Smoked Salmon Chirashizushi

Tuesday Dinner

- Smoked Salmon & Cabbage Chirashizushi

- Osuimono Soup

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.

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

GBR Sushi Rolls

Tuesday Dinner

- Sushi rolls (tuna, spam)

- Osuimono soup (lettuce, okra)

- Homemade Tofu with red sauce

Carb dinner last night, ran out of meat.  I only make sushi rolls once or twice a year.  I should make more often since I'm a proud Japanese but it is such a hassle, definitely don't wanna make it for a large group of guests.  There are so many elements to making sushi rolls (see below).  I guess it could shortcut if I used smoked salmon or flavoured tin tuna.

1. Cook rice
2. Make Japanese omelet
3. Cook tuna with soy and ginger 
4. Fry Bacon or Spam
5. Cut cucumber
6. Make sushi vinegar
7. Make sushi rice
8. Roll
9. Cut
10. Eat

Germinated Brown Rice (GBR) is the only brown rice I eat these days.  It's super easy to prepare.  Simply rinse and soak brown rice in plenty of water and leave it in room temperature until germinates, usually takes 1~3days.  Change water once or twice a day.

Once germinated, I rinse it again and leave 5mm of water above rice then cook in a pressure cooker for 25mins (start counting when you turn the heat on).  

GBR is easier to digest and stays moist when refrigerated like white rice.  I won't make sushi with normal brown rice.  It will be too dry and hard to eat without microwaving it the next day.  If I don't have GBR prepared, I will just use white rice.

Osuimono soup is a clear Dashi broth.  I just use Dashi pack and add whatever odd vegetables or protein I have in hand.

I made red sauce for Tofu by mixing soy sauce, garlic paste, Korean chilli powder, spring onion, roasted white sesame seeds and sesame oil.

I cooked too much again, didn't need Tofu.  Forgot how Sushi is so filling, 8 pieces per person will be plenty.

Garlic Chicken and Umami Rice

Sunday Dinner

- Garlic Chicken

- Squid Ink Umami Rice

- Salad

Garlic Chicken is something I make when I don't wanna cook.  It is so easy and simple but tastes amazing.  Use chicken thigh cutlet with skin on for this.  Season well with salt and pepper on skin side only.  Cook with garlic slices either on fry pan or in the oven skin side down first.

I also made a Japanese rice dish, "Takikomi gohan".  I don't believe the use of squid ink is traditional for this dish.  I only used it because I had it in hand and also it would make it look interesting. 

Anyway, Takikomi gohan is such a versatile dish, can be made with seafood, meat and/or veggies.  Lots of flavour unlike a bowl of steamed white rice.  Google if you wanna know more about the history of this dish.  I am just going to leave my recipe here.

Squid Ink Umami Rice (Takikomi gohan) Recipe (Serves 4)

Ingredients

• 200g short-grain white rice
• 6g squid ink paste
• 1/2 carrot, cubed
• 2 pieces deep-fried tofu
• 1 Dashi pack*
• 1tsp soy sauce

Method

1. Rinse rice 4 times
2. Leave water about 1cm above rice and soak for 15mins 
3. Add all the ingredients in a pot* except carrot and deep-fried tofu
4. Stir well then add carrot and tofu on top
5. Cook for 15mins (Once boiled, turn the heat right down)
6. Rest for 10mins before serving

*Dashi pack is like a tea bag for Japanese soup stock.  Tear it open and use the granules inside.  You could also use Dashi powder instead.

*I use a clay pot but whatever pots, pans or rice cooker you have is fine