New Year' Eve(Oomisoka)

It's almost 2012.  Today is the beautiful day, no rain but very hot.  I see the sunset like the photo.

Tonight, we have a very casual meal as we have to eat the traditional evening meal, to have while waiting to greet the new year is a bowl of soba noodles, called Toshikoshisoba.  It means "end the old year and enter the new year".

I will just make some finger foods such as salmon canape and cheese platter and some good bread with a glass of champagne before we will eat noodles.

I made Misobutadon the other day.  Lots of lettuce on the rice with pork sliced and a boiled egg.  It's really good combination.

Have a happy new year and all the best to you in 2012!

Christmas Dinner

I made roast pork with thyme, rosemary and served with caramelised pineapples, prunes and apples.  Baked potatoes with turmeric, paprika and Brussels sprouts with bacon.  Chiffon cake was decorated by my younger daughter.

Hope you had a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas!

In Japan, the new year's day is the most special day.  We celebrate eating special dishes and go praying etc.  Of course, Christmas is also a special day, but it is more like a style or fashion in Japan.

I celebrate Christmas and a New year's day both.  Tomorrow I will bake a roast pork with apples, prunes, pineapples etc.  We will have a big Christmas dinner!  I will up date it here.

Now I am baking a Chiffon cake so at the moment, no photos:)

Merry Christmas to everyone!  Happy eating!

Lotus Root Tempura

Lotus Root is a vegetable from Asia and is found underwater.  It is good for Salad, cooked with meat and other vegetables.

How I like to eat Lotus Root?  Simply Tempura.  Peel the skin and slice it and soak in the water a little while.  Dry.  Mix flour and cold water together and coating Lotus Root.  Fry with 180 degrees oil for about 5 minutes.

Sprinkle good Himalayan or Guerande Salt on it.

Buta Shabu Salad

ShabuShabu is a traditional Japanese dish you cook in a pot.  Usually, you cook by yourself just swish the meat in the pot.  You cook thinly sliced beef and vegetables and are usually served with dipping sauces.

It is more like a winter dish as you cook in a pot(Nabe) in front of you on the table.  It's so warm and cozy during a winter season.  However, here is a tropical country and sometimes I make ShabuShabu with air conditioning room and still very hot.

So I made this ShabuShabu Salad instead.  It is very summery and light dish.  I used very thinly sliced pork and made sauce with soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, chili oil(Rayu), sesame oil and chopped leek.

Fruits Salad

What I like living in a tropical country is that there are so many kind of fruits which you can't get it or it's very hard to get it in Japan.

Mango is from Thailand, Australia, India, Indonesia and they are all sweet.  Apple is from New Zealand or Australia, some of them are from South America.  Dragon fruits are very nice, looks like a bit Japanese sesame sweet.  Kiwi is also very nice.

Just cut a cube size and mix well in the bowl.  In the end, put Mandarin Orange(canned) so that fruits don't change the colours.

Good for snack or dessert.

Tamagoyaki(Japanese Omelette)

Tamagoyaki is very popular in Japan.  I make so often this Tamagoyaki because my family love it and good for any occasion such as for breakfast, lunch, dinner, Sushi and lunch box to take out.
It is made by rolling together several layers of cooked egg.  I put sake, sugar, soy sauce, dashi and a bit water and mix with eggs.  Then cook it.

Tofu Shiraae(Mashed Tofu Salad)

Tofu has many way of eating and as I live in a tropical country I like to eat like Hiyayakko.  This is another way to eat Tofu.  It's called Shiraae.  Shira means white and ae means mix.

Wrap tofu with kitchen paper and leave it in the fridge about 2-3 hours or put microwave for few minutes. Mash tofu gently and put Mirin, Soy Sauce, Sugar and sesame seeds.  I put Hijiki(a brown sea vegetable) which contains a lot of mineral and fibre.  Also carrots and sugar beans for color.

Beef Brisket

Brisket is a cut of meat from the breast or lower chest of beef or veal.


I don't cook beef so often, but sometimes I feel like cooking beef.
I found a very nice beef brisket in a shop so I got it and cooked with red wine for 3 hours with onions, carrots and garlic.


It is very juicy and tender.

White Asparagus

White Asparagus is very popular in the Netherlands.  They serve with potatoes.  My mother-in-law make wonderful Asparagus during the season.

In Japan, you can find canned white asparagus, but it is not so nice.  First time, I saw real white asparagus in the Netherlands, I was so touched.
It is delicious, tender and can not stop eating.

Asparagus with Orange Dressing

Asparagus has many kind of vitamins and I like to cook Asparagus in Japanese way, Western way.

This is Asparagus Salad with orange dressing.  Boil Asparagus then soak in the cold water so that the colour stay bright green.  Squeeze 2 oranges into the pan and bring to boil.  It becomes thick then off.  Add chopped onions and mustard and orange zest.  Grate pecorino cheese on top.

Napkins

I like to hole napkins when we have guests at home.

This is what I usually make, looks like Kimono.

Chopstick holder is a handmade from Japan.  This kind of handmade stuff can be found in shops, department stores and a souvenir shop in hot springs(onsen) area in everywhere in Japan.

Gruyere Cheese Spaghetti

This is our family's favorite pasta.  It's Gruyere Cheese spaghetti.  Grate Gruyere cheese and mix with olive oil, garlic and salt.  Very simple, but very very tasty.  It is great with Riesling wine.

Riesling

I was not a big fan of German wine before, but I had a fantastic Riesling in Germany this summer.  I miss this wine very much and I even miss more our friends I had this wine with.

Lunch Bento Box at Japanese Association

There is a restaurant in Japanese Association and they serve nice food.

I had this lunch bento box the other day.  I felt I was in Japan:)

Sunset from my balcony

It's autumn and almost beginning of winter time in Japan or Holland and other countries.  However, Singapore is a tropical country so you won't feel the season:(   I miss 4 seasons, but I am glad to see such a beautiful sunset while I am having a glass of cold white wine from my balcony.

Agedashidofu

Agedashidofu is a fried tofu.

Wrap a tofu in a kitchen paper for few hours and keep in the fridge or you can put it in a microwave wrapped by kitchen paper for about 1 minute.  This is called " Tofu no mizukiri" (take out of water from tofu).  Lightly dusted with potato starch or cornstarch and mix with a bit flour then fried until golden blown.  Serve in a hot mentsuyu topped with grated daikonoroshi and bannonegi(Japanese spring onion) on the top.

Salmon with Mandarin Orange

Salmon is a very popular fish in Japan.  We eat usually grilled salmon.  It is nice, but I like to eat Salmon more western style.  I made salmon with mandarin orange.

For 2 big salmon fillet
-Make a sauce.  Mix with 2 tbs of soy sauce, 1 tsp of oyster sauce, 1 tsp of brown sugar and 1 clove chopped garlic
- Blush the sauce on salmon and leave it for 20- 30 minutes in a fridge.  Then put mandarin orange on it and baked in the oven (400F) about 10 minutes.

I served with brown rice and some green on a plate.

It's easy, quick and tasty.

Corned beef

Corned beef is also quite popular in Japan.  I've never bought it here in Singapore as I totally forgot about it.  We had a dinner party the other day and one of our guest brought many corned beef cans as he is doing business with that company.  When I saw the tin I said "Wow, it remind me of my childhood (Natsukashii)" cause every household has a corned beef in their pantry for an emergency.  It's good for 2 years at least.

I wondered if my family liked it or not so I was not brave to use it.  However, I made appetizer with corned beef.  How did they like it?  They love it:)

Potato Salad

There are many kinds of potato salad.  I don't know if it's popular in other countries but in Japan it is a very popular dish.  You can buy it at a supermarket or department store's food section, but if you make your own potato salad, it tastes much better.

This recipe is from my mom:
- Boil some potatoes with a bit sugar and salt.
- Use the boiling potato water to add sliced onions for 2 minutes and then scoop out the onions and drain.
- When potatoes are soft, drain and put them back to a pan.
- Put a small fire to dry the water out from potatoes.  Then mash and add the onions.
- Add Japanese mustard (Karashi) and Mayonnaise.
- Place cucumber, ham and boiled eggs around the potatoes.

Peach Crumble

This recipe is from a very good friend of mine in France.  We visited her this summer and she made this for us for dessert.

I made peach crumble yesterday and sprinkled roasted almond on top.

Yummy!!

Ikebana 2

These two photos are same kind of flowers.  Pink one is Japanese Ikebana and red one is just arranged in small glasses on a dining table.

Which one you like better?

Apple Flap

Apple Flap is like an apple pie by dutch style.  You don't need to cook fillings, just place sliced apple and raisin and cinnamon on the pie sheet, fold it, then bake.

Fruits Shop in Holland

There are so many nice fruits shops in Holland.
I love to go there and wish it was here in Singapore!

Strawberry Salad

Japanese strawberries are very sweet, but here in Singapore it is very expensive and not in a season now.  There are lots of strawberries from US here, but it is not as sweet as Japanese one.

I was thinking how to eat the US strawberries nice way.  Then I made this salad.
 
It is mixed with baby spinach and strawberries with olive oil, sugar, Dijon mustard and a tea spoonful of fresh lime juice.

It is so fresh and nice colour combination.  Also strawberries became sweet:)

Saba Shioyaki (Japanese salted mackerel)

Saba is a popular fish in Japan.  You can eat as sashimi, fried saba etc.  I like Saba Shioyaki just grilled salted mackerel.  Daikonoroshi must be with Saba shioyaki. 

Fried burdock(gobo)

Gobo is a root vegetable and it has a lot of fiber, but not many people like it as it is really hard and has soil like taste.  However, this vegetable is really healthy and low calories.  After you cut gobo about 5cm pieces, soak in water about 10 minutes then boil them.  Drain and soak in a bowl with soy sauce and mirin for about 30 minutes.  Then sprinkle potato starch and fry them only 2 minutes.  Yummy snack!

Tart

I learned how to bake a tart from my mother in-law.  She is almost a professional patissier.

This is not so difficult as you imagine.  Strangely, my kids are not big fans of cakes, but they love this tart.

When you have guests at your home for dinner, you can surprise them to serve this whole tart for a dessert.

Eringi Mushrooms Sashimi Style

Eringi Mushrooms are nutritious but low calories.
We eat often in Japan like Miso soup, grilled, fried vegetables etc.
I made a different style, Sashimi style.

Cut Eringi Mushrooms thin slices and cook in a boiled water for a minute.
Drain well and dry then place on the dish.
Sprinkle mixed soy sauce and wasabi then chopped spring onions and white sesame.

Tomato Salad

I was very busy the other day and came home late, kids were really hungry.  I already made the pasta sauce the day before and I didn't want to give them only pasta.  I looked my fridge and saw cherry tomatoes, rosemary.  In a bowl,  I put them and chopped garlic and a table spoon of honey and olive oil.  Mixed well.  I cut the center of tomatoes a bit so that it tastes more.  Children finished all of them:)

Akiaji Beer

This is a Japanese Beer called "Akiaji(taste of autumn)".  This is limited brew in Autumn and I always liked this beer when I was living in Japan.  It's rich and fresh. Now I can even found it in Singapore!  Singapore is a tropical country so I miss four seasons.  This beer made me miss Autumn in Japan.  My favorite season.....

 

Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese savoury pancake containing a variety of ingredients. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want" and yaki means "grilled".
In a dough, I put thin sliced cabbage.  Put on the grill then place the pork belly thin sliced and some spring onions.
You can put seafood such as prawn, squid etc, but I like the most simple way.  When it's ready, put some mayonnaise, okonomi sauce, aonori(green seaweed flakes) and bonito flakes on top.

Kyuri Asazuke (Japanese lightly pickled cucumbers)

Kyuri Asazuke is a Japanese cucumber that has been lightly pickled.  This is a wonderful refreshing snack or side to a meal. You cut cucumbers thin sliced and marinated with sea salt, rice vinegar, granulated sugar and water.  You can use a glass jar to put all the ingredients, but I usually use a zip lock.  When you put everything into a zip lock, you rub so the cucumbers absorb the taste faster.

I also added daikon(white radish) in it.

Lunch Box

Every Tuesday morning, I make 3 lunch boxes for my daughters and her friend.  My oldest daughter's friend loves Japanese food and she is a big fan of my food:)

This is today's lunch box.  Tamagoyaki(Omelet), Torino Karaage(Fried chicken Japanese style), Tuna soboro on the rice and inside rice has one sheet of seaweed, mini tomatoes for colour, Kombu tsukudani (Tsukudani is a method of cooking something with soy sauce, sake and/or mirin, and sugar until it’s very dark, quite salty and sweet too. It is packed full of umami.) by on the rice.

Poffertjes & Bitterballen

Poffertjes are a traditional Dutch small pancake.  It looks like a bit Takoyaki, but this is more flat.  Eat with powder sugar.

Bitterballens are a savoury Dutch meat-based snack, typically containing a mixture of beef (minced or chopped), beef broth, flour and butter for thickening, salt and pepper.

In Holland, you can eat them at any cafe or restaurant.  I like to eat them with a beer sitting outside watching people goes by.

Takoyaki(Octopus Balls)

Takoyaki is originated in Osaka and you can even make Takoyaki at home if you can get a cast iron or an electric takoyaki pan.  I had never made Takoyaki before at home as my parents are from Tokyo as well as myself.  One day my daughter had a play date with her friend whose mother is from Osaka.  We had Takoyaki party and it was a big success.  Kids really enjoyed it so I learned from the mother how to make it.

It's simple and tasty.  Mix flour, egg, and dashi soup.  Pour batter into the pan and add octopus(cut small pieces), some spring onions, tenkasu(deep fried small balls).  When you eat it, put Tonkatsu sauce (Japanese worcestershire sauce) or Okonomi sauce and mayonnaise and blue seaweed(Aonori) on top.

Cup Cake

I don't bake often, but sometimes I really feel like baking more than cooking.
I baked this cup cakes for my kids and their friends.  My kids like the most simple one so I just baked with flour, egg, sugar and put the dry cherry on it.

Tonjiru(miso soup with pork and vegetable)

Tonjiru is a kind of miso soup with thin pork belly with vegetables such as daikon, carrots, negi, gobo shiitake, aburaage(fried tofu skin) and tofu.  This soup is very popular in Japan especially in north of Japan as it's very cold winter time.

Singapore is a tropical country though I miss sometimes having Tonjiru.  My oldest daughter who loves western food doesn't like miso soup, but she likes Tonjiru.  I guess that Tonjiru has more volume and flavour than normal miso soup.

Shokado Bento

Shokado Bento is a famous bento originated in Kyoto.  However, you can eat anywhere in Japan at a traditional Japanese restaurant.  This is what I had when I was in Japan last time.

Prawn with Yuzukosho

So here is the dish that I used Yuzukosho.  Clean and open prawns and paste a tiny bit Yuzukosho and garlic powder.  Sprinkle Katakuriko(potato starch, you can use corn starch for a replacement).  Put a table spoon of salad oil in the pan and cook both sides for a few minutes.  Squeeze lemon before you eat.  Yummy!

Yuzukosho

Yuzukosho is a type of Japanese seasoning. It is a paste made from green chili peppers and yuzu peel and salt.  It is famous in Kyushu.  My uncle is making his own Yuzukosho in Kyushu and he send me often and I love to use this spicy, but flavourful seasoning on my dishes.  You can also buy a bottle of Yuzukosho in a Japanese supermarket.

Kyuri to Wakame no Sunomono (Vinegard salad with Cucumber and Wakame)

New study have found that a compound in wakame known as fucoxanthin can help burn fatty tissue.  It is also used in topical beauty treatments.

One of my favorite Sushi restaurant in Singapore

I like to make sushi at home for my family or guests, but sometimes I feel like going out and eat good sushi.

This is one of my favorite sushi restaurant in Singapore. They have a really good quality of fish and rice.  They use Koshihikari rice from Niigata.  The price is reasonable especially for lunch time.  They will open another sushi restaurant in Novena in October. 

Tomi Sushi
9 Raffles Blvd
Parco Marina Bay #03-04
TEL: 6333-4633

Acerola

Acerola has a natural high vitamin C, there are 1677.6 mg of vitamin C in 100 g of fruit and we ate a lot of acerola in Holland.

Unfortunately, I haven't found this kind of acerola in Singapore yet.  We have a lot of acerola juices, food in Japan though.