Haraki Meshi- Salmon and Salmon Roe on Rice

This was my favorite when I was small.

This is a local dish from the northern part of Japan.

Ready in: 75minutes, without marinating time

Ingredients for four:
[Marinate over night, Prepare in a bowl]
100g salmon roe
1 tablespoon of Sake
1 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 teaspoon of Mirin

3 cups of uncooked rice
2 pieces of salmon
1 teaspoon of minced ginger

[Prepare in a pot]
Water
1 teaspoon of Sake

[Sauce, Prepare in a pot]
2 tablespoon of Sake
2 tablespoon of soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon of Mirin
1/2 tablespoon of sugar
Pinch of salt

Step 1: Marinate salmon roe more than 2 hours, over night is preferred

Step 2: Put water and Sake, and boil salmon pieces for 3 minutes

Step 3: Wash rice and drain water

Step 4: Cook salmon in the sauce for 10 minutes and remove the skin

Step 5: Add ginger in the sauce and heat up a bit. Add water to make the sauce 540ml in total

Step 6:  Add rice in the pot, sit it for 30 minutes. Or use a rice cooker to cook 3 cups of rice.

Step 7: Put a lid on the pot, boil it. Once it boils minimize the heat to 2 for 5-7 minutes. Turn the heat off and let it sit for 10 minutes.

Singapore Chicken Rice

My English teacher was a Singaporean when I was in school. She invited me to visit her when she left Japan. It was my first time for me to leave my country.

Singapore showed me multiculturalism, joy of food at Hawker Centres, and how "English as a second or third language" can open many doors.


The taste of Singapore chicken rice is the taste of my first adventure.

Ready in: 50 minutes with using a rice cooker

Ingredients for two:
[Prepare in a pot]
1 cup of uncooked rice
2 teaspoons of chicken stock powder
1 teaspoon of coconut oil

Some coriander and roasted peanuts to garnish

[Prepare in a ziplock]
2 chicken breasts
1 teaspoon of salt
1 tablespoon of Sake
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
one green onion
[Prepare in a cup for sauce]
2 tablespoon of soy sauce
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
1/2 teaspoon of sugar
1 teaspoon of sesame oil

How to cook rice on stove

Step 1: Prepare ingredients

Marinate for 15 minutes

Step 2: Empty the ziplock in the rice pot and start cooking

Step 3: Enjoy!

Omu Laisu- Ketchup Chicken Rice Wrapped in Omelette

This was my least favorite food from mom's kitchen when I was growing up. However, I always enjoyed mom's ketchup drawing on the omelette.

Ready in: 20 minutes

Ingredients for two:
1/4 onions, chopped
A handful carrots, mushrooms and green beans, chopped
1/2 cups chicken, diced
1 cup of cooked rice
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon of chicken stock powder
3 tablespoons of ketchup
Butter to make omelettes
2 eggs each omelet


Step 1: Cook vegetables and chicken

Step 2: Add rice and mix it well

Step 3: Season it and mix well

Step 4: Put 2 eggs in a bowl, beaten them and add 1 tablespoon of cold water

Step 5: In a pan, put butter and make a thin omelette. Cook only one side.

Step 6: While the omelette surface is still wet, add mixed rice in the middle

Step 7: Slide it to the edge of the pan, and wrap the rice

Step 8: Place it on a plate and decorate on top of the omu-rice

Bento- Spring

How can we make eating fun?


Click here for assorted vegetable stir fry

Nashi Golen- Fried Rice/ Nasi Goreng

Back in 2003 when I started living in Australia, Japanese food wasn't so popular. There were no Ramen shops or Izakaya pubs. There were a few fancy Japanese restaurants, but they were pricy for a student.

Finding Japanese ingredients was challenging!

I remember eating lots of Indonesian, Vietnamese and Chinese food.

Nasi Goreng just brings me back to fun days. 

Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients for two:

2-3 cups of cooked rice

Vegetables in your fridge, i.e. spinach, mushrooms, carrots, onions, bean sprout, cabbage, and/or lettuce

A few slices of tomatoes

A few slices of cucumbers

Coriander

1 garlic clove, minced

2 eggs

Shrimp and/or chicken, optional

Frying oil

[Prepare sauce in a cup]

2 tablespoons of Asian sweet&chili sauce

1 tablespoon of soy sauce

1 tablespoon of nam pla fish sauce

1 tablespoon of oyster sauce

Click here for How To Cook Sushi Rice on Stove

Step 1: Make egg sunny side-up, and put it aside. I prefer a running egg! 

Step 2: Heat up a pan, and fry garlic first. Cook vegetables after.

Step 3: Add rice into the pan.

Step 4: Add sauce into the pan, and mix well.

Step 5: Voilà!

Bento- Face

Another great night with the sun here in Ottawa!

Food is a big part of my life. I love to think of ideas, and cooking itself is fun. 

What the most fun part is when someone I'm serving to put a smile on the face :D

I get to experiment, and see the result right a way.

Fun stuff!!

Click here for rice ball

Bento - Monster

Are you enjoying the longest day of the year? Pack your dinner, go to a park!

Click here for lotus root and carrot spicy stir fry

Panda Onigiri- Panda Rice Ball

I had someone very special came from China. Let's welcome the special person with Panda face rice balls!

Ready in: 15 minutes

Ingredients for two:

1 cup of cooked sushi rice

1/4 Nori sheet

Required Equipment:

Scissors

A cup to make rice ball

Click here for how to cook sushi rice on stove.

Step 1: Put some rice in a cup and shake to to make a ball.

Step 2: Using hands, make a ball.

Step 3: Cut a Nori sheet for panda face.

Step 4: Place the parts onto the rice ball.

Kappa Maki & Futo Maki- Cucumber Sushi Rolls, Sushi Burrito & California Rolls

Sushi has become very popular Japanese food now. It looks complicated, but is easy to make. It's a picnic lunch in Japan.

It's time to pack your lunch for cherry blossom season!

You can put any ingredients in it.

Ready in: 20 minutes from cooked rice

Ingredients for two Sushi Burritos:

2 cups of cooked Sushi rice

2 Nori sheets

Some sweet ginger pickles

Topping recommendation

Cucumber

Shiso leaves

Carrots, cook in microwave

Spinach, cook in microwave

Thin omelet

Mushrooms

Avocados

Smocked salmon

Required Equipment

Sushi mat

Similar recipe:

Sarada Maki- Salad Sushi Roll

Step 1: Make Sushi rice with white vinegar and sugar. For details, see here; How to Cook Sushi Rice on Stove.

Step 2: Prepare toppings.

Step 3: Place a Sushi mat on a table.

Sushi mat

Step 4: Put a Nori sheet on top.

Burrito

Cucumber Sushi roll 

Step 5: Take a handful of rice to make a burrito, half hand for cucumber Sushi rolls. Put it onto the Nori sheet. Leave about 1" on top of the sheet without rice.

Burrito

Cucumber Sushi roll  

Step 6: Place preferred ingredients on top.

Burrito

Cucumber Sushi roll 

Step 7: Put your 8 fingers on the middle of rice, and lift the bottom of the Sushi mat using your tombs, and roll it over the top.

Step 7: Cut it.

Step 8: Let's eat!

California Rolls