Some Recipes

A common Japanese meal consists of rice and three side dishes. The three side dishes are usually raw fish (sashimi) a grilled dish and a simmered dish. This unique Japanese view of a meal is reflected in the organization of traditional cookbooks. Chapters are organized according to cooking techniques: fried foods, steamed foods and grilled foods. And further organized according to ingredients, pork, beef and chicken.

You may consider actually traveling to Japan expensive, it is however much easier to prepare scrumptious Japanese dishes in your very own home. The following are recipes of the more famous foods in Japan.

MISO SOUP

Ingredients:
5 to 6 Cups Water
1/4 Block Soft Tofu
1 Cup Wakame
1 Cup Onions, Sliced In Half Moons
2-2 1/2 TBSP Brown Rice Miso, Or Any Other Variety
1/3 Cup Bonito Flakes (optional)
Pinch Ground Leaf Stevia (optional)
2 Stalks Scallions, Thinly Cut OnThe Diagonal

1. Lightly wash wakame. Cover with water and soak 3 to 5 minutes. Slice into bite size pieces.
2. Place onions, wakame and its soaking water, tofu, bonito flakes and water in a pot. Bring to boil, reduce to low, cover and simmer until onions are soft.
3. In a cup, add miso and a small amount of soup broth to make a paste. Add to the soup and simmer 2 minutes. Garnish with scallions. 2 to 1/2 TB.

Makes 6 servings

TEMPURA SHRIMP

Ingredients:
12 large shrimps
1 egg
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup cold water
Vegetable oil for frying

1. Peel shrimps.
2. Put flour in a bowl Pour cold water over the flour and add an egg.
3. Mix the batter lightly.
4. Heat the oil to 350 degree.
5. Dip the shrimps in the batter.
6. Fry the shrimps for a few min.

Makes 4 servings

TONKATSU

Ingredients:
4 cup steamed Japanese rice
4 pieces tonkatsu
1 onion
2 cups dashi soup stock
5 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
4 eggs

1. Cut tonkatsu pork into small chunks and slice onion.
2. Put dashi soup stock in a pan on medium heat.
3. Add soy sauce, mirin, and sugar in the pan.
4. Put tonkatsu pieces in the pan and simmer on low heat for a few min.
5. Add onion to the pan and simmer a few more min.
6. Beat eggs in a bowl.
7. Bring the soup to a boil, then pour the eggs over tonkatsu and onion.
8. Turn the heat down to low and put on a lid.
9. After one min, turn off the heat.
10. Put steamed rice in a deep bowl, then place the simmered tonkatsu on top of the rice.

Makes 4 servings