I don’t know how young I was, probably 6 or 7 years old. I still remember the day my mother cooked this dessert for my sisters and me. Apple pieces were still crunchy. I wished if they were softer. That’s my first memory that I ever tasted custard. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients 2 Apples1 tablespoon …
More than 50 years ago, in a small town in Japan, the pre-school that I went to was like child day-care, and a hot lunch or light snack was provided every day. The most memorable food I tasted at the pre-school was this ‘Kinako Macaroni’. I still fondly remember the day it was served for …
This food is called ‘Ohagi’ in Japan. There is an almost identical food called ‘Bota Mochi’. During the equinoctial weeks in Spring and Autumn, this food is traditionally prepared. It is basically a ball of slightly pounded glutenous rice covered with Sweet Azuki Paste. Kinako (finely ground Roasted Soy Beans) mixed with Sugar is another …
Everyone’s favourite Japanese sweet ‘Strawberry Daifuku Mochi’ is not hard to make, but I wouldn’t say it is easy to make. When I saw rice paper desserts on the internet, a great idea came to me to use rice paper to make Daifuku Mochi. Soon I discovered many people were already doing it. The texture …
This ‘Coffee Butter Cream’ can be used for icing or filling for cakes and cookies. This cream becomes fairly firm when chilled. Ingredients 60g Unsalted Butter *softened1 cup (about 150g) Icing Sugar1 pinch Salt2 teaspoon Instant Coffee Granules *mixed with 2 teaspoon Hot Water2 teaspoons Rum *OR Bourbon, Brandy, etc.1/2 to 1 teaspoon Milk *only …
‘Daifuku Mochi’, or Daifuku, is a Japanese sweet consisting of a small round glutinous rice cake stuffed with sweet Azuki paste. There are many variations these days, and this ‘Strawberry Daifuku Mochi’ is probably the most popular one. I wouldn’t try to make it if I were in Japan. However, here in Melbourne where I …
‘Kinako (きな粉)’ is finely ground Roasted Soy Beans. Most Asian grocery stores sell it. I bought it from a Daiso store. ‘Kinako’ is a very popular ingredient for Japanese sweets. These candies are traditionally made with ‘Kinako’ and starch syrup called ‘Mizuame’, which is similar to corn syrup. This is a very old Japanese sweet. …
On the other day, I received an email from a person who lives in North Carolina, US. She was asking me if I knew how to make ancient Japan’s cheese called ‘So’. I didn’t know it. I have never seen it in my life, but I have read about it many years ago. Nobody knows …
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 …
Roasted & Peeled Chestnuts are lovely to eat, but it requires time-consuming work to make. These days, canned or vacuum-packed whole peeled chestnuts are available. A local Asian grocery store sells them, too. Those whole chestnuts can be a special sweet when they are coated with lovely chocolate. Ingredients 20 Roasted & Peeled Chestnuts1 tablespoon …
A recipe requires Sweetened Condensed Milk? You don’t need to make a trip to a supermarket. Condensed Milk can be made by condensing Milk. Add Sugar to sweeten it and it is easy to adjust the sweetness as you make it. Instead of simmering Milk and Sugar in a saucepan, the microwave is the easiest …
For those who love sweet Azuki (Red Bean) paste, which is a very popular ingredient for many sweets, I introduce a traditional Japanese sweet, ‘Zenzai’. In the region I grew up, ‘Zenzai’ is a sweet Azuki soup, often served with toasted Mochi (Rice Cake). Its smooth version made with ‘Koshi-an’ is called ‘Shiruko’, and I …