Japanese Feast.....simple dish

While I was cleaning my fridge, I realize that there is still a pack Japanese rice hidden in the fridge . Since, it has been in the fridge for some time, my plan is to have a Japanese meal so I can use consume all the rice as soon as possible. This is the only way to get rid all stuffs in my congested fridge.

I was lucky that I had just borrowed a Japanese Cooking book from a library. After going through the book, I have selected a few simple dish and I was amazed on how easy the Inari Sushi is prepared.

Here are the menu of tonight's dinner:
Inari Sushi
Chilled Tofu
Radish Steak (Daikon no suteeki)
Japanese Savoury Pancake (Okonomiyaki)


In Japanese meal, rice is one of the most important ingredient. The cooked rice will be blended with vinegar. The ratio of vinegar and rice is important to give a good taste of the rice.


Sushi Rice
3 cups Japanese rice
70 ml rice vinegar
3 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsps salt

NOTE:
a. The ratio of rice and vinegar is 1000 g, 150 g
b. The ratio of vinegar, white sugar and salt is 1000 g, 250 g, 130 g


1. Soaking of the rice: If you are using rice from a newly opened package, it should soak in water for 5-10 minutes. This is to let them absorb some water. In contrast, the rice from an opened package which is already absorbed the moisture in the air, depending on the rice condition, soaking time should be lesser.

2. When washing rice, it should scrub thoroughly for longer time, to wash out the outer layer of rice grains. After washing, use a sieve to separate water from the rice grains and place them in the fridge. By placing rice grains in fridge for overnight will allow suitable texture after cooking, which makes techniques of molding and grasping easier.

3. You may cook the rice using normal electrical rice cooker. It takes around 30 minutes for the rice to cook. Upon cook, do not open the lid and let the rice to rest for another 15 minutes. This is to make sure that each rice grain to be cooked completely and to avoid hard center.

4. The step of adding the vinegar to the rice is extremely important. Pour the completely cooked rice to a pan (I am using a cake pan). Use one hand to add in vinegar while the other hand is holding a rice paddle diagonally to stir the rice grains. This will allow every rice grain to absorb vinegar evenly. When stirring the rice, it should be done in same procedure, either from top to bottom or from bottom to top. This is to avoid the rice from becoming loss of looseness.

5. After mixing, use a fan to cool down the rice rapidly to the room temperature before cover it with a clean damp cloth. Now, the rice is ready.

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Dashi

Dashi is the Japanese stock. It is made konbu and bonito flakes. In order to get an extra strong taste, it is advisable to soak the konbu in water for at least 3 hours. I have soaked overnight to make sure that all the flavor is released in the water. You may skip this step if you do not have time.
Tips: Do not boil konbu in hot water as this will make the dashi bitter.

Ingredients
10 cm konbu (kelp)
9 g dried bonito flakes
400 ml water

1. Wipe the konbu with clean cloth. This is to remove the white powdery substance on the surface.

2. Combine water and konbu in a pot, soak konbu for about 10 minutes or if you have time, soak for around 3 hours.

3. Boil the water over low heat and remove the konbu just before the water boils. Add in bonito flakes and let the water boil for 30 second. Off the heat.

4. Set aside until all bonito flakes sink. Strain and discard bonito flakes. Stock is ready to use.

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Inari Sushi (Sushi with Tofu puff)

In my previous attempt in preparing this sushi, I was always buy the ready made ajitsuke inari from the supermarket. As for this time, I am decided to make them myself base on the recipe found in the book. It is so simple and the cost is really cheap! I prefer the self made ajitsuke inari as I can adjust the sweetness based on our taste.
The wrapping of this sushi is so easy that even my son can manage it.

Ingredients
20 pcs of tofu puffs (flat type)
500ml dashi (please refer to the recipe above)
Seaweed slices

3 1/2 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp soy sauce (shoyu), 2 tbsp sake (optional)

1. Boil tofu puffs in water for about 3 minutes to soften and remove excess oil. Drain well. Combine tofu puffs, water and bonito flakes in a pot, bring to boil and lower down the heat. Simmer with a tofu for 5 minutes. You may use a plate cover the puffs in order to make sure that the puffs is soaking in the water.

2. Then, add in all the seasoning and continue to simmer for about 10-15 minutes or until the puffs are soft. Remove from heat and let tofu puffs soak in the liquid.

3. To assemble, drain tofu puffs and slit each piece into half. Open up each half along the cut edge to make a small pocket.

4. Take a small portion of sushi rice and form into oval shape, stuff into the tofu puff. You may moist your hands with vinegar and sugar mixture to prevent the rice from sticking on the hands. Line a piece of seaweed strip along the sushi.

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Chilled Tofu (Hiyayakko)
This dish is quite similar to my mom's cold dish . Instead of using garlic oil and light soya, this recipe is served with bonito flakes. This dish is really simple and you can really taste the tofu flavor. You do not really need any special skill to prepare this dish.

Ingredients
1 box of tofu (cotton tofu)
Some bonito flakes
2 stalks of spring onions (chopped)
some Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)

1. Divide tofu into 4 portions. Top with spring onions and some bonito flakes.
2. Drizzle some soy sauce over the top just before serving.

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Radish Steak (Daikon no suteeki)

Ingredients
1/2 radish
1 liter water
A handful of bonito flakes
1 tsp cooking oil
1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (shoyu)
sugar to taste


1. Peel radish skin. Cut radish into 1 inch thick circles.

2. Boil radish in rice water (from washing rice or add about a tablespoon of rice in the water) for about 10 minutes. Drain and rinse.

3. In a clean pot, boil 1 liter of water. Add in the bonito flakes and radish into the pot. Lower the heat and simmer until radish turns soft.

4. Remove radish from pot and pat-dry with paper towel.
5. Heat oil in a pan, pan-fry radish till lightly brown, add in soy sauce and some sugar to taste. Cook until sauce is reduced.

6. Transfer to serving places, garnish with spring onion and sprinkle some Furikake over the top. Serve warm. This dish is really nice and

Japanese Savoury Pancake (Okonomiyaki)

Okonomiyaki contains a lot of ingredients; however the main ingredient is the cabbage. Okonomiyaki means favorite in Japanese, and thus, you may add in any preferred ingredients. The presence of mayonnaise makes it easier to be accepted by most of the kids even the main ingredient is vegetable.

The baby yam called in this recipe is Yamaimo or Huai San in Chinese. When grated Yamaimo mix with flour, baking powder and dashi will give a sticky batter. Let the batter to sit in the fridge for around an hour before mixing with the entire ingredients. 

Ingredients
100 g baby yam (grated)/ Yamaimo
120 g low protein flour (cake flour)
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 cabbage, diced
1 small onion, diced
4 eggs
200 g seafood (prawns, squids)
250 ml dashi
2-3 tbsp cooking oil


Topping
Some Japanese mayonnaise
Some bonito flakes
Some nori flakes / Furikake
Some okonomi sauce


1. In a large bowl, mix flour, baking powder and dashi. Stir in grated yam, mix well. Keep in the fridge for an hour or longer.

2. Add in onions, cabbage, prawns, eggs into the batter. Mix well.

3. Spread a thick layer of mixer in the center of the pan, cook over medium heat until it is lightly brown. Then flip over.

4. Press the cake gently to ensure while surface has contact with the pan. Add a little oil if required. When it is cooked, transfer onto a serving plate.

5. Spread okonomiyaki sauce evenly on the pancake, drizzle mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, sprinkle with nori and bonito flakes. Serve warm.

Ipoh Shredded Chicken Rice Noodles (Kai See Hor Fun) 怡保鸡丝河粉 (Version 1)

Weekend is finally here!! I really love weekend as this is the time I can explore a new recipe and let my family try on my new 'creation'! This week, I am planning to cook..... Ipoh Shredded Chicken Rice Noodles.

I am really excited as this is my first attempt of cooking this dish. I have been doing some research on this dish and I would say, the most challenging part is to get a nice chicken stock. Fresh ingredients is essential. Other than chicken,  prawn shells are also needed in preparing the soup. The soup is normally served with hor fun, along the shredded chicken, slices of prawn, chives and bean sprouts. You may include some fish balls for the kids.

My first attempt turns out to be very good. My family loves it a lot....... and it makes my day!!!!!

Ingredients
(Serving of 4-6 persons)

For the broth
1 medium chicken
500 g of prawns, washed and deveined (reserved the prawn shells)
5 leaves of Chinese cabbage (optional)
Rock sugar (about 5 pieces or to taste)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp of oil

Garnishing
Chives
Fried onions (shallots)
Bean sprouts
Shredded chicken

Making the broth

1. Heat up 3 liter of water. When the water boils, soak the chicken in the water. Lower the heat and let it cook until it is done. It takes around 40-50 minutes. Upon cooked, immediately transfer the chicken to a pot of cold water and let it soak for at least 10 minutes. This step is important to make the meat juicy and tender. Then, remove the flesh from the bone. Put the bones back to the chicken stock. Reserve the chicken meat; shredded before serving the meat.

2. Heat up a pan. Stir fry the prawns shells for around a minute or until they turn to golden colour. Then, transfer to the chicken stock (step 1). Normally, I will use some water to raise the pan to make sure that all the prawn's juice that are stick on the pan is being transferred to the chicken stock (with bones). Simmer for an hour or longer until you see a layer of red oil on top of the stock.

3. Strain the stock. Taste with sugar and salt. You may use chicken stock concentration to enhance the taste (optional).

Garnishing
4. Shredded the chicken meat and set aside.

5. Blanched the prawn meat in the soup, removed.

6. Cut chives into 1 inch strips. Blanch

Noodles
7. Blanched a serving of hor fun and bean sprouts in a pot of boiling water for around 5-10 seconds. Put into a bowl. Add some prawns, shredded chicken and chives. Then, add in the boiling broth. Before serving, garnish with fried shallots.

Low Calories Blueberry Cheese Cupcake

Today I am really craving of Cheesecake! I kept on thinking of the creamy cheesecake texture melted over my throat.

With the limitation of time and ingredients, I came out with this recipe. We only use around 45 minutes from weighing the ingredients to fully bake the cheese cake! That is really amazing, isn't it?

Since this recipe is so simple, I have offered my kids to do some mixing steps and baking for me. I am doing the cleaning and scooping the cheese mixture into the cake mold. My son is helping me in preparing the base and cream mixture while my girl is performing the most important task .....ON and OFF the mixer!

In this recipe, I am using low fat cheese cake so that it will lower some of the calories  :)
The most important step of making this cake is having a smooth cheese mixture. Thus, the mixing process is really important here. Other than mixing, there is no other challenge in baking this cake. It is a real cake for beginners... you can image, even my kids can make this cake!

This cake is really yummy and my kids really love it!!!

Ingredients
250g low fat cream cheese (Philadelphia low fat cream cheese)
5 tbps of caster sugar
140g low fat yogurt
1 egg
50g fresh blueberry

90g digestive biscuit (or any high fiber cookies)
1 tbsp melted low fat margarine/butter

1. Preheated oven to 160'C.

2. Use a roller to roll over the digestive biscuit until fine. Use a spoon to mix digestive biscuit and melted margarine well. Pour into paper cups. Press flat by using spoon.

3. Mix cream cheese and caster sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes until fluffy. Stir in egg until it is well mixed. Lastly, add in yogurt and blended well.

4. Add in blueberries and combined with the mixture with a spoon. 

5. Pour./Scoop cheese mixture into paper cup with 3/4 full using a spoon. 

6. Bake in preheated oven over hot water bath for 30-35 minutes. Cool them down before store in refrigerator for about 4 hours before serve.

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