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 ;)
May 5th is Children's Day, called "Kodomo no hi" in Japanese. It is also Boy's Day, called "Tango no Sekku" in Japanese. On this day, we display Samurai swords, armor, helmet, etc… along with two important symbols of the Day: carps (Koinobori) and irises (Shobu).
May 5th is Children's Day, called "Kodomo no hi" in Japanese. It is also Boy's Day, called "Tango no Sekku" in Japanese. On this day, we display Samurai swords, armor, helmet, etc… along with two important symbols of the Day: carps (Koinobori) and irises (Shobu).
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Sakura-Hugging Teddy Bear and Rabbit Cookies
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1.5 hr
Number of servings: 20 Cookies Using 2 Inch Cookie Cutters
Ingredients:
10 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. corn starch
2 tbsp. honey *vegan people can use syrup
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
red food coloring
Directions:
1. Place flour, corn starch, honey and vegetable oil in a large Ziploc bag. Make sure it is zipped, then mix well.
2. In 1/4 of the batter, mix in red food coloring to create a pink dough.
3. Roll out the dough to 5mm (0.2 inch) thick. Wrap in plastic wrap then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to set and chill.
4. Preheat the oven to 170C (338F). Cut out the dough with cookie cutters. Place the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Roll out scraps, and repeat.
5. Bake at 170C (338F) for about 10 minutes. Cool the cookies on the sheet or a wire rack.
Difficulty: Medium
Time: 15min
Number of servings: 2 people = 14cm (5.5inch) square Bento box
Ingredients:
350g (12oz) cooked Japanese rice
Sushi vinegar
* 1.5 tbsp. vinegar
* 1/2 tbsp. sugar
* 1/2 tsp. salt
toppings of your choice
Wasabi soy sauce if necessary
Directions:
1. Place cooked Japanese rice in a bowl. Add Sushi vinegar while the rice is hot and slice through rice using rice paddle to separate the grains. (Cool the rice before you use.)
2. Place the Sushi rice in a Bento box then press down flat with a rice paddle or a spoon. *You can also remove the rice onto a plate like a cake.
3. Divide the Sushi rice into 16 square portions.
4. Place the toppings of your choice. Eat with Wasabi soy sauce if necessary.
FYI toppings I used:
Ikanago no Kugini いかなごの釘煮
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NyDB6OR-ao
Nishiki Goma from Kyoto Shimamoto Nori Kanbutsu にしきごま 島本海苔乾物
https://shimamotonori.shop-pro.jp/?pid=108644675
Shrimp Mayonnaise, Tuna, Ham, Anago (conger eel), shredded egg, Ikura (salmon roe), Salmon, cucumber
We received some dried squids when we visited the nearby shrine for our son's Omiyamairi (the first shrine visit) and my darling's Yakubarai (ceremony to drive away evil spirits). I decided to make a dish out of them.
It turned out to a very tasty and delicious stir-fried dish, goes great with white rice. Oyster-sauce flavor, with a hint of chive is obviously addictive. Very filling with lots of bean sprouts ;)
You don't need a knife but use kitchen scissors / kitchen shears!
Of course, you can use regular squids.
FYI: Hatsumiya-Mairi (初宮参り) or Omiyamairi (お宮参り) is one of the traditional celebration events for Japanese babies. Whenever a newborn is over a month old, we bring the baby to a nearby shrine for a greeting (giving the invocation).
https://www.instagram.com/p/BP-2kGbjEpa/?taken-by=ochikeron
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Stir-Fried Dried Squid and Vegetables
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min + soaking time
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
2 dried squids
400g (14oz.) bean sprouts
1 bundle Chinese chives
1 tsp. Toban Jan (hot bean sauce / Chinese red chili paste)
1 tbsp. sesame oil
A
* 1 tbsp. Sake
* 1 tbsp. oyster sauce
* 1 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tsp. sesame oil
Directions:
1. Soak the dried squids in water overnight to make them soft. Cut into thin strips using kitchen shears. *remove the hard gristle and dirty tips
2. Mix A very well.
3. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, add Toban Jan, then cook until fragrant. Add the squids, then stir-fry until heated.
4. Add the bean sprouts and cook until coated with oil. Then add the Chinese chives (cutting them into 2 inches long with kitchen shears), season with A to finish.
This cute swirl idea was talked about online in Japan recently ;)
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Bread Crust Swirl French Toast
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30min
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
bread crusts (from about 8 slices of bread)
150ml milk
1 egg
1 tbsp. sugar
vanilla extract
butter
maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce or etc...
Directions:
1. In a spouted measuring cup, mix milk, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Place the bread crusts in a flat container.
3. Pour in the egg mixture and soak the bread crusts for about 15 minutes.
4. Fit the bread crusts into muffin rings.
5. Heat butter in a frying pan. Place the muffin rings, cover and cook on low for 2~3 minutes on both sides. *you want to cook on low to cook thoroughly.
6. You can served with maple syrup, honey, chocolate sauce, or whatever you prefer!
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How to Make Konbini-Style Sandwiches (Japanese Convenience Stores)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30min
Number of servings: 4 packages
Ingredients:
((Ham Sandwiches))
12 thin ham slices
2 lettuce leaves
3 tbsp. mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
4 slices white bread (crusts removed)
((Egg Sandwiches))
3 boiled eggs
3~4 tbsp. mayonnaise
1/4 tsp. sugar
salt and pepper
4 slices white bread (crusts removed)
((Tuna Sandwiches))
70g (2.5oz.) canned tuna
50g (1.8oz.) onion
2 tbsp. mayonnaise
salt and pepper
4 slices white bread (crusts removed)
Directions:
((Ham Sandwiches))
1. Wash lettuce, then drain well with paper towels.
2. Mix mayonnaise and mustard.
3. Spread (2.) on a slice of bread, place 6 slices of ham, spread (2.), place a lettuce leaf, spread (2.) on another slice of bread, then top with it.
((Egg Sandwiches))
1. Chop boiled eggs and place them in a bowl.
2. Season with mayonnaise, sugar, salt and pepper.
3. Spread the mixture in the center of a slice of bread. Then top with another slice of bread.
((Tuna Sandwiches))
1. Chop onion, wash, then wrap with paper towels to drain well.
2. Place the chopped onion in a bowl, add drained tuna, mayonnaise, salt and pepper, and mix well.
3. Spread the mixture in the center of a slice of bread. Then top with another slice of bread.
Weigh something heavy on top of the sandwiches for 5 minutes to even out. Then cut in half.
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a bowl and mix well.
2. Put the mixture into microwavable bento cups.
3. Place them on a microwavable dish, cover, then microwave at 600W for 5 minutes. Garnish with nuts and/or powdered sugar if you like.
Directions:
1. Cut bread crusts into bite-sized pieces.
2. Heat the butter in a frying pan. Add the bread crusts and pan fry them until they are crisp and dry.
3. Coat with granulated sugar. When the sugar melts, stop the heat and put on a plate to cool. (Sugar will get hard when cold.)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30min
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
1lb eggplants
200g (7oz.) ground pork *chicken tastes good as well
A
* 2 tbsp. Miso
* 2 tbsp. Mirin (sweet Sake)
* 1 tbsp. sugar
* 1 tbsp. soy sauce
* 1 tbsp. grated ginger
1 tbsp. cooking oil
1 tbsp. sesame oil
cooked rice
chopped green onion if you like
toasted white sesame seeds if you like
Directions:
1. Chop eggplants into chunks and soak in water to remove the bitter taste.
2. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the eggplant until coated with oil. Add ground pork then cook until no longer pink. Then add A and simmer until the liquid is almost gone and tender. Mix in sesame oil to finish.
3. Serve on a hot bed of rice, then top with chopped green onion and toasted white sesame seeds if you like.
Last minute Christmas idea! You can decorate your Christmas tree with edible wreaths :) You don't need an oven or any special tool. Super delicious sweet and salty treat in seconds! yummy!!!
Directions:
1. Place chocolate (broken into pieces) in a bowl. Melt them in a double boiler over hot water (60C/140F).
2. Dip tops of pretzels into melted chocolate then place them in a circle on parchment paper, creating a ring.
3. Make another layer repeating the steps, alternating the pretzels (joining the pretzels together over the middle).
4. Decorate with sprinkles of your choice.
5. Put in the fridge or freezer until chocolate hardens.
6. You can lace ribbon through holes of pretzels if you like :)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 1hr
Number of servings: 4
What You Need:
Pigeon Microwave Shortcake Kit
100ml milk
cocoa powder
chocolate pen
strawberry jam
strawberries
Directions:
((Sponge Cake))
1. Place 50ml milk and the cake mix in the cake pan, and mix with a spoon for a minute. *do not over-mix
2. Drop the pan lightly on the counter for about 5 times to raise the air bubbles out of the batter.
3. Microwave at 500w for 1 min 40 sec OR 600w for 1 min 30 sec. *do not cover
4. Remove from the pan and place it on a wire rack. Cover with plastic wrap then cool.
5. Meanwhile, cut the strawberries.
((Decoration))
1. Slice the sponge cake crosswise into 2 layers.
2. In a bowl, place 50ml milk and whipped cream mix. Mix for about 2-3 minutes until it forms a stiff peak. *do not use an electric mixer
3. Transfer 1/4 of the cream to the pastry bag with a star tip.
4. Place one layer of the sponge cake on a plate. Coat the surface of the sponge cake evenly with the cream. Place cut strawberries over the creamed surface. Place another layer of sponge cake, and frost top and side with the cream. Pipe out the cream and garnish with strawberries.
You can cool the cake in the fridge for 1 or 2 hours. It is free from preservatives, so eat on the day you make it.
Kewpie Fruit Jelly (any flavor you like is OK) キューピー フルーツジュレ
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WAKODO Microwave Pancakes (for Babies)
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 10min
Number of servings: 4 mini pancakes
What you need:
1 Box WAKODO Microwave Pancake Mix (for Babies)
4 tbsp. milk or soy milk
Kewpie Fruit Jelly *any flavor you like is OK
banana *any fruit you like
Directions:
1. Put 1 package of cake mix and 1 tbsp. of milk in a small bowl, then mix well until smooth.
2. Pour the batter into the mold. Drop the mold lightly on the counter to raise air bubbles out of the batter.
3. Microwave at 500w for 50 sec.
4. Remove the pancake from the mold. Repeat the steps to make the rest of the pancakes.
5. Leave to cool, then decorate with jelly and fruit of your choice.
Just make sure you pan fry it on a very low heat or it can burn easily.
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NO OVEN! Cheese Tart in a Frying Pan
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 1hr + cooling time
Number of servings: 8inch (20cm) frying pan
NOTE: Ingredients are listed in both American and metric measurements. However, please use a kitchen scale (metric measurements) to get a perfect result.
Ingredients:
((Crust))
50g (4 tbsp.) butter *room temperature
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
1 egg yolk
100g (1 cup) all-purpose flour
((Filling))
100g (1/2 cup) cream cheese
3 tbsp. granulated sugar
100ml whipping cream
1 egg
2 tbsp. lemon juice
a few drops of vanilla extract
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
Directions:
((Crust))
Cream the butter in a bowl. Add sugar and mix until white and creamy. Add egg and mix well. Sift in flour then mix well with a spatula. When the crust starts to crumble, use your hands to mix together until formed. Press the crust evenly into the bottom and up the sides (about an inch high) of the frying pan. Lightly prick the bottom of the crust with a fork.
((Filling))
Microwave the cream cheese at 500w for about 30 seconds until soft. Put in a bowl and mix until creamy. Add sugar, whipping cream, an egg, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and flour in order and mix well until smooth.
((Cooking))
Fill the cream cheese filling into the crust. Cover and cook on very low heat for about 30 minutes. The bottom of the crust burns easily, so you may want to place the pan on a wet towel to cool down the pan a little bit after every 10 minutes or so. Cool completely and chill in the fridge before removing from the frying pan, or the crust can crumble.
You can bake in the oven at 180C (350F) for 30~40 minutes.
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Yakisoba at a Festival
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 10min
Number of servings: as many as you want
Ingredients:
Yakisoba noodles (steamed Chuka noodles)
thinly sliced pork
cut vegetables (cabbage, carrot, green pepper)
Yakisoba sauce
salt and pepper
cooking oil
Aonori (green laver)
Beni Shoga (red pickled ginger)
Directions:
1. Heat cooking oil on a pan. Add pork and season with salt and pepper. Then cook the meat until they start to change color.
2. Add cut vegetables until they are coated with oil.
3. Add Yakisoba noodles and some water to separate the noodles.
4. Season with Yakisoba sauce.
5. Serve on a dish, sprinkle with Aonori, and garnish with Beni Shoga.
