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What are some easy, authentic Japanese recipes?
Like okonomiyaki or something. Preferably something that doesn't need a lot of specialty ingredients, or cookware IE takoyaki (octopusballs)
Konbu & Katsuobushi Dashi
The most common type of dashi
INGREDIENTS
Makes 3 Cups
4cm x 4cm dried konbu (kelp)
3cups (600ml) water
8g bonito flakes
see Dashi Ingredients
METHOD
Cook konbu in water over a medium heat.
Remove just before it boils, and add katsuobushi.
Bring to the boil, then strain using a fine sieve.
Chawan-mushi
Egg custard
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 eggs
50g chicken breast
2 medium prawns
2 shiitake mushrooms
A (360ml dashi, 1 tsp mirin, 1 tsp soy sauce, a pinch of salt)
Mitsuba (Japanese herb), optional
HOW TO COOK
Devein the prawns, remove their shells and parboil for 40-60 seconds. Wash the shiitake and remove their stalks. Half the chicken breast and rub with salt.
Beat the eggs in a bowl, add, mix well and strain to form a smooth mixture.
Place the prawns, mushroom and chicken in a small, deep bowl, then pour the egg mixture on top.
Place the bowls in a steamer and steam for 2-3 minutes on a high heat, then for 10-12 minutes on a low-medium heat.
Garnish with mitsuba when serving (optional).
Tara no Saikyo-yaki
Miso Marinated Grilled Cod
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
2 pieces cod
A (100g miso - preferably white miso, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp mirin, 1 tbsp sake)
HOW TO COOK
Mix together the marinade ingredients, then spread half evenly over the base of a casserole dish.
Cover the dish with a damp tea towel or thin cloth and place the pieces of cod on top, side by side. Fold the edges of the towel to cover the cod as if wrapping, spread the other half of marinade over the top and leave overnight in the fridge.
Unwrap the cod, then grill on both sides until golden brown.
Tempura udon
Udon noodles with tempura
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
200g dried udon noodles
700ml dashi
35ml mirin
35ml soy sauce
50g spinach
1/2 spring onion
Tempura
4 large prawns
1/2 egg
30-40g plain flour
40-50ml water
vegetable oil for deep-frying
HOW TO COOK
Make prawn tempura, using our tempura recipe.
See "How to cook tempura"
Parboil the spinach, squeeze out excess water and cut into 3-4 cm strips.
Cook the udon in plenty of boiling water. Cooking time will depend on the thickness of the noodles, so follow the instructions on the package.
For the soup, boil the mirin in a saucepan to remove the alcohol, add the dashi, bring to the boil, and then add the soy sauce, before bringing to the boil once more.
Serve the udon in a bowl, arrange the prawns and spinach on top, then pour over the soup. Garnish with chopped spring onion.
Gyu-don
Beef Bowl
Serves 2
INGREDIENTS
150g rice + 220 ml water
200g thinly sliced beef
1/2 onion
Vegetable oil for stir-frying
A (500ml dashi, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp sake, 2 tbsp sugar)
Red pickled ginger
HOW TO COOK
Cook the rice.
Cut the onion into 5mm slices, and the beef into bite size pieces.
Heat the oil in a pan and fry the onion and the beef. Add, bring to the boil, and then lower the heat and cook for 10 minutes. Skim off any scum that may form during cooking.
Place the rice in individual bowls, and pour over the cooked topping. Garnish with red pickled ginger.
HOW TO COOK RICE
Using a rice cooker
Place the required amount of washed rice into a rice cooker, pour in water up to the level indicated on the inside of the cooker, and switch on.
How to cook rice using a pan
Place the washed rice and water (the proportion of rice to water is 200-220ml water to 150g rice) in a heavy-based pan, put the lid on and bring to the boil. When the lid begins to clatter, wait for 15-20 seconds and then lower the heat.
Leave the rice to cook on a low heat for 13-15 minutes, raising the heat just before cooking is complete. When ready, remove from the heat, but leave the pan covered for 10 minutes.
hope these help. good luck and enjoy.
