Fresh corn is the only vegetable I used to eat always in the same way: whole cobs, grilled or boiled, then salted and smothered with butter. Then, two days ago, I was watching a video from 3分クッキング (3-minute cooking), a famous Japanese food program and decided to prepare a pancake they presented. To be frank, I didn’t…Continue Reading “Fresh Corn Pancake with Chives and Bacon”
Okonomiyaki is one of the most frequent Japanese dishes in my house. From the beginning I took its name literally (it means roughly “grill what you want”) and never stopped improving, adapting to my changing palate and, of course, seasons. As a big garlic fan, I made crushed garlic the obligatory ingredient of every single batter. Last weekend I decided to…Continue Reading “Spring Okonomiyaki (Japanese Savoury Pancake) with Wild Garlic”
I must have seen this dish dozens or maybe hundreds of times in the past years but never tried making it. I haven’t had any occasion to taste it during my trips to Japan either, so I had no idea what to expect from it. I worried about the slight sweetness of the miso glaze,…Continue Reading “Grilled Aubergine with Miso Glaze (Nasu Dengaku なす田楽)”
Tsukune, or ground meat skewers, are the first thing I order whenever I go to an izakaya, a Japanese pub (the probability they serve it is very high). As I have mentioned here, in a place specialised in yakitori (chicken skewers), tsukune’s taste measures the cook’s skills and the place’s ambitions, so if they are just…Continue Reading “Duck Tsukune (Japanese Ground Duck Skewers)”
Most people, both vegetarians and carnivores, are so convinced that tofu is simply a meat substitute, they are utterly surprised when I say I like tofu most when it’s combined with meat. Mapo doufu, for example, is one of my favourite dishes and removing either meat or tofu from it, makes it lose all its charm. Therefore, I…Continue Reading “Tofu and Bacon Snacks”
Some dishes suffer from even the tiniest modification, but sometimes what seems a daring crazy fusion idea proves one of the most natural harmony of flavours and textures. Such was the case with buckwheat groats with eringi mushrooms, both seasoned with teriyaki glaze. Buckwheat grains/groats (sometimes labelled “kasha”) are dried, slightly triangular seeds of a plant (Fagopyrum genus)…Continue Reading “Eringi Mushrooms, Buckwheat Groats and Teriyaki Sauce”
Tsukune, in appearance a humble meat patty, is the first thing I order in a yakitori-serving restaurant in Japan because its taste and texture reflect the cook’s skills and/or imagination. My favourite tsukune in Tokyo contained aromatic yuzu (Japanese citrus) zest. Trying to copy them with locally available fruits I have added lemon zest and, even though they couldn’t hold a candle…Continue Reading “Tsukune つくね (Grilled Chicken Meatballs) with Lemon Zest”
Most of you probably regularly eat noodles and ground meat (not necessarily together), but would you ever think of combining them in a burger patty? I certainly wouldn’t and was sincerely surprised that such a crazy idea can yield an amazingly luscious burger. A huge amount of green onions – though less surprising – might also contribute to the final taste results,…Continue Reading “Udon and Spring Onion Burger”
If you still associate aubergine only with fat-soaked greasy chunks, prepare yourself for a big surprise. This refreshing, light dish doesn’t contain a gram of fat and is one of the most amazing aubergine treats I know. I noticed Yaki Nasu last week while looking for new inspiration on Just One Cookbook. Since aubergines are in season here and I had several small…Continue Reading “Yaki Nasu 焼きなす(Japanese Grilled Aubergine)”
Those of you who remember my passion for okonomiyaki will not be surprised to see one more version of this amazing savoury pancake. During my experiments I learnt that its versatility has no end. Even white cabbage, the pillar ingredient of okonomiyaki, can be successfully replaced with bok choy and – as I discovered during my last trip to Tokyo – with “negi”, a…Continue Reading “Negiyaki ねぎ焼き (Okonomiyaki with Green Onions)”