Christmas Cake is a round layered cake, usually a sponge cake, filled with fruits, and frosted with whipped cream. The fluffy sweet cake is loved by all generations in Japan, and it has become an annual custom for the last several decades. Christmas cakes are seen everywhere in Japan during the season, such as at cake shops, supermarkets, and convenience stores. It plays a significant role in Japanese cuisine today, even though it’s not a traditional Japanese sweet.
Rice Bowl with Egg and Silky Sauce (Tamago Ankake, 卵あんかけ丼）is a dish where a thickened, savory starchy sauce with egg is poured over rice. This mildly flavored, simple rice bowl dish is perfect for any time of day, but especially convenient during crunch time. It takes no more than 15 minutes from start to finish. If you prefer a hot meal for breakfast even when busy, instead of cold cereal, the Rice Bowl with Egg and Silky Sauce is an excellent choice. Also, the smooth sauce and rice are gentle on the stomach, making it suitable even when under the weather. It’s incredibly easy to make and wonderfully warm and delicious. I hope you give it a try!
Today’s miso soup features Satoimo, Japanese taro, and chicken. Soft and fluffy, or sometimes sticky, taro is a satisfyingly filling ingredient for miso soup. You may find it a little troublesome to peel taro since it may cause your skin to itch sometimes. Feel free to use gloves if you prefer. Along with the taro, we’ve added chicken thigh pieces; they complement each other very well. However, you can substitute chicken breast or chicken tender if you prefer a healthier option. While chicken thigh adds a rich flavor to the soup, lean chicken will also contribute pleasant umami. If you come across taro, give this miso soup a try. You’re sure to enjoy it!
The Spicy Tuna Roll is a type of Sushi Roll (Makizushi or Makimono) that features sashimi-grade raw tuna seasoned with a spicy sauce and other seasonings. It is then rolled up with Sushi Rice and Nori (roasted seaweed). This roll represents a fusion creation that combines traditional Japanese sushi elements with American preferences for bold flavors, including spiciness. It is an American-born sushi roll, and nearly all Japanese restaurants in the U.S. offer the dish. The Spicy Tuna Roll has become so popular that it is deeply rooted in American food culture today and can be found not only in Japanese restaurants but also in many local supermarkets.
Hojicha is a roasted green tea that has been popular as an everyday tea in Japan. Although it’s a green tea, the color of leaves and brewed tea are orange/brown. Hojicha has a distinct sweet and nutty aroma, and it tastes mild and smooth. With less caffeine content than a regular green tea, it’s a wonderful tea to drink any time of the day.
Even though hojicha sweets are not as well known as matcha desserts, we started to see more hojicha infused baked goods lately. Here we made Hojicha Shortbread Cookies (ほうじ茶ショートブレッドクッキー) with just 4-ingredients. The flavor is similar to early grey tea cookies, but the fragrance of roasted green tea comes through, and it tastes really nice. You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and keep it in the freezer if you like. It’s perfect for sharing, or you can bake a dozen now and another dozen later. If you like our Matcha Cookies, you should give this a try!
Today’s miso soup is made with pea sprouts and eggs. Pea sprouts (豆苗) are often used for stir fried dishes in Asian cooking, but they are also great in soup. This healthy and nutritious soup takes little time to prepare, and it’s perfect for breakfast.
Instant dashi packet is used in this recipe, but you can certainly use any types of dashi. Please check Back to Basics: How to Make Dashi to learn more about different types of dashi.
Raisin Butter is a nostalgic appetizer in Japan during the 1970s and 1980s. It’s a simple mixture of butter and raisins shaped into a log, which is then cut into thin rounds. The raisins add sweetness and a chewy texture to the butter, creating a flavorful and slightly fruity appetizer. The slices of raisin butter were enjoyed either by itself or with crackers, often paired with alcoholic drinks, particularly whisky and brandy. Placing sliced portions of raisin butter on top of crushed ice used to be the popular style, and it was often served almost exclusively for adults due to its strong association with alcoholic drinks.
Butter Corn Ramen is a type of ramen famous in the Hokkaido region. It’s topped with corn cooked in butter, which makes the soup creamy and rich, with a delicate balance of buttery flavor and the sweetness of corn. Our Butter Corn Ramen offers an easy homemade version. Since we use store-bought chicken broth as a base, there’s no need to spend hours preparing the ramen soup. While it’s a relatively simple soup, adding a little bit more butter just before serving ensures that the soup has great depth in taste. It’s quite easy to make, but timing is crucial. Prepare all the toppings first, make and keep the ramen soup hot, cook the noodles, and finally assemble everything quickly. If you’re craving delicious ramen but don’t want to eat out or settle for instant options, this recipe is for you. Give this easy yet scrumptious ramen a try. We hope you enjoy it.
Today’s miso soup is with pork meatballs and Napa cabbage, making it a hearty dish that can easily serve as a main course alongside steamed rice. There’s no need to make Dashi for this miso soup as the ground pork provides enough umami savory flavor. Napa cabbage adds a delightful texture and makes the soup both filling and healthy. While pork meatballs are simple to make, you can enhance the flavor by adding grated ginger or chopped onion. Overall, it’s a very satisfying miso soup. Give it a try soon!
Katsu curry is a popular Japanese dish that combines a deep-fried cutlet (Katsu) with a flavorful curry sauce. The dish features a yummy Tonkatsu pork cutlet (or sometimes chicken) that is breaded and deep-fried until crispy. This crispy cutlet is then served with Japanese curry sauce, a thick, mildly spiced curry usually made with a roux and various vegetables.