Chicken and Chestnuts

14Nov09

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Chestnuts are an autumn favorite in Japan. And chestnuts are now a favorite of mine; this is the third time I’ve made this special recipe and is the best. Frozen, peeled chestnuts are a reasonable compromise for convenience. Using skinless, boneless chicken thighs, though more expensive, are a convenience well worth the cost. To replace the extra flavor added by cooking meat on the bone, I used a cup of strong homemade chicken stock rather than the dashi. If you are concerned that this compromises the Japanese flavor, you could add a piece of kombu as the food cooks, or add shiitake. By caramelizing the sugar before adding the chicken, I could be sure that the sugar really did darken and deepen the flavor. This is now a recipe I can make more than once a year. I think we will enjoy!

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Filed under: Japanese Food, Nimono, Simmering, chicken   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: chestnuts

Hijiki and Shiitake Wafuu Spaghetti

13Nov09

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Here is my version of Hijiki and Shiitake Spaghetti. I began with the classic hijiki gohan—rice with sea vegetable. I wanted to make a simple dish which could be made with pantry staples. I always have spaghetti, dried hijiki, dried shiitake, soy sauce, shichimi togarashi, and mirin. I also always have carrots and frozen peas. And I think this recipe would be tasty enough left at that.
But, the darn cats drank all the coffee (they only like the white part, of course), so I had to go to the grocery for half and half. While I was there, I noticed…

Filed under: Japanese Food, Noodles, Western Influenced food   |  2 Comments
Tags: wafu

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

Currying Flavor: Karei Raisu

09Nov09

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Curry on rice is almost a national dish of Japan—many eat it at least once a week. And why not: it’s delicious, easy to make with the widely available instant curry roux, can be made with a variety of ingredients, keeps well (even improves) as leftovers, and is inexpensive. It’s a meal I am fond of.

From The New York Times, 23 October, 2008
“Indian curry came to Japan from England,” explained Hiroko Shimbo, the Japanese chef and cookbook author. “Roux of course came from France.” It was only natural that someone would put them in the same dish, she added, then paused for a moment and laughed. “It’s perfect for Americans,” she said. “It’s a very American impulse to mix.”
a recipe from Hiroko Shimbo

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Filed under: Asian Influenced Food, Japanese Food, One Pot Cooking, Rice, Western Influenced food   |  2 Comments
Tags: Japanese curry

Arirang: Korean Restaurant

03Nov09

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Our daughter came to visit to collect some of the things we’ve kept while she was in Spain. She spent a few days looking at things she hadn’t seen in four years, deciding what she needed. She went for walks with her dad and Grandpa, visited friends, and cooked with me. We went to a nice Korean restaurant together before she left for California.

Filed under: Asian Cooking, Miscellaneous, Noodles   |  Leave a Comment
Tags: restaurant review