Udon with Braised Pork ( Buta Udon ) #JapaneseRecipesWorldwide

Ingredients:

2 cups dashi
1 cup braising liquid from buta kakuni (fat skimmed)
1-2 Tbs soy sauce (depending on how salty the braising liquid is)
2 bundles udon noodles
8 slices of buta kakuni
scallions finely chopped

Procedures:

(1)Put the dashi and braising liquid in a pot and simmer. Taste the soup adding up to 2 tablespoons of soy sauce if needed. If after adding 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, it’s still not salty enough, supplement with salt until you’re happy.

(2) Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Following the package instructions, boil the udon until about 1 minute before they are done. For example, if the directions say to cook for 6 minutes, boil them for 5. This is because the noodles continue to cook once you add them to the soup.

(3) Drain the udon and give it a quick rinse to get rid of any extra starch. Put the noodles in 2 bowls, top with 4 slices of pork belly each, scatter some scallions on top then laddle the hot soup over everything. Other great toppings include baby mizuna greens (pictured), enoki mushrooms (pictured), or a poached egg. Serve with a little white pepper to sprinkle on top.

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Maguro Avocado with Wasabi Mayo #JapaneseRecipesWorldwide

Ingredients:

1/2 lb maguro
1 avocado
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Wasabi to taste

Procedures:

(1) This is a new style recipe that draws inspiration from izakaya (pub) cuisine. It’s a very simple recipe and a great introduction to the world of raw fish. What’s more, you don’t have to use sashimi grade maguro from your Japanese market for this particular preparation because the maguro is diced and flavored with dressing. Therefore, frozen tuna from your local grocer will work just fine.

(2) Dice the maguro and avocado into 1 inch cubes. If there are membranes, remove them. Whisk together the ingredients for the dressing and toss lightly. Serve in one bowl, or divide into small individual portions. Top with shredded nori.

(3) Serves 4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A freelance writer who meticulously structured and maintained blogs just for you:A LIFE SO FAR AWAYand my other blog:OFW: THIS IS MY LIFE AND STORY Thank you for your valuable time. Follow my business & writings and you'll find what life's meant to be.

Korroke and PorkTonkatsu #JapaneseRecipesWorldwide

Korroke and Pork Tonkatsu

You can substitute pork with chicken breast. You can put your ideas into use with the croquettes.

Ingredients:

2 lbs potatoes, peeled, cut into pieces
1 carrot, cut into small dice
1 onion, diced
½ cup peas (optional)
4 slices of pork tenderloin
½ cup flour
1 egg, loosely mixed
1 cup panko (Japanese bread crumbs)
Safflower oil for frying

Serving:

½ cabbage, shredded (or sliced thinly)
Tonkatsu sauce
Japanese mayonnaise (optional)
Neri-karashi (optional)

Procedures:

1) Boil the potatoes until tender. While they are boiling, sauté the onions and carrots in oil until tender. Drain & mash the potatoes. Add the cooked vegetables and peas (if using) to the mashed potatoes, seasoning to taste with salt and pepper. The seasoning should be light because the korroke will be served with sauce. When the mixture is cool enough to handle, form into ovals, 3” x 3” x 1” thick. This can be done ahead of time and kept in the fridge until the party.

2) Place the flour, egg and panko in 3 separate wide bowls. Coat each korroke and slice of pork in flour and pat off the excess. Repeat with the remaining korroke and slices. Next, dip the flour-coated slices in the egg, coating each piece fully, and then immediately coat with panko. Squeeze the cutlets/korroke gently, shaking off any extra crumbs, and place on platters.

3) Heat safflower oil to a high heat, and fry the cutlets and korroke, 2 or 3 at a time, for 3 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. Cover the bottom of a baking pan with paper towels, and stack them vertically so the oil drains and they don’t steam and lose their crispiness. Serve immediately with lots of shredded cabbage, miso soup (preferably ton-jiru) and rice.

4) Have the sauce & condiments ready at the table. Some people like mixing neri-karashi, mayo (or even ketchup) with their tonkatsu sauce, and some like adding mayo as well as sauce on their korroke. The shredded cabbage can also be served with tonkatsu sauce or some type of Japanese dressing.

5) Serves 4

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: A freelance writer who meticulously structured and maintained blogs just for you:A LIFE SO FAR AWAYand my other blog:OFW: THIS IS MY LIFE AND STORY Thank you for your valuable time. Follow my business & writings and you'll find what life's meant to be.