This is a pan-fried version of my ‘Kakiage’ Tempura that I love. I first just pan-fried it instead of deep-frying, and realised I needed more batter. So, I made it just like Okonomiyaki. This is much easier to prepare and clean up than deep-fried Tempura. You can make small pancakes OR 1 large pancake and …
I recently received a question about how Hijiki can be cooked. Hijili is a blackish coloured Sea Vegetable. In Japan, it is used for many dishes. Most commonly it is simmered in Dashi Stock seasoned with Soy Sauce, with Soy Beans, Tofu products, or Vegetables such as Carrot. But, Hijiki can be added to Salad. …
‘Champroo’ (Chanpurū) is an Okinawan stir fry dish. The Okinawan word ‘Champroo’ means ‘a mixture of various items’, and you can stir-fry any Vegetables you have. But, Champroo’s essential ingredients are Okinawan Tofu and Eggs. Well… we can’t get Okinawan Tofu outside Japan, so I use Firm Tofu. Bitter Melon is a popular Vegetable for …
This dish is called ‘Chikuzen-ni’ (筑前煮) in Japan. It was a local dish in Chikuzen region in the island of Kyushu. It is now popular in other parts of Japan and often prepared for the New Year celebration. It can be difficult to find all these ingredients outside Japan. In particular, Gobō and Lotus Root …
As my brother-in-law’s family and good friends of mine turned Vegan last year, I had been trying to create a new Vegan Gyoza recipe using Firm Tofu, but I couldn’t achieve the texture that I was wishing to create. Then, on the other day, to use up leftover Gyoza Wrappers, I made some Gyoza using …
My mother made ‘Bento’ lunch for my sisters and me for many many years. One of the memorable things of her ‘Bento’ is Cucumber that she cut decoratively, and those Cucumber pieces stood out in the ‘Bento’ box. Such a simple effort can make just a piece of Cucumber something special. I will show you …
‘Pickled Chrysanthemum Turnips’ is called ‘Kikka Kabu’ (菊花かぶ) in Japan. It is often prepared for the New Year celebration. Small Turnips are prepared and pickled so that they look like Chrysanthemum Flowers. You can use Red Radishes, too. They are just pickled in a simple marinade, but they look pretty, don’t they? Makes 4 Servings …
If you have some leftover ‘Tarako’ OR ‘Mentaiko’ (Salted Pollock Roe) and looking for a way to use it up, try this super simple stir-fry. ‘Umami’ and saltiness, and also spiciness if you use ‘Mentaiko’, come from the Salted Pollock Roe, what you have to do is just stir-fry. This dish is perfect to eat …
I cooked Mixed Grain today. Because I added some Black Rice, it turned purple. I was planning to make a Rice Salad, but the colour of the Mixed Grains reminded me my ‘Cuban Black Beans’, and I ended up making this salad. Because it was so good, I am now writing down how I made …
There is a Japanese vegetarian dish called ‘Ganmodoki’, that is fried mashed Tofu mixed with Vegetables, such as Carrots, Lotus Root, Gobō (Burdock Root) and ‘Ginnan’ (Gingko Nuts). Grated ‘Yamaimo’ (Japanese Mountain Yam) is often added. Most of those ingredients are impossible to find where I live. I have tried to make ‘Ganmodoki’ using what …
This dish is very popular in Japan and the miso mixture is usually made with Pork Mince. I made this Vegetarian (Vegan) version for my Vegan friends. By adding a variety of ingredients, you can create a great flavour. If you ran out of Lettuce, you can enjoy it with freshly cooked rice, too. Makes …
On the day I came across yummy Fried Pepitas at a friend’s house. She said she’d bought them at a farmers’ market. I loved them but I found they were quite pricy. I though it should be easy to make, so I tried. It was indeed super easy to make. You can use your favourite …
Caesar Salad Dressing is popular. You may have a bottle of it in your fridge. This is a simple salad of Broccoli dressed with the dressing. I recommend to add Nuts such as Almonds to this salad. You can use uncooked Broccoli, but I prefer Broccoli slightly cooked, only slightly. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients 1 …
Using a microwave, Mochi is easy to make. Today I made these savoury Mochi mixed with Garlic Chives. I didn’t pre-cook Garlic Chives, but you may prefer pre-cooking them, so that you can add a lot more Garlic Chives, then Mochi would be much greener colour. Makes 2 Servings Ingredients 110g Glutinous Rice Flour1/2 cup …
Garlic Chives and Black Fungus is a winning combination. This dish was originally a salad. Garlic Chives and Black Fungus are supposed to be blanched, then dressed with the sauce. However, it is easier for me to stir-fry instead of blanching and squeezing. The result is almost identical, but this stir-fried version is naturally less …