As much a part of the national food culture as sushi, various types of curry served with white rice (Kare Raisu, カレーライス) has been an enduring favorite in Japan since the Meiji era (1868-1912). Known as “curry rice” or “rice curry”, these days they usually contain meat or poultry, potatoes, carrots, and onions. Unlike IndianRead On >
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Rafutei: Okinawa’s Slow-Simmered Pork
I was lucky enough to visit Okinawa once and loved it! Here is one of my favorite recipes from there. Modern Okinawa cuisine is based on dishes enjoyed by the rulers of the Ryukyu dynasty, which controlled Okinawa from 1372 to 1879, and traditional island homecooking. Originally, royal Ryukyuan cuisine was served only during specialRead On >
Katsuo no Tataki: Seared Bonito Sashimi with Garlic
Katsuo (Bonito) is a seasonal Japanese delicacy of early summer. The most popular way to eat it is as katsuo no tataki (“pounded bonito sashimi”), a traditional dish from Kochi Prefecture on Shikoku Island. (Part of Thanks for the Meal’s regional Japanese recipe collection.) This is a unique type of sashimi, the only kind toRead On >
Tofu: Skewered, Grilled, and Garnished (Part 1)
A move to Aichi Prefecture when I lived in Japan prompted a visit to Kikuso, one of the area’s most famous regional-food restaurants. Kikuso’s specialty is dengaku nameshi, a savory combination that has been served since the place opened sometime around 1820. Dengaku is a seductively simple, even primitive, dish, made of small squares ofRead On >
Delicious Tenpura Recipe (Tempura)
With a light, crispy, oil-free coating enveloping a perfectly cooked and succulent piece of seafood or vegetable, tenpura (also written tempura) is considered a quintessentially Japanese food. Both the word and the dish, however, are almost certainly of foreign origin. The source: Spanish and Portuguese missionaries called nanbanjin (southern barbarians) who came to Japan toRead On >
The Art of Ramen: Basic Chicken Stock For Ramen
This is a simple yet delicious stock base to make for any of your Ramen recipes. If you want to try other bases for the stock you can use cracked pork bones (for a richer stock) and even shelled short-necked clams. You can also quickly sauté the clams in sesame oil for a lighter stockRead On >
The Art of Ramen: Soy Sauce Flavoring for Ramen Soup
This is a traditional, yummy and simple Soy Sauce flavoring for Ramen noodles. Directions: Mash the garlic, ginger and leek together. Mix together the mirin, soy sauce and sake. Add all the ingredients to a small saucepan and let cook slowly, over low heat, for five minutes. Combine the soy sauce flavoring with hot stock. Place garnishes on top of the cooked noodles in the soy sauce flavored soup.
The Art of Ramen: Barbecued Pork (Chashu) For Ramen
Barbecued Pork (Chashu) is just one of the many traditional garnishes used for Ramen. It is surprisingly easy to make and has a very seductive taste and smells divine! When I make this, there are never any left-overs! Chashu’s origins come from the Chinese Cantonese barbecue pork dish called Char siu. This is part ofRead On >