Spicy tuna tamagoyaki (ツナ玉子焼き)

Experiment：　Spicy tuna tamagoyaki　（ ツナ玉子焼き)

 

Introduction:

The Clover Leaf spicy Thai Chili tuna was on sale for $0.99 per can.  I couldn’t resist buying a few cans.  While I was thinking how to eat it besides the usual “eat it with cracker” way, tamagoyaki came to my mind.  Yep!  It’s egg again! Hahaha!

 

Materials:

1 can spicy Thai Chili tuna (85 g)
4-5 eggs

 

Procedure:

1) Beat the eggs in a bowl.  Open the can of tuna and put it in the egg mixture.  Mix well.  (I took the red pepper in the can out.  I don’t wanna bite into the red pepper!)

2) Heat up a small pan.  Turn the heat to medium.

3) Brush oil onto the pan.  Pour a thin layer of the egg mixture onto the pan.  When it’s half cooked, roll one side of the egg to the other side.

4) Brush oil onto the pan again.  Lift the tamagoyaki and brush oil under the tamagoyaki as well.

5) Pour a thin layer of the egg mixture onto the pan.  Lift the tamagoyaki and let the egg mixture go under the tamagoyaki as well.

6) When the new egg layer is half cooked, you can roll the tamagoyaki to the other end of the pan.

7) Repeat the process of brushing oil, pour in egg mixture, roll the tamagoyaki from one side to the other side until the egg mixture is finished.

8 ) Prepare a piece of saran wrap and place it on top of a sushi mat.  Put the tamagoyaki onto the saran wrap while it’s still hot.  Wrap it.

9) Roll the sushi mat and shape the tamagoyaki into the shape you want.

10) Let it sit and cool.  Cut and serve.

(You can click here for pictures on how to make tamagoyaki!)

 

Results:

 

Discussions:

1) You can add some spice into the eggs if you want it spicier.  I find that one can of the tuna is pretty good already for 4-5 eggs.

Tuna Okra Natto Donburi (マグロオクラ納豆丼)

Experiment: Tuna Okra Natto Donburi (マグロオクラ納豆丼)

Introduction:

I went to Guu Konbachi on Denman St few weeks ago with Mr. Clam.  One of the dishes that we ordered was Tuna Natto… I forgot the official name.  Anyway, it has tuna sashimi, natto, okra and picked daikon in it.  I thought, it’d be easy to make at home, and it’d be a a very good rice bowl for the summer, as you don’t really have to turn on the stove.  So here, I made it today… 🙂

Some of the dishes from Guu Konbachi:

Materials:

1 bowl of rice
1 pack of natto
5 okra
few slices of pickled daikon
Tuna sashimi
Soy sauce to taste

Seaweed strips
Sesame seeds

Procedure:

1) Wash the okra, then use coarse salt to rub the okra.  I read that it helps to remove the tiny hair on the okra.

2) (Optional) Put the okra in a small bowl, then pour hot water in.  Cover and let it sit.

3) Cut the okra into small pieces.

4) Thinly slice the picked daikon.

5) Open a pack on natto and mix it well.

6) Put cooked rice in the serving bowl.  then put the okra, natto, tuna sashimi and pickled daikon on rice.  Sprinkle seaweed strips and sesame seeds on top.  Pour soy sauce on top.

Results:

The tuna natto dish at Guu Konbachi (without rice)

Discussions:

1) The okra at Guu was not cooked.  I don’t really like fresh okra, that’s why I soak it in hot water to soften it and to get rid of that “fresh” taste.

Natto Toast (納豆トースト)

Experiment: Natto Toast (納豆トースト)

Introduction:

Natto is a very popular breakfast dish in Japan. People usually eat it with rice in the morning.  However, as you know, it takes time to cook rice.   What if you sleep in in the morning and you have no time to cook rice??? Well, here comes a solution – serve the natto on toasts.  You just pop a piece of bread in the toaster and wait for 30 seconds or so.  In the mean time, you open the package of natto, put all the packaged condiments in, and stir the natto until LOTS of strings form from the natto.  When the toast is ready, you put the natto on top of the toast, and serve.  Hmm… a good breakfast in less than a minute!

Materials:

1 package of natto
a piece of bread

Procedure:

1) Put the piece of bread into a toaster.

2) Open the package of natto.  Put all the condiments that come with the package in the natto.

3) Use chopsticks (or fork) to stir the natto for about 30 seconds or until you see lots of strings form.

4) Spread the natto evenly on the toast.

 

Discussions:

1) Oooooh I think I forgot to mention what natto is.  Natto is fermented soy beans.  It has very strong taste and smell.  Even in Japan, not every one can take that strong taste of natto.

2) There are many different kinds of natto out there.  Lately my favourite is the “dark vinegar with plum” flavour.  I really like plum flavoured food, so I was very happy to see that there are actually plum flavoured natto!

 

Omusoba (オムそば)

Experiment: Omusoba (オムそば)

Introduction:

I don’t know if I have mentioned it before, but I LOOOOVE eggs.  Anything tastes better with eggs don’t you think?  Anyway, I got some egg noodles from my Number 1 Fan’s mom (THANKS Number 1 Fan’s mom!!!), so I decided to make omusoba with the noodles.  In case you’re wondering what “omusoba” is, it’s “omelette soba,” which means soba wrapped in omelette.  Japanese call it “omu-soba.”  Another version would be “omurice.” I think omurice comes before omusoba… but who knows!

Anyways, I used egg noodles instead of soba for this dish.  Feel free to substitute it with soba.

Materials: (serve 2)

egg noodles (portion for 2)
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 stalks green onions, cut into 2-inch size
ham (as much as you like)
Oil

2 tbsp worcestershire sauce
2 tbsp okonomiyaki sauce
1 tsp chilli oil
white pepper

2 eggs

Okonomiyaki sauce
Mayonnaise
Nori
Bonito flakes

Procedure:

1) Boil a pot of water.  Cook the noodles until soft.  Drain.

2) Heat a frying pan, put some oil in, then put in the onion and green onions.  Stir fry until the fragrance comes out.  Put in the noodles and ham and cook..

3) Put the worcestershire sauce, okonomiyaki sauce, chilli oil and white pepper in.  Mix well with the noodles.

4) In a small bowl, beat the two eggs.

5) In another frying pan, pour in the 1/2 of the egg mixture.  When the egg is ready, put the noodles in the centre, then wrap the egg around the noodles.  Repeat for the remaining half of the egg mixture.

6) Put the mayonnaise, okonomiyaki sauce, nori and bonito flakes on top.  Serve.

Results:

Discussions:

1) You can use ketchup to substitute the mayonnaise and okonomiyaki sauce.

2) If you don’t wanna wrap the noodles, you can serve it like the picture below: 🙂

Onion fried eggs rice bowl

Experiment: Onion fried eggs rice bowl

Introduction:

I was browsing through cookpad one day, and I saw this recipe. It has two of my favourite foods – eggs and plums, and the presentation of the rice bowl was so good!  I gotta give this recipe a try!  Although it’s a fairly simple dish, it did take me longer than expected to make because of the presentation.  OH well, I guess, pretty presentation does make food taste better!

Materials: (serves 2)

2 bowls of cooked rice
2 Japanese preserved plums
Bonito flakes
Sesame seeds

1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 eggs
1 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sugar
1 tsp Soy sauce (or mentsuyu)
black pepper (to taste)
7-flavour powder (to taste)

oil

Procedure:

1) Remove the seeds from the plums.  Chop the plums into small pieces.  Mix with rice.

2) In a small bowl, mix the eggs, mayonnaise, sugar, soy sauce (or mentsuyu), black pepper and 7-flaovour powder together.

3) Heat a small frying pan, add oil.  Put the sliced onions in and stir fry until the onions brown a little.  Put the egg mixture in.  Stir fry until the egg is cooked.

4) In a bowl/plate, first put the rice with plum in, and then put the onions and eggs on top of the rice.  Sprinkle bonito flakes and sesame seeds on top.

Results:

Discussions:

1) While I was taking picture of this dish, I suddenly thought of “ochazuke” (お茶漬け).  I think I can totally transform this dish into ochazuke by pouring hot green tea in, and it would still taste good!  Must try next time!

References:

梅おかかご飯の新玉葱の炒り卵のせ. http://cookpad.com/recipe/1705307

Miso meat sauce on rice (肉味噌ご飯)

Experiment: Miso meat sauce on rice

Introduction:
Hmm, latelyI’m trying to make some dishes that would last me a few days, or something that I can make lots and put in the freezer for a while without loosing much taste.  Well, meat sauce came into my mind.  I have made miso meat sauce before, but I lost the recipe, so  I searched on Cookpad to find the recipe.  Well, I found lots of recipes on cookpad (actually, what can’t you find on cookpad?).  I found that many of the recipes include soy sauce, sugar, sake, mirin, and of course, miso paste.  The proportion varies from recipe to recipe.  Well, I just took the “average” and added the leftover seasoning in my fridge.  The result?  Good good! hehe!  And I have enough leftover to put in the freezer! 

Materials: (serve about 6)
1-1.5 lbs ground pork1.5 tbsp sugar

1.5 tbsp finely chopped shallot
1.5 tbsp finely chopped garlic
1.5 tbsp finely chopped ginger

1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp miso

Oil

Rice
cuccumber, thinly slice

Procedure:
1) Turn the heat on high.  Pour about 1 tbsp oil in a frying pan.

2) Put in the shallot, garlic and ginger.  Stir until you can smell the fragrant, then put the pork in.

3) When the pork is almost done, put in the soy sauce, sake, mirin sugar and miso. 

4) Turn the heat to medium, and let it simmer.  Stir occasionaly.

5) When the liquid has evaporaated, it’s done!

6) Put rice on a plate/bowl, then put the cuccumber on rice, and then the meat sauce on rice.

 

Results:

 

Discussions:
1) You can add an onsen egg on top to add more “flavour.”  I loooove eggs!

2) You can put this sauce on top of steamed veggies, or stir fry veggies with this.  Or you can put eggplants into this sauce as well.  It’s pretty versatile!  That’s why I like this sauce.

3) The proportions of the seasonings and sauce are quite… arbitrary.  If you like it sweeter, you can add more sugar, or if you like it spicier, you can add more ginger. 

 

Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl (ツナマヨご飯）

Experiment: Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl (ツナマヨご飯）

Introduction:
My friend, Miss S, was telling me about a dish that she saw in a Japanese recipe magazine. She highly recommends it, coz it’s quick, cheap and yummy. Well, doesn’t it sound “cheapickdorable?” hehe. Anyway, I think this dish is great for summer coz you don’t need to turn on the stove at all! Oh, provided that you have a rice cooker of course. 😛

Materials: (serves 2)
2 bowls of rice
1 can of tuna
a few stalks of green onions, finely chopped
mayonnaise (as much as you like)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs

sesame seeds
shredded seaweed

Method:
1) In a small bowl, mix together the tuna, green onions, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.

2) Put the rice on top of a plate, then half of the tuna mayo on the rice.

3) In a small cup, crack the egg in, and then pour tap water into the cup. Just pour enough to cover the egg. Microwave it for about 20 seconds, or until it’s cooked on the outside and runny on the inside. You might actually have to test it coz everyone microwave is different. OH and I find that the container makes a difference too! So it’s better to microwave it for shorter time first then slowly add 5 seconds at a time. Anyways… you can try it at home.

4) Put the egg on top of the tuna mayo.

5) Sprinkle as much sesame seeds and seaweed on top as you like.

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Discussions:
1) I think this dish took me like… 5 minutes to complete?

2) It’s a cheap dish!!! Miss S told me that one time she got her tuna for $0.49, and that was quite recently. So this meal would cause her about $1.00 and it feeds two people! So cheap. I’ll remember to stock up on the tuna next time it goes on sale.

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Japadog

[Guest post by the notorious Mr. Clam]

 

(Pictures taken from the Japa Dog website)

 

 

Yokoso Japadog.  (Can I actually say that?) It’s supposed to mean welcome to Japadog, but I’m not sure if that’s grammatically correct.  However, Japadog is not about a lesson in the Japanese language, but a lesson in culinary fusion.

 

The beloved Editor-in-chief of Food Lab Asia and I were about to venture out on a bike ride around Stanley Park.  We had ridden our bikes to the SkyTrain and took the train to Waterfront.  We hadn’t had breakfast and we were starving.  As good fortune has it, Japadog has opened up a stand down by Waterfront Station. To be exact, it’s at the intersection of Granville and Cordova.

 

 

 

Our dear Editor-in-chief ordered the very original Ebi Chili dog.  Ebi is Japanese for shrimp.  As you can tell from the photo below, there was plenty of teeny-weeny shrimp to tickle the taste buds.  I suppose this dog is not for the texture-sensitive eater, but I really liked my bite of this dog.

 

 

What’s more, there’s even shrimp hiding within the sausage itself.  I can see my texture-sensitive friends shuddering already.  Our taste buds, however, really loved the taste of shrimp embedded in the sausage and the texture was excitingly different.

 

 

 

I ended up ordering the Kurobuta Terimayo.  If we break down the name, we discover what’s in this dog.  (I guess there is a bit of a lesson in the Japanese language, after all).  Kuro is “black” and buta is “pig” or “pork.”  The “black pig” is apparently the Japanese bred version of Berkshire pigs.  Then there is teri, which is short for teriyaki, and mayo, which is (you guessed it) mayonnaise.  I also love all the love all the nori on the top of this dog.  Again, this dog may not appeal our texture-sensitive friends out there.  For me, though, I would have liked some bonito flakes to dance atop a sizzling dog (but that’s a different Japadog altogether).  This one is a classic alongside the Beef Terimayo.

 

Kurobuta Terimayo

 

A quick glance at the menu at Japadog Waterfront, we see that there are some new dogs in the works.  There’s a Salmon Dog on the way.  I also have yet to try their Gokudare.  No Japanese lesson on this dog.  I haven’t the foggiest idea what gokudare means.

 

 

With Japadogs safely stored away in our digestive systems, we had enough carbs and protein to start the bicycle ride around Stanley Park.  See y’all later.

Ebi Mayo (エビマヨ)

Experiment: Ebi Mayo (エビマヨ)

Introduction:
I had this dish at Ms. Soto’s home last Christmas. It was super yummy! I asked her if it’s hard to make, she said no. Then… few days later, she posted the Ebi Mayo recipe on her blog. Well… not until now that I finally decided to make it. It’s just as it stated on her blog… it’s really easy and quick to make. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! 🙂

Materials:
12 shrimp/prawns, peeled and deveined
1/4 sake
4-5 tbsp corn starch
Oil

Sauce:
3 tbsp Japanese mayonnaise
1 tbsp milk
2 tsp ketchup
2 tsp honey/sugar

Procedure:
1)Marinate peeled and deveined shrimp in sake for 2-3 minutes.

2) In a small deep pan, pour in oil that would cover maybe 1/3 of the shrimp width. (Ms. Soto said it should be about 1/4″ oil). Using medium heat to heat up the oil.

3) Dredge shrimp in the corn starch and fry in pan. Cook each side for about 1-2 minutes or until golden brown.

4) Remove and transfer to papwer towel. Pat to remove excess oil.

5) Mix all the sauce ingredients together. Pour the sauce on the ebi mayo and serve.

 

 

Results:

Discussions:
1) I didn’t eat the ebi mayo right away… but the shrimp was still quite crunchy! Not sure if it’s the corn starch. I didn’t know that you can use corn starch to coat something to deep fry food…

2) I don’t like deep frying… because I don’t wanna deal with the oil afterward. When I saw that you don’t need a lot of oil to fry the shrimp in this recipe, I was overjoyed!

Reference:

1) Soto’s Kitchen

2) Japan Food Addict – the original source of the recipe, which Ms. Soto followed.

Chicken teriyaki donburi (鶏照り焼き丼)

Experiment: Chicken teriyaki donburi (鶏照り焼き丼)

Introduction:
I was looking through my facebook the other day.  A friend of mine shared a link… and I clicked in there to see what it’s about.  Oh it’s the food blog of a Japanese chef living in Taiwan, Masa の料理ABC.  There are many Japnese dishes and desserts.  I clicked and see what kinda food I’d be interested in making, and I saw this rice bowl…

Materials: (serve 2 bowls)
2 bowls of rice
Chicken thigh with skin on
2 eggs
chopped green onions
seaweed

Sauce:
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp sake
1/2 tbsp sugar

Procedure:
1) Wash the chicken thigh and pat dry with paper towel.

2) Mix all the sauce ingredients together.  Marinate the chicken thigh in the sauce for 10-15 minutes (or longer if you want).

3) Beat the eggs.  Panfry the eggs into a thin slice.  Remove from heat.  When it’s cold enough for you to handle, fold the fried egg in 3 and thinly slice the egg.

4) Heat up a frying pan to medium heat.  Put the skin side on the pan and let it cook for a few minutes, then flip to the other side.  Put the sauce in, and cover the frying pan with a lid.  Reduce to medium low heat and let it simmer until chicken is cooked.

5) When the chicken is cooked, remove from heat and let it cool.  Cut into small pieces.

6) In a rice bowl, put the rice in, then the egg, chicken, green onion and seaweed.  Feel free to put the sauce in the rice bowl as well.  🙂

 

Results:

 

Discussions:
1) The chef also mentioned that you can also use this teriyaki chicken to make a teriyaki chicken burger.  For more information you can go to here, it’s at the bottom of the page.