I am very fond of this kind or savoury sprinkles, which are called ‘Furikake’ in Japan, to eat with Rice. Many Asian grocery stores sell some ‘Furikake’ products but I have never seen ‘Shiso (Perilla) Wakame Furikake’ in Australia. Since I started growing Shiso in my garden, I have some harvest every year, and I …
Gobō (Burdock Root) is a very popular vegetable in Japan, but it is IMPOSSIBLE to find where I live. I have seen Frozen Sliced Gobō many years ago at an Asian grocery store, and that was the only time I saw Gobō in Australia. Then, I decided to grow them in my vegetable garden. After …
Dishwasher’s drainpipe was chewed by mice and leaking for a long time unnoticed. That’s why I have been cooking in the bathroom using a portable induction hob. The kitchen floor is not yet repaired and I miss my oven so much. If I’ve had an access to my oven, I wouldn’t have cooked this dish, …
I have a super easy ‘Azuki Ice Cream’ recipe and it can be made with two ingredients, Tsubu-an (Sweet Azuki Paste) and whipped Cream. Because some people find it too rich, I have made a lighter version. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients 1/2 cup Milk1 to 2 tablespoons Sugar *OR Condensed Milk2 teaspoons Corn Starch Flour1/2 …
In Japan, when we make cucumber salad, we often gently bash the cucumber before cutting it or breaking it into small pieces, so that the centre gets slightly squashed and softened, and the cucumber pieces get seasoned better. Presenting well, too. ‘Bashed Cucumber Salad’ can be seasoned with any dressings or sauces of your choice. …
If you have been to Kyoto, Japan, you might have tasted this famous sweet. To make this sweet, Japanese rice flours ‘Shiratamako’ and ‘Joshinko’ are commonly used, but they are very difficult to find where I live. I use commonly available Glutenous Rice Flour and Rice Flour. You can make this sweet using Glutinous Rice …
‘Azuki’ are small red beans and most commonly used to make sweets in Japan. However, they can be used for savoury dishes as well. I often cook them with Rice. Because Azuki are small and cook fairly quickly, they don’t need to be soaked over night, and it’s easy to use for many dishes. Makes …
Daikon (White Radish) was on special at a local green grocer. I couldn’t resist to purchase some. This dish is one of the dishes I often cook. Today I cooked Daikon with Fried Tofu. Many Australians don’t cook radishes and they don’t know that radishes are delicious when softly simmered, stewed or even stir-fried. Makes …
Soba Salad is becoming popular in Australia and there are many creative Soba Salad recipes out there. But, as a Japanese, I strongly believe that Soba tastes the best with ‘Mentsuyu’, and it is easy to make. Makes 2 Servings Ingredients 2 servings Soba Noodles150 to 200g Pork *thinly slicedSalt & PepperPotato Starch Flour *optionalA …
I am a Mackerel lover. It is not easy to find fresh Mackerel where I live, but canned Mackerel are available form any supermarkets. Woolworths stores started selling very reasonably priced large-size canned Mackerel and I gave up my loyalty to Coles stores. If you love Mackerel, you love this dish. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients …
I love ‘Oysters Takikomigohan’ but I don’t cooked it often, because Oysters are extremely expensive in Australia. Then, I tried to make ‘Oysters Takikomigohan’ using Canned Smoked Oysters that are not expensive. The result was interesting. I changed the favour and added Asian Mushrooms. This cheap ‘Smoked Oysters Takikomigohan’ is not bad at all! Makes …
Dried Wakame is probably the most accessible sea vegetable for many of us. Most Asian grocery stores sell them. I usually buy Dried Wakame that are already cut into small pieces, but not too small. They can be used for many dishes. Makes 4 Servings Ingredients 1 large Cucumber *about 250g1/4 teaspoon Salt2 to 4 …