pork

udon alla carbonara recipe: not wafu, not pasta?

15/03/2018 by Chris

As you may know, Japan loves to adapt ‘Western’ food to its own taste. The substitution of spaghetti to make ‘karubonāra udon’ is one inevitable result of this. I admit, I shunned such dishes for a while, having internalised a certain Italian orthodoxy about noodle-sauce combinations. Now I heartily renounce that position. Try my udon alla carbonara recipe and see what you think!

autumnal eats: shigure-ni, takikomi-gohan and more

14/10/2017 by Chris

The nights are drawing in, and since September my menus have been gradually changing to counteract the chillier weather. More and more, I’ve been turning to those knobbly, underground, secretive vegetables – the ones we always abandon around April and rediscover towards Christmas. This time around, I’m also unearthing the meanings behind homely Japanese dishes such as shigure-ni and takikomi-gohan. Also featured in this post is a sweet treat I brought back from Japan to share with you – but don’t worry, it still fits with the root vegetable theme!

butaniku to yasai no shigure-ni / pork belly and root vegetable stew
takikomi-gohan / variety rice
miso soup with aubergines and chives – previously featured here
radish misozuke – previously featured here
kimpira parsnip / soy-simmered parsnip
BONUS SHOW & TELL: murasaki-imo yōkan / sweet potato jelly

As always, read on for more details and cooking tips.

ichiju-sansai / 1 soup 3 sides : birthday spread

19/08/2017 by Chris

It’s been a crazy summer here – we’ve had lots going on, including a fantastic trip to Japan (more on that story later)! My kitchen experiments have continued unabated, so I’m going to catch up now for lost blogging with a big spread of fun and satisfying dishes. As the title suggests, this meal was actually to celebrate my wife’s birthday, so it’s mostly her requests! (Try to spot the weird extra I couldn’t resist sneaking in, courtesy of Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art.)

miso soup with aubergine and chives
butaniku shōgayaki / ginger fried pork (with mushrooms)
kimpira ninjin / sticky simmered carrot
horenso no ohitashi / spinach in flavoured stock
budō no karashi-ae /grapes with miso-mustard dressing
kyūri no o-tsukemono / cucumber pickle
mikan / satsuma

Read on for my notes…

gyoza crimping my style

30/12/2016 by Chris

Always wanted to read a detailed gyoza crimping explanation? Your wish has come true. My gyoza recipe makes delicious pan-fried parcels every time!

nimono or japanese stew

06/02/2016 by Chris

Nimono (煮物) is an important category of dishes in Japanese home cooking; the word derives from niru (煮る), meaning ‘to simmer or stew’. It’s comfort food, Japanese style. [Read more…] about nimono or japanese stew