In the region in Japan where I grew up, there is a Lettuce called ‘Chisha’. ‘Chisha’ has the flavour and texture between Cos Lettuce and Butter Lettuce. My mother most frequently made ‘Chisha’ Salad with ‘Sumiso’, a sweet & sour Miso dressing. I use Cos Lettuce for this salad, and I add Basil to the …
‘Sumiso’ is a Japanese sweet & sour sauce made with Miso. Smooth and mild flavoured Miso such as White Miso is commonly used. It goes very well with boiled Octopus or Squid, and also freshly cooked Konnyaku (Konjac), or Bocconcini. It can be used as a salad dressing. I often add fresh Basil to it. …
Recently I started using Oats for savoury dishes such as ‘Broccoli, Potato & Oats Soup’ and ‘Miso Oats Porridge’. Today I used Oats for Okonomiyaki. This can be a good alternative for those who can’t eat Wheat Flour. It’s super easy to cook, and Oats are easy to use as most people stock Oats in …
‘French Cruller’ is basically deep-fried Choux pastry (Profiterole pastry). It is very popular in Japan, but I don’t see them in Melbourne. If you have made Profiteroles before, it would be quite simple to make. One important thing to remember is to use a star-shaped nozzle when you pipe out the dough. The pastry is …
Wombok is often called by a variety of different names. It’s called ‘Hakusai’ (白菜) in Japanese, but here in Australia, ‘Wombok’ is the common name. It is a hugely popular vegetable among many Asians. If you have never used it for cooking, try a simple salad. This salad is not bad at all. Makes 4 …
On this website, I have shared my recipe ‘Monk’s Vegan Soup’, that is called ‘Kenchin-jiru’ in Japan. ‘Kenchin-jiru’ is 100% plant-based soup that originated several centuries ago from a temple where Buddhist monks prepared the soup. ‘Kenchin-jiru’ is still very popular and Soba Noodles are often added to it. I am not Vegan but I …
I often cook ‘Goma-ae’ Spinach, a popular Japanese dish. My family members don’t complain about the same dish’s frequent appearance on the dinner table, but I feel bad about cooking the same thing again and again. I tried to season it differently. Japanese ‘Goma-ae’ sauce is seasoned with Soy Sauce and Sugar. Today I used …
The other day, my daughter was trying to make Lemon flavoured cookies for her colleague who loves Lemon. I suggested her to add Lemon Zest and Juice to a basic cookie dough and drizzle Lemon Icing on the baked cookies. That’s the easiest way to make Lemon flavoured cookies. Here is my recipe. These are …
To make my ‘Spicy Meat Sauce’, I use Red Miso (dark coloured Japanese Miso) and Soy Sauce. The other day I added Hoisin Sauce as well, just because I needed to use it up. The sauce was so good and inspired me to make this Pork Sauce. This meat sauce can be enjoyed with freshly …
Many people are making this Apple Juice Jelly that has a resemblance to foamy Beer. Beer look-alike Jelly can be alcoholic, can’t it? Then I decided to add Vodka to it. You can use ‘Umeshu’, Brandy OR other Liquor instead. The white foamy top is the same Jelly that is just whipped up. *Warning: This …
Daikon (White Radish) is a major vegetable to me. I cook it often, I use it for salad often, and I pickle it often. But, in the green grocery store where I shop, I have never seen anyone purchasing Daikon. Do you cook it? Here is a suggestion for you to try. As Japanese Curry …
I am very fond of Pearl Barley and use it for soups and salads, and I even stir-fry it. I often cook Pearl Barley using my rice cooker. Today I cooked it with Chickpeas. Of course, you can use canned Chickpeas and cook Pearl Barley in a saucepan. Makes 4 to 6 Servings Ingredients 1/2 …