Dashi (だし) is the most important soup/broth to create the authentic Japanese palate. Umami-rich ingredients like kelp (Kombu), Bonito flakes, and dried sardines are all key ingredients of dashi. This time, I introduce the dashi with kelp and bonito flakes.
Agedashi-dofu is a side dish consisting of smooth-textured silken tofu coated with potato starch, deep-fried to a nice color, and served hot with dashi based broth. Common toppings include chopped green onions, grated ginger or radish, and shredded shiso leaves.
Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is a Japanese style hot pot and has thinly sliced beef, cooked with various vegetables in a table-pot cast-iron pan. The Japanese began eating beef only after 1860s when the western culture flooded into the country. Sukiyaki is now a popular dish same as Sushi, Ramen and Tempura etc. You can eat Sukiyaki at restaurant but we normally cook Sukiyaki at home. Sukiyaki has Japanese beef, Chinese cabbage, chrysanthemum, Japanese green onion, Shiitake mushroom, Grilled tofu and Shirataki (potato noodles). I recommend to use Japanese beef called Wagyu which has good balance of red meat and fat. In Kanto region (Tokyo and nearby area), people make warishita, which is a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, sake and mirin, and add it to the pot little by little. In Kansai region (Osaka and nearby area), there seasonings are directly added to the pot. Once cooked, the ingredients are dipped into a bowl of a raw beaten egg. The hot food cooks the egg and the egg enriches the flavor of the dish.
Related article & video :
– Sukiyaki
– Book : Complete Guide to Japanese Cuisine
On the 3rd of February, we have the day of “Setsubun” (seasonal division) in Japan.
Setsubun has been an important time-honored rite to welcome the New Year by banishing evils and keep the house from calamity.
On the day, people threw beans to banish demons who cause various evil things and plagues. The beans used in “Mame-maki” (bean throwing) are parched and edible. It is believed that one can maintain good health throughout the year by eating the sam e number of thrown beans as one’s age. And they shout, in principle, “In with good fortune! Out with the demon!”
At the same time, we eat “Eho-maki”, sushi roll containing 7 ingredients associated with the Seven Deities of Good Fortune “Shichi-fukujin”, facing the direction of Eho that is most lucky for the year as determined by the Way of Yin and Yang. (I use more than 7 ingredients! :-D)
In 2017, the derection of Eho is North-northwest!
It is also customary to eat Eho-maki while making a wish in the mind with the eyes closed and without uttering a single word. You will eat the whole roll at a stroke in order not to lose ties.
Like the picture, shown on the left side.
To make this thick sushi roll, please check the recipe here!
Recipe : Sushi roll
Please try it out & Have a wonderful day!
Sushi is one of the most representative foods of Japan. Sushi comes in a variety of forms, but this time I would like to introduce Sushi Roll called “Makizushi”(巻き寿司). Rolled sushi is simply made by placing a sheet of nori (seaweed) on a bamboo mat, placing rice and other ingredients on top of the nori in order, and wrapping the nori around the sushi roll. Why don’t you try making this sushi roll at a home party?
I visited one of my favorite and closest area “Shimo-kitazawa” just recently. In this area, you can see many fashion boutiques, antique goods shops, record shops, used clothes shops and so on.
Shimo-kitazawa was ranked as No.1 Coolest neighborhoods in the world by VOGUE magazine (September 2014 issue) . *Here is the link of the article. http://www.vogue.com/slideshow/1080625/fifteen-coolest-street-style-neighborhoods/
Every time we visit Shimo-kitazawa, we just like to walk around the town and check what is new in this area. (And also, we go to the Starbucks, sit outside of the shop and enjoy watching people.)
Also, we like to go to Daiso, UNIQLO and MUJI shops and do shopping there.The large urban development is now on progress in this area, so my husband and I partly feel sad and also excited to see the new atmosphere!
For other photos, please check YJC Facebook page!
Gomaae (ごまあえ) is an easy to prepare and tasty side dish. It is especially recommended when you are short of one dish or when you want to eat vegetables to the fullest. Usually, roasted white sesame seeds are used, but of course, black sesame seeds are also delicious. Sugar is used, but please adjust the amount according to your own taste.
Cooking Japanese rice is one of the essential technique in Japanese cooking. Therefore, I will show you how to cook delicious Japanese rice with using a rice cooker. The key points are to sharpen rice without water and not to wash it too much.
