Flavors of Japan

Sanshoku Kimpira (Tricolor Stir-Fried and Boiled Vegetables)
Takes a lot of chopping, but worth the work. Also keeps well for a couple days, and makes and excellent side dish.
Ingredients:

• 1 Gobo (Burdock), washed, peeled, cut into matchsticks and rinsed well
• 1 Konnyaku (Yam Cake), cut into matchsticks
• Water
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 2 Taka no Tsume (Dried Red Chili Peppers), seeded and chopped
• 1 Carrot, cut into matchsticks
• 1/2 cup Dashi
• 1 1/2 tbsp Sugar
• 4 tbsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 3 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tsp Sesame Oil

Instructions:

1. Place the konnyaku and water to cover in a pot, bring to a boil and drain. Put the konnyaku back into the pot and cook, stirring occasionally, until it begins to crackle.
2. Add the oil, peppers, burdock and carrot and stir-fry. Add the dashi, sugar, shoyu and mirin. Cover the pot and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally until most of the cooking sauce is absorbed. Sprinkle the sesame oil before turning off the heat.

Serves 6-8

Tofu no Suteki Kinoko Sosu (Tofu Steak with Mushroom Sauce)
The sauce is excellent and could be used on anything. The tofu was very good, but we wished we had cut the pieces slightly smaller.
Ingredients:

• 2 Momen-Dofu (Hard Tofu cakes), wrapped in paper towels for 30 minutes to drain
• 1 tbsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 1 tbsp Katakuri-ko (Potato Corn Starch)
• 1 tbsp Water
• 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil
• 4 tbsp Butter
• 1/2 lb Shimeji Mushrooms, stems removed, separated into bunches of 2-3 stems each
• 1 tbsp shoyu
• 3 tbsp White Wine
• Salt & Pepper
• 3 tbsp Cream

Instructions:

1. Cut the tofu in half.
2. Mix 1 tbsp shoyu, 1 tbsp katakuri-ko and 1 tbsp water in a bowl.
3. Dip both sides of the tofu in the seasoning sauce.
4. In a frying pan or skillet heat 1 tbsp oil and 2 tbsp butter and saute the tofu slowly on both sides until nicely browned. Place the tofu on individual serving plates.
5. Empty the pan, heat the remaining oil and butter and saute the mushrooms. Add 1 tbsp shoyu, wine and salt and pepper and cook 1 minute. Stir in the cream and spoon the mixture with the mushrooms over the tofu.

Serves 4

Inari-zushi (Sushi in Tofu Pouches)
Mmmm...sweet goodness
Ingredients:

• 6 cups Freshly Boiled Rice
• 4 tbsp Rice Vinegar
• 4 tbsp Sugar
• 2 tsp Salt
• 30 Aburage (Thin-Fried Tofu)
• 3 cups Boiling Water
• 1/2 cup Sake
• 1/2 cup Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 3 tbsp Mirin

Instructions:

1. Place the rice in a large mixing bowl.
2. Mix the vinegar, salt and sugar until salt and sugar dissolve. Sprinkle over the rice and mix quickly and gently, fanning with a hand held fan so excess moisture evaporates.
3. Place the thin-fried tofu in one layer in a colander and pour boiling water over them to remove excess oil. Turn them over and repeat on other side.
4. Boil the 1/2 cup sake, 1/2 cup shoyu, 1/2 sugar and mirin in a flat pan. Add the pouches and cover with a drop lid. Cook over medium heat for 12 minutes until only a small amount of liquid remains. Remove the tofu and drain on a plate.
5. Fill the tofu pouches with the rice and wrap them neatly.

Serves 6 - 8

Ume-shiso Omusubi (Pickled Plum Rice Balls)
One of my favorites, a tangy, colorful way to eat rice
Ingredients:

• 10 cups freshly boiled rice
• 7 Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plums), cored and chopped
• 20 Green Shiso Leaves, chopped

Instructions:

1. Mix the rice, pickled plums and shiso leaves lightly and quickly.
2. Pour cold water into a mixing bowl.
3. Use a plastic rice-ball mold to form rice in various shapes. Rice molds are available at Japanese-style food stores. If you don't have a mold, or don't want one, wet your hands with the water and place about 1/2 cup of the rice mixture in one of your palms. Make it into a ball, by gripping and rolling it in your hand. do the same to the remaining rice to form 20 rice balls in all.

Serves 10

Ika no Karami-ni (Spicy Squid)
Doesn't make a lot, would make a great appetizer with toothpicks
Ingredients:

• 2 fresh Ika (squid), gutted & skinned
• 2 Taka no Tsume (dried red chili peppers), seeded and chopped
• 3 tbsp Sugar
• 4 tbsp Sake
• 3 tbsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tbsp Rice Vinegar

Instructions:

1. Cut lengthwise along the side of each ika and open it up. Diagonally score the surface of the main part of the ika and cut into 1" x 2" lengths. Cut the tentacles into 2" lengths.
2. In a shallow pan, bring the peppers, sugar, sake, shoyu, mirin and vinegar to a boil. Add the ika and boil for 1 minute. Remove the ika from the pan and continue boiling the sauce for 1 minute. Return the ika to the pan and boil again for 1 minute. Repeat this procedure until the cooking sauce is thick enough to coat the ika.

Serves 4

Tori to Shitake no Takikomi-gohan (Chicken and Mushroom Rice)
Really delicious!
Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 cups Japanese Rice, rinsed & drained
• 2 1/2 cups Dashi stock
• 2/3 lb Boneless Chicken Legs & Thighs, diced
• 2 tsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 2 tsp Sake
• 2 Aburage (Thin-fried tofu), finely sliced
• 8 Chestnuts, shelled, skinned & halved
• 8 Shitake Mushrooms, sliced thin, stems removed
• 2 tbsp Sake
• 5 tbsp Shoyu

Instructions:

1. Place the rice and stock in a heavy pot and let stand for 30 minutes.
2. Sprinkle the chicken with 2 tsp shoyu and 2 tsp sake. Let stand for 10 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, tofu, chestnuts, mushrooms, 2 tbsp sake and 5 tbsp shoyu to the rice and mix well.
4. Cover the pot and cook over medium high heat until boiling. Reduce the heat to low and cook for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer for 20 minutes. Turn off the heat and let stand for 20 minutes.

Serves 4

Gyuniku to Renkon no Itame-ni
Delicious, one of the favorites, hard to eat with chopsticks.
Ingredients:

• 1 Medium Lotus Root, about 1/2 lb, peeled, halved and sliced into 1/4 inch slices, rinsed well
• 2 tbsp Oil
• 1 Onion, sliced
• 1/2 lb Ground Beef
• 1 tbsp Shoyu (soy sauce)
• 5 slices fresh Ginger Root
• 5 tbsp Frozen Green Peas
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 4 tbsp Water
• 1 1/2 tbsp Shoyu
• 1/2 tsp Slat
• 2 tbsp Mirin

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a pan, saute the onion until soft. Add the beef and ginger and stir-fry until the beef is brown.
2. Add the lotus root and green peas and stir-fry for a while. Add the seasonings, cover the pan and cook over medium heat until the liquid is absorbed, stirring often.

Serves 4