Easy, Tasty, Fun, Creative and Kawaii Japanese Food Recipes and Cooking Hacks Blog with How-To YouTube Cooking Show Video Tutorials. Bento, Healthy Sweets and More!!! Make Your Life Easier ;)
"Menchi Katsu" is minced cutlet. It is kind of croquette, made from the mixture of ground meat (beef or pork, or both) and minced cabbage, breaded and deep-fried. Certainly my darling's favorite food, but it is high in calories!!! Therefore, I came up with this idea. Instead of deep frying it, I stuffed the meat in aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch) and pan-fried it until crisp! Yummy indeed!!! My darling loves it :D
Now over 270 people have tried this recipe and said it was good!!!
You can find their photos and comments down in the linked page :)
http://cookpad.com/recipe/536489
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
200g (7oz.) ground beef and pork mixture
100g (3.5oz.) cabbage
50g (1.7oz.) onion
A
* 2 tbsp. panko (bread crumbs)
* 2 tsp. sesame oil
* 2 tsp. soy sauce
* salt and cracked black pepper
B
* 2 tbsp. ketchup
* 2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 aburaage (deep-fried tofu pouch)
vegetables of your choice
Directions:
1. Mince cabbage and onion.
2. Mix ground beef and pork mixture, (1.), and (A) in a bowl by hand until the mixture comes together and sticky.
3. Pour boiled water over aburaage to remove the excess oil. Drain and dry with paper towels. Place the aburaage on a cutting board, and trace the aburaage with cooking chopsticks to make it easy to open. Cut a side of aburaage and gently open the pocket.
4. Stuff (2.) in (3.).
5. Heat a frying pan, place (4.), add 40ml of water. Cover the pan and steam it on medium heat until the water is almost gone (4-5min). Then open and cook until the surface is crisp and brown (3-4min).
6. Cut into bite-size pieces, pour (B) mixture over them. Serve with vegetables of your choice.
* It is better served before the aburaage softens. BUT it tastes good, anyways! hehe
Rilakkuma (which means relaxing bear in Japanese) is a very popular character in Japan.
Omurice is omelette made with fried rice (ketchup flavored chicken rice) and usually topped with ketchup.
I know you all like Kyaraben (character bento) but I decided to make it on a plate since you might not have a bento box at home. Of course you can pack it in your bento box :)
Making Kyaraben is not that difficult. Just plan (draw picture) before you cook. Then you don't have to spend a lot of time cooking. I spent more time planning than cooking.
---------------------------------
Rilakkuma Omurice (Omelette Rice)
Difficulty: Patience
Time: 45min
Number of servings: 1
Directions:
((Ketchup Rice))
Heat cooking oil in a frying pan and saute the minced onion until tender. Add cooked rice and stir-fry. Then season with ketchup and salt.
((Blanket & Pillow))
Beat 2 eggs in a bowl. Heat cooking oil in a pan and make a thin omelette. If you don't have a rectangle omelette pan, you can make a circle thin omelette and cut it later. *using 2 eggs, you can make 3 sheets of omelette: 1 spare one as a backup
((Decoration))
1. Wrap some ketchup rice in a sheet of omelette to make a pillow.
2. Use a plastic wrap and form the ketchup rice into the body parts of Rilakkuma. Then put together.
3. Use a chicken nugget to make a Yellow Bird (Kiiroitori). Make a beak with carrot and black sesame seeds. Make (insert) feathers using Oshaburi Kombu. Make eyes with Nori sheet.
4. Decorate the details of Rilakkuma using sliced American cheese and Nori sheet.
5. Put a sheet of omelette blanket over them.
6. Garnish with sausages, cooked broccoli, and cherry tomato. Serve with ketchup if you like.
Make sure you don't pack the foods that easily spoil! And when the weather is hot, please keep it in the fridge. Do not microwave the tumbler, of course.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 1
Ingredients:
((Chicken Soboro))
75g (2.5oz.) ground chicken
A
* 1/2 tbsp. sake
* 1/2 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. grated ginger
((Scrambled Eggs))
1 egg
B
* 1 tbsp. milk or soy milk
* 1/2 tsp. sugar
* salt and cracked black pepper
sesame oil
((Marinated Green Beans))
60g (2.1oz.) frozen green beans
C
* 1/2 tsp. soy sauce
* 1/2 tbsp. Katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
1 serving steamed white rice
Directions:
((Chicken Soboro))
Mix A in ground chicken. Heat a non-stick frying pan on medium-low and add the chicken. Stir constantly with chopsticks until it is crumbled, and let simmer until the liquid is almost gone.
((Scrambled Eggs))
Mix B in egg. Heat sesame oil in the pan on medium-low heat and scramble the egg finely with chopsticks.
((Marinated Green Beans))
Cut green beans diagonally when they're about half defrosted. Then put in the pan and cook and defrost them. Turn off the heat and season with C.
Put steamed rice and side dishes alternately in a tumbler.
Do you know Spaghetti Neapolitan (Napolitan)? It is Japanese-style spaghetti seasoned with ketchup. It is very popular home-cooked dish in Japan. It is nothing related to Italian spaghetti "Spaghetti alla Napoletana" or any other pasta using fresh tomato.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 10min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
4 (75g=2.6oz.) sausage
200g (7oz.) cabbage
100g (3.5oz.) onion
50g (1.8oz.) carrot
1 (30g=1.0oz.) green pepper
3 tbsp. ketchup
1 tbsp. worcestershire sauce
1/2 tbsp. olive oil
salt and cracked black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano
parsley flakes
Directions:
1. Thinly slice the sausage, cabbage, onion, carrot and green pepper.
2. Heat olive oil in a frying pan and saute the onion until softened. Add carrot and sausage, and stir-fry until sausage slices are browned.
3. Add cabbage, green pepper, ketchup and worcestershire sauce, and stir-fry until tender. Then season with salt and pepper.
4. Serve on a dish, and sprinkle with freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and parsley flakes.
This is a cute idea for Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). I made it to look like Mille-feuille, also known as the Napoleon (pastry originating in France).
My darling doesn't like sweets but he loves bacon, so he was really happy with this idea :)
FYI: Tamagoyaki (dashimakitamago or atsuyakitamago) is a Japanese rolled omelet. It is often served for breakfast with white rice and miso soup. Also, it's one of the most popular dishes for bento (lunch box).
My mom makes sweet tamagoyaki, but some people make salty one. The flavor differs from house to house. In addition, to make it colorful, we sometimes add fillings in it.
Ingredients:
2 bacon strips
2 sliced American cheese
2 eggs
mayonnaise
1 grape tomato
cracked black pepper
olive oil
Directions:
1. Beat eggs in a bowl, season with cracked black pepper, and mix well.
2. Cut bacon strips and sliced cheese into halves, and make pairs.
3. Heat olive oil in a tamagoyaki nabe (rectangular omelet pan) on low heat, pour 1/5 of egg mixture in the pan and spread over the surface. Cook it until half done and place bacon and cheese. Then roll the egg. Move the rolled egg to one side, pour another 1/5 of egg mixture in the space and under the rolled egg. Cook it until half done and place bacon and cheese. Roll the egg again. Repeat this until all your ingredients are gone.
4. Allow it to cool and cut it into 6 pieces. Also, cut the grape tomato into 6 wedges.
5. Garnish with mayonnaise (to look like whipped cream) and grape tomato wedges (to look like strawberries).
Many people asked me if my bacon is raw because it is pink. To answer that question, it is cooked already. Japanese bacon is sold cooked, so you can eat as is like ham ;)
The Japanese Doll Festival (Hinamatsuri), or Girls' Day, is held on March 3rd.
On this day, we set up hina dolls (hina-ningyo) since they are believed to protect girls from bad luck.
Platforms with red felt cloth (hi-mosen) are used to display a set of hina dolls. Those dolls consist of the Emperor (odairisama), Empress (ohinasama), three court ladies (sanninkanjyo), and five musicians (goninbayashi) in traditional court dress of the Heian period.
Anyways! Those hina dolls are pretty expensive, so why don't we make some rice balls instead?! They are also perfect for bento (kyaraben) :D
--------------------------------- Easy Hinaningyo Rice Balls for Hinamatsuri (Girl's Day)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 5min
Number of servings: 1
Ingredients:
75g (2.7oz.) X 2 cooked white Japanese rice
2 tsp. salmon flakes
1 tsp. aonori (green laver) + some salt
2 candy cheese (or round pieces of cheese)
4 black sesame seeds
few drops of soy sauce
nori sheet
Directions:
1. Put steamed rice in two bowls 75g (2.7oz.) each.
2. Mix salmon flakes in one bowl of rice. And mix aonori (green laver) + some salt in the other bowl of rice.
3. Wet your hands in water so that the rice won't stick. Place the seasoned rice on your hand. Form the rice into a round ball by pressing lightly with your palms. Make a hole in the center of the rice and set aside.
4. Put sesame seeds in the candy cheese to make eyes and put few drops of soy sauce on the cheeks. Wrap nori sheet on the head to make the hairs.
5. Place the heads (4.) in the holes of the rice balls. Cut out nori sheet and make fan and scepter. Let her hold a fan and let him hold a scepter.
* お雛様 (ohinasama) holds a fan called 扇子 (sensu) in both hands.
* お内裏様 (odairisama) holds a flat wooden scepter called 笏 (shaku) symbolic of his rank in his right hand.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
8 thinly sliced pork
8 candy cheese (or diced processed cheese)
salt and cracked black pepper
* flour
* beaten egg
* Panko (bread crumbs)
* white sesame seeds
* black sesame seeds
vegetable oil for frying
Tonkatsu sauce *optional
Directions:
1. Place the slices of pork so that the length of it is running flat and vertically towards you. Sprinkle a bit of salt and cracked black pepper (onto one side) and place the candy cheese (or diced processed cheese) on the end of the pork close to you and start rolling (wrap the cheese securely).
2. Flour the pork balls lightly, dip in beaten egg, then coat 4 pork balls with Panko with white sesame seeds and the other 4 with Panko with black sesame seeds. Use one hand to coat flour and Panko, and use the other to dip in egg to keep one of your hands dry.
3. Skewer two pork rolls on each bamboo sticks. Fry them in oil at 170C (340F) until cooked golden brown. Remove the Kushikatsu from the oil and drain.
Last month (2012/1/22), there was a nationwide recipe contest in Japan called レシピの女王 (Queen of Home Cooking). The contest was broadcast on TV in Japan (nationwide) on 2012/2/6! Thanks for those who watched it ;)
Unfortunately, I couldn't go to the next stage but I met Iron Chef Sakai and Chef Chen! They were the judges :D They watched my YouTube video and said I should keep up my work! YouTube was nothing to do with the contest but I appreciate the chance they saw my video. I will do my best.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 25min
Number of servings: 8
Ingredients:
8 thin slices of beef
16 frozen green beans
16 strips of Konjac
16 strips of potato
16 strips of carrot
60g (2.2oz.) Kimchi (Korean pickle)
salt and cracked black pepper
starch
sesame oil
A
* 1 tsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. mirin (sweet sake)
B
* 1 tbsp. sake
* 1 tbsp. mirin (sweet sake)
* 1 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tbsp. ketchup
* 1 tsp. sugar
* 1 tsp. Gochujang (Korean red chili paste)
Directions:
1. Defrost green beans. Boil Konjac strips for a few seconds to skim the scum. Place potato and carrot strips on a microwavable dish, cover, and cook in the microwave for 3 minutes (500w).
2. Season 1 with A.
3. Mix B well.
4. Place the slices of beef so that the length of it is running flat and vertically towards you. Sprinkle a bit of salt and cracked black pepper, sprinkle starch (onto one side) and place the seasoned vegetable strips (2.) on the end of the beef close to you and start rolling.
5. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, place the rolls seam side down, cover, and steam on low heat for about 5 minutes. Then flip the rolls so that all sides are cooked equally.
6. Add 3 and cook on high heat until thick and glossy.
--------------------------------- Ketchup Miso Stir-Fried Pork and Cabbage
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 10min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
150g (5.3oz.) thinly sliced pork
A
* 1 tsp. sake
* 1 tsp. soy sauce
* 0.5 tsp. grated garlic
300g (10.6oz.) cabbage (you can add some other leftover vegetables in the fridge: carrot, green pepper, onion, shimeji mushrooms, shitake mushrooms, etc...)
B
* 2 tbsp. sake *you can add water instead
* 1 tbsp. miso
* 1 tbsp. ketchup
* 1 tsp. toban jan (hot bean sauce / Chinese red chili paste, optional)
1 tbsp. sesame oil
Directions:
1. Cut thinly sliced pork into bite-size and season with A.
2. Cut green cabbage into bite-size as well.
3. In a small bowl, mix B well.
4. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, and saute seasoned pork.
5. When the pork starts to change color, add cabbage and other leftover vegetables and stir-fry until they began to wilt.
6. Then add 3. and cook thoroughly.
I hope everyone can get sake and mirin (sweet sake) since they are necessary for Japanese cooking and I use them very often! Of course you can skip them but they really make the foods taste better. hehe
Mozuku (Cladosiphon okamuranus) is noodle-like seaweed which is mainly produced in Okinawa. It is rich in fiber and minerals! Mozuku is usually sold frozen, so please check the freezer at Asian grocery stores. I hope it is available!!! For this recipe you need plain (non-flavored) Mozuku, so don't get the one soaked in vinegar!
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 5-10min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
100ｇ (3.5oz.) Mozuku
60ｇ (2.2oz.) carrot
3 Japanese green pepper
3 shiitake mushroom
2 bacon strip
1 tbsp. soy sauce
salt and cracked black pepper
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. toasted white sesame seeds
Directions:
1. Wash mozuku and drain well (cut into bite sized pieces if too long). Thinly slice the shiitake mushroom. Cut carrot, green pepper, and bacon into thin strips.
2. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, cook the bacon until crisp. Add and stir-fry carrot and green pepper until slightly softened. Then add and stir-fry shiitake and mozuku.
3. Season with soy sauce, salt and cracked black pepper, sprinkle toasted white sesame seeds (or ground sesame seeds), and serve.
This recipe won a grand prize at the easy recipe contest organized by Ajinomoto. I received the prize from chef Wakiya Yuji (脇屋友詞) who is famous for creative Chinese food in Japan.
For the seasoning, I used chicken stock and white miso. The chicken stock adds a nice and rich flavor and white miso makes the dish slightly sweet and tasty!
It can be very colorful and festive recipe for Chinese New Year's day. Also, it is perfect for every-day bento box :)
BTW, at our wedding, we could luckily cater chef Wakiya's fancy and healthy Chinese cuisine from "トゥーランドット遊仙境 - Turandot Yusenkyo" restaurant in Akasaka.
--------------------------------- Chinese Style White Miso Stir Fried Seven Vegetables
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
75g (2.6oz.) ham
100g (3.5oz.) onion
50g (1.8oz.) carrot
100g (3.5oz.) zucchini
100g (3.5oz.) bean sprouts
50g (1.8oz.) red bell pepper
6 dried cloud ear mushrooms (you can use 3 shitake mushrooms)
A
* 2 tbsp. white miso (it tastes different but you can use 1 tbsp. regular miso)
* 1 tbsp. sake
* 1 tbsp. mirin (sweet sake)
* 1/2 tbsp. chicken stock powder
* 1 tsp. sugar
1/2 tbsp. cooking oil
cracked black pepper
Directions:
1. Soak the dried cloud ear mushrooms in hot water for at least fifteen minutes. Then drain and cut into strips. Trim the bean sprouts at both ends if you prefer. Cut ham, carrot, zucchini and red bell pepper into strips. Thinly slice onion.
2. Mix A.
3. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan, stir-fry onion, carrot, zucchini, bean sprouts, red bell pepper, cloud ear mushrooms, and ham in order. Add A and stir-fry until the seasonings blend. Serve on the dish and sprinkle cracked black pepper.
Datemaki is one of the dishes I cook for our Osechi-Ryori (traditional Japanese New Year's food eaten during the first three days of the New Year). But it is also great for bento :) It looks like Tamagoyaki (rolled omelet) but the texture is fluffier and tastes bit sweeter. Ready-made ones are very sweet but if you make it at home, you can control the sweetness, which is good for your health!
Each dishes that make up Osechi-Ryori has a special meaning celebrating the New Year (such as good health, fertility, good harvest, happiness, long life, etc...) and those dishes can last for a couple of days in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature in winter. Usually, they are served in jyubako (重箱: three-tiered bento boxes). In the first tier, we serve colorful festive dishes such as shrimp, black beans, sweet chestnuts, etc... In the second tier we serve sunomono (pickled dishes) and yakimono (grilled dishes). And in the third tier, we serve nimono (simmered dish) called Nishime (simmered Japanese vegetables).
Datemaki is for the first tier. I mixed some leftover minced vegetables from decoratively cut vegetables of Nishime to make them colorful and pretty!
Practice makes perfect, so I hope you learn how to make Datemaki by the end of the year ;)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30min
Number of servings: 4
Necessary Equipment:
blender / mixer
tamagoyaki nabe (rectangular omelet pan) regular frying pan is okay if not available
makisu (bamboo sushi-roll mat)
Ingredients:
A
* 4 eggs
* 50g (1.8oz.) hanpen (fluffy white fish cake)
* 2 tbsp. sugar
* 1 tbsp. sake
* 1 tbsp. mirin (sweet sake)
* a pinch of salt
* a bit of soy sauce
B
* 1 tbsp. minced carrot
* 1 tbsp. minced shitake mushroom
* 1 tbsp. minced mitsuba (Japanese wild parsley)
cooking oil
Directions:
1. Place A in a blender / mixer and process until smooth.
2. Add B and gently mix them with a spoon.
3. Heat cooking oil in a tamagoyaki nabe (rectangular omelet pan), pour the mixture in the pan, cover, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes. Check if the bottom is brown or not. If the pan is too hot, cool the pan on a wet towel to prevent burning. After the bottom sets, flip over and cook the other side.
4. Cover the bamboo sushi-roll mat with plastic wrap. While it is hot, score with a sharp knife to prevent breaking, roll the omelet, fasten with rubber bands and allow it to cool until it sets.
5. Cut it into thick slices and serve.
Osechi-Ryori is traditional Japanese New Year's food eaten during the first three days of the New Year. Each dishes that make up Osechi-Ryori has a special meaning celebrating the New Year (such as good health, fertility, good harvest, happiness, long life, etc...) and those dishes can last for a couple of days in the refrigerator or at cool room temperature in winter. Usually, they are served in Jyubako (重箱: three-tiered bento boxes). In the first tier, we serve colorful festive dishes such as shrimp, black beans, sweet chestnuts, etc... In the second tier we serve Sunomono (pickled dishes) and Yakimono (grilled dishes). And in the third tier, we serve Nimono (simmered dish) called Nishime (simmered Japanese vegetables).
Traditionally, we spend few days to prepare Osechi-Ryori but I always spend few hours to complete mine. I use ready-made dishes for sweet dishes since my darling doesn't eat a lot. I put more effort into cooking the savory dishes.
So, this is my darling's favorite Nishime recipe for the third tier :) I use frozen Japanese vegetables to save time and money. I came up with this idea when I lived in New York, where you can not find ingredients easily. I hope you can make it in your country in this way.
For the seasoning, I used Yamasa's Konbu Tsuyu (3 times concentrated Konbu kelp seaweed soup stock) which is tasty and convenient. I'm sure it is available overseas at Asian grocery stores or online.
With just a little extra effort decoratively cutting vegetables, it becomes gorgeous, so try to make it fancy ;)
In the end of the video, I will show you my Osechi-Ryori from past years! Don't miss them!
I hope you all enjoy my video :D
---------------------------------
Easy Nishime (Simmered Japanese Vegetables)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1hour
Number of servings: 5
Necessary Equipment:
1 large deep pot
1 medium pot
1 small pot
1 Otoshi But a (drop-lid - you can also use aluminum foil)
Ingredients:
1 large chicken thigh
250g (8.8oz.) Konnyaku
400g (0.9lb.) 1 bag of frozen Japanese vegetables (includes: taro potatoes, lotus roots, carrots, Shiitake mushrooms, green beans, bamboo shoots, burdock roots)
5 decoratively cut Shiitake mushrooms
1 Yurine (lily bulb)
5 decoratively cut carrots
A
* 3 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tbsp. Mirin (sweet Sake)
* 1 tbsp. Sake
* 1 tbsp. sugar
B
* 20ml 3 times concentrated Yamasa's Konbu Tsuyu
* 80ml water
C
* 30ml 3 times concentrated Yamasa's Konbu Tsuyu
* 120ml water
Directions:
1. Thinly slice or decoratively cut Konnyaku, and boil 2-3 minutes to remove bad smell.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces, parboil to remove the fat, drain, and set aside.
3. Separate the frozen vegetables and keep frozen until just before you use them. NOTE: you don't need to use carrot and Shiitake mushrooms if you prepare decoratively cut ones.
4. In a large deep pot, put Konnyaku, chicken and Shiitake mushrooms. Add enough water to cover the ingredients, bring to a boil, then add A.
5. Cover with Otoshi-Buta (drop-lid - you can also use aluminum foil) and cook on low for 20 minutes.
6. Add lotus roots, bamboo shoots, burdock roots, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes.
7. Wash Yurine and separate into pieces. In a small pot, bring water to a boil, cook the Yurine pieces for a minute, quickly rinse with cold water, then drain. Bring B to a boil, add the Yurine pieces, and cook for 3 minutes.
8. In a medium pot, bring C to a boil, add taro potatoes and cook for 5 minutes. Add decoratively cut carrots and cook for another 5 minutes. Add green beans and cook for 2 more minutes.
9. In the third tier of Jyubako (three-tiered bento boxes), nicely arrange 6, 7, and 8 (drain excess liquid).
「雪印 Cheese-1 GP チーワングランプリ レシピコンテスト」の受賞作品です。最終審査会ではフランス料理の鉄人でも有名な坂井宏行シェフに会いました♪
--------------------------------- Spinach Bacon Crispy Cheeze Gyoza with Balsamic Vinegar
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 24 dumplings
Ingredients:
200g (7oz.) spinach
100g (3.5oz.) bacon
150g (5.3oz.) onion
salt and cracked black pepper
24 gyoza wrappers
2 sliced cheese or 35g (1.3oz.) pizza cheese or any cheese that melts
180cc water
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
Directions:
1. Boil water in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt in the water (salt removes oxalic acid - bitter taste, and makes the spinach nice and green). Wash spinach and add in the boiling water from the stem side. Boil spinach for about one minute. Drain and soak the spinach in cold water (or use running water) to cool. Drain and squeeze the spinach to remove the excess water (use paper towel if you have).
2. Cut off the root ends of the spinach and cut into small pieces. Cut bacon into small strips. Roughly mince onion.
3. Heat the pan and saute the bacon until oil comes out. Add onion and saute until tender. Then add spinach and season with salt and cracked black pepper. Cool down until you can touch.
4. Place the gyoza wrapper in your palm and place a small spoonful of filling in the center. Put water along the edge of the wrapper by fingers, fold into semi circle, gather the front side of the wrapper and seal.
5. In a microwavable container, put water and cheese (cut into small pieces). Microwave for about 2 minutes until the cheese slightly melts.
6. Heat olive oil in a frying pan, place gyoza, cook on high heat until the bottoms become brown. Turn down the heat to medium, add melted cheese water (5.), cover and steam the gyoza on high heat until the water is gone and cooked.
7. Serve with balsamic vinegar.
--------------------------------- Simmered Potato Pork Roll
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 2-3
Ingredients:
150g (5.3oz.) thin slices of pork (any portion of sliced pork is okay)
450g (1lb.) potato
A
* 3 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. sake
12 frozen green bean (or some green peas)
Directions:
1. Peel and cut potatoes into wedges.
2. Work with one slice of pork at a time. Place the slice of pork so that the length of it is running flat and vertically towards you. Place the potato wedge on the end of the pork close to you and start rolling. Repeat with the remaining pork slices and potato wedges.
3. Place the rolls seam side down in a deep pot (place the remaining potato wedges as well).
4. Add water until cover, Add A and bring to a boil. Remove the scum, cover with drop-lid, and allow to simmer for about 10 minutes. Then add sake and green bean and simmer for another 5 minutes until potato is completely cooked through.
Drop-lid is called "Otoshi Buta" a in Japanese. It is traditionally made of wood but you can use aluminum foil. They ensure that the heat is evenly distributed and reduce the tendency of liquid to boil with large bubbles and break the fragile ingredients such as potato.
Karaage (also called Tatsutaage) is Japanese fried chicken. It is usually cooked for lunch, dinner, or bento. Also, it is the best party recipe favored by most people!
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 40min (incl. marinating time)
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
250g (8.8oz.) chicken thigh (with skin)
A
* 1 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1/2 tbsp. ginger juice
* 1/2 tbsp. sake
1/2 beaten egg
B
* 1 tbsp. flour
* 1 tbsp. katakuriko (potato starch)
vegetable oil for deep frying
ketchup or lemon if preferred
Directions:
1. Remove unwanted fat but leave the skin of chicken (because the skin makes the chicken crispier!) and cut up into bite-size pieces.
2. Put the chicken in a bowl, add A and marinate for 30 minutes.
3. Drain well and mix beaten egg. Then mix B.
4. Fry them in oil at 170C (338F) for 5 minutes. Then turn to 190C (374F) and cook for 20 seconds to fry to a crisp golden brown.
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 6
Ingredients:
6 Ebi (shrimp)
60g Nissin Tempura flour
100cc water
vegetable oil for frying
6 Nori sheet (cut the large sheet into 4 squares)
cream cheese
frozen Udon noodles or pre-boiled Udon noodles
sliced cheese and Nori sheet for eyes
Yamasa Konbu Tsuyu (3 times concentrated Konbu kelp seaweed soup stock) or Tentsuyu (Tempura dipping sauce)
Directions:
1. Shell shrimps (leave their tails), devein, and make incisions in their stomach side to straighten them. Then cut off the tip of the tail and remove the water inside to avoid splatters when frying.
2. Mix Nissin Tempura flour and the water very well.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a deep pan to 180~190C (340~350F). Lightly dip the shrimps in the batter and fry them immediately until golden and crisp. Drain Tempura on a rack or a sheet of clean paper towel. (Do not fry too many at once.) Cool down until you can touch.
4. Boil Udon noodles as directed on package and drain well.
5. Spread cream cheese on Nori sheet.
6. Wrap shrimp Tempura with the Nori sheet. When Udon gets dry, it's gluten gets strong and sticky. In that instant, wrap Udon around the shrimp Tempura.
7. Cut out sliced cheese and Nori sheet to make their eyes.
8. Dilute 20cc Konbu Tsuyu with 40cc water (make as much as you want) and bring to a boil.
9. Pour the Konbu Tsuyu over the Mummy Shrimp Tempura Udon and enjoy!
You can eat as cold noodles like Zaru Udon (chilled Udon noodles), or microwave before you eat.
