Thursday 30 April 2015

Tsumire Nabe (Fish Balls Hot Pot)

Wednesday Dinner

-Saury Tsumire Nabe (Fish Balls Hot Pot)

It's been raining and cold all this week in Sydney and I knew Nabe season is finally here.  (Nabe is a hot pot, Tsumire is fish balls in Japanese).  Although Nabe requires minimum amount of effort to prepare, it is not an ordinary dish.  I believe Nabe has social and cultural importance among Japanese people.  The dish signals the arrival of winter and in some ways, Nabe is a celebration of life.  Family, friends, even strangers gather around one pot and share a meal in a cold winter night, it brings people closer.

Wednesday was the first Nabe of the season, I wanted it to be special so I made fish balls using Pacific Saury (Sanma).  I filleted two pacific saury and minced the flesh with ginger in Vitamix.  To the fish paste, I added finely chopped 2 spring onions and 3 Shiso leaves infused in soy sauce.  Tsumire is traditionally made with fresh sardines but Sanma fish balls were as good.

Nabe can be made with pretty much any flavours you could think of, such as soy sauce, Miso, salt, soy milk, Kimchi, tomato, curry, chilli etc.  This time I made a simple clear soup with a Dashi Pack.  Bring water to boil with a Dashi pack, and the vegetables that takes longer to cook such as Daikon, carrot, celery, onion, leek, white part of Chinese cabbege.  Once the water is boiling, drop fish cake mixture into the soup using two spoons.  Add other ingredients that cooks quickly such as leaves of Chinese cabbage, kale, glass noodles, tofu.  Put a lid on.  Cook on low heat for about 5mins.

Serve with Ponzu and Kanzuri chilli paste.


Saury Fish Balls Recipe (Serves 2~3)

Ingredients
  • 2 pacific saury, filleted
  • 2 spring onions, finely chopped
  • 3 Shiso leaves infused in soy sauce, finely sliced

Method
  1. Process filleted sauries in a blender to a smooth paste, transfer to a bowl
  2. Add spring onions and shiso leaves
  3. Drop the mixture in boiling water/soup using two spoons
  4. Cook till firm

Wednesday 29 April 2015

Tatsutaage-Style Grilled Chicken

Tuesday Dinner

- Tatsutaage-Style Grilled Chicken
- Chinese Cabbage Coleslaw
- Osuimono Soup (Eggplant/Kale/Tofu/Wakame)

Chicken drumsticks were marinated with 3Tbsp soy sauce, 1Tbsp Vinegar, grated ginger and garlic powder.  This seasoning is similar to Tatsutaage, a Japanese deep-fried chicken or fish dish.  It turned out delicious, fit for a guest.

A Japanese style coleslaw salad is made with shredded Chinese cabbage, carrot and onion, seasoned with 2Tbsp mayonnaise, 1tsp sesame dressing, 1tsp Mentsuyu, 1packet of dried bonito flakes and pepper.

Tuesday 28 April 2015

Salmon Cakes

 Monday Dinner

- Salmon Cakes
- Green Salad with Bocconcini

This is the latest addition to my "go-to" recipes.  Fish cakes are easy to make with pantry ingredients and minimum fresh vegetables.  Even when the fridge is empty and I don't have time to cook, there is always something I can put on a dinner table.  The salad was delicious and went really well with salmon cakes.  The creamy and tangy dressing was made with 1Tbsp mayonnaise, 1Tbsp yoghurt, 1Tbsp wholegrain mustard, juice of 1/2 lemon, chopped caper, chopped gherkins.  Milky and chewy bocconcini were a great addition to the salad.


Salmon Cakes Recipe (Makes 6, Serves 3~4)

Ingredients

  • 400g tin salmon (350g drained)
  • 200g finely chopped vegetables (onion, carrot, celery)
  • 150g Okara
  • 1 egg
  • 2tsp psyllium husk
  • 1Tbsp Miso
  • freshly ground pepper to taste
Method
  1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until well-combined
  2. Shape into 6 large fish cakes
  3. Cook in a prypan (or in the oven) with an oil of your choice on both sides on low heat

Friday 24 April 2015

Pulled Beef & Tofu Open Omelet

Thursday Dinner

- Pulled Beef and Tofu Open Omelet

There are reasons why I like pulled beef/pork and cook them regularly.  It is easy to make, just throw in a pressure cooker.  It is versatile, I can use leftover to create other dishes in the following days.   And it is low-carb, I know Hubby or I won't gain weight from this.  Pulled pork/beef matche my motto for cooking perfectly, that is why I cook them often.

I would call this dish "Tamagotoji" in Japanese but in English, i guess it would be an open omelet or a frittata.  Start by adding Tofu, eggplant and leftover pulled beef in a shallow casserole or a frypan.  Cook until the eggplant is soft with a lid on.  When the eggplant is cooked, add whisked eggs and put the lid back on.  Cook on low heat until the eggs are set to your liking.  Sprinkle spring onions if you have it.

Yes, it is the third consecutive days of pulled beef but I didn't feel that way.

Thursday 23 April 2015

Low-Carb Pulled Beef Croquette


Wednesday Dinner

- Low-Carb Pulled Beef Croquette
- Sautéed Sauerkraut, Carrot and Celery
- Blaised Mushrooms
- Miso Soup (Tofu/Wakame)

Croquettes are one of the most popular dish in Japanese home cooking.  Many people grow up eating mother's homemade croquettes or the ones we buy hot from a butcher.  I am the latter and am not a big fan of croquettes but I remember the warmth of croquettes (deep-fried on order) in my hand on the way home.

My low-carb croquettes are made with Okara (soy pulp) instead of potatoes because I don't buy potatoes (Recipe below).  Okara by itself is dry and boring but it transforms into to something magical with a touch of psyllium husk.  I think of Okara as almond flour substitute with a lot of moisture.


Low-Carb Pulled Beef Croquette (Makes 6, Serves3-4)

Ingredients

  • 135g Okara (soy pulp)
  • 300g Leftover pulled beef
  • 1tsp Psyllium husk
  • 2 handfuls of coconut fine

Method

  1. Dry roast coconut fine in a frypan until golden brown
  2. Mix all the other ingredients (add water if too dry)
  3. Shape into 6 balls
  4. Roll in the toasted coconut fine to coat
  5. Bake in the oven until warm


Wednesday 22 April 2015

Pulled Beef with Lamb Kidney

Tuesday Dinner

- Pulled Beef with Lamb Kidney
- Steamed Broccoli
- Boiled Eggs

Do you own a slow cooker or a pressure cooker?  I don't think there are too many people who own both.  I love my Silit pressure cooker so much that I have no desire for a slow cooker.  

In a pressure cooker, 1kg of pulled beef only needs 20mins of cooking time after pressurised but if I include the time it takes to be pressurised and to be depressurised naturally, it would take at least 40mins.  So I understand completely that some people don't have that 40mins and would suit them to cook 8hrs in a slow cooker and have it ready when they get home.  Having a dinner ready when you get home does sound appealing, too.

1kg of beef blade was cut into 5cm cubes and placed in a pressure cooker with 1cup of water, soy sauce, fish sauce, chilli bean paste (Toubanjan), ginger, garlic, spring onion, onion, lamb kidney(pre-cooked, diced).  Cooked for 20mins after pressurised then depressurised naturally.  I didn't even sear the meat first but turned out delicious.

Remove the beef then shred using two forks.  Reduce the liquid in a pressure cooker then pour on top of the shredded meat.  You could thicken the sauce with tapioca starch but I didn't bother.  Serve with steamed broccoli and boiled eggs.

Tuesday 21 April 2015

Kanzuri-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks

Monday Dinner

- Grilled Kanzuri-Marinated Chicken Drumsticks
- Roasted Carrots and Pumpkin
- Salad with Sour Cream Dressing

Kanzuri is a chilli paste produced exclusively in Niigata prefecture in north part of Japan.  It is made by fermenting Koji, red chillies, Yuzu citrus and salt.  I have never eaten the real Kanzuri because it is not well known nor widely distributed unlike the similar condiment "Yuzukosho".  I made Kanzuri last year just because I had some leftover Koji from making Miso and Toubanjan (chilli miso paste).  I used limes, Korean chilli powder, salt and homemade germinated brown rice Koji.

Last night, I marinated chicken drumsticks with 3Tbsp soy sauce, 2tsp Kanzuri chilli paste and paprika then baked in 180˚C oven for 30mins.  I also roasted carrots and pumpkin on the lower rack.  The chicken wasn't spicy but had just the right amount of saltiness and veggies were beautifully caramelised.

For the salad, I chopped lettuce, carrot, 2 boiled eggs, celery, spring onion, gherkin, tomato and dressed with apple chutney, sour cream, fresh dill, whole grain mustard and pepper.  It tasted like a potato salad without potatoes and we both liked it very much.  The whole dinner was a success.

Monday 20 April 2015

Prawn Paella

Sunday Dinner

- Prawn Paella

Sundays used to be "Paella Night" a few years ago before I went on a low-carb diet.  Right now, I am torn between whether to go back to a conventional diet or a low-carb diet.  Hubby needs to lose 4kg and I don't think it is possible on a conventional diet because he loves craft beer too much and I don't want to take that away from him.

My paella is nowhere near authentic but easy and simple.  Start by sweating garlic and onion with a generous amount of olive oil in a shallow casserole.  When onion is softened, add 200g raw rice (unwashed) and keep stirring.  When all the rice is coated with oil, add 300ml stock (homemade using prawn head is best).  Add cubed tomatoes and place a lid.  Cook for 15mins on low heat.  Add seafood, broccoli, red capsicum in the last 5mins.

I like to add turmeric in the stock for a bright coloured rice!  Sweet prawns were so good...Got to get more prawns next week.

Sunday 19 April 2015

Vegetarian Breakfast

Saturday Brunch

- Herby Scrambled Eggs
- Sautéed Wild Mushrooms
- Tomato, Lettuce, Avocado

Hubby and I went mushroom picking again and got more Saffron Milk Cup Mushrooms.  We mainly picked smaller ones this time since they have better texture and are tastier than larger ones.  Simply sautéed with butter and red capsicums.  But I agree with most people, the mushrooms don't have much flavour and is best paired with bold flavours such as bacon.

Herby scrambled eggs was a success.  Dill and spring onion really made it special.  Hubby liked it too.  I love vegetarian breakfast!

Saturday 18 April 2015

Pumpkin Cheesecake



I don't bake often, the last time I baked was on Valentine's Day in February.  Last week, I baked a pumpkin cheesecake just because I had a cream cheese and roasted pumpkin in fridge.  It was a super easy, tasty, blend and bake cake. 

Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe (Serves 6~8)

Ingredients
  • 250g Cream cheese
  • 250g Roasted pumpkin, pureed
  • 2 Eggs
  • 30g Honey
  • 30g Maple syrup
  • 1tsp cinnamon
  • a handful of almonds, sliced
  • (ginger or lemon juice if you desire)

Method

  1. Blend all the ingredients except almonds in a blender until smooth
  2. Pour into a cake tin or ramekins
  3. Scatter sliced almonds over the top
  4. Bake in the 180˚C oven for 30~40mins

Thursday 16 April 2015

Homemade Japanese BBQ Sauce

Wednesday Dinner

- Takikomi Gohan (Japanese Seasoned Rice)
- Stir-fried Lamb Strips with Eggplant and Red Capsicum
- Miso Soup (Turnip, Lettuce, Wakame)

My "Sick of Meat Syndrome" is ongoing so a Japanese dinner last night.  Soy sauce based Takikomi gohan is cooked with bonito flakes, wild mushrooms and carrot.  There were still a lot of meat on the leftover leg of lamb, so I made a stir-fry.  Fry chopped eggplant with lamb fat with a lid on until tender then add chopped red capsicum, leftover roast lamb strips and 1Tbsp of Homemade Japanese BBQ Sauce.  Served with rice and miso soup.  My Japanese BBQ sauce is naturally sweet without added sweetener.  It goes well with any protein but beef and lamb are my recommendation.


Homemade Japanese BBQ Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
  • 200g soy sauce
  • 30g miso
  • 40g vinegar
  • 60g white wine
  • 20g garlic
  • 10g ginger
  • 5-6 tsp Korean chilli powder
  • 20g sesame oil
  • 1/2 onion
  • 1 apple
  • 10g sesame seeds
Method
  1. Blend all the ingredients except sesame seeds in a blender until smooth
  2. Add sesame seeds and store in a clean jar in the fridge

Wednesday 15 April 2015

Harissa Roasted Leg of Lamb

Tuesday Dinner

- Harissa Roasted Leg of Lamb
- Roasted Vegetables (Pumpkin, Turnips, Carrots)
- Fried Wild Mushrooms with Bacon

With Harissa paste, it is easy to make Moroccan style dishes.  It goes so well with lamb.  I love the exotic flavour of Harissa, just the right amount of heat with pungent cumin.  I always have a jar in the fridge.


Harissa Paste Recipe (Makes approx. 250ml)

Ingredients

  • 1 Red capsicum (about 180g)
  • 3~4 Long red chillies (about 30~50g)
  • 15g Garlic
  • 2% Salt (about 5g)
  • 1.5 tsp Cumin seed
  • 1tsp Coriander seed
  • 1tsp Caraway seed
  • 1Tbsp Olive oil


Method

  1. Remove the seeds of a red capsicum and roughly chop a capsicum and chillies
  2. Blend all in a blender until smooth, store in a clean jar in the fridge

Tuesday 14 April 2015

Lemon Ginger Chicken

Monday Dinner

- Lemon Ginger Chicken Drumsticks
- Pumpkin and Green Beans
- Egg Salad

Do you like ginger? and where do you keep your ginger?  I love ginger very much and I keep grated ginger in a flat ziplock bag in freezer at all times.  The grating process is done in Vitamix.  My mum keeps ginger in Japanese spirits (Sho-chu).  I would never waste Sho-chu for that.

I am still not excited about eating meat but I had drumsticks in the fridge that needed to be eaten so marinated with lemon zest, grated ginger, lemon juice, salt and pepper then grilled in the 180˚C oven for 30mins.  Whenever I can, I try to cook something else on the bottom rack while the oven is on.

Roast veggies or nuts, bake bread, cookies, cakes or granola are all great use of the oven heat.  Yesterday, I roasted pumpkin, apple and green beans.  Simply roasted apple pieces turned out to be a wonderfully sweet and tart apple jam.  I love having this simple apple sauce with yoghurt in the morning.  No added sweetener is the way I like it.

Monday 13 April 2015

Wild Mushroom Picking


Autumn is here!  Hubby and I went to mushroom picking on the weekend and we loved it very much.  Foraging in a calm pine plantation forest was such a relaxing and therapeutic experience.  I do recommend it for people who appreciate tranquility.

Picking wild mushrooms is not so scary if you do your research well and prepare accordingly.  Google "mushroom picking nsw" and you will find all the information you need.

Saffron milk cup mushrooms are very delicate and bruises easily.  I suggest transporting in a tray or a shallow basket in one layer.  Do not be alarmed if your pee turns orange after eating this mushrooms.

I cooked the mushrooms with butter, garlic and salt.  It was crunchy, juicy and delicious.  They were also tasty stir-fried with salami.  I would definitely be going back to pick more wild mushrooms this Autumn.

Friday 10 April 2015

Salmon Cakes with Creamy Dill Sauce

Thursday Dinner

- Salmon Cakes
- Steamed Green Beans
- Tofu Salad with Sesame Dressing

Seafood dinner for two days in a row!  I still don't feel like eating meat so made salmon fish cakes last night.  I drained 400g tin salmon and mixed with finely chopped (in Vitamix) onion, carrot, celery and mushrooms.  Seasoned with Miso, dijon mustard, dill, lemon zest, salt and pepper.  Shaped into round cakes then baked in 180˚C oven for 20-30mins.  Added green beans in the last 5mins.  

I always loved vegetables even when I was a little kid.  I think veggies have amazing flavours as it is.  All you need is a bit of love and care and to remember not to overcook it.  The green beans were so sweet and crunchy and juicy.  They would be a great snack and with dips.

For creamy dill sauce, I mixed sour cream, lemon juice, chopped capers and gherkin, dill, salt and pepper.  Salmon cakes were well seasoned so didn't really need the sauce tough.

Thursday 9 April 2015

Grilled Saury with Lemon

Wednesday Dinner

- Grilled Saury with Lemon
- Germinated Brown Rice (GBR)
- Osuimono Soup with Tofu and Wakame
- Pickled Cucumber

My husband and I went camping over the Easter long weekend.  We love to go camping on long weekends as much as possible to get away from the City.  There are just too many people and too many cars in Sydney.  I grew up in Tokyo but I am not a city-girl.

After 15 years on no-meat diet, I have started eating meat last year.  For past 12 months, I have eaten so much of it that I am bit sick of it now and thinking about ditching low-carb diet and just eat whatever my heart desires.  I think low-carb, paleo or keto diet are really great for losing weight but I am underweight and do not wish to lose or gain weight at the moment so I am not sure if there is any reasons for me to be on low-carb diet. 

Well, I know the importance of protein in diet from my vegan phase, and fish was the obvious substitute to meat.  I keep frozen saury in freezer so I gutted, cleaned 3 whole fish and seasoned with salt and pepper.  Filled the belly with onion, lemon slices, dill, mushrooms then grilled in 180˚C oven for 20mins.  Served with GBR and a clear soup.  The fish had crispy skin and moist fatty flesh.  I am pretty happy with how it turned out.

I made pickled cucumber by simmering sliced cucumber with 4Tbsp soy sauce, 2Tbsp apple cider vinegar, 1tsp Korean chilli powder and 10g ginger until almost all the liquid is reduced.  It is a good condiment to go with plain rice.

Wednesday 1 April 2015

RS Takikomi Gohan

Tuesday Dinner

- RS Takikomi Gohan
- Braised Veggies (leftover)
- Carrot Salad (leftover)
- Braised Kale and Fried Tofu (leftover)
- Sauerkraut

Have you heard of Resistant Starch (RS)?  I read an article about how to cook rice to reduce its calories (source below).  Well, I don't care about calories but I do like how this method of cooking rice can reduce up to 60% of starch that body absorbs.

The method is easy.  Cook rice with 1tsp of coconut oil then store in a fridge for 12 hrs.   This changes starch and makes it harder to be absorbed in a small intestine which results in reducing a blood sugar rise.  This got to be good and the effects is not reversed when the rice is reheated.  So I cooked the rice this way.

All I did was to cook Takikomi Gohan (Japanese flavoured rice) using the leftover sauce from braised pork with some veggies.  The leftover sauce contained pork fat so I thought that would do what coconut oil do.

I can't tell you if my small intestine absorbed 60% less starch or not, but the rice turned out fluffy, not sticky and tasted pretty good.  I will try cooking rice this way when I do from now on.  Well, I already freeze my germinated brown rice so i hope freezing does the same as refrigerating.

Source:
http://www.popsci.com.au/gadgets/fitness/cook-rice-differently-to-reduce-its-calories,402093