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…
Kanten is similar to Agar Agar but much easier to use. The advantage of using Kanten as gelling agent is that it can set liquid with the fruit such as fresh Pineapple, Kiwi Fruit or Mango. Those fruits break down the protein found in gelatine and prevent the jelly from…
Gelatin, Kanten and Agar Agar are the most common gelling agents used for setting liquid to make gelatinous dessert.Gelatin is made from pork skins, cattle bones or hides.Kanten (Japanese) and Agar Agar (Malay) are made from sea plants. Kanten is made from red algae called ‘Tengusa’ and ‘Ogonori’ in Japanese.…
You don’t need the oven to make this yummy Pork for your Ramen topping. You just need a pot or a large saucepan and a ziplock bag. At many Ramen Shops in Japan, you would find that those slices of pork placed on top of Ramen noodles are actually not…
My family’s favourite ‘Goma-ae Spinach’ sometimes turns to this spicy ‘Goma-ae’ with Ito-Konnyaku/Shirataki for a change. Ito-Konnyaku or Shirataki is basically same as Konnyaku/Konjac made from grated Konnyaku Potatoes. They are very low in calories and good source of dietary fiber. It can be replaced with Sweet Potato Starch Noodles…
It’s easy to make. Add plenty of fresh vegetables in hand and use your favourite salad dressing to season if you like. I always add ‘Edamame’ (young soy beans) for crunchy texture and protein. This can be a perfect complete meal. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients Cooked Rice 500g *Japanese Short…
When I find some pears in the fruit basket getting very soft, I always make them into ‘Pear Upside-down Cake‘. But I recently discovered this custard tart is another good dessert to use up the softened pears. This is almost identical to my ‘Banana & Custard Tart‘. Pears can be…
Peppery Watercress, which has slightly Wasabi-like flavour, goes so well with Beef. I recommend to cook Beef medium rare or rare just like Beef Tataki. Enjoy this dish with nice wine or chilled beer!!! Cold Sake or Shōchū are also great. (Needless to say, you can enjoy this dish without…
On hot summer days, Bananas tend to turn black-spotted very quickly. Those ripe sweet Bananas are perfect for Banana Cake or my Granola (Oven-baked Muesli), but I don’t want to bake on hot days. This is a perfect way to enjoy those black-spotted Bananas in hot summer. Ingredients Ripe Banana(s)Unsweetened…
