Simmered Hakusai (Chinese cabbage) and egg Recipe

Here's an easy way to enjoy Chinese cabbage with egg as a side dish. It's hot and great in winter.

Ingredients:

• about 5 large Chinese cabbage leaves
• 1 leek(long green onion)
• 3 eggs

Broth:

• 1 cup of water
• 5 grams hondashi
• 5 Tblsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tblsp. mirin(cooking sake)
• 2 tsp. salt

Directions:

1. Wash and cut the Chinese cabbage leaves in half lengthwise and again into short lengths. Cut the green onion into short lengths.
2. Add the water and seasonings to a pot and bring to a boil.
3. Add the vegetables and simmer until cooked.
4. Beat three eggs with a pinch of salt and add the mixture to the pot and mix gently.
5. Cook another minute or two.

Hakusai and Pork Nabe(Chinese Cabbage Hot Pot Dish) Recipe

In Japan in winter, the quintessential Japanese meal is nabe. Nabe is a hot pot dish traditionally cooked in an earthenware pot. It is often done at parties and cooked on a gas burner at the table. Various vegetable and meat ingredients are cooked in a broth. Guests take what they like and eat and more ingredients are added. There are infinite variations and recipes. Nothing warms a body better on a cold winter's day that a steaming bowl of nabe. This is a really simple and delicious recipe using Chinese cabbage and pork. Serves 1-2 people.

Ingredients:

• 5-6 large leaves Chinese cabbage
• 300 grams thinly sliced pork
• 1 half large onion
• 1 cup of water
• 5 grams or so of granulated fish stock-hondashi
• 1 Tblsp. salt
• 6 Tblsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tblsp. mirin(cooking sake)

Directions:

1. Wash and cut the Chinese cabbage leaves in half lengthwise.

2. Stack alternating layers of Chinese cabbage and sliced pork. Change the direction of the cabbage leaves each time. Stack until about 5 leaves thick.

3. Cut the stack into 5 cm/ about 2 inch lengths. 

4. Fill the nabe pot with the cut leaves standing up. Repeat with all the leaves and pork. Make a spiral pattern in the pot until no more fits. 

5. Cut half an onion into small pieces and stick into any empty spaces. 

6. Add the water, fish stock, and salt, cover and bring to a boil.

7. Once boils, reduce heat and add soy sauce generously. Replace lid and simmer until cooked. 

The pork and Chinese cabbage cooked in the broth makes a great combination. So tasty and hot!

Toshikoshi Soba年越しそば

And of course, there's traditional soba noodles. These are eaten on New Year's Eve, for good luck. this is called Toshikoshi Soba年越しそば. Simple and delicious.

Ingredients:

• raw soba(buckwheat) noodles..........................10oz.
• mentsuyu(dashi broth)..........................................6 cups
• mirin(cooking sake)..................................................3 Tblsp.
• sugar................................................................................2tsp.
• nori(seaweed)
• katsuobushi(bonito fish flakes)

Directions:

1. Add salt to a large pot of water and bring to a boil.
2. Reduce heat and add soba to pot and cook for a few minutes until tender. Drain noodles.
3. Combine dashi, mirin, and sugar in a seperate saucepan and heat on medium heat. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Serve soba noodles in bowls and add broth. Sprinkle crumpled nori and katsuobushi on top.

Chikuzenni 筑前煮 (Sauted Chicken with Root Vegetables)

There is chikuzenni 筑前煮, a stew with chicken, renkon(lotus root), carrots, mushrooms, and takenoko(bamboo shoots).　Chikuzenni is especially popular in late fall or winter. The steaming root vegetables and meat and savory broth keep a body warm in the cold winter months.

Time, about 45 minutes

Ingredients:

• chicken thigh or other white cut ..................300 grams/10 oz.
• dried shittake mushrooms ................................8
• gobo(burdock root).................................................100g/half a stick
• carrot.............................................................................1
• rennkon(lotus root).................................................100g/ about 1
• mirin(cooking sake....................................................5 Tblsp.
• Soy sauce.....................................................................5 Tblsp.
• dashi stock...................................................................200ml
• cooking oil

Directions:

1. Cut chicken into small chunks, season with salt and mirin.
2. Cut vegetables into bite sized wedges. Cut burdock root at an angle. Soak burdock and lotus root in vinegared water.
3. Put 1 Tblsp. cooking oil in a pan and saute the chicken. Add the vegetables and cook everything together.
4. Add the dashi stock and mirin and soy sauce. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce to low heat and simmer until everything is tender.
5. Seve with steamed snow peas if desired.

Japanese Shabu-Shabu Recipe

At the heart of Japanese cooking is using fresh, high quality ingredients that are lightly cooked for a natural taste. This is no where more highly refined than in the art of Shabu Shabu. This is one of many hot pot dishes like Suki-yaki that is cooked in a at the table and diners take what they like and dip into a sauce and eat. The name, shabu-shabu comes from the sound of the cooking ,meat. Very thin slices of beef are used and dipped for only a few seconds in the boiling broth. There are other variations of shabu-shabu using pork or crab. There are 2 dipping sauces used; a lemon sauce and a sesame sauce. These sauces are probably available at your local Asian grocer, if so you can use them, or this recipe shows how to make them from scratch. This is a great party dish for a few friends, especially in winter. Enjoy.

Serves 4        1047 cal./serving

Ingredients:

• 1-1/4 lb.(570 g) well marbled sirloin, sliced paper thin
• 2 quarts(2 liters) dashi bonito stock
• 4 leaves of Chinese cabbage(hakusai)
• 12-16 fresh spinach leaves with stems
• 3 leeks
• 1 block regular tofu, about 10 oz.(285g)
• 8 fresh shitake mushrooms
• 4 servings udon noodles(optional)
• 1 small, dried red pepper or 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup finely grated daikon(Japanese white radish) or turnip
• 4-5 finely chopped green onions

Lemon-Soy Dipping Sauce(ponzu)

• 2 inches(5 cm) piece kelp(konbu)
• 5 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. rice vinegar
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Sesame Dipping Sauce(gomadare)

• 1/2 cup bonito stock
• 6 Tbsp. white sesame seeds
• 2 Tbsp. white miso
• 2 Tbsp. mirin
• 2 tsp. rice vinegar
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1 pinch of red pepper
• 2 tsp. vegetable oil

Preparation:

• Prepare in total, 8-1/2 cups of dashi bonito stock
• Blanch Chinese cabbage leaves and spinach. Squeeze spinach and lay a 3-4 spinach leaves at one end of a cabbage leaf and roll up. Cut the roll into 1-1/2 inch(4 cm) sections. Repeat with remaining cabbage and spinach. Stand the rolls up on a platter.
• Cut leeks diagonally into 1 inch(2-1/2 cm) lengths. Cut tofu into bite size cubes. Discard shitake mushroom stems and make an "X" cut on the caps. Lay strips of beef out on a platter.
• Soften dried pepper in water, then clip off the large end an squeeze out seeds. Cut and peel daikon. Make a hole in the center lengthwise with a toothpick or other utensil and stick in the red pepper. Grate the daikon with the red pepper inside, it will have a reddish tinge. If using pepper powder, simply mix with the grated daikon. Put grated daikon in a bowl and let diners put a little in their lemon dipping sauce.

Lemon-Soy Dipping Sauce:

• Do not wash kelp, as the white powder contains much of the flavor. Instead, wipe both sides of kelp with a damp cloth and cut 1/2 inch(1-1/2cm) slits at 1 inch(2-1/2cm) intervals. In a saucepan, combine kelp and other ingredients cold. Do not heat. Set aside for at least 10 minutes before eating, remove kelp before serving.

Sesame Dipping Sauce:

• Toast and grind sesame seeds or use already ground sesame. Dice and mash garlic. Combine sesame, garlic, and other ingredients. Blend mixture into bonito stock. 

Cooking:

1. Prepare small bowls for both dipping sauces for each person. Put out grated daikon and finely chopped green onions for each diner to add to the sauces.
2. Heat bonito stock in a pot at the table. Use a traditional Japanese earthenware pot(donabe), Mongolian-style hot pot(hoko-nabe) that has the cone coming up in the center, or an electric skillet. Fill the pot 2/3 full with the dashi stock and heat until just boiling. Each diner uses their own chopsticks to dip a slice of beef into the pot. Dip meat in broth for only a few seconds to cook, dip and eat. Let vegetable cook in the broth a bit longer and take what you like. Replenish ingredients, stock, or sauce when necessary. Skim off any foam.
3. After everything's been eaten, you can add cooked udon noodles to heat in the broth. Serve udon in bowls with broth, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Savory Dinner Egg Custard (Chawan-Mushi) Recipe

Chawan-mushi(茶碗蒸し) is a savory dinner custard that has a delicate and rich taste. Served hot or cold, this is a favorite side dish in Japanese cuisine, especially when part of a course meal, but it can be enjoyed anytime. The main ingredients here are chicken, shrimp, and shitake mushrooms, but other common ingredients include ham, bamboo shoots, and kamaboko, a kind of fish paste cake.

It s traditionally served in a chawan, a special ceramic cup especially for this dish with a small lid, however, any heat resistant cup or mug is fine. There are 2 cooking options below, traditional steaming or using an oven.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 4 oz.(115g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 8 small raw shrimp(prawns)
• 2 leaves spinach or 4 snow peas
• 4 dried shitake mushrooms
• 1tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sake
• salt and sake for shrimp

Seasoning

• 2 cups dashi stock(bonito is best)
• 1 tsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. mirin
• 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

(Preparation)

1. Soak dried shitake mushrooms in water for about an hour until soft. Dried shitake float, so you can keep them under the water with a pan lid or dish. Drain mushrooms, cut off and discard stems and cut a decorative "X" on top of each mushroom.
2. Combine seasoning ingredients in a small pan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat and cool.
3. Remove any fat from chicken breast and cut into 8 small pieces. Mix sake and soy sauce and sprinkle over chicken.
4. Shell and de-vein shrimp. Sprinkle with salt and sake.
5. Blanch spinach in boiling water and cut into 2 inch(5cm) pieces. For snow peas, after blanching, cut in half.
6. Beat eggs lightly, trying not to make it frothy. Mix in cooled seasoning broth and strain through a cheesecloth.

(Cooking)

1. Divide the mixture between 4 chawan cups if you have them, or other heat resistant cups or mugs. Add chicken , shrimp, and vegetables. Place a mushroom cap on top. The cups should b about 7/10 full.
2. Stove top method-Place cups in a steamer or pan with water. Cups should be covered. Chawan cups have a ceramic lid, otherwise cover with a towel or aluminum foil, poke a hole in the foil. Cover pan and steam for 2 minutes on high heat, then reduce heat to low and steam for another 15 minutes. A toothpick will come out clean when done.
3. Oven method-Preheat oven to 400°F(205ºC). Cover cups with foil and make a hole. Place cups in a deep pan with boiling water. The water should be to a level of about 1/3 the height of the cups. Cook for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 360°F(180ºC) and cook for another 15 minutes. 
4. Ideally, shrimp and another ingredient will be peeping out from the top. Serve hot or chilled.

Easy Japanese Potato Stew (Niku-jaga) Recipe

Niku-jaga(meat-potatoes) is a typical Japanese dish. It's a simple potato stew that's easy to make. All you need is potatoes, carrots, and hamburger meat. Often niku-jaga calls for sliced beef, but we usually just use ground beef at my house.

You boil everything in the broth. The seasonings are soy sauce, mirin(a kind of sweet cooking sake), dashi(fish stock both, my wife prefers katsuo, a kind of fish), and sugar. It's really tasty and has a slight sweetness. The picture shows the dish everyone shared from. Itadakimasu! Let's eat!


Ingredients:

• 5-6oz.(150g) ground beef
• 4 potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 cups water
• 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. mirin(sweet cooking sake
• 2 Tbsp. Dashi stock (katsuo)

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces and wash them in cold water(to remove excess starch).
2. Cut carrot and onion into small chunk pieces.
3. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the meat and vegetables.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin to the pan and reduce the heat. 
5. Cook for about 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve in a large bowl at the table everyone can share from.

Variations:

It's also popular to add green beans or peas for a little green, or shirataki, the clear, gelatinous noodles often put in sukiyaki

Japanese Beef-Potato Stew(Niku-jaga) Recipe

Here's a simple and and delicious Japanese beef and potato stew recipe for niku-jaga（肉じゃが), literally"meat-potatoes" in Japanese. The broth is rich and a little sweet, great on cold days or anytime.

Serves 4









Ingredients:

• 5oz.(150g) thinly sliced beef
• 4 potatoes
• 1 carrot
• 1 onion
• 2 cups water
• 4 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3 Tbsp. mirin(sweet cooking sake

Directions:

1. Peel potatoes, cut into bite sized pieces and wash them in cold water(to remove excess starch).
2. Cut carrot and onion into small chunk pieces.
3. Heat some oil in a pan and brown the meat and vegetables.
4. Add the water and bring to a boil. Add soy sauce, sugar and mirin to the pan and reduce the heat. 
5. Cook for about 15 minutes on low heat, stirring occasionally.
6. Serve in individual medium sized bowls.

Variations:

Ground beef is often substituted for the sliced beef. It's also popular to add green beans or peas for a little green, or shirataki, the clear, gelatinous noodles often put in sukiyaki

Simple Simmered Tofu Recipe (Yudofu)

Simmered tofu is as popular in winter as chilled tofu is in summer. This is one of the simplest and purest ways to enjoy this Japanese food.

Traditionally, Simmered Tofu is prepared in an earthenware pot(donabe) over a gas burner. This recipe calls for making it in an electric skillet. Whichever way, the result is a light, subtle, delicious taste.

Serves 4  154 Cal. per serving









Ingredients:

2 cakes regular tofu, 10 oz.(285g) each
6 inch(15 cm) piece kelp(konbu)
1 tsp. cornstarch
pinch of salt

Condiments

• 1 inch(2-1/2cm) fresh ginger, grated
• 3-4 green onions, finely chopped

Dipping Sauce

• 1/2 cup loose bonito flakes(hana-katsuo) about 1/3 oz.(10g)
• 7 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 3 Tbsp. bonito stock
• 1 Tbsp. mirin

Directions:

1. Prepare condiments.
2. Combine Dipping Sauce ingredients in  saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 seconds only and remove from heat. Strain through a cheese-cloth lined wire strainer into a small heat resistant cup. Place cup in the middle of cooking skillet or pan or keep sauce hot until ready to serve. 
3. Do not wash kelp, as the white powder contains much of the flavor. Instead, wipe both sides of kelp with a damp cloth and cut 1/2 inch(1-1/2cm) slits at 1 inch(2-1/2cm) intervals. Cut in half and put in a medium sized electric skillet with 3 cups of water, a pinch of salt, and cornstarch dissolves in 2 tsp. warm water.
4. Cut each tofu cake into 8 pieces and ad to the skillet. The tofu should be completely covered by water. Bring to boil over medium heat. Cook tofu until it floats. 
5. Serve Dipping Sauce in small individual bowls and add condiments to taste. Remove tofu with chopsticks, dip in sauce and eat.

Variations:

You can make yudofu more exciting and nutritious by adding some shitake mushrooms, or hakusai(Chinese cabbage) to the pot. 

Easy Sukiyaki Recipe

Sukiyaki (すき焼き)　is a very popular hot pot dish, especially in the winter. People often have sukiyaki dinner parties or eat it at restaurants. Everyone enjoys cooking it together at the table. There are many varieties, but basic ingredients include; thinly sliced beef, grilled tofu, thick, long, green onions, shitake mushrooms, and shirataki, which are clear, gelatinous noodles made from a kind of potato. Other common ingredients are carrots, hakusai(chinese cabbage), and udon noodles. Sugar is added, so the meat has a slightly sweet taste. Each person at the table has a small bowl with a beaten raw egg. They take what they like from the pot, dip in the raw egg and eat. When the pot gets low, just re-charge with fresh ingredients and stock. It makes for a great party. You can get the sukiyaki stock from a local Asian grocer.

Ingredients:

· thinly-sliced beef:                                400g
· yaki-dofu (grilled tofu):                          1 block
· shitake mushrooms:                              8
· green onions:                                       3-4(the longer and thicker, the better.)
· beef fat:                                             50g(you could substitute oil)
· shirataki(clear gelatinous noodles):           2 packets
· Shungiku(edible chrysanthemum leaves):   200g

       raw egg beaten in a bowl                          (one for each person)

Stock

· Dashi(stock):                     2/3 cup

· soy sauce:                        1/3 cup

· mirin(sweet cooking sake):   1/3 cup

· sugar                               2 Tbsp.

Directions:

Stock

Mix all of the ingredients in a pan and heat until just boiling. Remove from heat and set aside for later.

Sukiyaki

1.    Cut the the grilled tofu into 8 cubes.

2.    Cut the shungiku into about 7 cm lengths.

3.    Cut the green onion diagonally into 5 cm lengths.

4.    Heat the hotplate and melt the beef fat. Fry the beef lightly in the fat.

5.    When slightly browned, add the other ingredients and stock and boil.

6.    Eat the sukiyaki by dipping in beaten raw egg first. 

Mochi with Penut Butter

One of Japan's most traditional foods is mochi (omochi), pounded rice cakes made from mochigome, the extremely sticky, gluttenous rice. This is an especial favorite for new years, but can be ejoyed year round. Mochi is a thick, heavy, chewy food. It doesn't have a lot of taste by itself, but is served in a variety of ways, in soups, or often toasted and dipped in a sugar and soy sauce mixture. But my favorite way to enjoy mochi is my American fusion, toasted mochi with peanut butter. It's a perfect match, the sweet peanut butter and the thick, satisfying mochi. Every Japanese I tell this to just to just drops their jaw in disbelief. They can't imagine. I never heard the expression "too sweet", till I came to Japan, but don't knock it till you try it.