May 1, 2021

Anko Red Beans Paste Tsubuan

Prep Time

1 hour

Cook Time

1 hour

Total Time

2 hours

Ingredients

200g azuki beans - washed and drained
150 to 200g sugar (use more or less depending on your taste)
a dash of salt
water, as much as necessary

Instructions

1. Place azuki beans into a cooking pot and add about 800ml water (3 to 4 times the azuki weight). Cook over high heat and bring it to a boil.
2. Once it is boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 5 min. After 5min turn off the heat and cover, let it rest for 15 to 20 min. Then drain well.
3. Transfer the cooked azuki beans into a clean cooking pot. Add 600ml water, cook over medium-high heat and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, skim off scum. Then cover and cook for about 30 min over medium-low heat. Check regularly that the water level is high enough to cover the beans.
4. After 30 min, check if azuki is ready. If not soft enough, cook another 10 min. Once ok, remove from the heat. Cover and let it rest for 30 min.
5. After 30 min, turn the heat to medium-high heat. Again check that you have just enough water to cover the azuki (adjust by adding or removing water as needed). Just before it boils, add sugar (first 150g then add more if any till 200g) and a dash of salt.
6. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes on medium heat, while stirring occasionally. Let almost all the water evaporate. Transfer to a plate!
7. If you don't use it all, wrap the leftover and freeze. Usually I freeze it in separate 100g portion.

May 1, 2021

Mackerel Saba Roll – Maki Sushi Recipe

Mackerel Saba Roll - Maki Sushi Recipe

Serving Size

4 saba rolls

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

30 minutes

Total Time

1 hour

Ingredients

For the sushi rice :

375g japanese rice - washed and drained
400ml water

For the sushi seasoning :

65ml rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar
25g white sugar
8g fine salt

For the fish :

2 mackerels (4 filets) - boneless
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp vegetable oil

The sauce for the fish :

2 tbsp soy sauce
1.5 tbsp sugar
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
some scallion
4 nori sheets

Instructions

1. In a cooking pot, add the uncooked Japanese rice and soak it in water for about 20 min.
2. meanwhile make the sushi vinegar
Add all the sushi seasoning ingredients (Vinegar, sugar and salt). Cook over medium-high heat and melt the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat when it is almost boiling. Set aside.
3. After soaking the rice, drain well and transfer to a cooking pot. Add 400ml water. Cover and cook over high heat, then bring it to a boil.
4. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low. Mix once then cover again and simmer for 10 minutes.
5. meanwhile prepare the fish
Wash the fish and drain with a kitchen towel. Place on a tray or plate. Sprinkle kosher salt (1 tsp) and coat well on both sides (make sure no bones are left in the middle). Leave 10 to 15 minutes.
6. After 10 min simmering, remove the rice from the heat. Leave another 10 minutes but do not lift the cover yet. Then transfer into a moistened heat-safe bowl (or sushi "oke"). Pour the sushi vinegar on it in one go. Slice the rice and let it cool down. Cover and set aside.
7. Now wipe the fish's excess salt with a kitchen towel. Add oil (1 tsp) on a frying-pan and heat over medium heat. Wipe any excess oil. Place the filets skin side down. Cook for about 4 minutes. Then flip them gently and cook another 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside.
8. _ Prepare the sauce for the fish_
Add all the sauce for fish ingredients into a cooking pot. Cook over medium heat and bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 1 min. Set aside.
9. _ Putting the sushi together_
Place a nori (shiny side down) on your sushi rolling mat. Spread 1/4 sushi rice evenly, leaving a space of about 2cm uncovered along the edge. Cover the rice with saran wrap and flip. Roll up tightly, while removing the saran wrap at the same time.
10. Once rolled up, sprinkle some scallion and place the fish. Brush with the sauce. Wrap with saran wrap tightly. Set aside and repeat for the 3 other rolls.
11. Cut the sushi roll and clean your knife each time you finish a slice. Note : Keep the saran wrap when you cut the sushi. Remove it when the slicing is done.
12. Place the sliced sushi and add more sauce if you like.
Enjoy!

March 28, 2021

Thai Yellow Curry with Homemade Thai Curry Paste

Persons

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

20 minutes

Total Time

35 minutes

Thai Yellow Curry with Homemade Thai Curry Paste

Ingredients

250g homemade thai yellow curry paste
300g pork belly
1 small size potato - cut into small pieces (thin)
1/2 carrot - cut into small pieces (thin)
1/2 onion - sliced
1/2 red or green bell pepper - cut into julienne
1 tbsp vegetable oil
300ml coconuts milk
300ml water
1 tsp thai fish sauce
1 tsp coconuts sugar or brown sugar
a dash of salt to your taste (optional)
Steamed rice

Instructions

1. In a frying-pan, heat 1 tbsp oil and cook the pork belly until both sides are nicely browned. Add carrot, potato and onion and cook for a few minutes. Set aside.
2. In a big cooking pot, heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and fry the yellow paste from #2 (it will be about 250g) for about 3 minutes or until fragrant over medium heat.
3. Add coconuts milk and mix well, then add water.
4. Add the cooked pork and vegetables (but not the green bell pepper yet). Bring it to a boil. Once it is boiling, add the fish sauce and coconut sugar, then reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 3 to 5 min over low heat with the lid on.
5. Lift the lid, and red (or green) bell pepper. Bring it to a boil. (A dash of salt if necesarry to your taste.)
6. Serve hot with steamed rice!

March 28, 2021

Homemade Easy Ramen

Persons

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

15 minutes

Total Time

30 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup base

25g weipa or chinese chicken stock powder
2 1/2 tsp hondashi powder
5 tsp kosher salt
3 garlic cloves - grated
2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 1/4 tsp [kobucha japanese kelp tea|https://amzn.to/314Gtoh (optional)|]
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Ingredients (for 1 person) :
5g weipa or chinese chicken stock powder
1/2 tsp hondashi powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 garlic cloves - grated
1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/4 tsp kobucha japanese kelp tea (optional)
Ramen noodles for 1 person

Instructions

1. In a cooking bowl, add all the soup base ingredients and mix well.
2. Add some soup base in a serving bowl. Set aside.
3. Cook your ramen according to the package instructions.
4. Pour soup stock or boiled water into a serving bowl and mix to dissolve the soup base.
5. Add ramen and your favorite topping. Today I top with char siu, scallion and sesame.
Enjoy :)

March 12, 2021

Salmon Donburi Rice Bowl – Quick Lunch

Salmon Donburi Rice Bowl - Quick Lunch

Persons

Prep Time

15 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Total Time

25 minutes

Ingredients

200g salmon tartare - cut into small cubes
1/2 onion - thinly sliced
2 tbsp mayonnaise
a dash of salt and sugar
2 eggs

For the sauce (but you can also use off-the-shelf tsuyu)

2 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
some sesame oil

Instructions

1. In a small cup, add all the sauce ingredient and mix. Microwave 20 to 30 sec at 600w. Set aside.
2. Soak the onion in water for about 10 min and then drain well. Transfer into a small bowl and add mayonnaise, salt and sugar. Mix and set aside.
3. In a cooking pot, boil water and cook eggs for 6 mins (or more if you like harder eggs). After they are done, soak them in cold water until use.
4. Serve the hot steamed rice in your serving bowl. Add onion slices on top, then salmon. Roast with a cooking torch if you like (optional). Pour the sauce and sprinkle chopped scallion.
5. Place the boiled egg (cut in half), enjoy!

Notes

You can also use off-the-shelf tsuyu / 3x concentrated (つゆ), in this case silute 1 part tsuyu with 3 parts water. Adjust adding water to your taste.

December 12, 2020

Shio Ramen v2 – Salt Flavored

Shio Ramen V2 - Salt Flavored

Persons

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

40 minutes

Total Time

1 hour, 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the soup stock :

700g (approx) Chicken breast or Thighs - boneless
1/2 tsp fine salt
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp cooking sake or cooking white wine
2L water (approx)

For the soup base :

50 to 80g green parts of a leek - chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
60ml vegetable oil
5g katsuo/dried bonito flakes
5g garlic cloves - grated
3 tbsp kosher salt
1 tsp kobucha/kelp powder
2 tsp chinese chicken bouillon powder
150ml boiled water
Ramen noodles for 5 people
1 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Make the soup stock In a big cooking pot, add about 2L water and bring it to a boil. Once it boils add the chicken.
2. Bring it to a boil again, then remove from the heat. Cover and leave it for 1 to 2 hours.
3. Meanwhile make the soup base
In a heat-safe bowl, add katsuo flake, garlic and kosher salt and set it aside. In a small cooking pot, add leek, sesame oil and vegetable oil. Bring it to a boil and once it is boiling, simmer for 3 minutes.
4. Then immediately pour this oil mixture into a bowl. Mix well.
5. Add kobucha, chicken powder and boiled water. Mix well : the salt should melt completely. Set aside. You can leave it until the chicken is ready.
6. Using a cooking sieve, strain the soup base into another bowl. Press or squeeze well against the sieve.
7. Transfer the sieve residual into another bowl and blend it with your hand blender until it is smooth like a paste.
8. Remove the chicken from the water and cut it in slices. Set it aside. With the soup stock, strain once and add more water to reach a total of about 2.5L (it's about 500ml per person) then bring it to a boil.
9. Prepare the noodles Cook your ramen according to the package instructions. Place 2 to 3 tbsp (or more) soup base into your serving ramen bowl, add the boiled soup stock, then place the cooked ramen into the soup.
10. Top your ramen with chicken, leek, egg etc.....Sprinkle sesame, and enjoy :)