Okinawa Soba
Okinawa soba, Soki soba is very famous in Japan.I will be introducing you on NHK world, Dining with the Chef pretty soon. In the program, I am using pork belly instead of pork spareribs.
Right now, NHK world is showing you how to cook Temaki Sushi.
Ryokan
If you have a chance to come to Tokyo, find a nice Ryokan to stay for one night. You can go to Izu or Shizuoka or many other places to find Onsen, the hot springs. It is like an Inn breakfast and dinner all included.
Foods taste wonderful.
Japanese Table Setting
I have a tatami room. Sometimes, I put a coffee table on the floor.Then I prepare the table setting. Sitting on a tatami room may be uncomfortable in the beginning, but we can sleep right after we eat and drink! I like to mix Japanese style with western style.
My Bird
He is Hibiki. Written as 響. It means ‘feeling of a sound’. He sleeps on the floor just like us Japanese.
Ham Cutlets
This is B-grade gourmet that has been popular in Japan.
- 4 slices of ham
- 1 slice of processed cheese
- 1 egg, beaten
- Bread crumbs
- Vegetable oil for deep-frying
- Cut each cheese slices in half. Sandwich each cheese piece with 2 slices of ham. Roll first in flour, then beaten egg, and finally panko bread crumbs.
- Pour the vegetable oil into a frying pan so that it reaches about 1cm up the side of pan, and heat to 170 to 180°C. (When a pinch of panko is dropped into the oil, it should slowly come up to the top when oil reaches 170 to 180°C.) Fry the ham pieces until the surface is golden brown.
- Cut into rounds and arrange on a serving plate. You can also fry string beans the same way.
Whisky Highball
I think whisky highball goes really well with the Japanese foods. I love adding a piece of lemon peel.
If you find some Japanese whisky, try some them with Japanese foods. (Try Ham Cutlets!)
Cabbage and Cucumber, Sesame Salad
Sesame oil together and sushi vinegars make a wonderful low calorie dressing. If you learn to julienne the cucumber, it would be very useful as you can use it for cold Japanese pasta and many other Japanese dishes.
- 500 cc (2 cups) shredded cabbage
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cucumber (if Japanese one, use 1)
- Red cabbage-sprouts to garnish
- [ Dressing ]
- 1/2 tsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sushi vinegar
- 2 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp sesame
- 1 tbsp vinegar (wine vinegar is fine)
- Salt to taste
- Mix the sauce in the bowl.
- Shred the cabbage. Julienne the cucumber.
- Sprinkle the salt over the cabbage and gently work it into the cabbage with your hands until the cabbage starts to soften. Add to the bowl together with fresh vegetables.
I picked up these flowers from the street. Tokyo appears to be the concrete jungle. But we have a lot of beautiful things around us.
