I eat Baby Spinach uncooked, but I strongly believe Spinach should be blanched before using it for cooking. Spinach is high in oxalic acid that can cause health problems. First of all, Spinach tastes nicer if it is blanched, even in a simple stir-fry. This is how I blanch Spinach. If you want to use …
One of my family’s favourite dinner menus is Stir-fried Tomatoes. The essential ingredients are Tomatoes, Garlic and Soy Sauce. Today I added Egg and Harusame Noodles (Bean Thread Noodles). Harusame Noodles sucked up the yummy sauce and they were absolutely delicious! This recipe is supposed to be for 4 servings but I ate half of …
When I make a Namul, I most likely cut vegetables into thin strips. However, if you use Daikon, chunky pieces are also great for crunchy texture. I recommend to season this Namul not too strongly, but Salt is essential. 1 teaspoon Salt looks a lot, but you are not going to eat it all. If …
The other day I bought a large bunch of Spinach, and I blanched all of it. I made ‘Goma-ae’ Spinach, and I still had some blanched Spinach. So, I decided to make this easy pie for lunch. It is easy to make if you have Frozen Puff Pastry. Makes 2 Pies Ingredients 2 sheets Butter …
This is my easy version of ‘Oden’, a popular Japanese one-pot dish. My favourite ingredients in ‘Oden’ are Daikon, Konnyaku (Konjac) and Fish Balls. So, I just cook those three ingredients for this easy version. I recommend to cook this dish ahead of dinner time, and reheat before serving. Daikon and Konnyaku would taste much …
‘Wakame & Cucumber Salad’ is one of the most popular Japanese salads called ‘Ae-mono’. Any cooked seafood such as Prawns, Squid and Scallops, OR Chikuwa (Tubular Fishcake) can be a great addition to it. My mother often adds ‘Shirasuboshi’ (しらす干し), dried whitebait. Today I added ‘Abura-age’ (Thin Fried Tofu) for a vegan version. These ‘Abura-age’ …
Seasoned Kombu (Kelp), that is often called ‘Shio Kombu’ (塩昆布) in Japanese, is very handy to have in the pantry. Because it is very strongly seasoned, it can be used as a seasoning. Today I just mixed it with Cucumber, and this yummy dish was ready to serve in a few minutes. Makes 3 to …
Katsuo (Bonito OR Skipjack Tuna) is a very popular fish in Japan, and my favourite way to enjoy it is ‘Tataki’ that is slightly seared, often over charcoal, and eaten with ‘Ponzu’. I love to eat it with plenty of fresh salad vegetables, and fresh Garlic is essential. Cut it into fine strips and scatter …
Thinly sliced and seasoned Kombu (Kelp), that is called ‘Shio Kombu’ (塩昆布) in Japanese, can be used as a seasoning. This dish is very similar to my ‘Kombu (Kelp), Wombok & Tuna Salad’, but I didn’t use Salt for this dish. It is seasoned with the Kombu and Sesame Oil only. It can be a …
As I had a small amount of leftover Roast Chicken, I made this Vietnamese inspired noodle salad for lunch today. I used Capellini (Angel Hair Pasta), an Italian Pasta. You can use Rice Vermicelli OR Japanese ‘Somen’ Noodles instead, but I love Capellini the best. Because I love its texture, it is inexpensive, and easy …
Korean Food has become very popular in Melbourne where I live. There are very many Korean Restaurants. Bulgogi is one of the popular dishes, and local supermarket stores are now selling Bulgogi Sauces. Well… it is not hard to make. I believe my Bulgogi Sauce tastes better than store-bought ones. You need Gochujang (Korean Spicy …
This salad of Wombok and Chicken can be dressed with any salad dressing of your choice, but this ‘Ponzu’ based simple Sesame Dressing is my favourite. You can’t find Ponzu? Don’t give up to try it because it can be easily substituted with Soy Sauce and Rice Vinegar. Makes 1 to 2 servings Ingredients 2 …