This page is about Japanese food, if you want to know about French food, please go to our 1st page. How about going to our 2nd page and widen your knowledge by getting to know about Italian food too?

This is the 3rd and final page of my blog, I hope I have helped you to know more about food!

Now, No.1-3!

                                            No.1: Sushi


Sushi-It is a Japanese food consisting of cooked vinegared rice combined with other ingredients such as seafood, vegetables and sometimes tropical fruits.But,the ingredient which all sushi have in common is rice.

How to make it:

               Ingredients:

1. 2+1/2 cups (540g) rice
2. 3+3/4 cups (935ml) cold water
3. 1/2 cup (125ml) rice vinegar
4. 2 tablespoons caster sugar
5. 1/2 teaspoon salt
6. 6 nori sheets
7. 200g fresh salmon, cut into 1cm-thick batons
8. 1 avocado, halved, stoned, peeled, thinly sliced
9. Light soy sauce,Wasabi paste and pickled ginger to serve

                  Steps:

1. Place the rice in a sieve. Rinse under cold running water, to remove any excess starch, until water runs clear. Place the rice and water in a large saucepan, covered, over high heat. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low and cook, covered, for 12 minutes or until all the water is absorbed. Remove from heat. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes to cool slightly.
2. Combine the vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl. Transfer the rice to a large glass bowl. Use a wooden paddle to break up rice lumps while gradually adding the vinegar mixture, gently folding to combine. Continue folding and fanning the rice for 15 minutes or until rice is cool.
3. Place a sushi mat on a clean surface with slats running horizontally. Place a nori sheet, shiny-side down, on the mat. Use wet hands to spread one-sixth of the rice over the nori sheet, leaving a 3cm-wide border along the edge furthest away from you.
4. Place salmon and avocado along the centre of the rice. Hold filling in place while rolling the mat over to enclose rice and filling. Repeat with remaining nori, rice, salmon and avocado.
5. Use a sharp knife to slice sushi widthways into 1.5cm-thick slices. Place on serving dishes with soy sauce, wasabi and pickled ginger, if desired.

                                                                                                                                     

                                         No.2:Ramen
 
Ramen- It is a Japanese noodle soup dish. It consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat/fish-based broth, often flavored with soy sauce or miso,and uses toppings such as sliced pork, dried seaweed kamaboko, and green onions....

Why don't you try and make it?
          

    Ingredients:

Salted pork:

1. 1 lb pork
2. 1 tsp salt

           Soup:

1. 6 cups water (1.5L)
2. 50g ginger root, sliced
3. 3 cloves garlic, skinned
4. 1 bunch green onions
5. 4 Tbsp soy sauce
6. 2 Tbsp sake
7. 1 tsp salt
8. 1 tsp sesame oil 

          Noodle:

1. 9 oz fresh angel hair pasta (225g)
2. 8 cups water (2L)
3. 2 Tbsp baking soda 

          Topping:

1. boiled egg halves
2. bean sprouts, blanched briefly
3. green onions, cut finely

    Steps:

1. Rub salt on pork and let it sit overnight in the fridge.
2. In a pot, put water, ginger root, garlic, green onions and salted pork, and boil at high heat. Skim fat and other floating scums. Then cover, reduce to low heat, and simmer for 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Let the broth and pork cool completely in pot. Strain and save pork. Slice pork and set aside for a topping.
3. Prepare the rest of the toppings now as well (boiled eggs, blanched bean sprouts, cut green onions), before making the soup and noodles. Once the noodles are cooked, you will need to add the soup and toppings right away or the noodles will get soft, so you won't have time to prepare the toppings at the end.
4. Boil the broth and add soy sauce, sake, salt and sesame oil. Let it simmer at very low heat until noodles are ready.
5. In boiling water in a pot, add baking soda (be careful, it may boil over), then add the fresh angel hair pasta. Cook the pasta for 30 seconds, and strain. Immediately divide noodles into bowls and add soup onto noodles. Top with boiled eggs, bean sprouts, green onions and sliced pork.

                                                                                                                                     

                                            No.3:Unagi

 

Unagi-It is river eel grilled over charcoal and lacquered with a sweet barbecue sauce.It’s a delicacy evocative of old Japan and most restaurants that specialize in eel have a wonderfully traditional feel. Fresh, wild-caught Unagi is available from May to October.

Steps to make it:

       Ingredients:

1. 1 fillet of unagi (vacuum-sealed)
2. 1 tbsp sake
3. Steamed Rice

Sauce:

1. 1/2 cup (120ml) soy sauce
2. 1/3 cup (80ml) mirin
3. 4 tbsp sugar
4. 2 tbsp sake
5. Sansyo (optional) 

            Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425F (218C.) Cut Unagi fillet into 4 pieces and place them on the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Sprinkle sake on the surface of the Unagi and bake in the oven for 6 to 8 minutes until heated.
2. In a small sauce pan, mix all the ingredients of the sauce and bring it to a boil. Simmer for about 10 minutes until slightly thickened.
3. Place steamed rice in an individual bowl, sprinkle about a tbsp of sauce over the rice, and top with cooked Unagi on top. Pour some sauce on top of the fish. Sprinkle on Sansyo Japanese pepper on top (optional.) Serve immediately.

Now, for no.4-7:
         
                                             No.4:Tempura
 
Tempura-It is a Japanese dish of seafood or vegetables that have been battered and deep fried.Tempura is either eaten with dipping sauce, salted without sauce, or used to assemble other dishes, such as Tempura with Udon.
   
Instructions:
  
          Ingredients: 

      Tempura ingredients:

1. Plain flour: 100g (1Cup) *
2. Egg: 1
3. Cold water: 200cc (1Cup) *
4. Baking Soda: 1 tea spoon
5. Potato Starch: 2 table spoon
6. Your choice of vegetables, sea foods and mushrooms such as potato, sweet potato, aubergine (eggplant), zucchini (courgette), onion, capsicum (paprika), pumpkin, green beans, carrot, okura, asparagus, prawn, white fish and squid.
7. Oil (Natane oil, sunflower, corn or canola oil)

      Steps:

1. Put oil into a flying pan.
2. Heat up the frying oil to 170 degrees. You can check the oil temperature without a thermometer. Put one drop of tempura batter into the oil. If the tempura batter sinks the bottom of flying pan, it is too low temperature.
3. If the tempura batter did not sink at all and the batter spread quickly with a crackling sound the it is too high temperature.
4. Best temperature condition is the drop of tempura batter will sink half way in flying pan then float.
5. Puts vegetable into the tempura batter bowl to coat them with tempura batter then carefully put them to the oil. Fry one side and then turn over and fry the other side.

                                                                                                                                 


                                           No.5:Kaiseki
 
Kaiseki-It is a traditional multi-course Japanese dinner.It is a type of art form that balances the taste, texture, appearance, and colors of food.Only fresh seasonal ingredients are used and are prepared in ways that aim to enhance their flavor.

How to make it:

               Ingredients:

1. 1.6C rice
2. 0.4C glutinous rice
3. 1pack Shimeji mushroom
4. 1pack Enoki mushroom 
5. 2C dashi-stock
6. 3 tablespoon light soy sauce
7. 1 tablespoon mirin
8. 1/2 tablespoon salt　

               Steps:

1. Wash rice & glutinous rice well, drain in a sieve. Let stand for 30 min.
2. Wash mushrooms and cut into a small pieces.
3. Place rice, dashi with seasonings (soy-sauce, mirin) and all ingredients in a pot (or rice-cooker), mix lightly, and cook.
4. Let stand for about 10min., and mix so that rice & mushrooms are combined well.
5. Mold rice into each shape.

                                                                                                                                   

                                           No.6:Soba
 
Soba-It is actually long, thin buckwheat noodles. The noodles are served in either a hot, soy sauce-flavoured broth or at room temperature on a bamboo mat with broth on the side for dipping. Cold Soba is the most popular among the others.

Want to make it?

             Ingredients(3-4 servings):

1. 4 scallions, thinly sliced
2. 5 medium shallots, peeled and finely sliced
3. 2 tablespoons grated, peeled ginger
4. 1 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
5. 7 tablespoons good sunflower or olive oil
6. 12 ounces extra-firm tofu
7. 12 ounces dried Soba noodles
8. 1 radish, peeled, cut into matchsticks
9. 1/3 cup toasted pine nuts
10. 1 bunch of chives, minced

          Steps:  

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. While you're waiting for the water to come up to temperature, place the scallions, shallots, and ginger in a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle with the salt, and pound until everything is quite bruised, but not paste-like. Gently heat the oil in a small saucepan until it is just hot enough that you could saute something in it. Add the scallion mixture to the oil, remove from heat, and transfer to a jar or bowl to cool.
3. Drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into matchsticks or 1/2-inch cubes. Cook the tofu, along with a pinch or two of salt, in a well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Add a tiny splash of oil if needed to prevent sticking. Toss gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and bouncy.
4. Salt the boiling water, and cook the soba noodles per package instructions. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop the cooking, and shake off as much water as possible. Toss the noodles with a bit of the oil off the top of the scallion ginger paste at this point so the noodles don't stick down the line.
5. Serve the soba along with the scallion-ginger paste (you can either toss it with the noodles or serve on the side), topped with radish, pine nuts, and lots of chives.

                                                                                            

                                                            No.7:Shabu-shabu
 
 Shabu-shabu-It is the Japanese word for thin slices of beef or pork being swished around with chopsticks in bubbling broth.It’s a decadent dish, with platters of marbled meat brought to the table for diners to cook themselves – it takes only a moment – one mouthful at a time.

Steps to making it:

       Ingredients:

1. 10cm Kombu (dried kelp)
2. 1500 ml water
3. 3 tablespoon Sake
4. 300g beef, sliced very thinly
5. 6 leaves nappa cabbage
6. 3 white long onions
7. 6 Shiitake mushrooms
8. 1/2 bunch Kikuna or Shungiku (edible chrysanthemum leaves)

Shabu Shabu dipping sauc:

1. 4 tablespoon ground sesame seeds
2. 2 tablespoon Soy Sauce
3. 2 tablespoon sugar
4. 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
5. 1 tablespoon Miso Paste
6. 2 tablespoon water

           Steps:

1. Mix all the ingredients of the dipping sauce. Set aside.
2. In a pot, put dried Kombu in the water, and let it sit for 15 minutes.
3. Cut meat into the size you like. Cut cabbage into 2" width pieces, slice white long onion diagonally, cut off the stems of Shiitake mushrooms, and cut Kikuna (Shungiku) into 2" length pieces.
4. Heat the pot at medium high heat until the water boils, then take the Kombu out. Turn down the heat to medium low. Add Sake.
5. Dip the meat in the simmering broth until the color turns pink. Cook meat and vegetables as you eat.

 Lastly, No.8-10!

                                     No.8:Okonomiyaki
 
Okonomiyaki-It is Japanese comfort food at its best, and a clear violation of the typical refined image of Japanese food. It’s a savoury pancake filled with a number of things and usually topped with fish flakes,dried seaweed and any sauce. 

Way to make it:
  
        Ingredients:

1. 1 cup chopped cooked chicken
2. 1+1/2 cups thinly sliced napa cabbage
3. 1/4 cup shredded carrots
4. 3 green onions, chopped
5. 12 fresh green beans, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
6. 1 small green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
7. 1 small zucchini, cut into thin strips
8. 3 eggs, lightly beaten
9. 3/4 cup all-purpose flour 
10. 3/4 cup chicken stock
11. 2/4 cup chicken stock
12. 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
13. 1/4 teaspoon toasted sesame oil 

             Steps:

1. In a large bowl, mix chicken, cabbage, carrots, green onions, green beans, green bell pepper and zucchini. In a separate bowl, beat together eggs, flour, chicken stock and soy sauce. Pour batter over chicken mixture and toss to thoroughly coat.
2. Mix vegetable oil and sesame oil in a skillet over medium heat. Scoop about 1/4 cup batter into skillet, enough to make a 2 1/2 inch circle. Cover and cook 4 minutes, or until bottom is golden brown. Flip and continue cooking 4 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain on paper towels.

  

                                                                                         

                                                         No.9:Tonkatsu
 
Tonkatsu-Tonkatsu is breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet.Tonkatsu is melt-in-your-mouth tender.It is usually served with a side of miso soup and a mountain of shredded cabbage.

Way to make it:

             Ingredients(4 servings):

1. 4 pork loin chops (about 1" thick, no bones)
2. salt
3. pepper
4. 1/2 cup all purpose flour
5. 1-2 eggs
6. 1 cup panko or bread crumbs
7. oil for deep frying

               Instructions

1. Make small cuts all over pork chops with tip of knife. Sprinkle salt and pepper on both sides of meat.
2. Coat the meat with flour, dip in eggs, then cover with bread crumbs.
3. Heat deep frying oil to 350 F, and deep fry crumb-covered meat. You can check the temperature by dropping a bread crumb. If it comes up to the oil surface right after it's dropped, it's good.
4. Fry until color turns golden brown and meat floats in the oil, about 5-8 minutes, turning once or twice.
5. Set the meat on a cooling rack for a minute. Cut into 5-6 pieces. 

                                                                                                                                

                                        No.10:Yakitori
 
Yakitori-It is actually charcoal grilled chicken.Yakitori is an evening ritual for many of the Japanese.Nearly every part of the chicken is on the menu,seasoned with either shio (salt) or tare (a sweet soy sauce-based sauce) and served with a side of friendly banter. 

Want to make it?

             Ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup soy sauce (120ml)
2. 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
3. 1/4 cup Sake (60ml)
4. 1/4 cup Mirin (60ml)
5. 1 lb chicken thighs (450g)
6. 2 long white onions (or 5-6 green onions)
7. salt
8. vegetable oil

                Steps:

1. Soak bamboo skewers (6" long) in water for 30 minutes.
2. Mix soy sauce, sugar, Sake, and Mirin in a small pot, and boil for 8-10 minutes until the sauce gets a little thick. Set aside.
3. Cut chicken thighs into 1" cubes, and cut onions (white part) into 1" long pieces. Skewer chicken and onions alternately.
4. In a heated frying pan, spread oil very thinly, and cook skewered meat at medium high heat for 5 minutes. Turn and cook another 5 minutes until browned and cooked through.
5. Immediately dip chicken in the sauce, and serve.
Yakitori with salt
6. For Yakitori with salt, skewer just chicken pieces and sprinkle with salt. Cook in the same way as Yakitori with sauce (but don't dip it in the sauce).

 Okay, that is the end of my 3-page blog.And again, I wish I helped you to know more about food!