Modanyaki (Modern Yaki) is a kind of Okonomiyaki that also contains Yakisoba. It is a regular item on the menu at any Okonomiyaki restaurant in Japan. Because Modanyaki is a combination of 2 starchy dishes, it is quite hearty and filling, especially when drenched with sweet and savory sauce and mayonnaise.
Tempura is battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables. It is one of the most famous Japanese foods outside Japan, maybe after Sushi. Regular Tempura uses wheat flour, but here we tried our Tempura with gluten free ingredients in this recipe so that people on a gluten free diet can also enjoy this traditional and delicious dish. It is surprisingly crispy, and easy to make at home.
Matcha is a kind of green tea that is powdered, which is traditionally used for the Japanese tea ceremony. Although Matcha is a kind of tea, it is different from regular green tea leaves. It tastes rather bitter and has a much more concentrated flavor than green tea leaves. Matcha’s refreshing flavor goes surprisingly well with dairy and sugar, so it is a great flavoring to use in western style sweets as well as Japanese. It has become a common flavor in the US for many drinks and desserts, such as Matcha Latte and Matcha Ice Cream.
Onigiri are rice balls with some filling and wrapped with Nori roasted seaweed. It is a soul food for Japanese people, and it can be eaten in any kind of occasion. You may want to eat Onigiri as everyday breakfast or lunch, but you can bring it to a picnic or hiking since it travels very well. It is easy to make and easy to eat.
Kombu Tsukudani is thinly cut Kombu seaweed that is cooked and seasoned mainly with sugar and Soy Sauce. Kombu Tsukudani is a great accompaniment for plain Steamed Rice for its strong sweet and salty flavor. You can use it to top a bowl of rice or put it in your Onigiri rice balls.
Macaroni Salad is macaroni mixed with vegetables and mayonnaise, very similar to American macaroni salad. Because Japanese mayo has a very different flavor from mayo in the US, Japanese Macaroni Salad tastes quite different, just like Japanese Potato Salad. It is a very good side dish for Yoshoku (western style dishes) such as Hamburger Steaks and Menchi Katsu.
Cabbage Roll is ground meat stuffed in cabbage leaves and cooked in seasoned soup. It is one of the most popular western-style Japanese foods of all time, just like Hamburger Steak and Tonkatsu. Cabbage and ground meat are cooked in a mild but flavorful soup until very soft. This tasty and nutritious dish is a favorite dinner item for any age.
Daifuku Mochi is rice cake with Anko, sweet red bean paste, inside. Daifuku Mochi is one of the most traditional but very popular Japanese sweets. It was first made almost 700 years ago, but not as a sweet dessert. Then, sugar was rare, but Daifuku became more like today’s when sugar was more readily available to people (even though it was still very precious) 200 years ago. Today, you can buy Daifuku Mochi everywhere in Japan, from Japanese sweet shops to convenience stores. People like us living outside Japan may not have such access to this delicious dessert, however, once again, we can make it at home! Homemade Daifuku is so soft and yummy, and surprisingly easy to make if you follow the steps. Once you taste it, you may not want store-bought ones any more anyway.
Yaki-Imo is baked Japanese sweet potatoes. Japanese sweet potatoes, Satsuma Imo, usually have purple skin with white flesh, but the inside turns bright yellow when it’s baked. Japanese sweet potatoes in winter are so sweet just by themselves that there is no need to add any sweetener or anything. Yaki-Imo is a very simple and wholesome snack for anybody at anytime.
Chanko Nabe is a very popular style of hot pot dish in Japan. A lot of vegetables and meat can be cooked in seasoned broth at the same time at the dinner table as you eat. It is an easy and great hot dish in winter time.