Katsudon カツ丼 (Japanese Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl)

Katsudon カツ丼 (Japanese Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl)

Ingredients:

1 Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)

1/4 cup Dashi Broth

1 tbsp Japanese Soy Sauce

1/2 tbsp White Sugar

1/2 tbsp Sake

1/2 Tbsp Mirin (Cooking Wine)

1~2 Fresh Eggs

1 small Onion, sliced thinly

1 stalk (15 cm) Green Onions or Leek, chopped

1 bowl of Steamed White Rice
1 tbsp Canola Oil

1/4 sheet Nori (Roasted Seaweed),sliced thinly

Instructions:

Cut the Tonkatsu into strips set aside.

Prepare the dashi mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the dashi, soy sauce, sugar, sake, and mirin. 

Beat the Egg/s.

In a separate bowl, add the egg/s, then lightly beat.

Cook the Katsudon.

In a small hot frying pan, add-in the oil; then add-in the onions.

Sauté until they are fragrant and start to turn translucent.

Pour the dashi mixture over the onions, then place the tonkatsu into the onions.

Cook at medium heat until boiling, the reduce heat to low-medium and allow the mixture to simmer.

Drizzle the egg over everything. Cover with a lid and cook for 1 minute.

Sprinkle chopped green onions on top. Turn off the heat.

Slide Tonkatsu with the egg and sauce over rice in a bowl. 

Sprinkle Nori on top before serving. Serve the katsudon immediately.

Happy Cooking!!

Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Gyōza 餃子 (Japanese Potstickers)

Ingredients:

for the Gyōza:

100 g Green Cabbage

300 g ground Pork

a dash of Salt and Black pepper (to season the pork)

1 bunch Garlic Chives

2 cloves Garlic, peeled

.5" pc of fresh Ginger, peeled

2 tbsp roasted Asian Sesame Oil

2 tsp Soy Sauce (Shoyu)

2 tsp White Sugar

1 tsp Salt

a pinch ground Black Pepper

2 tbsp Katakuriko (Potato Starch)

50 (round) Gyōza Skins

Katakuriko Mixture (2 tbsp Water + 1 teaspoon katakuriko), for sealing the gyōza

Vegetable oil

roasted Sesame Oil

for the Dipping Sauce:

1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

1 tbsp Soy Sauce

a few drops of Rayu (Chili Oil)

Instructions:

Prepare the filling.

Heat a medium saucepan with water; bring it to boil over high heat.

Add-in the cabbage, and simmer until softened, about 3 minutes.

Then cool the cabbage under cold running water, and finely chop.

Squeeze out any excesses water from the chopped cabbage with your clean hands. Set aside.

Finely chop the garlic chives, and squeeze out any excess water with your clean hands. Set aside.

Grate the garlic and ginger. (*This process releases the ginger and garlic aroma, flavor, and heat.)

In a large mixing bowl, add-in the pork; season with salt and black pepper.

With your clean hands, mix the pork for about 1 or 2 minutes, until it becomes sticky. (*This will help the pork bind with the other ingredients.)

Add-in the cabbage, garlic chives, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, soy sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper, and katakuriko to the seasoned pork.

With your clean hands, mix well to combine, for about 2 minutes, or until the mixture becomes sticky.

Assemble the gyōza.

Fill the gyōza skins (*flour side of the skin on the outside of the gyōza) with the filling in the center, about a spoonful.

Wet your fingertips with the katakuriko mixture, and draw a quick half-circle ring inside the edge of the gyōza wrapper; and pinch them close to seal.

(*Cover the unused wrappers with a clean kitchen towel to keep them from drying.)

Make the dipping sauce.

In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, soy sauce and a few drops of rayu. Mix well. Set aside.

Cook the gyōza.

Heat a cast iron skillet over high heat until it's smoking hot. Pour-in a little vegetable oil, and use a wadded up paper towel or brush to spread it around the skillet.

Cook the gyōza in batches. Add them in rows (which will make it easier to remove once they're ready), and fill the skillet with water until they are covered about half-way.

Cover the skillet with the lid, and lower the heat to medium. (Open once in a while to let the steam escape.)

Cook for about 8 minutes, or until the water evaporates. Then drizzle sesame oil over the gyōza. Cover again, and cook for about 1 minute more, until the oil is absorbed. (The bottom of the gyōza should be a little crispy.)

Remove them from the skillet, lifting them up in a row with a thin, long spatula.

Place the gyōza onto a rectangular serving plate, and serve steaming hot with dipping sauce.

Happy Eating!!

Note:

Uncooked gyōza can be kept in the freezer in an airtight container or a plastic zipper bag. Just defrost them anytime, and cook them as you would normally.

Salmon Fried Rice 鮭チャーハン

Salmon Fried Rice 鮭チャーハン

Ingredients:

2 cups warm Cooked Rice

1 (135g) canned Salmon, drained, flaked or leftover Pan-Seared Salmon, flaked

1 medium Egg, beaten

1 (15cm) stalk Leek or Green Onion, chopped

1~2 tbsp Canola Oil

1 tbsp Asian Sesame Oil

1 tsp Japanese Soup Base or Light Shoyu

a dash of Salt, White Pepper, and Black Pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a heated wok over medium high heat, add-in the oil.

When the oil is heated enough, add-in the beaten egg, and quickly stir with a spatula until almost cook.

Remove from the wok, place on a plate, and set aside.

In the same heated wok, add-in the sesame oil.

Add-in the green onions; stir fry for a few seconds.

Then add-in the flaked salmon, stir well.

Add-in the rice, break the chunks of rice with the spatula. Stir-fry and mix well.

Add-in the cooked egg, and break into small pieces with the spatula. Mix very well.

Season with soup base or shoyu, salt, white pepper, and black pepper.

Toss the wok, mixing everything together.

Transfer into a serving bowl, and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!!

Origami Water Bomb Cheese Cake おりがみ 風船 チーズケーキ

Origami Water Bomb Cheese Cake おりがみ 風船 チーズケーキ

(Recipe from: Mosogourmet)

Ingredients:

100 g Flour

7 g Baking Powder

60 g Cream Cheese, softened

60 g White Sugar

1 large Egg, beaten

50 g Milk

50 g Whipping Cream

10 g Unsalted Butter, melted

10 pcs (15x15cm) Oven Wax Paper

Instructions:

Make 10 wax paper origami boxes (traditional water bomb/paper balloon).

Preheat the oven to 160 °C.

In a medium bowl, sift together flour and baking powder. Set aside.

In a large bowl, add-in the softened cream cheese; stir until smooth and creamy.

Add-in sugar in two batches (roughly half the sugar, mix, and then add the rest of the sugar). Mix well.

Mix the egg into the cream cheese mixture half at a time; mix until thoroughly combined.

Pour-in the milk, and the whipping cream into the cream cheese mixture. Mix thoroughly to combine.

Add the flour with baking powder into the cream cheese mixture half at a time; blend well until smooth and lump-free.

Add-in the melted butter, mix thoroughly to combine.

Put your cheese cake batter into a piping/pastry bag.

Pipe-in the cheese cake batter into each origami box (one box per approximately 35g).

Then place them on a tray, and bake them in the preheated oven for 15 minutes.

Serve warm; Unwrap, and Enjoy!! :)

Note:
Pipe leftover batter into sturdy cupcake liners, and bake them.

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How to make Water Bomb (Traditional Japanese Origami):

Kōn to Chīzu Mushi Pan コーンチーズ蒸しパン (Corn & Cheese Steamed Cake)

Kōn to Chīzu Mushi Pan コーンチーズ蒸しパン (Corn & Cheese Steamed Cake)

Ingredients:

1 large Egg

2 tbsp Low-fat Milk

25g White Sugar

1 tbsp Canola Oil

75g Cake Flour or All-purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/4~1/3 cup Cheese, grated

1/4~1/3 cup Sweet Corn Kernels

Instructions:

Prepare the ramekins. Place cupcake liners in each ramekins.

Prepare the steamer pan. Place the ramekins in the steamer pan. Pour water in the steamer pan, halfway up the sides of the ramekins; then remove the ramekins.

Cover the steamer lid with a cheese cloth to prevent water from dropping unto the steamed cakes later when steaming.

Cover the steamer pan with the lid, and slowly bring water to a boil.

In a large bowl, crack-in the egg, and whisk until frothy.

Add-in the milk, and sugar; mix thoroughly until sugar is well-dissolved.

Pour-in oil, and whisk until well combined.

Sift-in flour, and baking powder in the egg mixture, mix until smooth and lump-free.

Add-in the cheese, and sweet corn; fold until well-combined.

Place a cupcake liner in ramekins.

Divide and pour the mixture into the ramekins.

Gently place the ramekins inside the steamer pan. (Be very careful not to scald yourself with the steam!) Cover with the lid and steam over medium heat for 12-15 minutes.

Turn off the heat, and remove the ramekins carefully from the steamer pan immediately.

Remove the steamed cakes from the ramekins. Serve warm.

Happy Eating!!

Hourensou Goma-ae ほうれん草 胡麻和え (Japanese Spinach Side Dish)

Hourensou Goma-ae ほうれん草 胡麻和え (Japanese Spinach Side Dish)

Ingredients:

250 g Spinach

1 tbsp White Sesame, toasted and coursely pounded

1 1/2 Soy Sauce

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tsp Mirin

Dried Shaved Bonito Flakes *optional

Instructions:

Clean and blanch the spinach by dropping them into boiling water and removing immediately.

Rinse the blanched spinach in a very cold water. Drain well, gently squeeze out excess water. Set aside.

Toast the sesame seeds in a heated skillet for a couple of minutes until brown, and pound them coarsely.

In a small bowl, add-in the pounded sesame seeds, and mix-in soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. Mix well.

In a medium bowl, add-in the blanched spinach, and pour-in the sesame mixture. Toss well to coat.

Serve in a small platter or dish, garnish with bonito flakes on top; or serve with salmon teriyaki.

Happy Eating!!

Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl) 牛丼

Gyudon (Japanese Beef Bowl) 牛丼

Ingredients:
300 g thinly sliced Beef (for "Shabu Shabu" or "Komagire" cut)
1/2 large Yellow Onion, sliced thinly
2 Green Onions, chopped
1 tbsp Cooking Oil
2 tsp Sugar
2 tbsp Sake
2 tbsp Mirin
1 tbsp Japanese Soy sauce
1 tsp Japanese Soup Base
2 large Eggs, well-beaten
Pickled Ginger (Kizami Shoga/Beni Shoga) for garnish *optional

Instructions:
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat, and add-in the oil.
Stir-fry the onions until wilted.
Add-in the beef, and sprinkle sugar; cook until browned.
Pour-in the sake, mirin, soy sauce, and soup base; mix well.
Reduce the heat to low-medium, and simmer until most of the liquid has evaporate.
Pour-in the beaten eggs, and cover quickly.
Cook until the eggs are almost done.
Sprinkle the green onions, and turn off heat.

Serve the simmered beef over a bowl of steamed rice, and drizzle with the remaining sauce from the skillet.
Garnish with pickled ginger if you like, and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!!

Kabocha Squash Salad

Kabocha Squash Salad

Ingredients:

1 small Kabocha Squash

5 tbsp Japanese Mayonnaise

1 tbsp White Wine

A dash of Salt and Black Pepper to taste

Almond Slices (for garnish)

Dried Parsley (for garnish)

Instructions:
Clean and cut kabocha in half, and scoop out the seeds.

Cut up the kabocha into large bite-sized pieces.

Place the kabocha in a plate, and loosely cover it with a plastic wrap; put it into a microwave to soften it up.

Carefully ake the kabocha out (while it's still hot), and peel its skin off (*if it's cold, it will be really hard to peel the skin off).

Mash the peeled kabocha in a bowl; mix-in white wine, japanese mayonnaise, salt, and black pepper.

Place in a serving dish; garnish with almond slices and dried parsley on top.

Serve and Enjoy!!

Takoyaki たこ焼き (Japanese Octopus Balls)

Takoyaki たこ焼き (Japanese Octopus Balls)

Ingredients:

1 cup Dashi 

1 large Egg

1/2 tsp Shoyu

1/8 tsp Salt

1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp All-purpose flour

2 Green Onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp Benishoga (pickled red ginger), chopped

3 oz Octopus, cut into 1/2" cubes

Canola Oil

Takoyaki sauce

Japanese Mayonnaise

Aonori (green dried seaweeds)

Katsuoboshi (dried bonito flakes)

Tool:
Takoyaki Pan

            

Instructions:

In a large bowl, mix well dashi, eggs, soy sauce, salt, and flour with a whisk.

Heat a takoyaki pan with oil to very hot, just until the oil begins to smoke.

Use enough oil to coat the pan using a paper towel so that the batter won't stick.

Then pour batter to fill the holes of the pan.

Drop octopus pieces in the batter in each hole; and sprinkle chopped green onions and ginger all over the pan.

Cook at medium heat for 1-2 minutes and turn over using a wood skewer. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, turning constantly to prevent burning.

Place the cooked Takoyaki on a serving plate, and drizzle takoyaki sauce and mayo over them. Then sprinkle with aonori (green dried seaweeds) and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes).

Serve and Enjoy!!

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(Homemade) Takoyaki たこ焼き Sauce

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Ketchup

1/4 cup Worcestershire Sauce

1/4 cup Sake

1 tsp Ginger Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

1 tbsp Sugar

1 tbsp Mirin

Instructions:

In a small saucepan, Add-in all the ingredients.

Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Reduce to a simmer for 15 minutes.

Skim any foam that rises to the top.

Use on Takoyaki.

Note:

Store in an airtight container, and keep chilled. Can be kept in the refrigerator for a month.

SPAM® Sushi

SPAM® Sushi

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked Short-grained Rice

1 sheet Laver (Nori)

1 (340g) can of Spam

Rice Seasoning:

1/2 tbsp Roasted Sesame Seeds, coarsely pounded

1/2 tbsp Asian Sesame Oil

1/2 tbsp Rice Vinegar 

1/2 tsp Salt

Instructions:

Cut the nori sheet width-ways, into 3cm-wide strips. Set aside.

Cut SPAM® into slices, and set aside.

Prepare the Rice.

In a large bowl, mix the rice with sesame oil, rice vinegar, and some pounded sesame seeds; Season with a little salt.

Gently mix with a rice paddle to season evenly and to let the steam out. (Be careful not to mash the rice!)

Rice should still be warm, but not steaming hot. Cover the seasoned rice with a cling wrap so the rice won't dry out.

Heat a dry, non-stick frying pan and cook the SPAM® slices for 2-3 minutes on each side. Then place onto a kitchen towel to drain the excess oil.

Take 3 tablespoons of cooked rice and push down into the musubi/sushi rice mold. *If you don't have musubi/sushi rice mold, just use your clean, wet hands to shape the rice. Pack the rice down firmly with a spoon.

Slowly lift the mold, while pushing the rice down with a spoon, to reveal your rectangular block of rice. *Don't fiddle with it too much; sushi rice is sticky and will easily cling to your hands.

Place SPAM® slices on top of each block of molded rice.

Take one nori sheet. With the shiny side up, fold the nori over and underneath the SPAM® sushi, pressing the ends together to seal. *Use a little water to help it stick, if you need to.

Do the same with the other SPAM® sushi.

Happy Eating!!