A Stir-Fry: dry curry!

11Nov09

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I kept catching a whiff of curry all morning, and I was afraid that my clothes were perfumed with the scent. I was a bit apprehensive about how strong the smell would be after heating the curry. My co-workers don’t have adventurous tastes, and mild as Japanese curry is, it does smell exotic. L. announced she brought in pumpkin cake for dessert and I realized that I didn’t smell like leftovers; it was the dessert! And no one complained about the stinky lunch. The Japanese spice mix has undertones of cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice!
(or maybe they were too polite to complain?)

Filed under: Grilling and Pan-Frying, Rice, Stir-Frying   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: Japanese curry

Harumaki: Vegetable Spring Rolls

21Oct09

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Harumaki are Japanese spring rolls, another favorite adapted from China. Some versions of these rolls have pork, shrimp, or tofu in the filling. One can even use leftovers from stir-fries! And even more unusual are the recipes which include bananas, chocolate, or candy bars! And then the issue of wheat or rice flour wrappers? Chinese [...]

Filed under: Agemono, Deep-Frying, Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Vegetables, Yakimono   |  4 Comments
Tags: spring rolls

Velveted Chicken and Cashews

12Oct09

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Chicken stir-fried with miso sauce and cashews is another Chinese dish adapted to Japanese tastes. The technique of marinating the chicken in egg white, cornstarch, and a bit of sesame oil tenderizes the chicken and keeps it moist when it’s cooked. This is the secret Chinese restaurants use to achieve that special texture of meats [...]

Filed under: Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Poultry, Stir-Frying, Yakimono   |  4 Comments

Mabo Tofu Japanese Style

10Oct09

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Chinese food is popular in Japan. The seasonings are adjusted  to Japanese tastes: sweeter and less spicy.  The Chinese use oyster sauce and lots of garlic to make sauces for fish and meats. The Japanese use only rice and soy products: sake, mirin, soy sauce, and just a hint of garlic. One of the most [...]

Filed under: Asian Influenced Food, Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Pork, Stir-Frying, Tofu   |  10 Comments
Tags: mabo tofu

Stir-Fried Liver and Chinese Chives 2

07Oct09

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When I prepared this recipe last year it had been years, perhaps decades, since I’d eaten liver. I remembered liver as tough and flavorless, but the recipe is in the book, and my plan is to eventually cook all the recipes. My husband was out of town so I wouldn’t have been subjecting him to [...]

Filed under: Asian Influenced Food, Beef, Grilling and Pan-Frying, Japanese Food, Pork, Stir-Frying, Yakimono   |  6 Comments