I love Barley and always stock a bag of Pearl Barley in the pantry. I use it mainly for soup. Sometimes I cook it with Rice. On the other day, I had some leftover cooked Barley, and I made a salad using it, just like the rice salad. It was amazing!!! Now, I love Barley …
I was taught that the ratio of Vinegar to Oil is 1:2. I though the amount of Oil is too much and I always reduced it. If you reduce the amount of Oil, the dressing will separate back into Vinegar and Oil no matter how well you mixed it and whisked it. In that case, …
Cold jelly sweets are very popular during the hot and humid summer in Japan. I like any kind of jelly sweets, but my favourite is Azuki Kanten Jelly ‘Mizu-Yōkan’. A variety of Azuki jelly sweets are available from shops over there, but, here in Melbourne, I have to make them if I want to eat …
I am very fond of this kind or savoury sprinkles, which are called ‘Furikake’ in Japan, to eat with Rice. Many Asian grocery stores sell some ‘Furikake’ products but I have never seen ‘Shiso (Perilla) Wakame Furikake’ in Australia. Since I started growing Shiso in my garden, I have some harvest every year, and I …
Gobō (Burdock Root) is a very popular vegetable in Japan, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to find where I live. I have seen Frozen Sliced Gobō many years ago at an Asian grocery store, and that was the only time I saw Gobō in Australia. Then, I decided to grow them in my vegetable garden. After …
Dishwasher’s drainpipe was chewed by mice and leaking for a long time unnoticed. That’s why I have been cooking in the bathroom using a portable induction hob. The kitchen floor is not yet repaired and I miss my oven so much. If I’ve had an access to my oven, I wouldn’t have cooked this dish, …
I have a super easy ‘Azuki Ice Cream’ recipe and it can be made with two ingredients, Tsubu-an (Sweet Azuki Paste) and whipped Cream. Because some people find it too rich, I have made a lighter version. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients 1/2 cup Milk1 to 2 tablespoons Sugar *OR Condensed Milk2 teaspoons Corn Starch Flour1/2 …
In Japan, when we make cucumber salad, we often gently bash the cucumber before cutting it or breaking it into small pieces, so that the centre gets slightly squashed and softened, and the cucumber pieces get seasoned better. Presenting well, too. ‘Bashed Cucumber Salad’ can be seasoned with any dressings or sauces of your choice. …
If you have been to Kyoto, Japan, you might have tasted this famous sweet. To make this sweet, Japanese rice flours ‘Shiratamako’ and ‘Joshinko’ are commonly used, but they are very difficult to find where I live. I use commonly available Glutenous Rice Flour and Rice Flour. You can make this sweet using Glutinous Rice …
‘Azuki’ are small red beans and most commonly used to make sweets in Japan. However, they can be used for savoury dishes as well. I often cook them with Rice. Because Azuki are small and cook fairly quickly, they don’t need to be soaked over night, and it’s easy to use for many dishes. Makes …
Daikon (White Radish) was on special at a local green grocer. I couldn’t resist to purchase some. This dish is one of the dishes I often cook. Today I cooked Daikon with Fried Tofu. Many Australians don’t cook radishes and they don’t know that radishes are delicious when softly simmered, stewed or even stir-fried. Makes …
Soba Salad is becoming popular in Australia and there are many creative Soba Salad recipes out there. But, as a Japanese, I strongly believe that Soba tastes the best with ‘Mentsuyu’, and it is easy to make. Makes 2 Servings Ingredients 2 servings Soba Noodles150 to 200g Pork *thinly slicedSalt & PepperPotato Starch Flour *optionalA …