Yasai Kakiage (Deep Fried Vegetable Cluster)

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com/

Serves 4

Ingredients:
White onion, thinly sliced, ~260g
Carrot, thinly sliced, ~60g
Japanese Tempura Flour Batter, refer to its recipe
Cooking oil, for deep frying



Method:
1. Prepare Japanese Tempura Batter per recipe.

2. Heat oil to ~180 degC.  Add onion slices & carrot strips into tempura batter and mix together.  Take a scoop of the mixture with a large spoon and slip into the oil.  Shape the piece, using chopsticks or a cooking tong until firm.  Deep-fry until browned on both sides.

3. Drain off excess oil.


Serving:
1. Serve with Tempura Dipping Sauce.

Tempura Dip Sauce

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com



Ingredients:
Dashi soup stock, 1 cup
Mirin, ¼ cup
Soy sauce,  ¼ cup
Sugar,  ½ tbsp



Method:
1. Heat mirin in pan over medium heat.  Add in remaining ingredients and mix well.

2. Turn off heat when sauce boils.

Teriyaki Sauce

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com



Teriyaki sauce can be used for glazing and marinating meat and vegetable.  It is prepared by mixing soy sauce, mirin and sugar.  Soy sauce & mirin ratio is 1:1.  In case when mirin is not available, it can be substitute with sake and sugar combination, in ratio sake:sugar = 3:1.


Makes 1 cup sauce.  Keep sauce in refrigerator.

Ingredients:
Japanese soy sauce, ½ cup
Mirin, ½ cup
Sugar, 2 tbsp



Method:
1. Combine all ingredients in saucepan over medium heat till sauce boils.

2. Lower heat and allow sauce to simmer for a few mins.

3. Off heat.  Let sauce cool to room temperature, then transfer to bottle and store in refrigerator.

Gari (Japanese Preserved Ginger)

Souce: http://japanesefood.about.com

Ingredients:
Young ginger* (= Shinshoga in Japanese), cleaned and deskinned, 900g (or ~2lb)
Rice vinegar, 6 cups (or ~1.4ltrs or 96 tbsp)
Sugar, 4 cups (or ~767g or 64 tbsp)
Salt, 2 tsp (or ~10g)

* NB: Pickled young ginger will changes its color to light pink, but is not the case if old ginger is used instead.



Method:
1. Slice, using knife or vegetable peeler, ginger root thinly.

2. Season with salt.  Leave mixture in bowl for 1 hr.

3. Dry the ginger slices with paper towels and put them in a sterilized container/jar.

4. Mix rice vinegar and sugar in a pan and bring to a boil.  Pour the hot sugar-vinegar mixture over the ginger slices.

5. Cool thoroughly before cover and storage in refrigerator.



Serving:
1. Gari can be served with sushi or rice after 1 day storage in refrigerater.

Cucumber & Wakame Seaweed Sunomono

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com


Sunomono is a kind of Japanese salad.  Sunomono has a refreshing taste, hence it's often served as a side dish.

Ingredients:
Small whole cucumber, sliced into thin rounds, 1 unit

Wakame seaweed, softened & cut into 2 inches long pcs, 1 cup
Rice wine vinegar, 4 tbsp
Sugar, 2 tbsp
Salt, 1/2 tsp



Method:
1. Rub salt over cucumber slices and set aside for 20 mins.  Squeeze cucumber slices to remove liquid inside.

2. Mix vinegar and sugar in a bowl.

3. Add in wakame seaweed and cucumber slices, and mix well.

Japanese-style Salad Dressing

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com

Serves 2

Ingredients:
Rice wine vinegar, 2 tbsp 
EVOO*, 5 tbsp
Soy sauce, 1 tbsp
Sugar, ½ tsp

* EVOO is Extra Virgin Olive Oil



Method:
1. Mix vinegar with soy sauce and sugar.

2. Slowly add in EVOO and mix well.

Tamagoyaki

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com



Tamagoyaki, or dashimaki, is Japanese rolled omelette.  It's also known as a Japanese-style egg roll.  Tamagoyaki is often served for Japanese-style breakfast.  Also, it's one of the most popular dishes in Japanese bento lunch boxes.  There are many types of tamagoyaki.  Some are sweet and some are salty.  Fillings can also be added in tamagoyaki to make it colorful.

Tamagoyaki is usually cooked in a makiyakinabe (= rectangular omelette pan).  It's OK to use a regular frying pan if a rectangular omelet pan is not available.  In that case, shape rolled omelet into a rectangle, using a bamboo mat.  As sugar is added in when making tamagoyaki, it tends to get burned easily, thus do watch the heat carefully.


 

 
 
Makes 2 tamagoyaki and serves 4
 
Ingredients:
Eggs, ~60g size, 4 units
Dashi stock, 3 tbsp
Sugar, 1½ - 2 tbsp, depends on sweetness liking
Cooking oil, for frying
 
 
 
Method:
1. Add sugar to dashi stock.

2. Beat egg in separate bowl.  Add in sugar-dashi mixture, and whisk well into eggs till all sugar dissolves.

3. Heat makiyakinabe over medium heat and oil pan slightly using paper towel presoaked with cooking oil (preferred method), or with brush.  There should not be too much oil in pan.

4. Before start cooking, first test pan temperature by adding just 1 drop of egg mixture into pan.  If it cooks easily without sticking to pan, then temperature of pan is just right to start cooking process.

5. Pour 1 ladle of egg mixture into the pan and spread over the surface. 

6. Cook it until half done when egg no longer runny, bursting any bubble formed in process with chopsticks, use chopsticks to roll the egg toward the bottom side where handle is.  Move the rolled egg to the top side.

7. Oil the empty part of the pan and pour another scoop of egg mixture in the space below the omelette.  Repeat step 5-7, till all egg mixture for 1 tamagoyaki is used up. 

8. The tamagoyaki will become thicker with each round of cooking process.  If encountered problem folding using chopsticks, may use frying spatula to help folding.  Cook the omelette until done.

7. If using regular frying pan, shape tamagoyaki on bamboo mat.

Serving:
1. When tamagoyaki has cooled down, cut it into ½ - 1 inch thick pieces.  The cut thickness is dependant on how it is to be served. 

2. Tamagoyaki can be eaten on its own, or used in other dishes as illustrated below:





Miso Soup with Beancurd

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com/

Serves 4 as part of a shared meal
Ingredients:
Dashi stock*, 700ml (or ~3 cups)
Silken beancurd, 300g size, 1 box
Miso paste, 3-4 tbsp

* Refer to recipe under Dashi Stock

Garnish:
Spring onion, chopped, 60g (or ~¼ cup)



Method:
1. Cut beancurd into small pieces and set aside for later use.

2. Place dashi stock in saucepan and bring to boil. 

3. Add in cut beancurd and allow to simmer 5 mins over low heat.

4. Scoop out some soup and dissolve miso paste in it. 

5. With stirring, slowly add in miso mixture, making sure soup does not boil in process.  Off heat when addition is completed.



Serving:
1. Garnish with chopped spring onion when serving.

Dashi Stock

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com



Dashi is Japanese soup stock.  It is the base of many Japanese dishes, such as soup, dipping sauce, and nimono (= simmered dishes).  There are different kinds of dashi.  It can be made from kombu (= dried kelp), katsuobushi (= dried bonito) flakes, niboshi (= dried small sardines), hoshi-shiitake (= dried shiitake mushrooms), and more.  Kombu dashi and dried shiitake mushroom dashi are known as good vegetarian stocks.

Prepared dashi should be used on same day.  It can be kept in refrigerator for a few days in airtight container.



1. Kombu Dashi
Kombu dashi is known as Japanese vegetarian stock and is made from dried kelp.  It is suitable for nabe, nimono, and so on.  The kombu used to make dashi can be used to make other dishes again.
Makes 950ml (or ~4 cups) stock

Ingredients:
Water, 950ml ( or ~4 cups)
Kombu, ~8 inches x 2 inches size, 1 pc

Method:
(a) Clean kombu by wiping with clean cloth.  DO NOT wash in water.
(b) Soak kombu in water for ~30 mins, then place the pot over low heat.  Just before water boils, remove kombu and off heat.
(c) Stock is ready for use.



2. Katsuo Dashi
Katsuo dashi is a Japanese stock made from dried bonito flakes.  Katuo dashi is often used for clear soup or noodle soup.
Makes ~700ml (or ~3 cups) stock

Ingredients:
Water, 770ml (or ~3¼ cups)
Katsuobushi flakes, 20g (or ~2/3 oz)

Method:
(a) Heat water in deep pot over medium heat.
(b) Just before water boils, add in katsuobushi flakes.
(c) When water boils, allow to simmer for 5 mins and skim off foam rised to surface.
(d) Off heat, and allow stock to stand.
(e) When katsuobushi flakes sink to bottom of pot, strain stock with paper towel.

(f) Strained stock is ready for use.



3. Kombu-Katsuo Dashi
This Japanese stock is made by using both kombu and katuobushi flakes.  There are 2 variations of this stock: ichi-ban dashi (= 1st stock) and Ni-ban dashi (= 2nd stock).  Ichi-ban dashi is used in cooking of clear soups and noodle soups, while ni-ban dashi is often used in making nimono.

Makes 950ml (or ~4 cups) ichi-ban dashi and 480ml (or ~2 cups) ni-ban dashi

Ingredients:
Water, for ichi-ban dashi, 1ltr (or ~4¼ cups)
Kombu, ~8 inches x 2 inches size, 1 pc
Katsuobushi flakes, 20g (or ~2/3 oz)
Water, for ni-ban dashi, 600ml (or 2½ cups)
Extra katsuobushi flakes, for ni-ban dashi, 9g (or ~1/3 oz)

Method:
(a) Wipe kombu with clean cloth and soak in water (for ichi-ban dashi) in deep pot for 10 mins.
(b) Place pot over low heat.  Remove kombu just before water boils, and then add it katsuobushi flakes.  Keep used kombu for later use in making ni-ban dashi.
(c) When water boils, allow to simmer for 5 mins and skim off foam rised to surface.
(d) Off heat and let stock stands till katsuobushi flakes sink to bottom of pot.
(e) Strain stock through paper towel.  This strained stock is known as ichi-ban dashi.  Keep filtered katsuobushi flakes for later use in making ni-ban dashi.

(f) Return used kombu and katsuobushi back to deep pot.  Add in water for ni-ban dashi and place pot over low heat.
(g) When water boils, add in extra katsuobushi flakes. 
(h) Allow stock to simmer for a 5 mins and skim off foam rised to surface.
(i) Off heat and let stock stands till katsuobushi flakes sink to bottom of pot.
(j) Strain stock through paper towel.  This strained stock is known as ni-ban dashi.



4. Niboshi Dashi
Niboshi dashi is a Japanese fish stock made from dried sardines.  It's often used to make miso soup in Japan.

Makes 950ml (or ~4 cups) stock

Ingredients:
Water, 1ltr (or ~4¼ cups)
Niboshi, 20g (or ~2/3 oz)

Method:
(a) Gut niboshi and remove the heads.  Place water in a deep pot and soak niboshi for  ½ - 1 hr.
(b) Place pot on medium heat.  When water boils, lower heat and allow to simmer for 5 mins.  Skim off foam rised to surface.
(c) Off heat and strain stock through a paper towel.

5. Hoshi-shiitake Dashi
It's a kind of Japanese dashi stock made from dried shiitake mushrooms.  The prepared stock is often used in nimono.

Makes 950ml (or ~4 cups) stock

Ingredients:
Water, 1ltr (or ~4¼ cups)
Hoshi-shiitake mushroom, large size, 4 pcs
Method:
(a) Soak mushrooms with water in deep pot for 10 mins.
(b) Place pot over medium heat and bring to boil.
(c) Off heat, and allow stock to stand for 20 mins.
(d) Strain stock.  The used mushrooms can be used again in cooking.

Sushi Rice

Source: Videojug – Get Good At Life “How to Make Sushi Rice”

 

Ingredients:

Uncooked short grained Japanese rice, 580g (or ~3 cups)

Water, to cook rice, 780ml (or ~31/3 cups)

Vinegar mixture:

Vinegar, 110ml (or ~½ cup)

Castor sugar, 50g (or ~¼ cup)

Salt, ½ tsp

Instant dashi (= Japanese cooking stock) powder*, 1 tsp

* Can substitute with salt if dashi is not available

Method:

1.Wash rice.  Give a good rinse and swirl.  Drain off water, and give good rub to rice to remove impurities.  Repeat process till wash water is clear (~3^rd wash).

2. Prepare vinegar mixture.  Mix all ingredients and place in pan over low heat, till all sugar dissolves.  Do not let mixture boils.  Transfer to bowl and cool it down by placing over iced water.

3. Cook rice. Add water to soak rice for minimum 30 mins, or ideally for 1 hr, before start of cooking process.

(a) Using rice cooker: Cooking process same as using normal rice.  When cooked, off heat and allow rice to sit in its steam for 15 mins before lifting the cover of rice cooker.

(b) Using saucepan over fire: Cook over high heat till water boils at ~7 mins, then lower heat to simmer for 15 mins.  Off heat and allow cooked rice to remain in its steam for 15 mins, before lifting the lid.  Lid must be covered throughout whole process.

4. Transfer cooked rice to a non-metal bowl, ideally to use wooden bowl sushi-oki.  Leave out the burnt bottom, if any, in cooker/saucepan used to cook rice.  Non-metal material is preferred to minimise reaction with vinegar when mixed later.

5. Mix vinegar mixture into rice.  Sprinkle vinegar mixture over rice and fold in quickly using rice spatula (= shamoji in Japanese).  Fan rice during process.  Be careful not to smash rice when folding in the vinegar mixture.  Fanning rice will cool it and remove moisture from rice, resulting in a glossy finish.  Repeat process till most, if not all, vinegar mixture is added.  The rice should not be too wet in the end.

6. Cool rice to to room temperature before use in making sushi dishes.  If rice is still warm, cover with damp cloth to prevent rice dry out.  Do not refrigerate it.

4. Sushi rice is now ready for use.

Japanese Tempura Flour Batter

Source: http://japanesefood.about.com


This batter recipe can also be used to make both tempura and kakiage dishes. 

 

Ingredients:
Egg, ~60g size, 1 unit
Iced water, MUST BE VERY COLD, 240ml (or ~1 cup)
Plain flour, sifted, 100g (or ~ 1 cup)



Method:
1. Beat egg in a bowl, then add in iced water.

2. Add in flour and mix well lightly.  DO NOT over mix the batter.

3. The batter is now ready for use.  Refer to cooking tip on how to make crispy tempura dishes.