Potato Gratin consists of thinly sliced potatoes baked in a rich and creamy sauce. While simple, its browned surface is especially appetizing, making it a universally appealing dish. Known as scalloped potatoes in the US, many countries have their own version of this dish. Japan has embraced it as well, and it’s now a western-style Japanese dish commonly found in restaurants and home kitchens. This combination of potatoes and béchamel sauce is popular among both the young and the old.
Fried potatoes, consisting of stick potatoes fried in oil, are beloved worldwide and immensely popular in Japan. They are served not only in fast-food establishments but also in Western-style restaurants and even convenience stores. While they are commonly served as a meal component in many countries, in Japan, they are still largely considered as a snack or junk food. Nonetheless, hot fried potatoes are seriously delicious, appealing to many young and old as a guilty pleasure.
Vegetable Korokke (野菜コロッケ) is a deep-fried dish consisting of mashed potato and vegetables with a crispy outer layer of Panko bread crumbs. While our regular Korokke typically include meat such as ground beef or pork, this version is vegetarian-friendly. By substituting butter in the recipe with vegetable oil, it can also be transformed into a vegan dish.
Today’s miso soup is made with potato dumplings. Dumpling soups, known as Suiton, are found in many regions in Japan, and the dumplings are usually made from flour and water. Suiton is a simple and hearty dish, loved as comfort food. Here, Suiton dumplings are made with grated raw potatoes. The texture of the dumplings becomes chewy once they are cooked in the soup, and they are delicious. And it’s so easy to make with the ingredients you already have. Add whatever vegetables you have in the fridge; there is no need to shop for this miso soup. It’s warm and filling, making it a perfect dish for cold nights. Hope you try it!
This potato gratin is made with a delicious creamy Tofu sauce. Typically, gratins feature Béchamel white sauce, but in this recipe, the sauce primarily consists of pureed silken tofu. It offers a healthier alternative with fewer calories while being rich in protein and various nutrients inherent in Tofu. A modest amount of butter and milk, combined with cheese of course, effectively mask the soy flavor of Tofu. Whether scaled up for a crowd in a large baking dish or prepared in a single-serving dish, this versatile dish caters to everyone. Serving it piping hot from the oven is ideal for chilly days. Hope you like it!
Mentaiko Potato Salad is Mentaiko (spicy salted cod roe) mixed with mashed potato and seasoned with tangy Japanese mayonnaise. It’s a variation of regular Japanese potato salad, but it has become quite popular in Japan as a side dish in the last decade or so. Mentaiko Potato Salad is a great little dish next to a more substantial entree like Tonkatsu or Hamburger Steak, but also a nice item to fill a corner of a Bento box too.