beef and summer vegetables ( 肉じゃが / Nikujaga )

Nikujaga is a very popular Japanese dish all year around. Normally it’s made with thinly sliced beef, onion and potato. This is a summer version Nikujaga.

serves 8


Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb. ground beef

4 potatoes, peeled and cut into 6 pieces

3  white onions, cut into 6 half moon shape

12 okra, remove the head and chop into 2 inch pieces

2 tomatoes, remove the skin and cut into 6 pieces

2 Tbs. vegetable oil

1/2 cup Japanese sake

2 cups water

4 Tbs. sugar

4 Tbs. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. corn starch, mix with 2 Tbs. water

Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium heat. Add the vegetable oil and the ground beef and cook until the meat becomes brown. Add potato and onion and cook about 3 minutes. Add the sake, water, sugar and salt and bring to boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 7 minutes.
Add the soy sauce, tomatoes and okra and continue simmering until remaining vegetables are cooked about 7 minutes.
Stir in the mixed corn starch water gently then remove the pot from the stove. Serve with rice.

almond flavor milk pudding ( 杏仁豆腐 / Annindofu )

Annindofu is not Japanese sweet though it goes well with any Japanese dishes. Everybody enjoys this light refreshing Asian desert.

serves 4 - 6

Ingredients:

1 cup water

2 1/2 cups whole milk, warm up to room temperature 

2 tsp. Kona Kanten ( available at Japanese stores )

2 Tbs. sugar

1/3 cup sweetened condensed milk

1 tsp. almond essence

for syrup

1 cup water

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. fresh lemon juice

1 mango, cut in cubes ( you can use your favorite fruits such as strawberries, blueberries or kiwi )

Directions:

Bring 1 cup of water to a boil In a deep medium pot over medium heat, add the Kona Kanten slowly and stir until it melts. Add the sugar and condensed milk and stir again.
Add the milk slowly 1/2 cup every 1 minute and stir well each time. 

1. Remove from the heat and stir in almond essence. Transfer the mixture into a glass container and let it sit until cool. Cover the container and keep refrigerated for over 3 hours or until it hardens like soft jello.  At this point it is annindofu.

Make the syrup: combine the sugar and water in a microwave safe container and microwave 1 minute and stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the lemon juice. Keep refrigerated until it becomes cool.
Pour the syrup over the annindofu. Garnish with your favorite fruit on top.
*You can make the day before you serve.

chicken salad with soy sesame dressing / brown rice / egg soup

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. chicken breast strips

1 inch piece ginger, sliced
1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs. Japanese sake or Chinese wine

1 egg, beaten

3 scallions, cut in 3 pieces each, then thinly sliced lengthwise

5 cups shredded lettuce

1 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, then thinly sliced

1 box small tomatoes, cut in halves

5 leaves Japanese Shiso, chopped or 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Soy sesame dressing, whisk well
4 Tbs. soy sauce
1 1/2 Tbs. sugar
2 Tbs. sesame oil
1 1/2 Tbs. vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 Tbs. crushed ginger
2 cloves garlic, crushed

Directions:
5 cups water in a medium pot, bring to a boil. Add the ginger, garlic, sake and chicken and boil for 1 minute then turn off the heat. Let it sit for 5 minutes until chicken is cooked then remove chicken from the stock. In this way, the chicken doesn’t get too hard. After it has cooled down, shred into bite sizes with hands.

Meanwhile make the egg soup: discard the ginger skin and bring the chicken stock to boil, pour in the egg and season with salt & pepper.

Divide the brown rice among 4 plates: top with the chicken, scallions, lettuce, cucumber and tomatoes. Garnish with Shiso. Serve the egg soup and sprinkle the dressing over each salad just before eating.

Japanese Shiso leaves

1. -beefsteak plant -

Shiso contain a lot of vitamins and minerals and are a good boost to the immune system; they are particularly good in helping to treat skin conditions and allergies, and have a healthy and soothing effect on the skin. These leaves have strong antibacterial properties making them effective against food poisoning, colds and flu.

sweet and sour salmon ( 鮭の南蛮漬け / syake no nanbanzuke )

Perfect fish dish on a hot day in the summer. Spicy pickled dressing will increase your appetite.

You can keep refrigerated up to 4 to 5 days.

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 lb. skinless, boneless salmon, cut into 8 to 10 pieces

1 carrot, cut into thin, 2-inch sticks

1 white onion, sliced

1/3 cup all purpose flour

vegetable oil for frying

nanbanzu dressing

1 1/2 cup bonito fish soup stock ( 2 teaspoons powered stock with 1 1/2 cup water )

2 Tbs. soy sauce

1/4 cup vinegar

1/4 cup Japanese Mirin ( sweet rice wine )

1/2 Tbs. sugar

1/2 tsp. salt

1 dried red chili pepper

Directions: 

Combine the nanbanzu dressing in a small saucepan over low heat. Stir and remove from heat once it boils.
Heat about 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot about 350F. Season the salmon with the salt on both sides. Coat each piece of salmon with the flour and fry in the hot oil until lightly golden, approximately 3 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
In a shallow glass container with a lid, transfer the fried salmon. Cover the salmon with the carrots and onions. Heat up nanbanzu dressing again and remove from the heat before it boils. Pour the hot dressing over the salmon, carrots and onions in the container. Keep the lid on until it cools down at least 1 hour. Serve at room temperature or slightly chilled.

spicy champagne mango salad

This salad is deliciously full of flavor but light. My husband’s all time favorite. Seasonal champagne mango adds a sweet surprise!

serves 4

Ingredients:

1 champagne mango, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

5 small/medium sweet tomatoes, each cut into 6 pieces

1/6 red onion, thinly sliced

1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro 

1/2 lb. french beans, steamed, cut in half

Spicy dressing, whisk well

1 or 2 red or green small fresh chilies, finely chopped

1 clove garlic, crushed

2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice

1 Tbs. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 Tbs. olive oil

Directions:

Combine all the vegetables in a bowl. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and turn gently to coat. Serve immediately.