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.