Unadon 鰻丼

Thanks to my mother-in-law whom gave me this huge slab of unagi! Just in time for me to whip up this awfully delicious quick meal for lunch today :D 

Recipe source : Japanese Cooking 101

Ingredient

• 1 fillet of unagi
• 1 tbsp sake
• steamed rice

Sauce:

• 120ml low sodium soy sauce
• 80ml mirin
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp sake

Method

1. Cut unagi fillet into 4 pieces and place them on the baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Drizzle sake over and bake in preheated oven at 200 deg cel for 8mins.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the sauce ingredient to a boil. Lower heat and simmer for 10mins until slightly thickened.
3. Place steamed rice in an individual bowl, drizzle about a tbsp of sauce over the rice. Top with cooked unagi on top. Spoon more sauce over the fish. Serve immediately.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cakeat this post.

Shogayaki (Ginger Pork)

This is one of the quickest dish I've ever prepared! As I've used thin cut Sukiyaki meat, from putting the meat into the heated pan to plating, it took barely 5 mins ^.^ The meat is so tender, sweet and juicy after  brief simmering in the flavourful gingery sauce :D

Recipe source : Just One Cookbook

Ingredient

• 250gm thinly sliced pork tenderloin (I use sukiyaki meat)
• 1/4 onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1" ginger
• salt
• black pepper
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 stalk spring onion, chopped

Seasonings :

• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp sake
• 2 tsp sugar

Method

1. Grate onion, garlic & ginger into a small bowl.
2. All the seasonings into the bowl. Stir well.
3. Season meat with some salt & black pepper.
4. Heat 1 tbsp oil in HCP. Pan fry pork, in single layer (in batches), on medium heat, less than 1 min on each side.
5. Return pork slices back into HCP, overlapping each slices slightly. Pour in the seasonings and spring onion evenly over the pork layers and simmer briefly. 
6. Serve immediately.

This dish taste very refreshing along with some Cabbage salad with Chuka-fu Dressing !

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cakeat this post.

Yakisoba 焼きそば

Does this noodle dish looks familiar to you?? It resembles Chinese Fried Noodles (炒面), but the taste is actually quite different 'cos of the sauce used :D Chinese Fried Noodles is more on the salty side which uses more light soy sauce whereas Yakisoba sauce is on the sweeter side :D Another fuss free one dish meal which the kids enjoy alot.

Recipe ref : justonecookbook.com

Ingredient

• 5 fresh shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 1 medium carrot, shredded
• 2 stalk spring onion, sliced
• 4 cabbage leaves, chopped into small pieces
• 250gm chicken fillet, thinly sliced (marinate lightly with pepper, salt, light soy sauce & cornflour)
• black pepper to taste
• 300gm dried buckwheat noodle
• Yakisoba sauce * 
• Ao-Nori for garnishing

*Yakisoba Sauce : 6 tbsp oyster sauce, 2 tsp light soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp sesame oil, salt   & black pepper to taste. Whisk together and adjust taste if necessary.

Method

1. Heat 2 tbsp oil in wok, add in chicken fillet and cook till meat is opaque and slightly golden brown at the edge.
2. Maintaining the stove fire at medium high heat, add in onion and stir fry till fragrant & soften.
3. Meanwhile cook the noodle according to package.
4. Add in mushroom, carrot & cabbage. Toss even. Add in black pepper and half of the yakisoba sauce. Cook till vegetables are tender.
5. Lower the stove heat to medium low, add in the noodle & spring onion, toss to mix evenly. Add in balance yakisoba sauce, mix well.
6. Dish up and garnish with dried seaweed powder. Serve immediately.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

Braised Mixed Tofu & Mushroom

This is our simple lunch today! One and only dish with along a bowl of warm rice :D A simple and healthy dish which packed with protein but low in fats & calories! 

These are a few varieties of tofu I've chosen for this dish to make it looks more interesting. You can replaced with normal plain firm tofu if they are not readily available :D

Recipe souce : 'Sauce' by Angela Cheng
Ingredient

• 100gm yellow tofu, sliced
• 100gm black tofu, sliced
• 100gm Baiye tofu (白页豆腐), shredded
• 80gm oyster mushroom
• 80gm fresh shiitake mushroom
• 100gm enoki mushroom
• 1/2 onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 30gm carrots, sliced
• 2 stalk spring onion, chopped

Braising sauce :

• 3 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 3 tbsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 2 cups water
• 2 tbsp cornstarch water

Method

1. Combine water and sugar together. Simmer over low heat till sugar dissolves. Add in soy sauce, oyster sauce and rice wine. Cook briefly and turn off heat.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan, sauté onion till soft and fragrant. Add in garlic and fry briefly.
3. Add in carrots, shiitake mushroom & oyster mushroom and mix evenly.
4. Pour in 1.5 cup braising sauce into the pan.
5. Add in all tofu and toss evenly. Cover pan and braise on low heat for 10mins.
6. Open lid and add in enoki mushroom and spring onion. Cook for another 1 min. 
7. Add in cornstarch water to thicken the sauce. Serve.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cakeat this post.

I am linking this to Cook Your Books #5 hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

Omurice オムライス

Omurice is literally Omelette + Rice :D This dish is commonly served in western style Japanese restaurant rather than the traditional restaurant. My girl is crazy over eggs! Therefore when she saw me whipping up this dish in the kitchen and she got so excited : 'I want eggs! I want eggs!' In the end she was chased out of the kitchen by me as I was trying very hard to roll up the omelette which required quite a bit of concentration hahaha....yes I failed the first omelette which broke into half :P

Recipe source : 'The Japanese Kitchen' by Masaki Ko

Ingredient (4 servings)

• 120gm chicken fillet, cut into small cubes
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 30gm carrots, diced
• 30gm sweet corn kernels
• 2 shitake mushroom, softened & diced
• 350gm cooked rice
• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 5 eggs
• 4 tbsp milk
• 1/4 tsp salt
• dash of black pepper
• 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese

Method

1. Marinate chicken lightly with salt & pepper. Set aside.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil in pan, saute onion for 1 min until soften.
3. Add in shitake mushroom and stir fry briefly.
4. Add in carrots & sweet corn kernel and stir fry till carrots are softened.
5. Add in chicken and fry until chicken is golden brown, about 2-3 mins.
6. Add in cooked rice and use a spatula to break up the rice. Toss evenly. Add in ketchup and mix evenly. Add in salt & pepper to taste if necessary.
7. Remove from heat and set aside.
8. Beat the eggs lightly. Add in milk, salt & pepper and mix evenly.
9. Lightly grease a non-stick pan over medium heat.
10. Pour in 1/4 of the egg mixture into the pan, swirl lightly to coat the base of the pan.
11. Sprinkle a portion of cheese over the edge of the omelette, top with some rice mixture. (do not attempt to overfill the omelette with rice as it will be difficult to 
12. Using a spatula, fold the omelette gently to cover the rice mixture. Slide the the roll to the edge of the pan to help to shape it into a curve. 
13. Invert the omelette onto a serving plate. Drizzle extra tomato ketchup over the omelette and served immediately.

As you can see the omelette is not fully set yet when I've placed in the cheese/rice mixture! This is to ensure that the omelette is not overcooked after it is rolled up. 

We all loved this Omurice! Moist tangy fried rice and the omelette is so soft & pillowy!

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

I am linking this to Cook Your Books #5 hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

Chicken Dices with Dried Beancurd

This is a lovely simple stir-fry dish, great with along a bowl of piping hot porridge! I usually use preserved turnip 菜脯 for making omelette, never thought it matches so well with fried beancurd :D I think it will taste even better with added some spiciness to it. As I wanted it to be more kids friendly, instead of adding in fresh chilli, I replaced it with some red capsicum.

Ingredient

• 200gm chicken breast meat, diced
• 200gm firm tofu, diced
• 1 tbsp dried prawns, soaked and chopped
• 1 tbsp preserved turnip, rinsed 
• 1 tbsp minced garlic
• 1/2 red capsicum, diced
• 1 tsp plum sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp sugar
• 5 tbsp water

Method

1. In some oil in wok, pan fry tofu till golden brown. Dish up and set aside.
2. With remaining oil in wok, sauté dried prawns, preserved turnip, garlic till fragrant.
3. Add in diced chicken and capsicum and fry for 2 mins.
4. Toss in fried tofu and seasoning and mix evenly for another 2 mins. Dish up.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cakeat this post.

Panda & Brown Bear Steamed Cupcakes

This is another steamed cute cupcakes from Junko's recipe book :D The outline looks rather ugly 'cos of my shaky hands hehehe but still resembles panda right? :P

Steamed Panda Cupcakes

Ingredient (4 medium cupcakes)

• 100gm pancake premix
• 1 egg
• 30gm sugar
• 30gm yoghurt
• 30ml milk
• 15gm melted butter
• 1/2 tsp cake flour
• 1 tsp charcoal powder
• raisins for filling (optional)

Method

1. Whisk egg and sugar till sugar dissolved.
2. Stir in yoghurt and milk.
3. Sift in pancake premix.
4. Stir in melted butter.
5. Scoop out another 1 tsp plain batter and mix with 1/2 tsp charcoal powder.
6. Scoop out 1 tbsp plain batter and mix with 1/2 tsp cake flour.
7. Pipe 4 pairs panda ears onto a lined baking sheet, steam over preheated steamer for 3 mins. 
8. Line 4 muffin cups, fill 1/3 plain batter into the cups. Place in your favourite fillings. Top with more plain batter till 80% full. Tap the cups lightly on surface to remove air bubbles.
9. Use step (5) batter and pipe out the eye & nose outline.
10. Use step (6) batter and pipe out the white eye.
11. Steam over preheated steamer on low heat for 15 mins until cook through. Wrap the steamer lid with a cloth to prevent condensation. 

The chocolate brown bear turned out disastrous hahaha...yet to be fully cooked but already crack so badly >.<"

2nd attempt on brown bear steamed cupcakes! Not giving up hahaha...I've actually reduced the cocoa powder and using very low heat, but still only one turns out perfect! sigh....Seems like whenever cocoa powder is mixed into the pancake mix the batter structure is not as stable as the plain cupcake base. Attempting this recipe again?? Maybe with another flavour before I give up on this recipe if it fails on me again :P

Steamed Brown Bear Cupcakes
Ingredient (4 medium cupcakes)

• 100gm pancake premix
• 1 egg
• 30gm sugar
• 30gm yoghurt
• 30ml milk
• 15gm melted butter
• 1 tsp cake flour
• 1/2 tsp charcoal powder
• 1 tbsp cocoa powder
• raisins for filling (optional)

Method

1. Whisk egg and sugar till sugar dissolved.
2. Stir in yoghurt and milk.
3. Sift in pancake premix.
4. Stir in melted butter.
5. Scoop out 2 tsp plain batter and mix with 1 tsp cake flour.
6. Scoop out another 2 tsp plain batter and mix with 1/2 tsp charcoal powder.
7. Sift in cocoa powder into balanced plain batter and mix well.
8. Pipe 4 pairs small bear ears onto a lined baking sheet, steam over preheated steamer for 3 mins. 
9. Line 4 muffin cups, pipe cocoa batter into the cups. Tap the cups lightly on surface to remove air bubbles.
10. Use step (5) batter and pipe out the mouth outline.
11. Use step (6) batter and pipe out the nose and eyes.
12. Steam over preheated steamer on low heat for 15 mins until cook through.

The texture is soft and fluffy :D

Recipe source : Junko - San no deco Mushi Cake

I am linking this to Cook Your Books #5 hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

Castella Cake (カステラ Kasutera)

Oh what a lovely honey sponge cake! I actually prefer this to the traditional 鸡蛋糕 hehehe....The texture is almost similar to the chinese steamed sponge cake, but this Castella Cake is more bouncy and moist with touch of honey flavour :D :D Though my cake is uncomparable to the traditional Castellla Cake, I'm glad that on my both attempts the cakes did not collapse and texture did not fare too badly.

Browning turned out different from both pans. 2nd cake was actually less brown though baking time was slightly longer! From the look at the picture, 2nd cake texture looks more finer :D Arrrgghhh but the surface still not as dry, I will try without bain-marie method next round :)

1st attempt                           2nd attempt 

160 deg cel 40mins                160 deg cel 45mins

Simple 4 ingredients : bread flour, sugar, eggs & honey

Various stages of beating the whole eggs & sugar together. It took approx. 5 mins using my handheld mixer to reach the thick ribbon stage.

Recipe ref : Just One Cookbook
Ingredient (two 9" x 5 " loaf pan)

• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 160gm sugar
• 200gm bread flour, sifted twice
• 5 tbsp honey
• 2.5 tbsp warm water

Method

1. Grease and line the loaf pan.
2. Combine honey and warm water and whisk well.
3. Place eggs in a large mixing bowl. Using a electric whisk, beat the egg till frothy.
4. Add in sugar and beat on high speed till thick and ribbon stage formed.
5. Turn down speed to low and whisk in honey.
6. Add in bread flour in 3 additions, beating on low speed until just combined. 
7. Pour batter into pan until 80% full. Using a skewer draw a zigzag line to remove air bubbles in the batter. Tap the pan on the counter several times to release air bubble.
8. Bake in preheated oven at 160 deg cel for 40-45 min until golden brown.
9. Place a sheet of cling wrap on the counter top. Unmould the cake from the pan onto the plastic wrap, top facing down. Gently peel off parchment paper.
10. Immediately wrap the cake with cling wrap to keep the moisture and chill in fridge overnight (at least 12 hours) keeping the top side facing down.
11. To serve, slice off the sides of the cake with a sharp knife and cut into thick slices. 

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

Chicken Karaage 鶏の唐揚げ

I seldom deep fried food, I find it so wasted to use up so much oil for deep frying food :P Moreover it is rather unhealthy to consume deep fried food often. So once in a while is fine to indulge and this dish sure will please everyone! Who can resist deep fried chicken right?! :D 

Recipe ref : japanfoodaddict.com

Ingredient

• 5 boneless chicken thigh, cut into chunks
• 20gm grated ginger
• 1 stalk spring onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely minced
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1/2 tbsp chicken stock powder
• 4 tbsp potato starch

Method

1. Combine all seasoning, except potato starch, in a small bowl.
2. Add in chicken chunks and marinate for at least 30mins or overnight in fridge.
3. Remove chicken from marinade, discard the liquid. Coat chicken pieces with potato starch evenly.
4. Heat appropriate amount of oil in a deep saucepan. Deep fry the chicken in hot oil for 5 mins until golden brown and crisp.
5. Put fried chicken on paper towel to drain away excess oil.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

Bento 弁当

Speaking of Japanese cuisine, you should be not unfamiliar with the term Bento! :D A simple tradition bento usually consist of rice, fish/meat and a salad dish. I always awed by some homemakers whom can make extremely beautiful bento for their family. It actually takes up quite some time and energy to prepare a healthy and balanced bento box! I do not usually make such an effort to create cute bento for the kids....hehehe

As I've prepared these 3 Japanese dishes today, they look rather plain and boring when standalone. Therefore I decided to present them in a bento style! As I was busying trying to arrange the food, my girl woke up from her nap and discovered the brown bear, can't help exclaiming 'wah!!! for me??!' >0< Not wanting her to 'destroy' the brown bear yet hahaha....I've gave her a undecorated inari-sushi and she chomped it down in a flash! 

Inari-sushi 

Kindled Chicken and Lotus Root &

Crab Stick, Hijiki Seaweed & Cucumber Side Dish

Recipe ref : 'The Japanese Kitchen' by Masaki Ko
Inari-sushi
Ingredient (10 wraps)

• 10 sheets fried tofu
• 200ml instant dashi  (dissolved 1 sachet 10gm dashi powder into water)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 7 tsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine
• 2 tbsp mirin
• dash of rice vinegar

For rice :

• 240gm Japanese rice
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

Method

1. Lay a sheet of fried tofu on a board. Using a chopstick as a rolling pin, roll the tofu, this will ensure that it opens easily when boiled.
2. Bring a saucepan of water to boil and blanch the tofu to remove excess fat. Drain and squeeze away liquid. Use a scissors and make a slit at one edge of the tofu.
3. Bring the stock, sugar, soy sauce, rice wine, mirin and rice vinegar to a boil.
4. Add the tofu, cover with a parchment paper, and simmer on low heat until the liquid has almost evaporated. It takes about 15 mins. Press down the parchment paper occasionally to squeeze the liquid from the tofu and prevent the pockets from filling. Drain and cool.
5. For the rice : Heat the sushi vinegar mixture and leave to cool.
6. Cook the rice, add 1 tbsp sake together with the measured cooking water. When rice is cooked, add the sushi vinegar immediately and stir well to mix.
7. Divide the warm rice between the tofu and fold the tofu to enclose the rice in neat parcels.

Tori To Renkon no Takiawase

Recipe ref : I Nom Things

Kindled Chicken and Lotus Root (Tori To Renkon no Takiawase)

Ingredient

Chicken (marinate & set aside)

• 3 chicken thighs, chopped into bite size (approx 450gm)
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 shitake mushroom, softened

Lotus Root (soak in vinegar water for 10mins)

• 200gm lotus root, sliced
• dash of white vinegar

Simmering liquid

• 3 cups dashi stock (dissolve 10gm dashi powder into water)
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 6 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin, divided

Method

1. Bring simmering liquid to boil. Divide into 2 portions.
2. Add lotus root into 1 pot and chicken pieces with mushroom into another.
3. Bring to boil. Cover the pot and simmer on low heat for 15 mins. 
4. Add mirin into each pot and continue to simmer until liquid reduce.

Crab Stick, Hijiki Seaweed & Cucumber Side Dish

Recipe ref : 'The Japanese Kitchen' by Masaki Ko
Ingredient

• 15gm dried hijiki seaweed
• 6 crabstick, blanched lightly with hot water
• 200gm cucumber, thinly sliced

Dressing :

• 4.5 tsp sugar
• 1/3 tsp salt
• 100ml rice vinegar
• 1/2 light soy sauce

Method

1. First make the vinegar dressing. Dissolve the sugar and salt thoroughly in the vinegar, then stir in soy sauce and chill.
2. Soak the hijiki seaweed in water for 25mins. Drain away water and rinse well.
3. Meanwhile, dissolve 1 tsp salt in 200ml water and add the sliced cucumber. Set aside for 5 mins. Drain the cucumber and gently squeeze out the water.
4. Shred the crab sticks.
5. Combine hijiki seaweed, cucumber and crab stick. Add vinegar dressing and toss lightly together. Serve immediately.

I am submitting this post to Asian Food Fest #1 Oct 2013 : Japan, hosted by Alan from travelling-foodie

I am linking this to Cook Your Books #5 hosted by Joyce from Kitchen Flavours.

This post is linked to the event, Little Thumbs up organised by Doreen from my little favourite DIY and Zoe of Bake for Happy Kids, hosted by Mich of Piece of Cakeat this post.