Mitarashi Kushi Dango

Round dumplings are generally called dango, and kushi dango means skewered sweet dumplings. These kushi dango coated with sweet soy sauce based sauce are called mitarashi.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup joshinko (rice flour)
• 3/4 cup hot water
• *for mitarashi sauce:
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp katakuriko starch or cornstarch, mixed with 1 1/2 Tbsp of water
• *Bamboo skewers

Preparation:

• Put rice flour in a bowl
• Gradually pour hot water over the rice flour.
• Mix it using a spatula until combined.
• Knead the dough with hands until smooth.
• Divide the dough into small pieces and roll into small balls.
• Place the dumplings in a preheated steamer and steam them on high heat for about 10 minutes.
• Cool the dumplings and put dumplings on skewers. (*3 or 4 dumplings for a skewer)
• To make mitarashi sauce, mix water, sugar, and soy sauce in a sauce pan.
• Bring to a boil on medium heat.
• Pour the katakuriko starch mixture in the sauce, stirring well.
• Bring to a boil again and stop the heat.
• Grill the skewered dumplings until slightly grill-marked.
• Brush mitarashi sauce over dumplings.

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Onigiri

Rice balls are called onigiri in Japanese. They are usually shaped into rounds or triangles by hands. Fillings can vary, so it's good to use your favorite fillings.

Ingredients:

• 4 cups steamed Japanese rice
• salt to taste
• black sesame seeds
• strips of dried nori seaweed
• for fillings (optional):
• ume (pickled plum) / grilled salted salmon (small chunks) / katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) seasoned with soy sauce

Preparation:

Put about a half cup of steamed rice in a rice bowl. Wet your hands in water so that the rice won't stick. Rub some salt on your hands. Place the steamed rice on your hand and put your favorite filling, such as umeboshi or grilled salmon on the rice. Push the filling into the rice lightly. Hold the rice between your palms. Form the rice into a round, a triangle, or a cylinder by pressing lightly with your both palms. Roll the rice ball on your hands a few times, pressing lightly. Wrap the rice ball with a strip of nori or sprinkle some sesame seeds on them.

Makes 8 rice balls.

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Vegan Sushi

Ingredients :

• 6 sheets nori
• 3 cups sumeshi
• 1 bunch asparagus, with ends chopped off
• 1 bunch of carrots, sliced into 1/2-inch sticks
• 1 1/2 tbsp olive oil, divided
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• canola oil, for frying

Preparation:

• Cook sushi rice.
• Preheat oven to 400° F
• Toss the asparagus with 1 tbsp olive oil and the salt. Spread out on a baking sheet.
• Toss the carrot sticks with the maple syrup and remaining olive oil. Spread out on a separate baking sheet.
• Roast the asparagus and carrots until the asparagus starts to brown, about 1 hour.
• Deep fry the onion slices in the canola oil until crispy. Drain on paper towels; sprinkle with salt.
• Roll the sushi, using the roasted asparagus, maple-roasted carrots, and fried onions for your fillings.
• Enjoy!

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Shoyu Ramen

Making delicious ramen noodles isn't easy as ramen chefs in Japan usually train hard to make good ramen. This is a quick recipe to make soy sauce flavored ramen at home. Please use your favorite toppings.

Ingredients:

• 2 Chukamen noodles
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 cup chicken soup stock
• 1 cup kombu dashi soup stock
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• For toppings: (optional)
• chopped negi
• nori (dried seaweed)
• pepper

Preparation:

Heat sesame oil in a deep pan. Saute chopped ginger and garlic in the pan. Lower the heat. Add chicken soup stock and kombu dashi soup stock in the pan and bring to a boil. Add sugar, salt, sake, and soy sauce in the soup and bring to a boil again. Run the soup through a strainer. Serve hot soup into individual bowls. In the meantime, boil water in a large pan. Add Chukamen noodles in the boiling water and cook for a few minutes, or follow package directions. Drain the noodles and serve in the hot soup. Place toppings, such as chopped negi and nori seaweed. Sprinkle some pepper if you would like. *Makes 2 servings

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Takoyaki

Takoyaki are known as octopus (tako) balls. To make takoyaki, a cast iron or electric takoyaki pan with many half-spherical molds is used.
Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup flour
• 1/2 cup dashi soup
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 lb. boiled octopus, cut into bite-size piece
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped benishoga (pickled red ginger)
• 1/4 cup dried sakura ebi (red shrimp)
• For toppings:
• katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• aonori (green seaweed powder)
• Worcestershire sauce or takoyaki sauce
• mayonnaise

Preparation:
Mix flour, dashi soup, and eggs in a bowl to make batter. Thickness of the batter should be like potage soup. Preheat a takoyaki pan and grease the molds. Pour batter into the molds to the full. Put octopus, red ginger, green onion, and dried red shrimp in each mold. Grill takoyaki balls, flipping with a pick to make balls. When browned, remove takoyaki from the pan and place on a plate. Put sauce and mayonnaise on top and sprinkle bonito flakes and aonori over.


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Sayur Lodeh

Mixed vegetable dish with coconut.This dish is made with 3 or 4 different vegetables.You can use almost any veg. you have at hand.For example: Cabbage, French green beans, Carrots, Tauge, Bamboo shoots, etc. Very nice as a main or side dish with plain boiled rice.

Ingredients:

• 2 teaspoons Sambal Ulek.
• or 1 fresh hot Chilli.
• 3 tablespoons Peanut oil.
• 1 teaspoon Laos powder.
• 800 gr. Mixed Vegetables.
• 350 ml. Coconut milk.
• 350 ml. Chicken stock.
• 2 tablespoons Kecap Manis.
• Pinch of Pepper and salt.
• 250 gr. Chicken breast.(boiled)
• 2 Eggs (Hard boiled).
• Crispy fried onions.

Preparation:

Puree the onions, garlic and sambal ulek in a blender.Add Laos powder.Heat oil in a wok and stir fry the paste for 2 min.

Stir in the coconut milk and Chicken stock.Bring to boil.Add the vegetables in order of cooking time.Simmer until all vegetables are tender but still have a nice crunch.Add the finely sliced chicken. Season with Kecap Manis,Salt and Pepper and boil for a further minute.

Decorate with quartered Eggs and crispy fried onions.Serve hot.

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Bubur Ayam

This dish is best discribed as a savoury "rice-pudding". It makes a tasty lunchtime dish, or, if you're one of the converted, a nice breakfast dish to see you through the rest of the day.

Ingredients:

• 1 Chicken (approx. 800 gr.)
• 1½ Ltr. water.
• 400 gr. Rice.
• 2 Tbs. Chinese light Soy.
• 2 Tsp. Garlic Powdersalt & pepper to taste
• Garnish:
• Chopped Parsley or Coriander leaf.
• Omelet strips (made from 2 eggs)
• Bawang goreng. (deef fried Onions)

Preparation:

Quarter chicken and put with water on low flame for 1 hour to make stock. Remove chicken.

Put the crushed shells from the eggs used for the omelet in the stock and stir well,on low flame, for a minute. Pass stock through a muslin cloth to clarify.

Wash the rice and boil in the stock for ½ hour until done. (must be sticky and thick).

Add the soy, garlic, salt, pepper and shredded chicken and simmer for a further 15 Minutes.

Decorate with omelet, onions and parsly or coriander. serve hot.

Image © Sakurai Midori

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