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 ;)
Directions:
1. Grate the carrot.
2. Put everything in a pot (add sugar if you want). Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. *or cook as directed on its package
3. Stop the heat, pour it into small cups, then cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours until firm.
Somen is perfect refreshing food for hot and humid summer season :)
Sōmen (素麺) is very thin Japanese noodles made of wheat flour. The noodles are usually served cold in summer with a dashi flavored tasty dipping sauce called Mentsuyu (めんつゆ).
Somen is perfect dish to serve on Tanabata, which is a festival celebrated on July 7th. People write their wishes on strips of paper and hang them on bamboo trees. Moreover, there is a Tanabata story. I don't think the story is that romantic, but it is about Vega (Orihime 織姫) and Altair (Kengyuu 牽牛(彦星)). They fell in love with each other but without working. So the emperor (Tentei 天帝, Orihime's father) decided to separate them on opposite sides of the river of the Milky Way. Now they could see each other, only once a year on Tanabata July 7th, if they work hard.
Difficulty: Very Easy
Time: 15min
Number of servings: N/A
Ingredients:
((Toppings))
Kinshi Tamago (shredded egg crepe) https://youtu.be/6tgDi2Ny3VI?t=49s
cooked shrimp
Ikura (salmon roe)
Okura
((Dipping Sauces))
Kamada Tsuyu : water = 1 : 1
*instead of using Kamada Tsuyu you can use regular Mentsuyu but make sure you dilute as instructed because the level of concentration vary from product to product.
((Somen Noodles))
dried Somen noodles
Directions:
((Toppings - Kinshi Tamago))
Beat 1 egg in a bowl (you can season it with sugar or salt). 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. Then cut the egg into thin strips.
((Dipping Sauces))
Double the Kamada Tsuyu with water, then cool in the fridge until ready to serve.
((Somen Noodles))
Boil water in a large pan. Add dried Somen noodles (and Okura) in the boiling water and gently stir noodles with chopsticks. Cook Somen noodles according to your package (mine was 2 min). Drain the noodles in a strainer and rinse the noodles with hands under running water. Take bite-size portion of the noodles and roll them on your fingers (like you roll pasta on a fork), and place them on a dish. Decorate the noodles with toppings of your choice and keep in the fridge until you serve.
When Somen noodles get dry, their gluten get strong and sticky. So they will stick together nicely in bite-size portions. When you eat, dip one portion in the dipping sauce, then shake to release the noodles.
Onigirazu is a new type of Onigiri (rice ball) becoming very popular in Japan recently in 2015.
Unlike Onigiri (rice ball), Onigirazu can be prepared quickly without making into a triangular or a ball shape but just by wrapping rice and the fillings in Nori seaweed sheet.
Directions:
1. Place Nori seaweed sheet on plastic wrap.
2. Place rice in the center, then flatten it out.
3. Place the fillings on top.
4. Cover the fillings with rice, then flatten it out.
5. Fold the corners towards the center of the rice, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap.
6. When the Nori gets soft, cut into half.
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Juicy Turnip and Carrot Miso Soup
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 30min
Number of servings: 2
Ingredients:
100g (3.5oz.) turnip
40g (1.4oz.) carrot
400ml Dashi broth
1 tbsp. or more Miso
Directions:
1. Cut round slices of turnip and carrot into quarters. *Peel the skin of turnip thick because the inner part is soft and perfect for baby food.
2. Put Dashi broth in a pot and bring to a boil. Add turnip and carrot, remove the foam if necessary, then cook until tender. *Remove a few pieces of turnip and carrot, then mash them up in a mortar with a pestle, then mix a bit of Dashi broth to make it smooth.
3. Turn down to low then dilute Miso with a little hot broth and mix it into the soup. Heat until hot to finish.
You store the mashed vegetables in the freezer for a week! Wrap a thin layer of the mashed vegetables in plastic wrap and make marks so that you can break it into small pieces when frozen.
TO AH (トウアー) is a spoke person for Very Fun Park Exhibition (粉樂町) in Taiwan.
台灣粉樂町當代藝術展代言人桃仔
I was asked to make TO AH bento box for the Very Fun Park’s 10th Anniversary. Since it is a meaningful exhibition, I decide to participate as an artist with my creative bento.
今年是粉樂町當代藝術展的十周年，主辦單位邀請我設計可愛的便當，我覺得這個展覽很有意義，決定以藝術便當參展。
This character’s name is CHI TOU, which means having fun, nickname TO AH, is created by a Japanese graphic artist, Akinori OISHI (大石曉規).
桃仔是日本藝術家大石曉規所設計,全名是”七逃”，代表到處玩
1. TO AH has very good eyes to discover creative things and beautiful art.
桃仔具有靈活的雙眼，可以發覺有創意和美好的事物。
2. Screw driver hands that help locks the art at where it is displayed.
如螺絲釘的雙手把藝術品緊緊栓牢。
3. Very Active, walk all over the streets and alley to explore the city.
行動力一流，走逛大街小巷。
4. Always keep her lovely smile on her face which is perfect 30 degrees.
30度上揚嘴角，永遠帶著人見人愛的微笑。
5. Only wears dark pink.
重度桃紅狂熱份子，永遠的好氣色。
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TO AH Bento Lunch Box
桃仔便當
Difficulty: Patience
難度:中等
Time: 40min
製作時間:40分鐘
Number of servings: N/A
Ingredients:
((Karaage - Japanese Fried Chicken)) 日式炸雞 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bam1EE5NqhA
((Usuyaki Tamago Egg Crepe Flowers)) 造型蛋皮 https://youtu.be/P7EBDWSSUQg?t=2m23s
((TO AH Decoration))
cooked white rice 白飯
a bit of salt 少許鹽
ham 火腿
sliced beets (canned) 罐頭甜菜根片
sliced cheese 起士片
Nori seaweed sheet 海苔片
((Others))
lettuce 生菜
tomato 番茄
broccoli 綠花椰
etc...
Directions:
((Karaage - Japanese Fried Chicken)) 日式炸雞 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bam1EE5NqhA
((Usuyaki Tamago Egg Crepe Flowers)) 造型蛋皮 https://youtu.be/P7EBDWSSUQg?t=2m23s
((TO AH Decoration))
1. Season the rice with a bit of salt and make a triangular shaped Onigiri rice ball.
在白飯中加入少許鹽，握成三角飯團形狀。
2. Cut out ham into a drop shape and cut an oval hole.
火腿切成水滴狀，中間再切出橢圓形。
3. Cut out sliced beets, sliced cheese, and Nori sheet to make TO AH's face parts. Attach them onto the rice ball. *You can use any tools you have on hand or freehand to cut out the shapes because the shapes are very simple ;)
將甜菜根、起士片、海苔片依照需求切好，透過工具或是徒手切割皆可，之後置放於飯糰上塑造卡通造型。
You can of course skip Matcha to make vanilla flavor! Then it will be 2 ingredients recipe ;p
You can use cocoa powder to make chocolate pudding, too! Enjoy in the way you want!!!
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3-Ingredient Matcha Purin Using Marshmallows
Difficulty: Super Easy
Time: 15min + cooling time
Number of servings: 3 small cups
Ingredients:
200ml soy milk (or milk)
50g (1.8oz.) marshmallows (vanilla flavor)
1/2 tsp. Matcha green tea powder *if you like
Directions:
1. Mix Matcha powder with a bit of soy milk (strain with a strainer if needed) then put it into a pot. Put marshmallows and the rest of soy milk in the pot. Put on low and stir constantly to melt the marshmallows (it takes about 7 minutes). It bubbles up but the bubbles will fade in a minute after you stop the heat. It is up to you to keep the bubbles or not.
2. Pour the mixture into cups and cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours until set.
You can eat with Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) if you like :)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 4
Calories per serving: 135Kcal
Ingredients:
130g (4.6oz.) canned shelled Asari clams in water
100g (3.5oz.) chopped onion
80g (2.8oz.) Komatsuna (Japanese spinach)
40g (1.4oz.) chopped bacon slices
100g (3.5oz.) potato
2 tbsp. flour
150ml soy milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. Sake *water is okay
300ml = water + the liquid from the canned Asari
1 tsp. butter
cracked black pepper
*You don't have to parboil Komatsuna (Japanese spinach) because it doesn't contain that much oxalic acid content compared to the regular spinach. If you are using the regular spinach, please parboil it!
Directions:
1. Chop Komatsuna and separate stalks and leaves. Dice potato and soak in water (to prevent from changing color & remove starch).
2. Heat butter in a pot and cook the chopped onion until tender. Add the chopped bacon and cook until done. Then add the Komatsuna stalks and chopped potatoes, and cook until coated with oil.
3. Add Sake, cover, and steam until the potatoes are cooked.
4. Add flour and mix until blended.
5. Add water + the liquid from the canned Asari, then bring to a boil. Add Asari and Komatsuna leaves. When it becomes to a boil, remove the foam.
6. Mix in salt, pepper, and soy milk. Cook until hot and serve in a dish.
This video will show you how to make the very basic Dashi broth, the base of many Japanese dishes, as well as Japanese baby food ;)
This is one of a few ways to make Dashi!
You can make vegetarian Dashi by using only Kombu (kelp).
Dashi does not mean fish btw... it means "Soup Stock".
Kombu (kelp), Hana-katsuo (large bonito flakes), and/or Niboshi (small dried sardines) can be used to make the broth. The combination is up to you.
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Very Basic Dashi Broth (Perfect Soup Stock for Japanese Food)
Difficulty: Easy
Time: 15min + soaking time
Number of servings: 4 cups
Ingredients:
800ml water
20cm/8inch-long Kombu (kelp)
handful of Hana-katsuo (large bonito flakes)
Directions:
1. Cut Kombu in half, then clean it with moistened towel. Soak in 800ml water for 30 minutes.
2. Heat the pot on medium, before it starts to boil, remove the Kombu, add Hana-katsuo, mix, stop the heat and wait until they soak completely.
3. Strain the Dashi soup with a strainer (with a clean cloth or a paper towel if you have). *Do not squeeze the bonito flakes too much since they can add bad smell.
For baby food, you can store it in the freezer for a week!
Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese healthy Wagashi (dessert) mainly consists of small cubes of Kanten (agar agar) jelly, Anko (sweet red bean paste), and fruits, drizzled with Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup), etc…
Perfect for vegetarians! Adding whipped cream and/or ice cream like a sundae is optional ;)
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Anmitsu (Traditional Japanese Vegetarian Sweet with Cubes of Kanten Agar Agar Jelly)
Difficulty: VERY Easy
Time: 15min + cooking time
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
4g (2 tsp.) Kanten powder (agar-agar powder)
500ml water
fruits
Anko (sweet Azuki red bean paste)
ice cream if you like
whipped cream if you like
Shiratama (sweet rice dumplings) if you like
Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) *honey is okay
Directions:
1. Mix water and Kanten powder (agar-agar powder) very well in a pot. Bring to a boil and boil for 2 minutes. *or use as directed on its package
2. Stop the heat, pour it into a square cake pan (or any container is ok) and cool in the fridge for 1-2 hours until firm. Then cut it into small cubes.
3. Serve in a dish with fruits, Anko, and ice cream (if you like). Drizzle with Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) to finish.
This video is created to celebrate YouTube's 10th anniversary. Here I am talking about "Inspiration", one of the 10 fundamentals of a creative strategy on YouTube.
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Tuna and Shimeji Mushroom Ponzu Rice
Difficulty: Super Easy
Time: 1hr
Number of servings: 4
Ingredients:
2 cups uncooked pre-washed Japanese rice
200g (7oz.) Shimeji mushrooms
50g (1.8oz.) carrot
80g (2.8oz.) canned tuna in water
65ml Mizkan Ajipon (Ponzu sauce)
Ponzu Sauce (citrus-flavored soy sauce: you can mix 1:1 soy sauce and lemon juice to make it)
Directions:
1. Wash rice if needed. If you are using pre-washed rice (Musenmai) you don't have to wash it.
2. Thinly slice the carrot. Remove tough base of Shimeji mushrooms and break into pieces.
3. Place rice in a pot, add the liquid from the canned tuna, add Ajipon (Ponzu sauce), then add water to the appropriate level indicated in the pot, and mix well.
4. Add sliced carrot, Shimeji mushrooms, and Tuna on top.
5. Place the pot into the rice cooker. Cover and press the button to start.
6. When it's done, toss the rice lightly using a rice paddle. Then serve in a dish.
Directions:
1. Dice strawberries.
2. Put granulated sugar and water in a pot. When the sugar melts, stop the heat and soak the strawberries for 30 minutes.
3. When the syrup gets red, drain and separate the syrup and strawberries.
4. Heat the syrup in a microwave or in a pot (80C/176F), then mix in the gelatin powder.
5. Float the bottom of the bowl of the syrup in ice water to cool. When the syrup gets cold, add strawberries and mix well.
6. Serve in cups and cool in the fridge for about an hour to set.
Directions:
1. Soak bread crumbs with milk.
2. Heat 1 tbsp. of cooking oil in a frying pan and cook the chopped onion until tender. Then set aside to cool.
3. Put ground beef and pork mixture in a bowl and knead well by hand until smooth. *in this way it is easy to shape and becomes juicy when simmered.
4. Add salt, pepper, and nutmeg, then mix well by hand until all ingredients are combined and smooth.
5. Add onion, bread crumbs, and ketchup, then mix well again. Divide it into 4, then form each into flat heart shape.
6. Cut out potatoes and carrots into heart shape. Then cook in boiling water until done. Cook broccoli in boiling water as well.
7. Heat cooking oil in a frying pan and cook on medium until golden brown. *they are going to be simmered, so they don't have to be cooked thoroughly.
8. Add the sauce, cover and cook on low for 10 minutes. Add butter to finish.
9. Serve on a dish and garnish with vegetables.
Difficulty: Super Easy
Time: 20min
Number of servings: 1
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. cooked rice
150ml water
Directions:
1. Put cooked rice and water in a pot.
2. Bring to a boil then turn down to low and cook for 10 minutes. *if you want the rice water, skim the liquid.
3. Stop the heat, cover, then steam for 10 minutes. *you can grate the congee for baby food.
You can eat with Umeboshi (pickled plum), Shio-Kombu (salted kelp), salmon flakes, or any kind of rice seasoning of your choice!
I bought this silicone mold at 100yen shop (Can☆Do). I followed the microwave gummy candies recipe that came with this mold and it just worked perfectly.
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Gummy Candies in a Mug with Microwave
Difficulty: VERY Easy
Time: 3min + cooling time
Number of servings: 16 small pieces
Ingredients:
3 tbsp. clear juice of your choice
5g (1/2 tbsp.) unflavored gelatin powder
a few drops of lemon juice if you like
1 tbsp. sugar
Directions:
1. Put juice, gelatin powder, and lemon juice in a mug. Microwave at 500W for 30 seconds.
2. Add sugar and mix well.
3. Pour it into a silicone mold, and drop it lightly on the counter for 2-3 times to raise the air bubbles. *You can wipe off the white air bubbles on the surface with a paper towel!
4. Cool in the fridge for about 30 minutes until completely set.
They can easily get soft at the room temperature, so please keep them in the fridge.
In this video, I will show you how to make the simmered vegetables dish that I served for my daughter's Okuiozome (100th day celebration). I used lucky ingredients that end with "N", which literary means to have a series of fortunes!
Directions:
1. Decorative cut Kabocha, carrot, and lotus root if preferred (or just cut them into bite-sized pieces). Soak lotus root in water to prevent discoloration. Remove both ends of green beans, cut diagonally, then cook in boiling salted water for a minute.
2. Place carrot, lotus root, and A in a pot, then cook on medium for 5 minutes.
3. Add Kabocha, ginkgo nuts, and Miso, then cook until all ingredients are done. Add green beans to finish.
Directions:
1. Put ground beef, salt, pepper, and nutmeg in a bowl, and mix well by hand until all ingredients are combined and smooth. Divide it into half, then form each into flat and round shape, little bit larger than the hamburger buns (because they shrink when they are cooked). In a frying pan or on a BBQ grill, cook the hamburger steaks and sliced onions to desired doneness.
2. Slice the hamburger buns and toast them in a frying pan or a BBQ grill. Place lettuce, sliced tomato, hamburger steak, sliced cheddar cheese, sliced onion, and avocado between the hamburger buns.
3. Make Rilakkuma's ears with boiled sausage and sliced cheese, then attach them with toothpicks. Make eyes, nose, and mouth with sliced cheese and Nori sheet.
It is slightly salty, so it is up to you to eat with ketchup!
I bought this silicone mold at 100yen shop (Can☆Do). I followed the microwave caramel candies recipe that came with this mold, but it didn't work and used up all the whipping cream… so I ended up making the caramel candies using only milk using a pot. Then it worked as seen in this video!!! Adding butter is necessary to get this chewy texture and rich taste (it will be a bit flaky if you skip butter).
Adding diced almonds or sesame seeds is nice! ENJOY!!!
--------------------------------- Soft and Chewy Milk Caramel Candies
Difficulty: VERY Easy
Time: 15min + cooling time
Number of servings: 14 small pieces
Ingredients:
100ml milk
50g (1.8oz.) granulated sugar
25g (0.9oz.) butter
a few drops of vanilla extract
Directions:
1. Put all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil on medium. When bubbles come out, turn down to low and simmer until thick mixing with a wooden spatula (make sure you don't burn it).
2. Drop the caramel mixture into ice water and check if it forms an elastic ball. If it melts, you want to simmer more.
3. You can pour it into a silicone mold, or a square pan lined with parchment paper. Cool in the freezer for over an hour until firm. Cut it up if necessary.
They can melt easily at room temperature, so better kept in the fridge or freezer!
Zenzai (or Oshiruko) is sweet Azuki red bean soup with Shiratama (sweet rice dumplings) or Mochi (rice cake).
You can either bake or boil Mochi, it is up to you!
Eating Wagashi (Japanese sweets) is much healthier than eating chocolates ;)
--------------------------------- Zenzai (Sweet Azuki Red Bean Soup with Mochi)
Difficulty: VERY Easy
Time: 5min
Number of servings: 1
Ingredients:
Shiratama (sweet rice dumplings) or Mochi (rice cake)
100g (3.5oz.) Yude Azuki (sweet Azuki red bean paste with skins)
50ml water
Directions:
1. You can either bake or boil Mochi, it is up to you!
2. Put Yude Azuki and water in a pot, then simmer until hot.
3. Put Azuki in a bowl, then place Mochi on top.
