small amount of oil.

In the meantime fry the bacon.

Put both aside in a warm place.

Cook the pasta.

Drain it and combine with the mushrooms and the bacon.

Just before serving grate some parmesan over the pasta and grind some black pepper.

Ume-Shiso Chicken Skewers

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umeshisochp

Robert-Gilles (from Shizuoka Gourmet) reminded me by one of his comments I haven’t cooked yet any recipe from Izakaya: The Japanese Pub Cookbook by Mark Robinson, a fascinating book I was offered several months ago. Apart from the mostly easy and seducing recipes, the book describes the atmosphere, the menus, the history and even the etiquette of several Japanese pubs. It is a real tribute to the izakayas, showing a real passion of the owners, each of them creating a unique place which seems more than just a pub. Reading this book is a bit like travelling without moving from your sofa… (but then every good cookbook has this effect on me). Anyway, yesterday I have finally chosen Ume-Shiso Rolled Chicken, in other words chicken skewers with shiso (perilla) and bainiku paste, presented in the Morimoto izakaya’s chapter.

Shiso (紫蘇), or perilla, is a Japanese aromatic dark red or green herb, with an astringent taste and strong fragrance, while bainiku is a paste made with pickled Japanese ume plum. I am a huge fan of pickled ume (umeboshi), but it was the first time I used the bainiku paste, rarely appearing in the Japanese recipes (at least the ones I happen to find). Ume plums are often pickled with shiso leaves, which apart from the taste change the plums’ colour and my bainiku also had this beautiful dark pink colour. According to Mark Robinson, shiso, umeboshi and chicken are classic pairing in the Japanese cuisine.

The rolling and cutting were a bit tricky for me and every round had a different size (I am sure CG, the highly skilled bento magician from the Cooking-Gallery wouldn’t have the slightest problem). The result was however worth my efforts, since shiso and bainiku proved perfect with the chicken. The sour bainiku taste “woke up” the delicate chicken, while the grassy, strong shiso added another dimension, creating a very complex and original combination I have never experienced before (I understood at once why this combination is so popular). I had these skewers (with a glass of shiso shochu of course) for dinner, with some rice and stir-fried vegetables, but I can very well imagine them served as a snack at a home party and, even better, in one of the izakayas featured in Mark Robinson’s book… (My only modification is marinating the chicken for 15 minutes in sake.)

By the way, I would like to proudly announce that my traditional Crème Brûlée recipe was chosen and sucessfully prepared by Three Cookies‘ and Easily Good Eats‘ author (yes he is a very hard-working person with two frequently updated blogs!). He has even managed to obtain a delicious result without a blowtorch. So, if you want to make a crème brûlée and don’t have a blowtorch, visit one of his blogs and ask for advice.

I would also like to thank once more Giulia from Alterkitchen, for having honoured me with so many blog awards. Grazie mille Giulia! She is also one of those hard-working bloggers and has two blogs: one in Italian and one in English.

Special equipment:

6 – 8 skewers, depending on their size

a very sharp knife

pastry brush

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

2 chicken breasts

about 10 big shiso leaves

bainiku

(a couple of tablespoons cooking sake)

“Butterfly” the chicken breasts or simply cut them in two, reducing the thickness.

Click here to watch an excellent short video explaining how to butterfly a chicken breast.

Cut the meat horizontally into 2 cm strips.

Marinate the strips in sake for 15 minutes.

Pat them dry.

Cover them with shiso leaves and roll very tightly.

(You can put a bit of salt on the side where the leaves are placed, but not too much, since the bainiku is very salty.)

Cut the rolls into 3 mm slices and put the resulting “wheels” on the skewers.

Grill them or fry them until cooked.

Brush the skewers with bainiku and serve.

Light Matcha Crème Brûlée

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Crème brûlée or burnt cream is probably the most frequent dessert I make and my favourite along with chocolate mousse. It is light, it is cold and warm, soft and crunchy… Taken from the famous French chef Alain Ducasse’s book (“Le Grand Livre de Cuisine d’Alain Ducasse: Bistrots, Brasseries et Restaurants de Tradition), my crème brûlée recipe calls for half milk and half cream, following the contemporary lightning desserts tendency I observe in the famous chefs’ or confectioners’ recipes. If you have never prepared cream and milk version, do try it.

Crème brûlée (or burnt cream, since the British and the French both claim its invention) is one of the dishes I have always preferred unaltered, only seasoned with vanilla pods. I have always regretted all the modifications. I also think the savoury starter of crème brûlée with foie gras (fat duck’s liver) is the worst thing which can be done with this expensive and wonderful product.

Crème brûlée with matcha is however an exception. Matcha (抹茶) is the Japanese powdered green tea, used in the tea ceremony and in many desserts. Since I am a big green tea drinker, I have always had a feeling I would love it in crème brûlée. Somehow I have never had the occasion to taste it in a restaurant and I couldn’t decide on making it. One day, when I saw it in a restaurant review featured on the Shizuoka Gourmet blog, I felt the time has come to try it.

I haven’t followed any specific recipe. I have simply adapted my usual one, adding matcha. I must proudly say my crème brûlée with matcha was sensational. It was very refreshing, with a slightly bitter, herbaceous and surprisingly sophisticated taste. Even though I am now its avowed fan, frankly I wouldn’t advice serving it to those who hate green tea and to children. (Both would certainly love the basic crème brûlée though.) However, if you like green tea and/or want to be surprised how easily a sophisticated dessert can be produced at home, give it a try!

The only thing I would change next time is straining the liquid before pouring it into the burnt cream dishes. The foam which forms during the mixing process darkens the burnt cream.

If you don’t feel like experimenting with matcha or if you are simply not a fan of this Japanese green tea, you might like the classic Light Crème Brûlée:

TIPS: Do not taste this matcha version (it doesn’t concern the traditional crème brûlée) unless it has spent 12 hours in the fridge. It improves with time. It was excellent after 12 hours, but, after 48 hours in the fridge, I could only define it as fabulous.

Blowtorch is a very good investment since, at least from my experience, it’s impossible to obtain the contrasting textures and temperatures crème brûlée is famous for with an oven broiler (the cream warms up). You can use blowtorch on many other custardy desserts and sweet tarts.

Click here for a few ideas of how to use up the leftover egg whites.

If you don’t have brown cane sugar, you can use caster sugar to burn, but the taste is worse.

If you travel to France and order burnt cream in an unknown restaurant, I would strongly advise asking if it’s burnt just before being served. I had several times an unpleasant surprise of soggy caramel and a uniform temperature in restaurants where the cream is burnt before the opening hours and sits for several hours in the fridge.

Special equipment: a blowtorch

Preparation: about 2 hours+ min. 12 hours in the fridge (the best is to wait 48 hours)

Calories (the whole batch, using skimmed milk and including the burnt sugar): about 1600 kcal

Ingredients (serves 4):

5 egg yolks

250 ml/8,5 fl oz/about 1 cup milk

250 ml/8,5 oz/about 1 cup liquid cream (without any thickeners; I have used cream with 25% fat content)

4 teaspoons matcha

4 slightly heaped tablespoons caster sugar

about 50 g/about 1/4 cup cane sugar (but not the moist one!)

Put the milk and the cream in a saucepan. Bring to the boil, put aside for 30 minutes.

Strain it.

Preheat the oven at 100°C or 120°C if it’s the old oven type .

Put the yolks, the sugar and the matcha in a blender or food processor and mix it.

Add the warm – not hot! – milk with cream and mix again for a couple of minutes.

Strain it to eliminate the foam and pour the mixture into six burnt cream dishes or other small shallow ramekins.

Bake it for approximately 45 minutes. (The custards are ready when only their centres are slightly trembling when moved).

Let them cool down. Put into the fridge for at least 12 hours (but it would be even better to leave them for 48 hours).

Just before serving take the creams out of the fridge and pat dry with paper towel (water drops will appear on the surface and they will make the burning process difficult).

Sprinkle with cane sugar and caramelise it with a special blowtorch.

Serve immediately while the top is still warm and crunchy and the cream below stays very cold.

Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls

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Last week I had some leftover lean pork and decided to look for a new recipe. I wanted something simple, quick, light, but nourishing and found the perfect meal at Nami’s Just One Cookbook blog. Her Mashed Potato Teriyaki Pork Rolls are flavoursome, incredibly easy (I was afraid they would require tooth picks to keep together, but the thin meat strips stick together and the rolls don’t fall apart) and already count among my favourite pork dishes (of course my rolls are not as neat and equally sized as Nami’s). Just like Oyakodon I presented last week, this is one of these Japanese universal meals, which, made more popular, would have a huge success all around the world. It is one more dish breaking the raw fish and seaweed stereotypical view of the Japanese cuisine.

The teriyaki rolls’ preparation was the first time I used my new, very sharp knife (I have bought I admit because of its funny colour and its low price) and discovered it can cut 2 mm thin strips! If you don’t have a very thin knife, I would advise freezing the meat a bit and then cut it half-frozen. I have always managed to obtain very thin strips. As usually I couldn’t stop myself from slight modifications. I used chives instead of green onions and skipped the vinegar in the teriyaki sauce.

I had these rolls for dinner with a salad, but I see them very well, with toothpicks, on a finger food party! I have forgotten to emphasize they are a very creative way to use up two leftover potatoes.

Preparation: about 40 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

12 thin strips of lean pork (mine were approx. 2 mm thick)

2 big potatoes

2 tablespoons chopped chives

1 tablespoon butter

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons oil

Teriyaki sauce:

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or 4 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

1 teaspoons sugar

3 tablespoons sake

Cook the potatoes, peel them and mash them.

Combine them with the butter, the salt and the chives.

Take a small portion of the mashed potatoes, roll it and place it at the end of a pork roll.

Roll it tightly and put aside.

Do the same with all the pork strips.

Heat some oil in a pan.

Fry the rolls (sealed side down) on a medium heat until they are well browned (it will take about 15 minutes).

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the rolls and roll them, coating well in the sauce for one minute.

Transfer the rolls to a plate and garnish with the remaining sauce.

Snow Peas Shira-ae (白和え)

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When I saw Green Bean Shira – ae recipe at Nami’s blog (Just One Cookbook) I knew I would love the dish. Miso, tofu and sesame seeds are my beloved Japanese cuisine ingredients, and shira-ae (白和え) is a dish of vegetables mixed with these ingredients. How could I resist? Instead of the green beans I used blanched snow peas, now in season, and the result was even better than I thought: delicate and light, but very filling at the same time. A perfect side-dish and maybe even a main dish for vegetarians? Thank you, Nami, for sharing this fabulous recipe!

Shira-ae means more or less “mixed/dressed with white” and belongs to the “aemono “, or “dressed dishes” category, which could be compared to the Western salads or side dishes, since it includes vegetables with a sauce without vinegar. Shira-ae is for me a double discovery: not only is it the first aemono dish I have ever made, but also the first one I have ever tasted. “Sunomono” is another, very close category including vinegared dishes, but I haven’t explored it yet.

Even though my dish looks different from Nami’s one, I have followed her instructions to the letter, apart from substituting the sugar with mirin. I have also adjusted the amounts to make an individual dish (I am the only tofu fan at home). At the time I prepared it I didn’t have the Japanese mortar (now I do and intend using it very often!), but the Western type of mortar was very efficient in grinding sesame seeds too. You may use also an electric grinder, but the smell gradually created during the process of manual sesame grinding is incredible and worth the tiny effort.

Special equipment:

a mortar or a spice grinder

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

100 g snow peas (trimmed and cut in two)

50 g tofu

2 tablespoons toasted white sesame seeds

1 teaspoon miso

1 teaspoon mirin (or sugar)

1 teaspoon soy sauce

Drain the tofu.

Grind the sesame seeds in a Japanese mortar (suribachi), a standard European mortar or in a spice grinder.

Add the remaining ingredients.

Blanch the snow peas.

Put the snow peas in a bowl and combine with all the above ingredients and the crumbled tofu.

Serve warm or cold.

Oyakodon or Oyako Donburi (親子丼)

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Oyakodon or Oyako Donburi belongs to the “donburi” dishes category. Donburi (丼) means either a rice bowl or a rice-bowl dish and includes many quick Japanese rice dishes with different toppings. Oyakodon (親子丼) means “parent and child donburi” and this charming name refers to its main ingredients: chicken and eggs. Oyakodon is apparently the most popular of all the donburi dishes and the first one I have ever prepared (or tasted). I have decided to publish the recipe just before the weekend, since I feel this is a perfect weekend breakfast, brunch or lunch idea!

Since it is very popular, I have heard or read about oyakodon hundreds of times and had been meaning to prepare it for a long time. When I saw an oyakodon photo on Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog, it reminded me I still haven’t tried this apparently quick and easy dish. When, in one of the following Shizuoka Gourmet’s posts the author gave an extremely detailed and well explained oyakodon recipe, I simply couldn’t resist. I had chicken, I had eggs (not to mention the rice) and prepared it for lunch the same day. It was so delicious, easy and quick, I also had it for lunch the following day! I already feel it will be one of my favourite and most frequently prepared Japanese dishes (or rather dishes in general). Thank you Robert-Gilles!

Now that I had it twice, “versatile” is probably the word I would use to describe oyakodon. Depending on the circumstances and personal habits, this dish is perfect for a nourishing breakfast, lunch, Sunday brunch, afternoon snack and a quick late-night dinner. It is also versatile in the sense that, contrary to some Japanese dishes, this one will be enjoyed even by those who approach the Japanese cuisine sceptically. In my opinion it has a universal taste with a slight Japanese hint.

The amounts of the below ingredients can be adjusted according to your personal preferences. I used here a low-sodium soy sauce and have put quite a lot of chicken (especially when I compare my very messy bowl to the photo on the Shizuoka Gourmet’s blog). I was also lucky to have mitsuba leaves, grown patiently on my balcony (thank you Hiroyuki for the kind gardening advice!), but I suppose any green fresh herb of your choice can be used, e.g. chives which go very well with eggs.

It is best with freshly made rice and freshly fried chicken, but it can also be a good idea to use leftover meat and the leftover, heated rice. If you are very hungry, I would advise two eggs per person.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves one):

a portion of freshly cooked rice

50 g chicken meat, cut into bite-sized pieces

salt

pepper

1 small shallot or spring onion, thinly sliced

1 -2 eggs, slightly stirred (see the tip above)

Sauce:

50 ml dashi (Japanese stock)

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon mirin

1 tablespoon sake

sprigs of mitsuba

Season the chicken slightly with salt and pepper.

Fry it or deep-fry it and when it’s almost done, put it aside.

Fry the onions in the same pan and add all the sauce ingredients.

Lower the heat and bring it to boil.

Add the chicken and cook together until it is done (do not overcook).

(Here, if you judge the sauce amount is too big, discard some of the sauce. Using the above amounts of liquids I have never felt like discarding it).

Pour the egg over the sauce with chicken and, without mixing, wait until it is cooked. (I don’t like runny eggs, so they are always well cooked, but the consistency depends on personal preferences).

Put some hot rice into a bowl and transfer the egg and chicken topping onto the rice.

Garnish with mitsuba sprigs.

Jam Cake with Okara

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In my previous post I explained how I made (quickly and easily) okara (おから) at home. (As a reminder, okara is a very healthy by-product of the soy milk or tofu production.) This cake recipe is my first experience with okara use, but certainly not the last. The addition of okara made is taste lighter and softer, not to mention all the nutritious and healthy elements brought by okara. Last, but not least, a very important information: even those who hate soy milk, tofu etc. appreciate this cake and do not notice anything unusual.

Since the Spring is my “emptying last year’s jars” season, I made this cake with King of the Pippins sauce I had put into jars last year (King of the Pippins is an exceptional apple variety, read more about it + the sauce recipe here). However, this cake can be made with any fruit sauce, jam, marmalade or freshly made fruit purée. Excellent way to use up the leftover fruit (puréed and then sweetened) or the remains of a big jam jar. This cake was prepared with half of the okara I have recently made.

Preparation: 2 hours – 2 h 1/2

Ingredients (one small cake, serves 4):

125 g slightly moist okara

10 heaped tablesoons flour

pinch of salt

7 tablespoons sugar

50 g softened butter

(cinnamon)

a 200 ml jar of fruit jam, sauce of purée

Combine all the ingredients (except for the jam) mixing with your hands in a bowl or in a food processor.

You may add some cinnamon, but it’s not obligatory.

Divide the mixture in three parts and put one of those in a plastic bag in the freezer.

Leave it there to chill for one hour.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Line up a greased dish (mine was 10x20cm big) with the remaining 2/3 of the dough.

Spread the sauce or the jam over the top.

Take out the chilled 1/3 of the dough and grate it over the jam (on a grater with big holes).

Bake until slightly golden (about 1hour – 1h15min).

Making Okara (おから) and Soy Milk

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I discovered the existence of okara quite recently while browsing through Hiroyuki’s blog and observing his experiments with this mysterious product. Okara (おから) is a by-product after the soy milk or tofu production. It is the soy pulp remaining after the soy milk has been drained. As you see above it is a slightly yellowish, grainy pulp, more or less dry (depending how strongly the pulp was pressed during the draining process). Even though okara is a by-product, it would be pity to throw it away, since it is an extremely healthy, low-fat ingredient, containing iron, calcium and rich in protein and in fiber. Okara can be for example added to dough in cakes or cookies, it can be simmered with vegetables, added to sauces, made into vegetarian hamburgers, etc. and the Chinese transform it into a special tofu called zha doufu (渣豆腐). This by-product seemed to me much more interesting and intriguing than the main product, which can be bought at every supermarket.

Even though I put soy milk in my coffee every day, I have never tried to make it on my own, convinced this process requires either special equipment or long experience, or both. Looking dreamily at the soy-milk maker at Hiroyuki’s blog I thought either I manage somehow to find okara at my Japanese grocer’s or I’ll never taste it. Thanks to K.’s kind message and very detailed instructions, I realised that home-made soy milk – or rather okara – is very easy and doesn’t require an expensive soy milk maker! Thank you again, K., for your precious advice!

The process is a bit long since the soy beans have to be soaked overnight or for 8 hours, but it is extremely easy. The softness/dryness and also the weight of okara depend on how well you squeeze the pulp. If you want to learn more about the use of okara, Hiroyuki’s blog contains very interesting recipes and tips.

In next post I’ll write about my first successful experiment with okara: a delicious leftover jam cake (which can be made also without okara).

Special equipment:

big sheets of gauze (bought at the pharmacy) or cheesecloth

cooking thermometer

Preparation:

30-40 min.+ min. 8 hours for soy beans soaking

Ingredients (I obtained about 400g okara):

150g dried soybeans

water

Soak the beans in water for 8 hours (the water amount should be at least the double of the beans, since they’ll swell).

Wash the beans, put them in a blender with 1,5 litre hot water and mix for a couple of minutes.

Pour the mixture into a shallow pan, add 1 litre boiling water, put the thermometer and simmer for 15 minutes at 70°C.

Strain the mixture through a sieve lined with cheesecloth or gauze plied in four. Squeeze the soy pulp very firmly and put aside.

Check this post to see one of the ways to use okara in a healthy and delicious jam cake.

Making Soy Milk and Okara on Punk Domestics

Buckwheat with Miso

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Buckwheat is cultivated in as different countries as Russia, Japan, France and Brazil. Japanese soba noodles and soba shochu, Russian blinis гречневая каша, French “gallettes” or savoury pancakes, boûketes in Belgium, Polish “kasza gryczana” (hulled grains, usually roasted), Italian pizzoccheri,… All those are made from the same plant.

Belonging to the Fagopyrum genus, buckwheat is not a grass, nor a cereal, even though it looks like one. Its qualities are so numerous, it is surprising most of the Western countries never consume it. It is very rich in protein, minerals, antioxydants, iron and doesn’t contain any gluten, so can be consumed by people who don’t tolerate it. Apart from all these healthy sides, buckwheat grows very quickly and easily. That is why it can be cultivated in cold climate and crops can be easily multiplied in hot regions.

The older I get, the more I like buckwheat – based products, and especially buckwheat groats, e.i. hulled grains. They are a bit crunchy and a bit soft at the same time. They have a very pleasant nutty aroma and a tiny hint of bitter taste. I don’t know if it is due to my temporary deficiency of one of its healthy components or if it’s a simple food craving, but sometimes I want it so much, I must have it in the following hours. In Switzerland (like in most Western European countries) the only easily obtained buckwheat groats are not roasted and lack the nutty flavour the roasted ones have. Luckily Russian and Polish shops carry roasted groats and luckily they exist in most European countries and in North America, where the buckwheat groats’ name (“kasha”) has Polish/Russian origins.

I usually have buckwheat groats as a side dish (they are perfect with pork roast and the Polish pork stew with allspice), but they also make a good ravioli or vegetable stuffing. I don’t know why, but I have never tried to mix them with Asian ingredients. However, a couple of days ago, I thought about the Japanese soba noodles, remembered I had a miso (Japanese soybean paste) dressing in the fridge and decided to combine them. It is difficult to describe how excellent this Japanese-Polish fusion proved to be. Needless to say, since that day miso has become the buckwheat groats’ best friend. (UPDATE: It’s not really a fusion dish… I have just learnt that buckwheat groats do exist in Japan where they are called “soba gome”; they are however not very popular).

The White miso dressing recipe comes from my beloved Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji (read more here). It keeps about 2 weeks in the fridge and is a good way to use up an egg yolk. If you don’t want to prepare the miso dressing, the buckwheat will be also good with miso alone (if you can add some mirin, it will be even better). This time, instead of pork, I had it with grilled chicken.

Update: Janet’s comment and cooking kasha experience made me think how buckwheat groats/kasha may be tricky to cook, especially for the first time. After two or three times it’ll become very easy. I changed a bit the cooking process description, more helpful this time – I hope - for a beginner.

Preparation: 30 minutes

Ingredients (serves two):

150 g roasted buckwheat groats

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons white miso

or White miso dressing:

1 egg yolk

4 tablespoons white miso

1 tablespoon sake

1 teaspoon sugar

1 tablespoon mirin

(dashi, Japanese stock, 出し)

Put the buckwheat groats into a cup.

Measure the double of the buckwheat volume in water.

Pour the water into a pan. Bring it to boil, add the salt.

Throw the buckwheat into the pan and let it cook partially covered at medium heat for about ten minutes.

Lower the heat and let it simmer, covered, for about 5 more minutes.

The water should be completely absorbed by the grains. If it’s not absorbed yet, put the pan aside, leave the cover on and it will get absorbed without cooking too.

Prepare the miso dressing.

Combine the yolk with the miso in a small pan.

Add the remaining ingredients one by one.

Put the small pan into a bigger one, with boiling water and let the sauce thicken (and the egg yolk cook), delicately stirring for about 5-10 minutes.

(The miso dressing can be diluted with dashi stock. It keeps two weeks in the fridge.)

Taste the buckwheat groats. They should be still crunchy, but cooked. If they are not soft enough for your taste, add a bit more water and cook them longer.

Drain the groats. Combine them with one tablespoon miso or miso dressing.

Serve the groats with a big dollop of miso/ miso dressing on top.

Asparagus Tempura

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Tempura (天ぷら), batter-coated deep-frying, belongs to “agemono (揚げ物)”, or Japanese deep-frying methods. Tempura is used with different vegetables, mushrooms, seafood and fish and the resulting dishes are covered in crunchy, bubbly, thin layer of extremely light and transparent coating. Even though its preparation steps are ridiculously easy, tempura has a reputation of the most difficult agemono method, the lumpy consistency of the batter being the hardest part to achieve (especially for someone used to smooth, Western-style batters). However, this lumpiness and ice-cold temperature are crucial if one wants to achieve the typical tempura dish look, crunch and taste. Even though the tempura batter – composed of yolks, flour and water – can be easily made from the scratch, the ready-to-use dry mixture is quicker, it can be bought in every Japanese grocer shop and allows making very small batches (like the one below). This shortcut is also probably the best to start with, given the difficulty of this method.

I must admit I have had the tempura mixture in my kitchen for at least a year. I tried it only once, the attempt was a complete failure and discouraged me for quite a long time. However, admiring the bean sprouts in tempura, featured on Hiroyuki’s Blog and thanks to his kind tempura recipe translation and explanations, I decided to give it another go. Scared of repeating my tempura failure I also re-read the detailed instructions in my Japanese cooking reference book by Shizuo Tsuji (Japanese cooking. A simple art) and started experimenting. Bean sprouts tempura proved very quickly to be definitely not for the beginners, but the green asparagus, one of my favourite vegetables and in season now, was a huge hit. Even though I thoroughly enjoyed my asparagus tempura, I am sure I haven’t managed the correct “bubbly” tempura coating and only hope it will get better in time. My not-so-perfect tempura was crunchy, light and brought out the asparagus delicate taste so well, it is now officially my favourite asparagus recipe. In short, the devil is not so black as he is painted and I should have reopened my tempura mix a long time ago!

Tempura is usually served with the below dipping sauce (taken from Shizuo Tsuji’s book). However, if you don’t have the necessary ingredients, the asparagus is delicious dipped in raw yolk with a bit of salt and pepper or in a soft-boiled egg. I also enjoyed it with my last year’s hot and smoky strawberry sauce.

There are two tempura methods. The first one consists only of dipping the food into the batter, while the second requires coating the food in the flour before the dipping step. I have chosen the first one for my asparagus. I used only the upper half of thin (5-7mm thick) green asparagus and cut this part in two in order to achieve bite-sized pieces. If you want to use the thicker parts too or if your asparagus is thicker, you should blanch it first for 1 minute, transfer it quickly into cold water, dry thoroughly and then dip into the tempura batter.

Preparation: 20 minutes

Ingredients (serves two as a starter, side-dish or a snack):

10 x 5-7 mm thin green asparagus upper halves (or 2/3, only the lower very hard parts removed)

3 tablespoons tempura mixture+ 3 tablespoons ice-cold water

(a couple of tablespoons flour if following the second 2-step method)

oil for deep-frying

dipping sauce:

60 ml dashi (Japanese stock)

20 ml mirin (sweet cooking sake)

20 ml soy sauce

a couple of tablespoons grated Japanese radish (daikon)

1-2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger

Preheat the oil to about 170-180°C.

Prepare the asparagus tips and pat them dry.

Combine very roughly and quickly the tempura mix with ice-cold water (the chopsticks are here perfect, since they will not produce a smooth batter, but a lumpy one).

Check the oil temperature by dropping a bit of the batter. If it stays only a bit under the surface and then quickly moves up and starts bubbling, the temperature is good.

Dip the asparagus in the batter and deep fry for about one minute.

Drain with a slotted spoon and put on paper towels before serving.

Mackerel Simmered in Miso (Saba no miso ni サバの味噌に)

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Mackerel is a beautiful and quite easy to handle a fish. The one I buy has beautiful blue patterns on a soft, scale – free skin and no sticky disgusting mucus covering some fish species. I must also add the mackerel is one of the healthiest fish species. It is very high in omega 3 acids, apparently not endangered and it is often the cheapest item at the fishmonger’s. Even though this fish is widely appreciated in Japan, in many Western countries only smoked and canned form of mackerel is known. Even though I am a curious person (especially when it comes to food products), I am particularly cautious with fish experiments, since, badly prepared, they can easily end up inedible. Mackerel is quite a recent guest in my kitchen and for a long time I used to simply fry quickly the fillets. That was before I learnt about the Japanese simmering in miso method.

As a reminder, miso (味噌) is a thick paste and it has three main colour types: white (shiromiso), red (akamiso), black (kuromiso), and also mixed miso (awasemiso). In general, the lighter the colour, the more delicate it tastes. There are myriads of different misos, depending on the brand, the ingredients, the region… Even my small Japanese grocery shop in Switzerland carries many miso varieties, most of which I haven’t tasted yet. Miso is very healthy, packed with protein, vitamins and minerals. It is however important to choose it with a lesser amount of salt, otherwise it is no longer very healthy and may be difficult to cook (the miso’s coulour doesn’t have anything to to with its saltiness, my black miso being the least salty of all). Miso soup is usually the first dish in which foreigners discover this Japanese staple. I find miso’s flavour highly addictive, probably because it is rich in the umami, or fifth taste, made famous by a Japanese professor.

Mackerel Simmered in Miso (Saba no miso ni サバの味噌に) is a very popular dish from the nimono, or “simmering dishes” family, very badly known side of the Japanese cuisine (at least in Western countries). It is a pure delight and one of the most surprising outcomes of all the cooking experiments I have ever made. Following the recipe from No Recipes website, I simmered firs my mackerel with all the bones. According to the author they should soften so much that the fish can be eaten whole. Since I haven’t used the advised pressure cooker, at my first attempt the bigger bones were still too tough after four hours of slow simmering. A couple of days afterwards I removed the spinal bone and other big bones (it was actually quite easy!). The result was much better, even though the fish didn’t keep its shape as well as before.

In short, either you have a pressure cooker or I would advise removing the biggest bones. Actually I think even fillets cut up into pieces would make a delicious meal. Even though this long simmering method seems more adapted to cold days, it is definitely not a heavy dish and I would recommend it even in the Summer. I have slightly modified the ingredients’ amounts. It went perfectly well with thin decorative strips of ramsons (wild garlic, read more about this plant here).

Preparation: 2 1/2 – 3 hours

Ingredients (serves 2):

about 800 g gutted mackerel, heads removed

5 tablespoons mirin (sweet cooking sake)

5 tablespoons sake

3 cm piece of ginger, grated or finely chopped

1 shallot (finely chopped or sliced)

1 clove garlic, crushed

5 heaped tablespoons red or white miso

250 ml water

Cut the mackerel into 2-3 cm thick chunks (you can remove the bigger bones).

In a pressure cooker (or a simple pot) bring to boil the sake, the mirin, the garlic, the ginger and the shallot.

Let it boil for 2 minutes.

Add the water, the miso and stir well.

Add the mackerel.

If using a pressure cooker, set it to the highest temperature and let the fish simmer for 45 minutes.

If using a simple pot, cover it with a lid and simmer the fish on low heat for at least 2 1/2 hours.

Serve it with rice and a spicy salad (the Spicy Mustard Salad on No Recipes looks perfect, although I haven’t tried it yet).

I sprinkled it with thin strips of wild garlic (ramsons).

Secondary Dashi (Niban Dashi 二番出汁)

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As a continuation of the Primary Dashi recipe I posted last week this post will be a very short one. As a quick reminder, dashi (出し) is the most popular Japanese stock made with konbu seaweed (昆布) and dried bonito fish flakes (although there are some other types of Japanese stock…).

After the primary dashi’s preparation, more delicate and lighter in coulour (see the recipe here), the konbu and the bonito flakes (katsuobushi かつおぶし) should not be thrown away. In fact they will be used to make a secondary dashi (niban dashi 二番出汁), a bit stronger and slightly darker, perfect for nourishing soups’ base or for soups with strong tasting vegetables. The recipe is also taken from “Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art” by Shizuo Tsuji.

Preparation: <25 minutes

Ingredients:

konbu and bonito flakes leftover from the Primary Dashi

750 ml cold water

5-7 g fresh bonito flakes

Place the leftover konbu and bonito flakes in 750 ml cold water. Put it over high heat and when it starts boiling, reduce the heat and let it simmer until it is reduced by 1/3 or 1/2 (the latter will have a stronger taste).

Add the fresh bonito flakes and immediately put aside.

Wait 30 seconds – 1 minute until the flakes fall to the bottom.

Remove the foam from the surface and strain through a piece of gauze.

This time the konbu and the bonito flakes can be thrown away.

Primary Dashi, or Japanese Stock (Ichiban Dashi, 一番出し)

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Dashi (出し) is the Japanese word meaning more or less “stock”. However dashi cannot be compared to the Western countries’ stock’s concept. Dashi is THE cornerstone of the Japanese cuisine. Without dashi cooking Japanese is not possible, “it is merely à la japonaise”, says Shizuo Tsuji. In his extraordinary “Japanese Cooking. A Simple Art“ the author very justly explains that using the instant dashi is understandable, but it is very important to understand how the traditonal dashi is made and how it tastes when prepared according to the state-of-the art rules. Thanks to Shizuko Tsuji I learnt the dashi recipe I had been preparing for years (as in the Simplified Miso Soup, using only katsuobushi, or shaved bonito fish flakes) was a shortcut used by many home and restaurant cooks. This popular method skips the first of the two stages, the one where konbu 昆布 seaweed plays the crucial role.

Konbu/Kombu 昆布 kelp, also called giant kelp (Saccharina/Laminaria japonica in Latin), is a kind of seaweed found at Japanese and Asian grocer’s and in health food shops. It is used in the stock preparation, the sushi rice preparation, in side dishes, cooked as a vegetable… The one used in stock is sold in dry, thick, almost black strips, it is also commonly consumed in Korea (다시마) and is quite popular in other East Asian countries. The earliest known written mention of the use of konbu in Japan dates back to the VIIIth century and gives an idea on how important konbu is in the Japanese cuisine. Click here to see different types of konbu. These are hidaka-konbu strips (also called mitsuishi-kombu) I used in my last dashi:

Following the steps in Shizuo Tsuji’s book, I prepared the Primary Dashi (Ichiban Dashi, 一番出し) and realised the stage I had been missing for years is very short, very easy, but makes a huge difference in flavour and aroma. In fact, one can wonder how a piece of wrinkled seaweed and dried fish flakes can create something so extraordinary… Closing my eyes, inhaling the cooled dashi I found myself in my childhood years smelling the freshly caught, river fish… I closed my eyes once more and remembered the first time in my life I saw and smelled the fresh mediterranean sea breeze…

The explanations are long and detailed, but the process is very simple. Both ingredients used in primary dashi can be reused to make another stock! Click here to read the secondary dashi (niban dashi) recipe.

Preparation: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients (for 1/2 litre dashi):

1/2 litre cold water

15 g konbu strip(s)

15g dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi かつおぶし)

Put the konbu into the cold water in a pan (don’t wash it!). Hat uncovered for about 10 minutes and when it is just before the boiling point, remove the konbu.
If inserting your thumbnail into the konbu you feel the flesh is soft, it means the water has the sufficient flavour.

If it still remains tough, out back for 1-2 minutes into the water adding some more (2 tablespoons) cold water to stop it from boiling.

Remove the konbu.

Bring the stock to a boil.

Add 2 more tablespoons cold water and add immediately the bonito flakes.

Bring once more to a boil and quickly put aside.

Wait for the flakes to fall down to the bottom of the pan (it will take at most 1 minute).

Remove the foam and filter the stock through a sieve line with a piece of gauze.

Reserve both the konbu and the dried bonito flakes for the secondary dashi.

Soba Shochu そば焼酎, or Buckwheat Shochu

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It has been ages since I wrote about shochu, so it is high time I related my further adventures with this incredible Japanese product. First of all, I owe a small explanation to those who still don’t know it. Shochu (焼酎) is a Japanese alcohol distilled with different ingredients (sweet potatoes, rice and barley are the most popular) and usually has a 20-25% alcoholic content. It is becoming more and more popular in Japan, especially among women, who, apart from enjoying the taste, must be happy to discover it has very few calories (35 kcal in 50ml, e.i. 1/2 of standard vodka’s calories). Shochu also allegedly reduces heart attacks and strokes risk and it is practically hangover free.

Anyway, this lack of shochu-related posts doesn’t mean I haven’t been enjoying it, discovering its new varieties, brands, thinking about the difficult moments the Japanese go through, drinking to their good health and wishing them all the best. After the sweet potato shochu, the barley “IIchiko” shochu and the barley shochu with shiso, I would like to present and praise the qualities of Shochu “Towari”, my first buckwheat, or soba shochu (そば焼酎).

Shochu “Towari” comes from Miyazaki prefecture (the distiller’s website), has 25% alcohol content and is distilled from buckwheat, called soba in Japanese, used to produce soba noodles. Those, who have tasted soba noodles, buckwheat grains or anything made with buckwheat flour, know that this grain has a strong and slightly nutty flavour. Consequently, Shochu Towari has a strong, nutty, somewhat sweetish aroma and taste. While potato or barley shochu is sometimes too delicate to keep up with very spicy or hot dishes, Shochu Towari can handle very strong ingredients and high levels of capsaicin. In spite of that, like all the shochu varieties I have experienced, this one has a sophisticated, smooth and clear taste, impressing especially when compared to all the stronger Western alcohols. Moreover, according to this website, soba shochu contains fibers that remove the bad cholesterol from the body, “making it extremely beneficial to human health”.

In short, buckwheat shochu is a nice change from more delicate varieties I have tasted until now, but if bought with the “honkaku 本格” (unique distillation) mention, it guarantees a good quality but distinctive taste. Even though different shochu cocktails recipes exist, a slice or two of lime, sparkling water and ice is the maximum alteration I can appreciate. Anything more and even this strong buckwheat shochu loses its straight and elegant flavour. My shochu adventures are still continued…

Sesame and Soy Sauce Vinaigrette

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At first glance, putting down a salad dressing recipe may seem ridiculous. However, whenever I observe people preparing it, everyone uses different proportions and/or ingredients. For years I had been preparing mine traditionally, fiddling with the variations of the French vinegar/lemon+oil+mustard/garlic way, but as soon as I started to experiment with soy sauce and other Japanese products, my favourite – though not the only one – vinaigrette has changed. I still call it vinaigrette since it keeps – albeit vaguely -the main vinaigrette’s rules: something fat+something acid+something strong and salty. Apart from the evident Japanese touch, my favourite dressing is not in the dense, heavy, dripping from the spoon sauce category. It is extremely light, in terms of look, taste and fat content.

Even though it is not a strictly Japanese recipe, both the soy sauce and the vinegar must be Japanese. The Chinese are simply too strong. Of course the proportions can be adjusted to your personal taste.

Special equipment:

(for me a very small jar or plastic container with a lid is very handy in the sauce shaking step, but of course not necessary)

Preparation: 5 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

leaves from half a small iceberg salad torn into pieces (or the equivalent of any green salad leaves)

3 tablespoons Japanese soy sauce (or more if using the low-sodium sauce)

2 tablespoons Japanese rice vinegar

3 tablespoons grilled sesame seeds

2 tablespoons oil (strangely olive oil works here as well as sesame oil, but the taste will be completely different)

Put all the ingredients – apart from the sesame seeds – in a small jar. Close it tightly, shake it and combine with the salad in the serving bowl.

Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Eringi & Teriyaki

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Called simply “eringi” (エリンギ) in Japanese, Pleurotus eryngii also bears such names as king trumpet or king oyster. Together with the more famous oyster mushroom (Pleurotus ostreatus) it belongs to the Pleurotus genus. In the wild this mushroom grows together with the roots of Eryngium plants, hence the Latin name, but it is widely cultivated too. Even though king oyster grows in the Middle East, Northern Africa and even Southern Europe, it is particularly appreciated in Asian countries, especially in China, Korea and Japan. I think they are not often cultivated and not easily found in Europe (apart from the wild ones in the South), but I am lucky to find them sometimes imported from Korea (where it is called saesongi 새송이 ).

The film below (click here to see it directly at Youtube) presents a Korean king oyster farm (I adore the funny way they grow in pots!) and shows the passion the Koreans have for this mushroom:

King oyster mushroom doesn’t seem very attractive when raw – it doesn’t have any smell or taste. However, once stir-fried or grilled, it develops a subtle, inimitable aroma and the famous “umami” (うま味) or 5th primary taste. Apart from the elegant and sophisticated flavour I also adore this mushroom for its meaty texture. I think it’s perfect quickly fried or grilled, served with teriyaki sauce. It is a wonderful starter, goes very well with grilled meat, but due to its delicate flavour it shouldn’t be served with hot or/and spicy dishes.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4):

400g eringi mushrooms

neutral tasting oil

Teriyaki sauce:

6 tablespoons mirin

4 tablespoons soy sauce (or 3 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

2 teaspoons sugar

6 tablespoons sake

Bring mirin and sake to boil, add the soy sauce and the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and put aside, keeping it warm.

Clean the mushrooms if they are a bit dirty and cut them in two lengthwise.

Heat a non-stick pan or a grill.

Brush them with a bit of oil on each side.

Grill the king oysters or stir-fry until they are slightly browned (about 2 minutes on each side).

Put them on a warmed plate.

If you use a grill, bring the teriyaki to boil once more, let it thicken a bit and pour over the mushrooms.

If you use a non-stick pan, pour the teriyaki on it (don’t wash the pan after having take out the mushrooms) and let it caramelise for about 1 minute.

Pour the teriyaki over the mushrooms.

Iichiko

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Not only healthier breakfasts, but alcohol can also be a part of New Year’s food related resolutions. At least it is one of mine! No, I haven’t vowed to stop drinking alcohol, since I have never believed all the dubious studies suggesting it is always unhealthy or carcinogenic and carried out with groups of alcoholics. I have simply decided to limit seriously the quantity of “ordinary” wines and opt either for shochu, a recent Japanese low-calorie delicious revelation, or for only really good wines instead. The second option is unfortunately difficult to practice on a daily basis, given the cost and other complications (cooling the wine, finding a company to drink the whole bottle or leaving it partially drunk overnight and risking a loss of its flavour…). My staple alcoholic drink will be shochu based then.

Apart from sweet potato shochu and shochu with shiso I discovered practically at the same time, my newest discovery is Iichiko shochu. Iichiko is produced from barley, is rather a brand name than a specific kind of shochu and has different versions, all with 25-30% alcohol (see here the Iichiko producer’s website). “Iichiko” is a word the producer took from Oita dialect meaning “fine” or “good” and it certainly is good! In the shop I was a bit put off by the modern design, more commercial and Western customers – oriented, but at home the first sip made me realise the “less risky” tiny 300 ml Iichiko “Person” will not last for a very long time…

Even though the alcohol percentage of the Iichiko I have bought is similar to the sweet potato and shiso flavoured shochu I already know, this one has an even lighter, mellower, straighter, “crystal clear” taste as claims the producer. Iichiko “Person” is so sophisticated and pure, that in my opinion adding anything apart from water and ice would be unforgivable (even though the producer suggests several drinks with juice). Even a thinnest slice of lime hasn’t come to my mind! Iichiko (at least the version I have) is simply best either with ice or with the same amount of sparkling water and ice. I am impatient to see what other Iichiko versions taste like and most of all if they are available here…

Grilled Tofu with Sesame Seeds

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I would like to wish a Very Happy New Year to everyone who happens to read this post. I sincerely hope all your dreams come true in 2011 and, since everyone has New Year’s resolutions, I hope you’ll stick to every single of them.

Talking about the resolutions, one of mine is – like every year – to start eating healthier and lighter. Even though I was rather wise this year (oysters overdose was the only exaggeration of recent weeks…), I start being obsessed with attempts to change some of my meal habits. Since it’s still cold, the most difficult part of the day is the morning, since my organism cries for omelets, scrambled eggs and sandwiches. This is the moment miso soup (click here to see the recipe) becomes one of the regular guests on my table, but even though I add different ingredients every day it might become boring.

Since practically all the nutritionists seem to agree the high-protein and low-carb breakfast is the healthiest option, I try to find the recipes or make up the dishes entering this category and not calling for huge amounts of bread. This is very difficult, especially given the fact I don’t become hungry until 10 a.m. when one hard boiled egg without bread wouldn’t simply be enough. Trying to follow the above nutritional advice and listening to my late morning needs I realised grilled firm tofu with sesame seeds lives up to all my expectations. It is packed with (good) protein, it is low- fat and low-carb, it calms the hunger for several hours and most of all it is delicious!

I have made up this recipe for breakfast, but it is also a great between-the-meals snack, a first course or even a main course if you combine it with a salad or some other vegetables. The vinegar adds a certain je ne sais quoi to the grilled tofu, makes the dish lively and more complex. I said “grilled”, but I actually simply fry the tofu in a tiny amount of oil. It looks and tastes almost like grilled.

Preparation: 10 minutes

Ingredients (serves one hungry late breakfaster):

150 g firm tofu cut into cubes

1 teaspoon oil

1 tablespoon light soy sauce (the Japanese is the best here)

1 tablespoon rice vinegar (or less)

1 tablespoon white sesame seeds (maybe grilled or not, see below)

Put the tofu cubes on paper towels and dry them well.

Heat the oil in a non-stick pan.

Fry the tofu until light golden at least on two sides.

If your sesame seeds are not grilled, add them to the tofu when turning the cubes to the other side. Thus it’ll become slightly golden.

Transfer it into a small plate or bowl.

Combine the vinegar with the soy sauce and pour over the tofu.

Sprinkle with grilled sesame seeds (if you haven’t grilled them with the tofu) and enjoy this yummy and completely guilt-free meal!

Scallops in Teriyaki

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Teriyaki is a Japanese cooking method, which consists in broiling or grilling meat or fish in a glazing sweet sauce. Teriyaki sauce is composed of mirin (sweet cooking sake), soy sauce and sugar. Chicken teriyaki is on the menu in most Japanese restaurants abroad and its recipe is in all the cookbooks for foreigners. The fish prepared with teriyaki method is apparently much more frequent in Japan. Since the Japanese have even teriyaki hamburgers, why not scallops? Since the day I dared – and never regretted – putting gochujang (the Korean hot pepper paste) on the scallops, I have been making further experiments, and glazing them with teriyaki sauce was another one worth trying (although I am certainly not the only one who tried preparing scallops this way…).

Ready made teriyaki sauce can be bought in every Japanese shop, but making it at home is very quick, easy and leaves a full control of sweet and salty balance. Its four ingredients are not difficult to obtain. Soy sauce can of course be found everywhere, and mirin and sake can be bought in every Japanese or Korean shop, very often in other Asian shops. I have even seen mirin in certain “normal” supermarkets.

Preparation: 15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 2):

16 – 20 shelled scallops without the roe

2 tablespoons oil

teriyaki:

3 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons soy sauce (or 3 if you have low sodium soy sauce)

1 teaspoon sugar

3 tablespoons sake

(grilled sesame seeds)

(ground pepper)

Wash and pat dry the scallops. If you want a stronger taste, sprinkle them with ground pepper.

Bring mirin and sake to boil, add the soy sauce and the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved and put aside.

Warm the oil in a big pan. When it’s very hot, put the dried scallops and colour them 1-2 minutes on each side.

Pour the teriyaki sauce over the scallops, stirring a bit. Wait until it thickens and starts coating them.

Put the scallops on a plate, pour the thickened sauce over them and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Serve with rice and stir – fried vegetables (snow peas go very well with scallops).

Shochu (焼酎)

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I don’t know how to start talking about shochu… It’s the most surprising alcohol discovery of my life. I have simply fallen in love with it. I don’t know why I have never noticed it while I spent hours in my favourite Japanese grocery. I suppose even though I was sure there are myriads of Japanese food products to discover, I always assumed the Japan produces only sake, umeshu (plum wine) and beer (oh and they produce whisky too, but I am not a whisky fan…). I am ashamed of admitting it, but even though I have always admired the Japanese way of handling food, I never liked sake and never thought them capable of producing any exciting or sophisticated alcohol….

And then, last week I heard for the first time about shochu. I was intrigued and went to ask if this intriguing alcohol is imported to Switzerland. To my surprise at least 30% of the alcohol shelves were lined up with shochu! How could I have missed them for so many years?

Shochu (焼酎) means “burning sake” (sake meaning generally alcohol) and has been produced in Japan since the XIVth century. It is distilled from different ingredients, such as barley, sweet potato, buckwheat, rice… There are also many types of shochu, depending on the way they were distilled. Its alcoholic content is usually between 20 – 25 %, but it can be stronger too. Apparently, the consumption of shochu has tripled since the 80s and it is rising every year. It is no longer considered as a cheap alcohol for manual workers, and more and more Japanese diet watching women choose it! And no wonder, since shochu has very few calories (35 kcal in 50 ml, which is about 3 x less than vodka for example). Oh, and I would have forgotten to add it doesn’t end up with a hangover the following day, even drunk in big quantities! (This information was checked…).

Shochu can be drunk alone, warm or cold. When it’s cold it’s served with ice or with sparkling water and ice. I find it irresistible with one or two lime slices.

I have tested two kinds of shochu: sweet potato and shiso (a Japanese herb). Both are transparent, have a silken texture, are very delicate and very difficult to stop drinking. Since apparently shochu is good for your health, reducing strokes and heart attack risks, I shouldn’t worry too much!

Sweet potato shochu is very soft on the palate, but of course it is not sweet! The one I have bought is “honkaku” (本格) shochu, in other words “genuine, or classical method” shochu, produced with a single distillation process, which means my first shochu ever is a good quality one (the multiply distilled, cheapest ones, are to be avoided). I will not pretend I have decrypted it on the bottle on my own. I read it on a very helpful blog Nonjatta-shochu. Thanks to Chris Bunting I realise I have a new magic world opening before me!

Shiso shochu (tantakatan) is a bit more lively, but also very delicate, and when you close your eyes you can smell the freshly cut green grass… This one, I managed to “read”, thanks to Chris again, is “otsurui” (乙類) shochu, meaning “second rank”, but apparently not “second quality”, and being made also with the classical method. Unfortunately I haven’t managed to decrypt the shiso shochu cocktails recipes attached to the bottle (the photos look interesting though!). I will have to come back and ask at my grocery, and maybe buy a new bottle… There are so many different kinds of shochu, not to mention different brands….

Miso Soup (misoshiru 味噌汁) with Tofu (Simplified)

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The Japanese Miso Soup (misoshiru 味噌汁) is my favourite… breakfast. It has all the possible breakfast advantages (although it can be served at any meal!). A perfect morning meal for cold days and, in my case, hangover days too! It is also one of my comforting dishes. To sum up, miso soup is quick, low-fat, low-calorie, nourishing, very healthy, versatile… but first of all deliciously addictive.

To make a quick and simplified miso soup you need only three ingredients: miso (fermented soybean) paste, dried fish (bonito) flakes and dried wakame seaweed, all sold in Japanese groceries and all keeping for ages! This time I used a very light mild-tasting miso paste, but any other miso type can be used. Dried bonito flakes (katsuobushi, necessary to make a simplified stock, or dashi (出し), the first step in the preparation of a miso soup) are sold in big bags and keep in an airtight container for years. (See here how to make also quite quickly a REAL primary dashi, not a simplified shortcut). As for wakame seaweed, it can be bought in whole strips or already cut into tiny pieces which, in contact with water will expand into bite-sized pieces.

The rest of the ingredients depend only on your imagination and preference (hard-boiled egg, cooked vegetables, potatoes, shrimps, cooked leftover meat… anything can be added), but miso soup with tofu is a kind of basic version.

If you still have some instant miso soup or dashi stock bags, throw them away (I did after I had made my first miso from the scratch)! Dashi can sometimes be useful as a base for simmered dishes and sauces, but the instant miso soup is not even half as good as the soup made from the scratch, the whole process taking only 10 minutes! There is no excuse for the shortcuts of the shortcut (the stock version I describe here is already a simplified one).

I have been making this recipe for ages and took it (maybe with slight modifications) from Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking by Harumi Hurikara. Easy and clearly explained recipes with Harumi’s very warm and personal comments and hints are a perfect introduction to the basic Japanese home cooking.

Preparation: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients (serves 1):

250 ml water

1 tablespoon dried bonito flakes

1 teaspoon cut and dried seaweed (or a 5 cm whole dried wakame seaweed piece)

1 tablespoon miso paste (or more, it depends on the saltiness of the miso)

100 g silken (soft) tofu

Put the seaweed in a glass of cold water to let it expand and soften. (It still amazes me how quickly the tiny teaspoon is transformed into half a glass of beautiful green leaves!)

In the meantime pour the water and dried bonito flakes into a small pan. Bring to a boil and let it boil two minutes.

Put aside. The fish flakes will go into the bottom very quickly, and then you can strain the liquid.

Throw the flakes away or boil them once more with another batch of water to obtain a milder dashi stock for the following day. (It should be stored in the fridge).

Pour back the stock into the pan (without the bonito flakes of course!). Add the miso paste and the drained seaweed (cut into bite-sized pieces if you are using a whole piece). Warm the soup for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until it’s hot, but don’t let it boil! Cut the tofu into square pieces and put into the pan for 30 seconds.

Serve in a bowl.