It is now well into the autumn in Melbourne. Most Melburnians say that the autumn is the best season. I can’t agree more. Let’s enjoy the autumn food. Today I cooked rice with chestnuts. It is quite time-consuming to prepare chestnuts but only 8 or 12 chestnuts can be prepared quite easily. And you know …
This ‘Chicken & Shimeji Takikomigohan’ is a very simple rice dish yet so tasty as it is seasoned with the oyster sauce. Shimeji can be replaced with Shiitake, Oyster Mushrooms, Maitake or other Asian mushrooms OR you can add multiple types of them. Makes 4 to 6 Servings Ingredients Japanese Short Grain Rice 3 cups …
‘Gyū’ means Beef. Thinly sliced Beef and Onion simmered in a sweet soy sauce flavoured dashi stock on top of the rice. ‘Gyū Don’ is s very popular food in Japan, it is commonly served with Beni Shōga (pickled ginger). Probably every family has its own recipe. I used to add Shirataki (Konnyaku Noodles) but …
There is one dish that I have been very fond of since my childhood. It’s a dish of Mackerel simmered in sweet miso sauce. Sadly I can’t cook it here in Melbourne because it is too hard to find fresh Mackerel, that is called ‘Saba’ in Japanese. Then I created this dish using canned Mackerel …
When you buy a bunch of celery, what do you do with the leaves and thin stalks? You are not throwing them away, are you? I sometimes use them for soup and stir-fry, but this is my favourite way to use them up. Try it once and you will never waste the celery leaves again. …
When spring vegetables are in season, even in a supermarket, I sometimes come across fresh green peas in the pod. It’s time to cook this dish which is one of my Top 3 favourite rice dishes. It’s another very simple seasonal dish. But you only can cook it in Spring when fresh green peas are …
Takikomigohan is a rice dish, cooked with seasoned dashi stock with vegetables, mushrooms, chicken or other ingredients. ‘Kinoko (Mushrooms)’ Takikomigohan is one of my favourite. In Autumn in Japan, so many different types of mushrooms are available. The famous ‘Matsutake’ is too expensive for many of us these days, but there are plenty of cheap …
I love rice. Especially I love Brown Rice mixed with other grains including Wild Rice, Barley and Quinoa. It takes a long time to cook. So I recommend you to cook more than you need and freeze the leftovers. This dish is one of our heavily repeated dinner menus. My daughter made it first and …
I love this ‘Mixed Grains’. It’s mostly Medium Grain Brown Rice, which is mixed with Wild Rice, Barley and Quinoa. You can make your own mix by adding whatever grains you love. Even a small type of beans such as Azuki can be added. However you must be aware of the cooking time of the …
‘Doria’ is a very popular rice dish in Japan. Butter rice or pilaff is covered with White Sauce (Béchamel Sauce) and grated cheese, then baked in the oven. This ‘Chicken Doria’ is the most basic ‘Doria’ dish which is seasoned with salt & pepper. You can add herbs and spices to create your own flavour. …
The dish is called ‘Sekihan’ (Red Rice) in Japan, and it is traditionally prepared to celebrate special occasions, because of its red colour which is symbolic of happiness. ‘Sekihan’ is cooked with ‘Mochi-gome’ (Short Grain Glutinous Rice) and ‘Sasage Beans’, that are very similar to Azuki Beans, by steaming. These days more people conveniently cook …
This is what my mother used to make with Daikon leaves. She used to pickle a large barrelful of Daikon to make ‘Takuan’. She didn’t waste the Daikon leaves. She pickled the leaves as well. She used just salt for leaves. The salty pickled Daikon leaves were still bitter & peppery. She often cut them …