I recently went to a Korean restaurant with my family and my husband and children enjoyed a steamed egg dish as well as BBQ. The steamed egg dish was similar to Japanese ‘Chawanmushi’ (Savoury Custard Soup) but texture was firmer. Surprisingly there was nothing in it and it was just…
If you like ‘Edamame’, you would like these soy beans. They are basically ‘Roasted Soy Beans’. Toasted or roasted soy beans are the essential food for a seasonal even called ‘Setsubun’ in Japan. February 3rd, which is the eve of the first day of spring, people in Japan scatter roasted…
Here is the recipe written for my son and daughter to make their mother’s ‘Pumpkin Soup’. I never use Oil for this soup. Just like cooking Japanese soup, I simply cook vegetables in stock. I always use ‘Massel’ chicken stock or vegetable stock. It’s a very simple fuss-free recipe and…
Easter holidays are gone and now it is getting cold in Melbourne. Hot soup is appreciated for dinner. Egg Soup is everyone’s favourite. When you add whisked egg into hot soup, egg is instantly cooked and comes up to the surface. If the soup is slightly thickened by adding a…
I recently discovered a product called Queen’s ‘Jel-it-in Vegetarian Gelling Powder’ at a Woolworths store. It’s an Agar-base gelling powder and it is easy to use. Sometimes I prefer to use Agar or Kanten rather than Gelatine. For this orange juice jelly, definitely Agar is the best option. And Queen’s…
I love Biscotti, the crunchy Italian sweet ‘twice-baked’ biscuits . Classic Almond Biscotti is my favourite. My daughter made Cranberry & Pistachio Biscotti on the other day and they were absolutely delicious. Do you like Biscotti? Why don’t you try my Japanese inspired ‘Matcha Biscotti’? I usually use Walnuts, but…
My super-easy ‘Salmon Takikomigohan’ is becoming popular. One of my friends has been cooking it repeatedly. However, ‘Salmon Mazegohan’ is a lot tastier and I like it more even though I have to cook Salmon separately.‘Grilled Salmon & Watercress Mazegohan’, which I introduced on the other day, sounds time-consuming because…
My very first cooking class was in the fifth grade. We cooked ‘Sautéed Spinach’ and ‘Boiled Eggs’. ‘Scrambled Eggs’ is actually easier than ‘Boiled Eggs’. To keep the colour of the scrambled eggs, cook Eggs and Spinach separately. After they are combined gently and placed on a plate, drizzle the…
Many years ago, when I was teaching at a primary school in Japan, mother of a student in my class gave me a recipe of ‘Steamed Carrot Buns’. The recipe was lost but I am still making the steamed carrot buns. As the batter is soft, you need cupcake cases.…
When I found a bunch of Garlic Chives getting wilted in the fridge, I decided to add them to Okonomiyaki. To make Okonomiyaki more colourful and nutritious, I also added Carrot. And the result was unsatisfying. It didn’t taste good with ‘Okonomiyaki Sauce’ and Japanese mayonnaise. WHY? I tried the…
In Japan there is a food called ‘Goma Dofu’ or ‘Sesame Tofu’ which is made from three simple ingredients: ‘Neri-goma’ which is a paste made from ground toasted sesame seeds, Water (or Dashi) and ‘Kuzu Root Starch’. It is called ‘Tofu’ but it is not Tofu because Soy Milk is…
More and more Australian grown Asian mushrooms are becoming available these days. They are very expensive at supermarkets but Asian grocers often sell imported mushrooms that are quite cheap. This time, I cooked Shiitake, Shimeji, Maitake and Enoki. Oyster and King Oyster mushrooms are also good for this dish. Makes…
My ‘Goma-ae Sauce’ goes so well with many vegetables. I have tried even with Cucumbers, which was quite nice. This time, I was more ambitious. I made Tomatoes into ‘Goma-ae’ and my family was suspicious about this dish. I used Black Sesame Seeds to make the colour striking, and that…
In Australia, less expensive off-cut meat is widely available. In Japan, you can find less expensive off-cut Sashimi. I used to make this ‘Zuké’ Don using those off-cuts. If you can purchase Sashimi quality fresh fish, why don’t you try this deliciously marinated fish on rice. This time, I used…
I used to make these cookies without cinnamon. OriginalIy it was ‘Kinako’, finely ground roasted soy beans, and Muscovado Cookies. One day, my daughter told me that cinnamon would be good to add extra flavour to it. The result was great. 1 teaspoonful of ground Cinnamon really improved the flavour.…
I always stock good quality Japanese Instant Ramen in my pantry. Instant Ramen can be a good quick meal with protein and vegetables. On a hot summer day, I make it into cold refreshing salad for lunch. It’s quick and easy to prepare and very satisfying. Makes 1 Serving Ingredients…
Ingredients Soup 1 Daikon radish1 Carrot1 Block konnyaku (translated as “yam cake”)4 Shiitake mushrooms (optional)strips of dried kelp (Japanese – konbu) Other 1 Package Yamasa oden no tane (assorted fish cakes)4 or 5 Chikuwa fish cakesHard boiled eggs – 1 per person Karashi (Japanese hot mustard) BROTH: 1500 ml dashi…
I often cook this ‘Chirashi-zushi’, a type of Sushi which is a kind of decorated rice salad, as a side dish for BBQ. Crunchy ‘Edamame’ are very tasty when mixed with sushi rice. Decorate it with your favourite toppings. This can be a fun cooking activity for children. Makes 6…
