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 ;)
Nanakusagayu is the seven herbs rice porridge that we eat in the morning of January 7th to bring longevity and health. Perfect for your stomach after a big meal ;)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 10min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
70g Nanakusa (seven herbs)
250g (8.8oz.) cooked white rice (Japanese short-grain rice)
500ml water
a pinch of salt
Directions:
1. Wash Nanakusa. Lightly boil, then drain.
2. Cut off the roots of Nanakusa, and chop the rest into small pieces.
3. Lightly wash the cooked Japanese rice if you do not want a gooey texture. Don't wash if you like a thick porridge.
4. Bring the water to a boil, then add the rice. Add the Nanakusa, and lightly season with salt to finish.
Add toasted Mochi (rice cake) if you like! Mochi goes great with the porridge and fills your stomach ;)
I am finally posting this today!
My darling and I've been to Okinawa in December. (12/21-23)
It was a real busy three days and two nights trip, but we enjoyed ;)
The tour price was amazing! Everything (plane ticket, hotel, and bus tour) was $299!!! hehe
Day 1
Ryukyu Mura: authentic re-creation of an ancient Okinawan village (琉球村)
Goya (Bitter Melon) Beer (ゴーヤビール)
The photo shows how Okinawan people used to make Sata Andagi (サーターアンダギー): Okinawan Doughnuts
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).
Difficulty: medium
Time: 2 hours
Number of servings: 1 cake
Necessary Equipment:
13cm (5.1-inch) heart shaped cake pan
cookie cutters of your choice
Ingredients:
((Cookies))
50g (1.8oz.) butter (softened)
50g (1.8oz.) cake flour
50g (1.8oz.) bread flour
30g (1.0oz.) powder sugar
1 tbsp. milk
white chocolate pen
sprinkles of your choice (I used silver and pink silver)
((Cake))
1 egg
75g (2.6oz.) cake flour
50g (1.8oz.) butter (softened)
40g (1.4oz.) soft brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 banana
40g (1.4oz.) rum-soaked raisins
((Decoration))
120g (4.2oz.) white chocolate
meringue Santa Claus
Directions:
((Cookies))
1. Mix butter, milk, and powder sugar (powder sugar makes the cookie crisp) with spatula until creamy.
2. Sift in the cake flour and bread flour mixture (you can use all-purpose flour) little by little and mix well.
3. Roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 0.3 cm (0.1 inch) thick. Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour to chill.
4. Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Remove the plastic wrap. Cut out cookies with cookie cutters of your choice. Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll out scraps, and repeat.
5. Bake at 170C (338F) for 10-12 minutes. Cool the cookies (on the sheet or wire rack) and attach sprinkles (use tweezers to attach) with chocolate pen (Set the chocolate pen in a cup of hot water for a few minutes. Cut the tip of the chocolate pen and use).
((Cake))
1. Preheat the oven to 180C (350F). Mash the banana with fork.
2. Cream the butter in a large bowl with a wire whisk. Add sugar, beaten egg (little by little), and mix well.
3. With a spatula, mix banana. Sift in flour and baking powder a small amount at a time, and mix well. Then add rum-soaked raisins and mix well.
4. Butter the cake pan and pour the mixture in the pan.
5. Bake at 180C (350F) for 30-40 minutes, or until lightly browned. (Depending on the heat of the oven, cooking time may differ, so please watch out.)
6. Place the cake pan on the wire rack to cool.
((Decoration))
1. Remove the cake from the pan and turn upside-down on the wire rack.
2. Melt white chocolate over hot water. Pour over the cake and spread over the side or let it drizzle down the side.
3. Decorate the cake with cookies and meringue Santa Claus, or any sugar decoration of your choice ;)
I used to hate oyster when I was small but now I can eat it ;)
My darling and I love to eat it with tartar sauce, lemon, or tonkatsu sauce. Or, all together. hehe It is pretty delicious! Yummy :P
How about you?!
--------------------------------- Kaki Furai (Deep Fried Oyster) with Tartar Sauce
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 12 pieces
Ingredients:
12 oysters
salt and cracked black pepper
A
* flour
* beaten egg
* Panko (bread crumbs)
vegetable oil for frying
B
* 1/2 cup mayonnaise
* 20g (0.7oz.) minced onion
* 2 chopped dill pickles
* 1 chopped hard-boiled egg
* 1 tbsp. lemon juice
* a bit of chopped parsley
* salt and pepper
Bull-Dog Tonkatsu sauce if preferred
lemon wedge
shredded cabbage and tomatoes
Directions:
1. Shake and wash oysters in salted water. Put on a paper towel and remove excess water.
2. Sprinkle salt and papper over oysters. Lightly coat the oysters with flour. When the flour gets moist, coat the oysters again with flour. In this way the oysters won't absorb the frying oil and the batter stays on better, so you can make crispy fried oysters.
3. Dip in beaten egg and coat with Panko. Use one hand to dip in egg and the other hand to coat Panko to keep one of your hands dry.
4. Fry them in oil at 170C (340F) until cooked golden brown. (Turn the oysters over to cook evenly.) Remove the them from the oil and drain.
5. Mix B and make tartar sauce.
5. Serve on plate with shredded cabbage and some grape tomatoes. Dip into the tartar sauce and eat. Or eat with lemon juice or tonkatsu sauce. Or all of them! Anyway you like ;D
In the end of the video, I will show you how save my frying oil. I use an oil pot with a strainer. Usually i use the oil 2 to 3 times within a month. or, I change the oil when I think it smells bad and no longer clear.
The recipe is very easy! You just cut ingredients and cook in a rice cooker. It's my darling's favorite dish!!! You can use a can of tuna & any vegetables to make this dish ;)
Directions:
1. Wash rice and leave for about 30 minutes.
2. Soak dried Shiitake mushrooms in water until they become soft (or microwave at 500w for 2 minutes). Pour hot water over the Aburaage and wrap in paper towel to remove excess water. Cut carrot, Takenoko, and Aburaage into short and thin strips.
3. Place the rice in a pot, add water to the appropriate level indicated in the pot, then add Kombu Tsuyu, Sake, and tuna with oil, and mix well. Put Shiitake mushrooms, carrot strips, Takenoko strips, and Aburaage strips on top of the rice. Place the pot into the rice cooker. Cover and press the button to start.
4. When it's done, don't open and leave it for about 10 minutes to blend the flavor.
5. Toss the rice lightly using a rice paddle, then serve.
Currently 50 people photo reported me and said it was good. Please scroll down the page to view the photos. http://cookpad.com/recipe/302562
--------------------------------- Christmas Broccoli Tree
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 5min
Number of servings: 1 Christmas tree
Ingredients:
1 large broccoli crown
salt
Kewpie Mayonnaise
dressing of your choice
star-shaped processed cheese
Directions:
1. Lightly wash the broccoli crown and cut into bite-sized florets. Boil water in a large pot. Add a pinch of salt in the boiling water (salt removes oxalic acid - bitter taste, and makes the broccoli nice and green). Boil broccoli for about 3 minute. Drain and cool down until you can touch.
2. Pile up the broccoli florets on a plate and mold them with your hands to shape like a tree.
3. Decorate the tree with mayonnaise (like a garland) and place the star-shaped cheese (attach it with a toothpick) on top of the tree. Pour some dressing of your choice over the tree and eat ;D
Yukimi Daifuku is Mochi ice cream manufactured by LOTTE. It is a very popular ice cream product sold over 30 years since 1981. I'm sure you can find it at Japanese grocery stores overseas! I remember I saw it at Mitsuwa in NJ! You can make it from scratch at home. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR0vqOnYoq8
Difficulty: very easy
Time: 3min
Number of servings: 9 pieces
Ingredients:
9 Mini Yukimi Daifuku
cocoa powder
Matcha green tea powder
goji berries (wolf berries)
Directions:
1. Thinly slice goji berries to look like Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger).
2. Using a tea strainer (or any fine mesh strainer), lightly sprinkle cocoa powder to look like Takoyaki sauce, and Matcha green tea powder to look like Aonori (green laver).
3. Top with sliced goji berries and eat with a pick!
「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.
