Oyakodon

Sorry for so much Japanese food, but really it's the only exciting thing I make. Otherwise it's spaghetti and food of that ilk. I'm trying to make sure I can make Japanese food so that my kids will have a taste of 'home' when we move to the US one day. Plus, Edamame tends to eat favor Japanese food over American.

Here goes!

Oyakodon literally is Mother/child rice bowl. It is egg and chicken. I wonder if that wouldn't be kosher.

Step 1: cook some short grain rice up, I prefer brown rice. I plead with you not to use Uncle Ben's

Step 2: Make magical Japanese sauce.
1 1/2 cups soup stock(preferably kelp or mushroom...not american style please)
3 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
3 Tbsp. mirin(sweet japanese cooking wine)

Then heat up and disolve the sugar

Step 3: Add an onion that has been cut into 1/4 vertical strips. Let that cook until the onions are clear and tender


Step 4: Add 3/4 ~ 1 lb. of deboned chicken thigh cut into bite sized pieces and let cook covered. Check after a few minutes and flip the chicken pieces over and cook a tad bit longer.


Step 5: Lightly beat 4~6 eggs. Don't over do it, you need to still be able to distinguish the yolk for the white. Pour 3/4 of the eggs over the onions and chicken and cover for a bit. When it is almost cooked add the last little bit and cook just a bit more. Turn off the heat just before it is completely cooked. You serve it still slightly runny and let the hot rice cook it the rest of the way. Same egg caution as before, know where your eggs are from.


Step 6: Eat up!





We had it with miso soup and a salad, I need to tweak the dressing recipe before I share it. The kids had seen the Cooking with Dog video about Omu-rice before hand and begged for ketchup on it. They loved it, but that's because we all know that ketchup has chemicals in it that are highly addictive to children under 10. I have no idea what it is, but Ed will put ketchup on anything almost.

Sukiyaki

Yet another installment of crazy Japanese food hour. Sukiyaki is one of my favorite dishes, but tends to be considered fancier(at least on the restaurant scale). It's also a bit dangerous with kids around, open flame at the table and 20 month olds don't typically mix. Nonetheless I had to fulfill this craving, and found out how to make it. First a big thanks to Cooking with Dog(poor grammar not the crazy side of asian cuisine).

For the sukiyaki sauce you will need
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup mirin or saké
1 tablespoon vegetable or beef stock powder(not bullion...the flavor is way too different)

You bring it to a boil and turn the heat down

then add


thinly slice beef(1/2 to 1 lbs.)
wide chopped napa cabbage
diagonally cut leek
a few cross sections of a yellow onion
seared tofu cut into large cubes(just plain firm if you can't find seared tofu)
diagonally sliced carrot(about 1/4 inch)
Komatsuna(Japanese mustard spinach) wide chopped...I couldn't fit it in the pan.
Shiitake mushrooms(6-12, stems off, cut a pretty star in the top if you want to)
Maitake mushrooms(1 bunch, bottom cut off, break it up into small clumps...I might add more next time)




This usually calls for Konjak noodles, but I put udon noodles in later.

let it boil and simmer for 10-15 minutes. I ended up adding a few cups of water so that the broth wouldn't be too thick.




Then you can eat it, and if you KNOW where the eggs are from, dip it in a raw beaten egg. It seems freaky, but tastes soooooo good. Only do this if you are absolutely sure of where the eggs are from, like your hippie, chicken raising neighbor.

We dig noodles, so once everything was cooked, we added some precooked udon noodles, and then ate up.




Dish it out, and enjoy. This way you don't burn your small child at a fancy restaurant, and still get to enjoy this great flavor. I used a normal deep sauce pan. It does need to be deep though.

Good luck, and feel free to ask questions.

Tonjiru - soupfest part 2

I fell in love with this soup two winters ago when I ate it at one of the schools I was working at. I was smack dab in the middle of having morning sickness, but for some reason this warm winter soup was something I could down without fear of any retribution from my stomach. It is GREAT, but depending on your location within the US you may or may not be able to get some of the ingredients.

Serves about 4 people

4 cups water
2 tsp. dashi(Japanese kelp/fish bullion) or follow the directions on the box..you need it to make 4 cups(see above water) of broth
1/2-3/4 lb sliced uncooked pork.
1-2 carrots sliced and then quarter the larger slices
10 cm(5 inches....remember your high school science people) of Japanese diakon radish, sliced and then quartered
15 cm burdock root cleaned, sliced and soaked for a few minutes( it turns the water black so you soak it separate first)...this is COMPLETELY option, and totally tasty without this. If you go for super authentic though, you need it.
1 bunching onion(REALLY big green onion...use regular green onions in a pinch) sliced in 1/4 slices
1 pack of firm tofu, cut up into cubes
3-4 small taro root potatos, peeled and cut into cubes
1 regular potato, peeled and cut into small cubes
1 bunch of Bunashimeji mushrooms(small and brown....sliced shiitake also taste good if you want).
3 Tbs. miso paste

1. Turn the stove on and heat up the water with the dashi stock. As you cut up the veggies throw them in and begin to cook them.
2. Add the pork and finally the tofu. Once everything is almost cooked, add the miso by dissolving the paste in a ladelful of soup. If you find you want a strong miso taste, feel free to add more.
3. Let simmer/very low boil until the veggies and meat are completely cooked
4. Serve!

Some hints: If you can find miso with dashi already in it, WOW does that make your life easier, but I have no idea what gets imported over there. I've added links to pictures, so you know what you are looking for. It is a lot easier than it may seem at first glance.

Japanese Curry Rice

Yep more crockpot goodness. I've wanted to add this for a while, but have been far too lazy. Let me first add this caveat, I HATE Japanese curry almost 95%+ of the time, but I LOVE this recipe. We got it from "Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Cookbook". That has been a great book. I'll try to post a desert to die for from there in a few days...but here we go.

3 medium potatos peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
3-4 medium carrots cut into bite sized chunks
1 lb. beef stew meat cut into 1 inch cubes(though I REALLY dig chicken, it may even be better than beef!)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
2 cups beef broth(chicken for chicken)
2 cups water
6 Tbsp flour(the original recipe called for 3, but it was too little)
2 Tbsp curry powder(the original recipe called for 1, but it was too little)
1 cup frozen peas thawed(optional)

cooked white rice for serving

1. Pop the potatoes in the slow cooker and than layer the carrots on top.

2. In a skillet brown the meat with some oil and transfer to the cooker. Then put the onions and garlic in the skillet with some more oil and cook until softened, add salt and pepper and cook for an additional 2 to 3 min. Put the onions and garlic in the slow cooker. Transfer broth the the skillet and bring to a boil, scrap the brown bit stuck to the pan and pour into the cooker. Covere the cooker and turn on low for 6-7 hrs.(less for the chicken)

3. Mix the flour and curry powder together then slowly add about 1/2 cup of the broth(a bit at a time, stir until smooth and then add more liquid...avoid those clumps!) Pour the flour/curry/broth mixture back into the curry and turn on high for another 30 min. Add the peas at this time if you want as well.

ladel over the rice and enjoy.

Ramen Salad

Ok, last post for a bit, I promise. It has been oppresively hot here recently, and my MIL introduced me to this last year, and it is great to not have to heat up the kitchen so much. This recipe is for two people.

1 package of ramen noodles per person
1 cucumber
4 medium slices of ham
1 tomato
2 eggs
1 T. sugar

Any soysauce or oil based salad dressing.

Boil the ramen noodles until cooked but not soggy(the package should say). Do not add the flavor packets. Drain and let cool.

Mix the eggs together and add the sugar. You want them a little sweet, but not overly so, add more or less according to your taste. Cook over medium-low heat like an omlette. Let it cool and then julienne the omlette.

Julienne the cucumber and ham, slice the tomato into 8ths or so.

In a low bowl dish out the noodles and then lay the cucumber, egg, ham and tomato on the side in separate groups. Cover with your salad dressing.

Eat!

tips: I think carrots would probably be pretty tasty here too. Strong flavored veggies may or may not work here, it is up to you.

Asian food for the Mexican Cuisine lover

This is a dish from Okinawa and has become very popular throughout all of Japan(if only they knew it was really a Mexican dish in disguise). It works really well if you don't have tortillas handy and/or you have a ton of rice.

1 lbs. ground beef
1 package taco seasoning
2-4 tomatoes
2 cups-ish grated cheese
1 head of lettuce
1 avocado
some salsa
taco toppings

3-4 cups short grain rice

1. Start you rice cooking. Follow directions for your rice cooker or in a pot on the stove follow a 2-1 ratio(2 cups water for every 1 cup rice) and boil. You migh want to make more than you think you'll need, it disappears fast, and if you have left overs you can wrap a serving in saran wrap and freeze for later use (just pop in the microwave for 2-3 minutes).

2. cook ground beef, drain, add taco seasoning and water as directed by the package.
3. dice the tomatoes
4. shred the lettuce
5. dice the avocado

dish out the rice, put the beef on top along with tomatoes, lettuce, avocado, salsa, cheese, oh and sour cream tastes good too. Anything you like on your tacos works. Great for kids with wheat allergies!