Kinpira Renkon

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Kinpira renkon is braised lotus root. Lotus root (renkon) is rich in vitamin C and is thought to be a good luck food in Japan.

Kinpira Gobo Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 lb. renkon (lotus root), peeled and sliced into thin rounds or thin half rounds
• 3 oz. carrot, peeled and sliced into thin half-rounds
• 2 tsps vegetable oil and 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp sake
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1 1/2 Ttbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp soysauce
• 1 tsp sesame seeds

Preparation:

Soak renkon slices in water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Heat oil in a large skillet. Stir-fry carrot and renkon slices for a couple minutes on medium heat. Add sake and stir-fry until the liquid is gone. Add mirin and sugar and stir-fry until the liquid is gone. Further, add soy sauce and stir-fry quickly. Stop the heat and sprinkle sesame seeds at last.
*Makes 4 servings


Source
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/vegetable/r/kinpirarenkon.htm

Yudofu Recipe - Tofu Recipe

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Here is an easy tofu recipe. Yudofu is Japanese tofu hot pot.
Japanese Tofu Recipes

Japanese Recipes
Japanese Food Pictures

Ingredients:

• 2 blocks silk tofu (kinugoshi)
• 6 inches konbu (kelp)
• 5 cup water
• For dipping sauce: 2 cups dashi soup
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• For toppings: dried bonito flakes / chopped scallions

Preparation:

Clean the konbu with wet towel. Put the konbu and water in a donabe ceramic pot and leave it for a few hours. Cut tofu into small cubes. Put the pot over low heat at the table. Add tofu in the pot and simmer. Put dashi soup stock, soy sauce, and mirin in a pot and heat to make dipping sauce. Pour the dipping sauce into individual bowls. Add some topping in the bowl and eat boiled tofu, dipping in the sauce. Makes 4 servings


Source
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/tofu/r/yudofu.htm

Edamame Appetizer Recipe - Salt-boiled Edamame

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Edamame are green soybeans which are rich in proteins and vitamins A, B, and C. Salt-boiled edamame in pods are eaten by squeezing beans out of pods with fingers. It's a great appetizer to serve with beer.
*If you are using cooked frozen edamame, just thaw them in the bridge.
Photo Tutorial: How to Prepare Edamame Appetizer

About Edamame

Japanese Vegetable Recipes

Japanese Recipes
Japanese Food Pictures

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. fresh edamame in pods, or frozen edamame in pods
• 1 tbsp plus 1 tbsp salt

Preparation:

Cut off the stem end of edamame pods. Wash edamame and drain. Put edamame in a medium bowl. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over the edamame. Rub them with salt. Boil lots of water in a large pot. Add 1 Tbsp of salt in the boiling water. Add edamame in the boiling water and boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Drain in a colander. Spread boiled edamame on a flat tray and sprinkle 1 Tbsp of salt over them. Cool the edamame.
*Makes 4 servings


Source
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/bean/r/edamame.htm

Japanese Grilled Eggplant

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Japanese grilled eggplants are called yakinasu and usually served cold. It's a traditional Japanese summer dish.
Japanese Eggplant Recipes

Japanese Vegetable Dishes

Ingredients:

• 4 Japanese eggplants
• 2 tsp grated fresh ginger
• 2 Tbsps katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes)
• *soy sauce for seasoning

Preparation:

Heat grill. Place eggplants on the hot grill. Grill them until they are softened and the skins get really burnt. Cool the grilled eggplants in water and peel the skins. Dry eggplants with paper towels and trim the stems. Chill eggplants in the refrigerator. Serve them on a plate and put katsuobushi and grated ginger on top. Season with some soy sauce before eating.
*2 servings


Source
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/vegetable/r/broiledeggplant.htm

"Chicken" Teriyaki Bowl

By Jolinda Hackett

"Chicken" Teriyaki Bowl recipe courtesy of Follow Your Heart Natural Foods

Ingredients:

• 1 vegetarian Chicken Free Chicken, sliced into strips
• 1/2 cup onion, thinly sliced
• 2 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 celery stalk, thinly sliced
• 1/4 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/4 tsp crushed ginger
• 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, cut into strips
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp Bragg Liquid Aminos or soy sauce
• 1/2 tsp chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup water

Preparation:

Sautee onions, garlic and ginger in olive oil until lightly browned. Add all other ingredients, including Chicken Free Chicken. Heat to simmer. Simmer 10 minutes. Serve over rice in a soup or salad bowl.


Source
http://vegetarian.about.com/od/maindishentreerecipes/r/teriyakibowl.htm

Chestnut Rice

From Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional by Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner

Chestnuts and brown rice with mirin rice wine make an interesting Japanese dish. It is a very simple, yet delicious dish and a nice change from plain white rice.

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces chestnuts
• 3 cups white or brown rice
• 3-1/2 cups water for white rice or 5 cups water for brown rice
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons mirin

Preparation:

Spread the chestnuts on a cookie sheet, and roast in a 350-degrees F. oven for about 40 minutes. With a sharp knife, remove the chestnut shells, peeling off the brown skins if necessary. (They are very bitter.)

Wash the rice and add the water, sea salt, and mirin in a pot or rice cooker. Add the shelled chestnuts, cover, and cook 15 minutes for white rice or 45 to 50 minutes for brown rice. Let set for 10 to 15 minutes.

With a shamoji (flat, wide wooden rice spatula) or wooden spoon, mix and fluff up the rice, and serve immediately.

Yield: 6 servings

Recipe Source: Japanese Cooking - Contemporary & Traditional by Miyoko Nishimoto Schinner (Book Publishing)
Reprinted with permission.


Source
http://homecooking.about.com/od/vegetablerecipes/r/blv209.htm

Japanese-style Christmas Menu

By Setsuko Yoshizuka

Japanese people celebrate Christmas even though most of the population isn't Christian. You might be wondering what Japanese people eat on that day. It's common to eat a special dinner on Christmas Eve in Japan. Many people go out for a special dinner at a fancy restaurant, so the well-known restaurants are usually fully booked on Christmas Eve.

At home, the kinds of Christmas dinner dishes change slightly year-by-year, but usually roast chicken or fried chicken and a Christmas cake are included. In fact, KFC restaurants around Japan get very busy on Christmas Eve. Instead of cooking a whole chicken, cooking chicken thighs is common in Japan. Lately, various pizza has also become a popular food to eat on the Christmas Eve.

Most of Japanese people buy Christmas cakes at stores. Different kinds of Christmas cakes are sold everywhere in Japan. When making a typical Japanese Christmas cake at home, making sponge isn't easy for beginners. You can use any cake mix if you would like. Also, roast teriyaki chickens are popular Chrismas menu. Try making your own roast teriyaki chickens. Here is a list of some ideas for Japanese-style Christmas dinner.

Source

http://japanesefood.about.com/cs/holidays/a/christmasdinner.htm