Japanese Cooking and Anime/Manga in the Netherlands

Maid cafe Omurice

2011-12-13T22:54:00.011+01:00

Omurice (Japanese: オムライス, Omu-raisu), is an example of contemporary Japanese fusion cuisine (Yōshoku) consisting of an omelette made with fried rice and usually topped with ketchup. Omu and Raisu being contractions of the words omelette and rice, the name is a Wasei-eigo(Japanese English). It is a popular dish both commonly cooked at home and can be found at many Japanese-western style diners and izakaya restaurants in Japan. The dish is also popular with Japanese children and now a days it's one of a very popular menu in Maid cafe in Japan.

I made an omurice with maid cafe style.

Omurice typically consists of chikin raisu wrapped in a thin sheet of fried egg.
About chicken rice, refer my last post.

Chicken rice wrapped with omelette.

Decorate Omurice by Maid cafe style.
In maid cafe, maids draw some graphics on the omurice with tomato ketchup. This technique is called "ketchup art" in Japan. Guess it's wasei-eigo too.

Cooking omurice was not so difficult however ketchup art was a bit difficult. but it's interesting to cook.

Inside of omurice.

Wikipedia links:
Yoshoku: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Y%C5%8Dshoku
Omurice: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omurice
Izakaya: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Izakaya
Maid café; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maid_cafe

Japanese chicken rice

2011-12-03T10:30:00.009+01:00

In Japanese cuisine, Yoshoku (Yōshoku, 洋食 : means Western food) refers to a style of Western-influenced cooking which originated during the Meiji Restoration (1868-). For more detail about Yoshoku, refer wikipedia

Actually Yoshoku means "Western food" in Japanese, but now a days Yoshoku is recognized as a Japanese dish in Western countries!. Curry rice, Korokke, Tonkatsu, etc...Japanese think those are western foods, but Westerners think those are Japanese foods.

This time I introduce Japanese chicken rice which is one of a popular Yoshoku in Japan. It's my favorite Yoshoku.

Stir fry Japanese rise, chicken, onion and other vegetables with Tomato Ketchup.

Other version of a chicken rice is cooked like a pilaf rather than being fried. I like this version.
Japanese chicken rice is also a basic component of Omurice and Doria.

Whiting (Wijting) Tempura

2011-11-29T18:02:00.003+01:00

Homemade Japanese dinner. Whiting Tempura and Nameko miso soup.
Huisgemaakte Japans diner. Wijting Tempura en Nameko miso soep.

Whiting(Wijting) or other white fishes are good for Tempra.

Maguro Natto (Tuna with Japanese fermented soybeans)

2011-11-24T20:03:00.001+01:00

This is always nice to cook tuna dishes when we found a fresh one. Eating fresh tuna by Sashimi or Sushi is already famous Japanese style in the world. This time I am going to introduce other Japanese dish of fresh tuna.

To eat fresh tuna with Natto is one of a popular Japanese style, called Maguro Natto (まぐろ納豆). You will find this menu mainly in Izakaya in Japan. Serving Maguro Natto on the rice called Maguro Natto Don (まぐろ納豆丼). The photo is my homemade Maguro Natto Don.

Natto (fermented soybeans) is one of a traditional Japanese food. For more detail refer last post, http://japaneseholland.blogspot.com/2011/11/natto-fermented-soybeans.html

Back to Maguro Natto don,

1. Make tuna tartar, mix with white sesame, a little bit sesame oil, and finely minced spring onions.

2. Mix Natto with soy souse, Shimaya-dashi, and finely minced spring onions.

3. Prepare steamed rice or Sushi rice in a bowl, sprinkle finely cut Nori seaweeds on.
Place 1 and 2 on 3. And place a fresh egg yolk in a middle.

4. Serve with soy sauce and wasabi. Mix together when you eat.

Natto (fermented soybeans)

2011-11-06T11:19:00.003+01:00

Natto (納豆; fermented soybeans) is one of a traditional Japanese food. It is commonly eaten with soy sauce, mustard, and minced spring onions. And is served mainly with rice. You can get Natto in some Asian shops or Japanese shops. The Natto on this photo is my homemade. There is a technique to multiply Natto at home, and Japanese living abroad often take this way.

1. Get 1 pack of Natto from Japanese shop or other Asian shop.
2. Steam or boil soybeans until extremely tender.
3. Mix 1 well into 2 in the clean container.
4. Place 3 in the place of 45 degree temperatures. For example, in the oven, wrap in an electronic blanket, rice cooker, etc...

I use an electronic blanket. Do Natto Dream of Electric Blanket?

The SF novel "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" is the basis of the film Blade Runner.

5. Natto increases after 24 hours.

To be honest many non-Japanese find the taste of Natto unpleasant. You are a Japanese expert if you can eat this traditional Japanese food?.

wikipedia: Natto
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natt%C5%8D

Mizu Yokan

2011-10-06T18:16:00.007+02:00

The photo is my homemade Mizu Yokan (水羊羹) with Hello Kitty form.

Yōkan is a thick jellied sweet dessert made of red bean (azuki) paste, agar, and sugar. This red bean (azuki) paste is called "Anko (餡子). One of the most popular among Japanese sweets which evolved in 18 century. And it is one of the staple gift item in Japan.

There are two main types of Yokan, Neri yōkan and Mizu yōkan. "Mizu" means "water". It is made with more water than Yokan. Mizu yōkan is often eaten in Japanese summer.

Of course, good combination with Japanese green tea.

Domo kun Kyaraben

2011-08-15T19:02:00.012+02:00

It's interesting phenomenon for us that Domo kun is popular and beloved mascot in abroad.
Wikipedia: Domo kun
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domo_%28NHK%29

Making Domo kun Kyaraben (charactor bento) is easy.

Body: SPAM(canned precooked meat product)
Tooth and mouth: Surimi.
Eyes: Nori seaweed

You can get all ingredients in a local supermarket nearby.

Hatsune Miku Bento 2

2011-08-09T20:52:00.005+02:00

Last Hatsune Miku Kyaraben (Charactor bento) was made by Nori art.
http://japaneseholland.blogspot.com/2011/07/hatsune-miku-kyaraben-character-bento.html

For this Kyaraben, I used several Dutch cheeses.

Hair - Basil Gouda cheese
Skin - Gouda cheese
Background - goat cheese
Dress - Nori seaweed

By the way we also use bread instead of rice in Japan. basically Bento means lunch box and doesn't matter however rice or sandwitch.

Contents is Miku but the box is Hello Kitty.

Hatsune Miku Kyaraben (character bento)

2011-07-21T22:48:00.024+02:00

I made Hatsune Miku Kyaraben (character bento) applying with Nori art.
Nori art means Nori seaweed art. This is one of a Kyaraben technique in Japan.
It's similar to paper-cutout but using Sushi Nori instead.

It’s easy to make simple-shaped characters for Kyaraben.
But about anime characters, it’s complicated to express details sometimes.
Thus Nori art is one of a method to express details of anime-type characters.

The process is as follows,

1. Draw image sketch. Consider the layout of Nori figure and other foods.

2. Draw a pattern on a paper or kitchen paper. (must be a clean paper, of course)

3. Place the pattern on Nori seaweed. Cut out the form with a cutter.

4. Place the completed Nori figure on a cheese.

Cut unnecessary areas of a cheese to fix the shape.
Better Not to put Nori on rice directly. Because detailed shape of Nori figure will be lose.

5. Arrange other foods. Ingredients are,

Omelet (self-made)
Meatball
Mora snack
Cherry tomato
Rice
Chicken ham (on the rice area)
Carrot
Green peas
Salad leaf
Broccoli
Chive (to express Hatsune Miku’s Negi (spring onion).

6. Place 4 and 5 in a bento box.

I got all of them from Albert Heijn, a generic Dutch super market.
Nothing special ingredients, and you don’t have to go to Japanese shops.

Kyaraben wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyaraben

Hatsune Miku wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatsune_Miku

Japanese style beef steak

2011-07-12T11:00:00.006+02:00

Daikon Oroshi (grated daikon) is one of a popular Japanese garnish, and this with soy sauce is well-known combination. Basically it's used frequently than Teriyaki sauce in Japan.
We mostly attach this garnish with baked fishes. Also this is common in Japan that Daikon Oroshi is served with Tempura sauce.

Beef steak with Daikon Oroshi/soy sauce is very tasty combination.
Just get a beef steak from a supermarket. Get Daikon in ethnic markets or somewhere, and simply grate it. You can use a food processor if you have. Serve steaks with Daikon Oroshi and soy sauce. With lemon or wasabi is good accent if you like. You can enjoy brilliant Japanese dish that is regularly expensive in Japanese restaurants.

With Hamburg steak or other meats are also nice if your economy is tight to get steaks.

Hello Kitty Kyaraben

2011-07-01T22:31:00.002+02:00

My lunch box, that style called Kyaraben in Japan.
Kyaraben is a popular bento style in Japan today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyaraben

Hello Kitty is one of an easy figure for making Kyaraben.
This is a good start for Kyaraben beginners.

Sushi of Hollandse Nieuwe (maatjesharing)

2011-06-17T23:55:00.011+02:00

Japanese people love fresh fishes. The best fish in the Netherlands that close to Japanese Sashimi... is exactly haring (herring).
Actually there are tuna or other Sashimi for Sushi in the Netherlands too, but those are deep‐freeze fishes.
However Dutch people often eat haring raw everywhere in the Netherlands. Therefore we can easily get fresh haring in here.
Especially Hollandse Nieuwe (maatjesharing) is absolutely tasty and really good for Sushi topping.

I made Nigiri-sushi and Negitoro-Don.

Maatjesharing were rightly marinade in vinegar with ginger and a little bit honey.
Don't marinade too long time. Enough for 10 to 15 min,
Or without marinade is also nice if the haring is extremely fresh.

If you don't like fish-smell, Negitoro is good way to eat.
Negitoro is a Japanese style Tartar chop with spring onions.
Put this Tartar on the Sushi rice. Served with soy souse and wasabi.

In the Netherlands, first Hollandse Nieuwe is dedicated to Dutch queen.
I'm not sure she knows how tasty Maatjesharing-Sushi is.

Hello Kitty Sushi

2011-06-06T23:28:00.005+02:00

Al jaren maak ik sushi voor familie en vrienden op feesten.
Dit jaar heb ik Hello Kitty Sushi gemaakt.
I often make Sushi for parties.
I made Hello Kitty Sushi on this year.

Other dishes what I made are...

Salmon sushi

Maki sushi, Nigiri sushi(Shrimp, eel)

Okonomiyaki(Japanese Pancake)

Korokke(Japanese potato croquettes)

Kimuchi

And the destiny of Hello Kitty was...

Amen.

Tsukemen (Dipping Ramen)

2010-10-22T17:22:00.009+02:00

Tsukemen is "dipping ramen" that is popularly eaten in Japan.

The way of eating Tsukemen is, serve noodles in a plate, offering soup in another bowl,
and eat with dipping noodles in a soup as like Zaru soba (cold soba style).

Both good Tsukemen and Ramen are possible to make in the Netherlands.
You don't need special ingredients, and you can get most ingredients in Albert Heijn.

I am from Tokyo then I love to cook Tsukemen or Ramen with Tokyo style soup.
Tokyo style soup is the combination bouillon from both meat and fish.
This style of Ramen soup is called "double soup" in Japanese slang.

In Japan we have Sababushi (dried, fermented, and smoked mackerel).
This ingredient is often used for Ramen or other dishes in Japan.
Therefore in the Netherlands, I can use smoked Mackerel instead.

soup is the combination of chicken bouillon, mackerel bouillon,
and soy sauce bouillon after stewed pork.

Soy souce stewed pork. Pork meat is for eat, and soy souse bouillon is one of an element of soup.
Put boiled eggs in this bouillon to make soy souse egg.

AH fresh pasta with egg is closer taste to Japanese Ramen noodle more than other Asian noodles in here.
Many Japanese people in the Netherlands, they use this AH pasta for Ramen or Yakisoba.
Must get this brand (Spagetti that includes egg), other pasta doesn't work for ramen/yakisoba.

For more detail refer my Japanese blog.
http://ameblo.jp/utrecht/entry-10649416076.html

Homemade Japanese dinner for my guests

2010-10-18T23:51:00.011+02:00

My friends visited our place on last week. They were looking forward to have my Japanese dinner. I cooked special Japanese dinner for them.

Around 80% of Japanese restaurants in western countries are organized by non-Japanese.
Those places are often different from native Japanese taste.
Therefore I cooked for my guest to introduce Japanese home taste as much as possible.

Detail of meals is as follows:

1. 五目寿司(Gomokuzushi)
Cooked ingredients are mixed in the body of rice in a bowl. It is commonly eaten in Japan.
My Gomokuzushi, mixed ingredients are carrots, bamboo shoots and Shiitake mushrooms. Toppings are omelet, shrimps, carrots and something green vegetable.

2. 鮭の味噌焼き(Sake no Misoyaki)
Spread Miso paste and whisked egg on Grilled salmon.

3. えのきと玉ねぎ、麩の味噌汁(Enoki to Tamanegi, Hu no Misoshiru)
Miso soup with Enoki (thin white mushroom), onion and Hu (麩)Japanese wheat gluten)

4. 肉じゃが(Nikujaga (Japanese stewed meat and potato)
Nikujaga is a common home-cooked Japanese dish. The dish contains meat, potatoes, onions, and carrots stewed in soy sauce based bouillon. It is also sometimes seen in izakaya (Japanese pub) in Japan.

5.ひじきの煮付け(Hijiki no netsuke (stewed Hijiki)
Hijiki is a seaweed and is a traditional food in Japan. This is a common home-cooked Japanese dish. Typical grand mother's meal. Stewed with soy sauce and fish stock.

6.いんげんの生姜煮(Ingen no Shougani)
This is a traditional dish within my family. My grand mother often cooked this dish.
Boil kidney beans with ginger, seasoning is soy sauce and Konbu stock.
About Konbu stock, refer to my other article as follows.
http://japaneseholland.blogspot.com/2009/01/konbu-dashi-basic-seaweed-stock.html

7. 切干大根(Kiriboshi daikon)
Kiriboshi daikon is Dried Daikon. This is one of a popular Japanese ingredient.
Seasoning of this dish is soy sauce and Konbu stock. Also this is popular Japanese grandmother's dish.

8. ほうれん草の白和え(Hourensou no Shiraae)
This is also a typical grandmother's dish in Japan. Boiled spinach mixed with smashed Tofu.

Our tableware is Japanese pottery and Japanese lacquerware. My mother gave us those valuables when we were in Japan.
Real and original Japanese lacquerware is expensive therefore most Japanese restaurants provides imitation (plastic) lacquerware nowadays. (My Japanese lacquerwares is real and original)

Dessert: 抹茶かん (The agar of Japanese green tea)
served with 餡子(Japanese Bean jam) and whip cream

One important essence of Japanese cuisine, is called "Motenashi no Kokoro (もてなしの心. the mind of warmly treatment)".
To cook Japanese foods beautifully is to show sincerity to the guest by cooking.
This kind of mindset is also used for Japanese tea ceremony.

Hello Kitty pancake

2010-10-13T18:22:00.004+02:00

Cooked Hello Kitty pancake. How to ?

I bought this frying pan in Japan. we can get unique Hello Kitty products in there.

Sorry for eating Hello Kitty face but tasty, hehe.

Rei-Shabu (cold Shabu-shabu)

2010-09-13T18:57:00.002+02:00

Rei-Shabu is a Japanese dish, means "cold Shabu Shabu".
Japanese often make this dish mainly on summer time.
I made this Japanese dish from standard ingredients that sold in AH.

Boil thin sliced pork or beef, then cool them down.
Served with vegetables with Rei-shabu sauce.
Sorts of Rei-shabu sauce are for example sesame taste, Miso taste and soy sauce taste.

Shabu-shabu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shabu-shabu

Chirashizushi (scattered Sushi)

2010-09-08T08:21:00.011+02:00

We have many types of Sushi in Japan. Chirashizushi, (scattered sushi) is Sushi rice spread in a bowl with some ingredients (i.e. fish, vegetables, eggs, etc...) on the top or mixed in. This is commonly eaten in Japan.

In the Netherlands, Paling or salmon is good for this Sushi. This photo is my homemade Chirashizushi topping with Paling(Dutch smoked eel), crab, egg and avocado. Better to bake Paling lightly(1 minutes more or less) to vaporize fat. Of course soy sauce (with wasabi) is a necessary item when you eat.

This Sushi is easy to make more than Maki sushi or Nigiri sushi. You don't need special ingredients for topping as you can see my photo. If you don't like fishes, you can use ham instead.

Japanese Curry

2010-09-02T13:44:00.004+02:00

I like Japanese curry very much.

Standard JP curry is of course good.

And topping with a lot of vegetables is also nice, especially with fried eggplants.

Tenzaru (cold Japanese Soba noodle with Tempura)

2010-08-07T07:36:00.010+02:00

We, Japanese often eat cold noodles mainly in summer time.
Because Japanese summer is hot and humid.
Cold noodles are good for our appetite in this Japanese weather.

The photo that was my dinner (of course I cooked), is one of popular Japanese noodle dish "Ten-zaru".
"Ten" means Tempura. "Zaru" means Zaru-soba.
Soba is cold but Tempra is of course warm.
How to eat, is dipping both Tempra and Soba with soba tsuyu (dipping sauce).

Many Japanese people enjoy drinking Sobayu (the water in which the noodles were cooked) after the dish.
If you went Japanese restaurant, and if they provided Sobayu after you ate Soba, this restaurant will be good sign.

Oh, remember we drink only Sobayu.
We don't drink the water in which Ramen or Udon noodles were cooked.

About the detail of Soba, you can refer wikipedia, hehe...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soba

Sauce Katsu-don (Japanese pork cutlet rice bowl served with Japanese sauce)

2010-08-02T15:56:00.008+02:00

I introduced standard Katsudon before.
Today I introduce other type of Katsudon, called "Sauce Katsudon".

Sauce Katsudon is the one served with special sauce that is Japanese brown sauce based.
About this dish, sauce means "Japanese brown sauce" like Bull-dog sauce or Otafuku sauce.

Sauce Katsudon Recipe:

1. Prepare the rice

2. Make Tonkatsu

How to make Tonkatsu:
http://japanesefood.about.com/od/pork/r/tonkatsu.htm

You can also use schnitzel pork meat for Tonkatsu.

3. Cut the cabbage into fine strips

4. make "Sauce Katsudon" sauce

stair well following ingredients and boil 1 min.

- JP brown sauce: 3 tbsp.
- JP soya sauce: 3 tbsp.
- kechap: 2 tbsp.
- sugar: 2 tbsp.
- water: 2tpsp.
- Dashi(Japanese fish bouillon. you can also get this in Toko): 1/4 tea spoon.

5. Serve rice in bowls, pour 2 tbsp of "4" on it. then place the cabbage.

6. Cut Tonkatsu pieces, dip both sides with "4". Then place Tonkatus on "5".

------------------------------------------------------

- Japanese brown sauce.

I am not sure about other towns. About Utrecht, you can get JP brown sauce at Toko centraal (Amsterdamstraatweg).

- About Panko

If you are living in the Netherlands, you can make Panko from Dutch Bischuit.

Clash this Bischuit like this photo, you can get Japanese type Panko.
You can make Japanese fried dishes with Panko like Tonkatsu, Korokke, and Ebifurai, etc...

Katsudon (Japanese rice bowl with a pork cutlet, and egg)

2010-07-31T10:06:00.012+02:00

I made Katsudon for our dinner last night.
Katsudon is one of a populer Japanese dish, a bowl of rice topped with a Tonkatsu, egg, and condiments.

Tonkatsu is a deep-fried pork cutlet (Japanese pork Schnitzel).
Japanese bread crumbs called "Panko", this doesn't include herbs and spice.
When you want to make Japanese bread crumbs, just grate leftover breads that are getting dry using with cheese grater.
You can also get Japanese bread crams in Japanese or Chinese shops.
But it's not practical to pay for expensive price for the product that is made from old breads.

My husband is a Dutch but he also like this dish.

lekker lekker

Katsudon - wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katsudon

Hello Kitty Obentou Box

2010-03-17T01:56:00.005+01:00

Hello Kitty Lunch Box. Bought in Japan.

With a chopstick case.

Create Obentou is part of my artwork.

Best recommend visual J-rock band

2010-03-12T15:33:00.008+01:00

I often have talked with Japanese visual rock (V-kei) fans in the Netherlands or internet chat. I was really surprised at their knowledge very much. I am glad as one of a Japanese that Japanese music　fascinates many youngers in the world.

Recently I discovered a difference of recognition about V-kei between Japan and abroad. Many V-kei fans in abroad, they know X-Japan very much. But only few of them know BUCK-TICK.
I felt a little bit shocked because along with X Japan, BUCK-TICK are commonly credited as one of the founders of the visual rock (V-kei) movement. Current many young Japanese V-bands were influenced from BUCK-TICK very much.

BUCK-TICK is a well experienced Japanese rock band consisting of: Atsushi Sakurai(vo), Hisashi Imai(g), Hidehiko Hoshino(g), Higuchi Yutaka(b), and Yagami Toll(d). They originally formed in 1984 and have been almost continuously active since then always with same members. Now a days Buck-Tick built their status up strong, and have a large number of their established fans in Japan. They have live concerts in Nippon Budokan on every December. (Nippon Budokan is famous large-scale hall in Tokyo where so many famous musicians from all over the world also played.)
In addition, BUCK-TICK appeared for Japan live of Marilyn Manson as an opening act.

Some singers or bands are not good at live performance even if their PV on YOUTUBE was splendid. But BUCK-TICK has a good reputation for their live concert.
Kiyoharu gave good compliments to Buck-Tick,
`Some rock bands make audience bored in 1 to 2 hour's their live concerts,
But Buck-Tick`s performance is great and very practical. They never make their audience bored`.

BUCK-TICK - Aku no Hana (their most famous number in Japan)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn4xX3EJX54

BUCK-TICK - Romance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkLymcP2zMc

Other cool points of BUCK-TICK is, of course their music composing with unique chord progression of guitars. And lyrics of their songs are also interesting.
Especially Atushi Sakurai(vocal) writes unique decadent lyrics.

For example following song is `Makkana Yoru (Bloody night)` from their newest Album `Mementomori(2009)`. Summary of lyric is:

I become the rain.
My name is the rain with silence.
I am the rain without the end.
Fall in love in the rain.

I make your skin wet.
Eternity have been spilling.

I touch your skin.
Eternity goes through between fingers.

I madly make you wet.
Eternal have been spilling.

Good, I am the rain falling on you.
You fit the rain.

Go bloody

Buck-Tick - Makkana Yoru (Bloody)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQeWZDNkJdI

Tell the truth, I didn't like Buck-Tick when they were young. But today they became a very good rock band, and now I like them very much.

I think the name `Visual-Kei` sounds sometimes immature because `good looking` have priority more than music quality. But if I have to talk about V-kei as a Japanese, my best recommend is Buck-Tick.

Following PV is their newest single (28th!) that will be on sale in March 24, 2010.

BUCK-TICK - Dokudanjou Beauty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0jCdBJF5Rak

Himono (Japanese stockfish)

2010-03-09T17:25:00.007+01:00

Many Japanese love fishes very much. We have many way for cooking fishes.
Himono is one of a popular fish dish in Japan. Himono means "Stockfish" .

This photo is one of my cooking menu. The dish on the top left called "Aji no Himono", means "Stockfish of Jack mackerel(Horsmakrel)".
May be some Japanese shops or some Japanese restaurants in abroad provide "Aji no Himono", but will be expensive if we get Aji no Himono in there.
But if we made by ourselves, only costs 30 cents to 50 cents. Therefore I make "Aji no Himono" by myself.
It's easy to make. Just get fresh Jack mackerel in the fish market.
remove the insides from a fish, and wash by water gently.
Marinade this in light saltwater for 2 to 4 hours, hang it and dry in half to 1 day (depends seasons).
Grill the fish both sides well, and eat with soy　souce and daikon-oroshi(grated Japanese radish).

Lekker! Yam Yam!

Pokemon Kyaraben (character bento)

2009-12-11T17:51:00.005+01:00

This photo is my Pikachu Kyaraben that I made by myself in the Netherlands.

Ingredients:

-Pikachu.
Carrot
Egg
Rice
Nori (seaweed)

-Monster ball
Daikon(Japanese radish)
Petit tomato.
Nori (seaweed)

-Others
Broccoli.

What is Kyaraben?
You can see following explanation in wikipedia.

Kyaraben or charaben (キャラ弁), a shortened form of character bento (キャラクター弁当, kyarakutā bentō?), is a style of elaborately arranged bento which features food decorated to look like people, characters from popular media, animals, and plants.Japanese homemakers often spend time devising their families meals including their boxed lunches.
Originally, a decorated bento was intended to interest children in their food and to encourage a wider range of eating habits. It has now evolved to the point where national contests are held.
(From wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyaraben)

Actually Kyaraben was created for Japanese picky kids in the beginning,
but this phenomenon has spread to also adults.
They also enjoy Kyaraben to cook/eat, bring to the office or school today in Japan.

Sanma Teishoku(Japanese lunch set with Pacific saury）

2009-12-11T17:14:00.005+01:00

Sanma, is one of a popular seasonal food in autumn in Japan.
Common style is grilled whole, served with daikon oroshi (grated daikon)and soy sauce.
This photo is my Sanma Teishoku in my place.
Teishoku means combination set menu or À la carte in Japanese.

The birth place of Japanese Anime

2009-11-28T10:51:00.020+01:00

This is the station of my home town in Tokyo prefecture.
This statue in the station hall is the conductor of Anime "Galaxy Express 999".

My hometown is called "the birth place of Japanese anime" because Toei Animation is locating here.

The first Japanese anime "Hakuja-den(Legend of the White Snake)" was created by Toei Animation on 1958.
Many famous anime artists including Hayao Miyazaki were started from this Toei Animation.

Toei Animation has a museum that called "Toei Animation gallery".
We can study in here about the history of Japanese anime since 1950th.

They are continuing to create many famous anime
(i.e., Dragon Ball, Sailor Moon, One piece, Yu-Gi-Oh!, etc...)

One of a current Toei works, "Fresh Pretty Cure!".
Huge amount of Japanese little girls are crazy about this anime now in Japan.

This Toei Animation gallery is near my neighbourhood.
Actually my hometown is the hometown of Japanese anime, haha.

We can also watch special tools used for the process of a traditional anime in here.

special camera used for shooting animation frames.

Of course this is traditional process, and now a days most anime are digitalized.
But most graphical frames are drawn by human hands as same as traditional animation.
Actually to paint colors are done by digital today.
But of course basic and important parts, or most part of inbetween animation are done by human hand.
For more details of anime making procedure, refer this link:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traditional_animation#Digital_ink_and_paint

Average 3000 to 6000 frames are needed to create 30 minutes Japanese anime.
This means almost over 3000 graphics are drawn by human hands even though today.
Moreover all were painted by human hands before digitalized!
(We called this each human hand painted anime frames "Seru-Ga (Cel)"

I wish you to recognize that making anime is very hard work.
Unfortunately many people says "we can watch anime by free on internet".
But all anime are created by a lot of anime industry workers with their efforts.

Anime is a great art creation, and to create Manga is also very hard work.
I feel unhappy when some people think about anime or manga as like a temporary trend consumables.
I wish if you could appreciate for efforts of anime creators when you watch anime.

I am in Japan now!

2009-10-30T02:34:00.008+01:00

My photo of Oirase Keiryu, Aomori Japan

I was born and brought up in Tokyo, Japan.
I moved to the Netherlands on 2002.
Now I and my husband are visiting Japan, and have been staying my mother's place in Tokyo.
My last visit to Japan was 4 years ago.
Japanese trends were changed a lot.
Everybody from younger to older are checking Keitai(mobile phone)in the train.
Too many great electronic products and shops on everywhere in city areas.

Of course, foods are very very tasty in Japan.
I enjoy to go for eating or eating my mother's meals on every day.

We traveled Tohoku (north Japan area) on last week.
It's very beautiful season to watch KouYou(red colored leaves)
This is beautifully interesting a natural　phenomenon in Japan that some leaves are getting red in autumn season.

We hiked Oirase-Keiryu(Oirase stream), Aomori, Japan on 26th Oct.
Enjoy some photos from our travel!

Yeah, dinner in Ryokan(Japanese hotel) where we stayed was also nice!

Japan news: Shin-chan author falls to death in mountains

2009-09-20T21:30:00.006+02:00

Yoshito Usui, the author of worldwide famous Manga/Anime "Shin-chan (Japanese title: Kureyon Shin-chan)", he was killed in a mountaineering accidentfalles to death in Mt.Arafune, Gunma Japan.
His hobby was hiking and he left his home early in the morning 11th. he told to his family that he would be back by the evening.But he didn’t return home on this day. His family went to the police.

for more detail:
http://www.examiner.com/x-16352-Japan-Headlines-Examiner~y2009m9d20-Famous-Japanese-manga-artist-falls-to-death-in-mountains

Tokyo Ramen (home made)

2009-05-15T17:12:00.004+02:00

I guess some people knows about Japanese Ramen.
Soooooooo tasty and I love it!
But unfortunately it"s hard to find good Ramen shops in abroad(means out of Japan).

I often make Ramen by myself because Ramen in Japanese restaurants, it's not tasty like main land, or terribly expensive. Moreover I saw a lot of fake Ramen in fake Japanese restaurants.

An important thing is the taste of soup. The bouillon of Tokyo style Ramen is combinations from fishes, chicken bones, pork meats, and Soya source. We need to boil them over 4 to 6 hours.
Yep, Hard work makes Ramen tasty more and more!

For more detail, refer my other blog,
http://ameblo.jp/utrecht/entry-10260588462.html

Lekker!

fried eggplant with Japanese meat sauce

2009-05-13T12:34:00.002+02:00

To make Japanese-style meat sauce, we use Miso, ginger, and spring onion for seasoning.
Lekker!

Japan news: Japanese charismatic Rock star Kiyoshiro Imawano dies at 58

2009-05-06T15:57:00.002+02:00

Japanese charismatic Rock star Kiyoshiro Imawano has died.

Kiyoshiro Imawano, a Japanese rock singer known for his critical lyrics and original stage costumes, passed away from lymphatic cancer. He was age 58.

In 1968 he formed the band RC Succession with his junior high school classmates.
In 1982, Imawano teamed up with Ryuichi Sakamoto to release the single "I-ke-na-i Rouge Magic," which became a phenomenon in Japan. Hailed as a Japanese "rock god," Imawano performed concerts, and also appeared in commercials and films.

Kiyoshiro Imawano, who believed that "music should be the stimulus of the era," also performed songs with a political message. He often composed critical message songs that was prohibited by government or music industry. His soulful action was unusual in Japan.
Therefore at one point, sales of his anti-nuclear power album "Covers," and that of an album that included a punk version of "Kimi ga Yo," Japan's national anthem, were temporarily suspended. At a concert in 2003 that was being broadcast live on an FM radio station, he suddenly sang the national anthem and "Akogare no Kita-Chosen," or "Longing for North Korea," forcing the radio station to cut off its broadcast.

Kiyoshiro Imawano was diagnosed with cancer of the larynx in July 2006 and admitted to hospital. After treatment, he held a comeback concert at Tokyo's Budokan in February 2008. However, in July of the same year, it was confirmed that the cancer had spread to one of his pelvic bones, and Imawano was forced to put his career on hold to undergo radiation therapy.

Kiyoshiro Imawano passed away on 3rd may, 2009. His death gave a deep shock all over Japan. Many Japanese felt in a deep sense of loss, and they posted their heartfelt condolences to Kiyoshiro’s songs on Youtube.

Recently it’s kind of a Japanese movement in the world. Many young people listen Japanese pops, rock and Visual kei. They know the trend but unfortunately they seems do not know masterpieces. I really disappointed at poor information articles in English and Dutch wikipedia about Kiyoshiro Imawano. I trid to write about him as much as I can. But this is not enough to tell how great his achievements is in Japan.

reference: Mainichi Shinbun
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20090504p2a00m0na015000c.html

Niku Jaga (meat and potatoes)

2009-01-21T13:07:00.000+01:00

Niku Jaga is also popular dish in Japan.
Niku means meat, and Jaga means Jagaimo.
Jagaimo? this means potatoes.

ingredients
-6 midium Potatoes
-100g Meat(pork or beef whatever you like)
-1 Onion
- choped spring onion

-Stock
--700cc Dashi soup (refer Konbu Dashi direction)
--100cc Sake or white wine
--4tbsp sugar
--6tbsp Japanese Soya source

1. lightly bake meats.
2. Place 1, onion and potato in the pan, add stock.
cook over medium heat 15 to 20 min.
3. Place on the dish, and sprinkle spring onions

NikuJaga dinner

Konbu Dashi (basic seaweed stock)

2009-01-20T02:14:00.000+01:00

This is one of a Japanese basic stock using Konbu. Konbu is a typical Japanese seaweed/kelp.
So this stock is also good for vegetarians.
Please note, Konbu is different from Wakame.
Konbu seaweed is for stock, and Wakame seaweed is the topping for Miso soup.

Place 1 Konbu and 4 cup water in a pan.
Bring to a boil, but remove Konbu just before reaches boil.
Remove Pan from heat. Use stock.

You can use this stock not only vegetarian foods but also for many kind of Japanese meals.

For example

Miso soup (for stock)
Udon
Soba
Okonomiyaki
Takoyaki
Nimono
Sukiyaki
Gyudon
Katsudon
Oyakodon
etc...

Hayao Miyazaki says he can't stand modern animation

2009-01-19T14:09:00.006+01:00

HONG KONG (AP) --

In the age of digital animation and computer special effects, Hayao Miyazaki is a purist.
The 67-year-old Oscar-winning master animator known for his hand-drawn movies said in a newspaper interview Sunday he hasn't seen any of the major digitally animated films in the last two decades.
"I can't stand modern movies. The images are too weird and eccentric for me," Miyazaki told Hong Kong's Sunday Morning Post in an interview to promote his latest movie, "Ponyo on the Cliff by the Sea."
Miyazaki said his recruits are tested in a boot camp where mobile phones, iPods and other electronic devices are banned.
"Young people are surrounded by virtual things," Miyazaki was quoted as saying. "They lack real experience or life and lose their imagination. Animators can only draw from their own experience of pain and shock and emotions."
But the president of Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli, a former Disney executive, was quoted as saying the studio is open to computer animation.
"I don't shut the door on digital technology either," Koji Hoshino said. "Just because 'Ponyo' was 100 percent drawn doesn't mean we're stuck with that approach. My job is to come up with the best approach to make the most of Ghibli and try to come up with those untapped opportunities."
Miyazaki's credits include the Oscar-winning "Spirited Away," "Howl's Moving Castle," "Princess Mononoke," "Kiki's Delivery Service" and "My Neighbor Totoro."

From (Mainichi Japan) January 19, 2009

Japan News: Ijime (bullying) problem

2009-01-19T13:34:00.003+01:00

The bullying(Ijime) in Japan is a serious social problem.
Victims of the bullying commit suicide, unfortunately this tragedy often happens in Japan.

*******************************************************************************
Parents want school to further investigate suicide of bullied daughter
2009/1/19

SAITAMA, Japan:
The parents of a junior high school student who killed herself here in October are demanding her school conduct a further investigation to determine if online bullying led to the suicide.

The school has acknowledged that bullying did take place, but officials said they believe the matter had been resolved months before the 14-year-old's death.

However, the Saitama city board of education said in a statement Monday, "We cannot say that the suicide has no relation with the bullying."

The parents had initially blamed themselves and wanted to keep the suicide a secret. But they later found a suicide note in their daughter's room that said, "I will certainly take revenge on those who wrote such things on the prof."

Two of her third-year classmates used her prof, a short-form for "profile" on social networking sites on mobile phones, to write insulting messages after she entered the junior high school in late June last year.

In early July, the girl sobbed to her parents about messages, including, "If we succeed, she will stop coming to the school," "She is horrible," and "I don't want to enter the same swimming pool with her."

The next day, the parents reported the messages to the school.

A few days later, the two female classmates who admitted to writing the messages, as well as the homeroom teacher, visited the girl's house to apologize.

After the summer vacation, the girl returned to the school, but she often complained, "I don't like that class," and "Recently, I cannot sleep (well)," according to her parents.

On the morning of Oct. 10, the parents found the girl's body hanging in her room. The previous night, her father had scolded her about her poor performance at a cram school.

The parents blamed themselves, but asked the school not to tell her classmates that she committed suicide.

About two weeks later, the undated suicide note was found in a drawer, saying: "I'm sorry. I am tired of living."

She also wrote that she hated junior high school and mentioned the name of one of the online bullies when she vowed revenge.

"When we read her suicide note, we realized that she had been in such serious agony," the parents said in a statement. "Unless we reveal every fact, a similar case will take place again."

The school interviewed students but did not tell them about the suicide.

The school's principal told the parents that it was unable to confirm that bullying by the two classmates or others had continued after the apology in July.

The school also said it kept the suicide secret because of the parents' initial request.

"If we told the students that her death was the result of a suicide, we could cause uneasiness among them," the principal said.

An education ministry survey in fiscal 2007 found about 5,900 cases of online bullying by students, up by about 21 percent from the previous year. But the figures are only for cases confirmed by adults.(IHT/Asahi: January 19,2009)

from Asahi Shinbun

Gyu-Don(Japanese beef rice)

2009-01-09T14:19:00.001+01:00

Gyu-Don is Japanese beef rice.Gyu means beef, and Don mean rice bowl.
This meal is well known as the name *Yoshino-Ya*.
Some non-Japanese people misunderstand that Yoshino-Ya is the name of this meal.
But Yoshino-Ya is the name of Gyu-don franchise restaurant.
How to make Gyu Don in the Netherlands?
It is so easy.

Ingredients.
- 300 cc water
- 1 piece of Konbu for Dashi (Bouillon). Size 10X10cm or more.
- 1 Onion
- 400g of Sliced beef (ask butcher to thin sliced. Rib-eye is good for Gyu-Don)
- 5 Tbsp of Japanese Soya source
- 3 Tbsp of sugar
- 4 Tbsp of Japanese Sake or White wine
- Japanese rice for 4 person

Konbu. Japanese sea weed.

Beef. ask butcher to thin sliced. Rib-eye is good for Gyu-Don

1. Cook Japanese rice.
2. make Konbu-Dashi (Bouillon). Put the water and a piece of Konbu in the pan, .
When the water is boiled well, remove Konbu. And add Soya source, Sake or wine and sugar.
3. Finely slice onion, add to 1.
4. Cut sliced beef, and add to 2. Cook 5 minutes.
5. Place finished rice in the bowl, and topping 4 on it.

Enjoy!

Toshikoshi-Soba(New year's eve noodle)

2009-01-09T04:06:00.001+01:00

In Holland, Dutch eats Ollie-Bollen in the New year's eve.
In Japan we eat Toshikoshi-Soba. Means the Soba noodle for new year's eve.
I am a Japanese but am living in the Netherlands.
So I make both Dutch and Japanese new year's eve meals.
After making Ollie-Bollen, I make Tempura because practical to use oils.
We can enjoy Tempura Soba.
About how to make Soba, refer my last post *Wakame Soba*

Dragon Ball - Hollywood live action movie

2008-12-20T18:09:00.004+01:00

20th FOX in Hollywood made the live action movie of Dragon Ball.

Dragon Ball - The Movie (Official Trailer) 2009

Is this ....Dragon ball??????????

Well...I also found funny Youtube that Hitler upsets with this.

Hitler upsets Hollywood Dragon Ball

Japanese vegetarian dinner

2008-12-03T16:51:00.002+01:00

Seaweed, kidney beans with ginger seasoned

Miso soup with Daikon, spinach with sesame

Lekker

Japanese Tuna spaghetti

2008-11-09T18:28:00.002+01:00

One of our way to use spaghetti with Japanese style.

This dish is well known in Japan, easy to cook and healthy.

Also good for vegetarians.

ingredients
-Daikon (Japanese radish)
-tuna (tin can)
-spaghetti

-Soya sauce

-mayonnaise

1. make Daikon-Oroshi (grated Japanese radish) with using a grater.

2. Boil spaghetti

3. serve spaghetti on the dish. put Daikon-Oroshi, tuna on the spaghetti.

Serve with Soya source and mayonnaise.

Lekker!

Hello Kitty Lunch (Obentou)

2008-10-24T10:38:00.003+02:00

I often take my Lunch box to work.

Actually there is a company restaurant in my office, but ... Yak.

I got Hello Kitty lunch box in Utrecht, and I use this for Obentou (Japanese Lunch box).

Obetou is kind of a Japanese lunch box style to put anything we want.

Hello Kitty Lunch box. You can get in EXPO.

Chirashi-Zushi Bentou (Topping Sushi Lunch)

Egg rice, Japanese meat balls, and beans etc...

Lekker!

Tori Udon: (Japanse soep Bami met kip)

2008-10-20T20:47:00.002+02:00

Ingrediënten: (tot 2 met 4 mensen)

1 pak droge Udon noodles(Japanse Bami)
1 stuk kipfilet 4 tot 8 lente-uitjes

-Soep (bouillon): 1600 CC heet water
3 pakjes Japanse Dashi(Japanse soepbouillon poeder)
100 CC Japanse Sojasaus
2 eetlepels suiker *bereid twee pannen
*vegetariërs kunnen de kipfilet weglaten

1. Snij de kipfilet en de lente-uitjes

2. Doe de bouilloningrediënten in een pan en breng het aan de kook gedurende een paar minuten, hou het daarna op een kookplaatje warm

3. Breng een ruime hoeveelheid water aan de kook in een andere pan en kook de droge udon noodles gedurende 10 minuten

4. Spoel de udon noodles af met koud water (10 second !. Niet lang tijden doen!) en maak eventuele kleverige slierten met de hand los tijdens het spoelen , laat de noodles daarna in een vergiet uitlekken

5. Verdeel de udon noodles over de verschillende kommen, gooi er wat gesneden lente-uitjes en stukjes kipfilet overheen 6. Breng de bouillon opnieuw bijna aan de kook en giet deze over de udon noodles in de kom.

Eet smakelijk!
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Udon is a Japanese noodle, like pasta. most popular style is noodle-soup type.

With spring onion is popular for the topping.This is the recipe of Japanese noodle soup with chicken.

Chicken Udon (Japanese Udon noodle with chicken)

-Ingredients: (2 to 4 people)
---1 pack of Dried Udon noodle

---1 Chicken breast, or turkey breast (If you are vegetarian, you don’t have to add)

---4 to 8 spring onions

-Soup (broth):

---1600cc of hot water

---3 packs of Japanese Dashi (Japanese soup stock powder)
---100cc of Japanese Soya source

---2-table spoon of sugar

1. Cut chickens and spring onions

2. Combine broth ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil with high heat, add chicken and boil it in the broth. Keeping broth warm by low heat when it has done

3. Boil a generous amount of water in another pot, and boil dried Udon noodle for 10 minutes

4. When done 3, rinse with cold water, running the noodles with one hand to get rid ofｆ the stickiness quickly. (10 second enough. don’t rinse it for long time)Drain in a sieve.

5. Transfer Udon noodle in to bowls, sprinkle spring onions and put Chickens on.

6. Make broth hot again until boiling, and pour broth over on the Udon noodle in the bowl.

See the picture bellow.

Enjoy!

Sea foods and Mushroom rice

2008-10-19T13:03:00.003+02:00

The dinner on yesterday, I cookedMushroom ricewe often eat mushroom rice in autumn.
Shellfish Miso soup
Shellfish with butter Soya source
Dutch seaweed salad
I love shellfish and Mushrooms
Both Mushrooms and shellfish, I got in the market in Utrecht.But arranged by Japanese style.

Lekker!

My Japanese cooking for my guest

2008-09-23T16:53:00.005+02:00

We had a guest on last weekend. I cooked Japanese dinner.
Our guest Mr. Mike Kok, he is a pioneer of Manga artist in the Netherlands.
I really appreciate his visit, and we enjoyed both dinner and talking very much.

Paprika with sesame Miso sauce.

Chicken with Ume-Shiso role

beef sashimi with rose shape,

Yep, I am sure My Japanese foods are better than strange Japanese restaurants!

lekker!

Nameko-Jiru (Nameko Miso soup)

2008-09-08T21:31:00.008+02:00

Nameko is one of a Japanese mushroom.
But we can get this in Holland in autumn.
Taste and quality is same with Japan.

I like to make Nameko Jiru (Nameko Miso soup) and Nameko with Soya source butter.

Lekker.

Hiyashi Chuka (Japanese cold Ramen)

2008-08-20T20:58:00.005+02:00

Hiyashi Chuka is kind of Japanese style cold Ramen.
One of a typical Japanese summer food.
Boil Ramen noodle, and rinse with water to keep cold.
Put vegetables, egg, Ham, Surimi, Aonori, and Beni Shoga(Japanese ginger pickles)
Served with cold soup.
The contents of soup; Soya source, vinegar, sesame oil, chicken soup, and sesame.

Lekker!

Dutch pancake

2008-08-19T07:45:00.004+02:00

All we love Dutch pancake.
I went a Pancake restaurant in Bunik, Utrecht with my friend.

I ordered Feest Pancake. means festival pancake.

I was expecting how interesting pancake I will have.

The Feest pancake had come.

Festival balloon on the Pancake....

Anyway, this restaurant use ECO products for ingredients.

Lekker!

Japanese Shiso pasta

2008-08-18T22:26:00.002+02:00

Shiso is also good conbination with pasta.
- pasta - AH flesh pasta
- Shiso - from my small garden
- Itarian Ham
- egg plant
- garic

lekker!

Shiso (Japanese basil) Somen

2008-08-17T19:03:00.008+02:00

Shiso with Somen.

Shiso is kind of a Japanese Basil.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perilla_frutescens

I am growing this by myself.

First photo is Shio Somen. Soup is Japanese Udon soup.
Somen is one of a noodle in Japan or Taiwan.

Lekker.

Yakisoba with egg

2008-08-17T18:59:00.002+02:00

Yakisoba with a fried egg also nice.
Beni Shoga is my homemade.

Yakisoba (Japanese fried noodle)

2008-08-16T19:34:00.002+02:00

Home made Yakisoba(Japanese fried noodle, Japans Bami).

Typical Japanese beloved food.

Fllowing is the Contents to make in the Netherlands;

Noodle - AH wok ramen noodle

Sauce - Japanese Worcester sauce. get in Toko

Cabbage - Ah

Pork - AH

Beni Shoga (Japanese shredded pickled ginger) - Toko

Aonori (seaweed powder) - Toko

mackerel tartar

2008-08-15T16:30:00.002+02:00

mackerel tartar in the fish restaurant in Utrecht.

lekker.

test

2008-08-15T14:01:00.000+02:00

Japanese curry (Karee raisu)

2008-07-27T09:39:00.000+02:00

Japanese curry is actually a localized Japanese food.
It is quite popular in Japan, and taste different from Indian curry.
We use Japanese rice.

About curry souse, we use Japanese curry base(Karee Ruu).
In Utrecht we can get Japanese curry base in Toko Central. (SB curry base)

Basic ingredients are
- meat or sea foods
- Onion
- Garlic
- Ginger

Japanese mothers make JP curry by their own styles.
Some people put Soya souse, or Sake in the curry source.

I often put,
- Maggie soup base
- Sake or wine
- Soya souse
- Tomato
- Japanese brown souse

Additional topping
- Egg
- sausage
- some vegetables
- some kind of pickles

Sushi cake

2008-02-13T16:42:00.000+01:00

Using cake form, but put Sushi rice.
Decorate with eggs, salmon and vegetables.

Udon lunch for a gest

2007-11-22T00:33:00.000+01:00

Udon with Kansai style soup.

We have 2 types of soup for Japanese noodles.

One is called Kanto style.

Using a lot of Soya source.

Other is called Kansai style.

Less Soya source to make clear soup and mainly using seaweed for bros.

Kanto means the Eastern area in Japanese, and Kansai means the Western area.

Udon served with Tenpra.

Eating Tenpra together with Udon soup is very tasty.

Rozen Maiden

2007-11-13T22:55:00.000+01:00

I named this beef Sashimi as Rozen Maiden, (or Rosen maden?)
This is beautiful and make it very easy.

First, just get beef Carpaccio in the supermarket.
I got this in Alberthijn(famous Dutch supermarket)

Like this type.

Forming as follows. 2 peaces of meats to make 1 rose.

Served with Japanese soya souce and Wasabi.

very tasty and very easy to make. And very beautiful.
Any lief you can use with this beef rose.
I used Shiso(Japanese basil) on this time.

Japanese green tea Ice cream

2007-11-11T23:54:00.000+01:00

We love Japanese green tea Ice cream very much.
Of course it taste Japanese green tea.
Basically Japanese green tea and milk products are good combination like English milk tea.
I made this Japanese green tea Ice cream by prepared powder.
Now a days here in Holland, we can get this powder which is made in Japan.

Kimchi jjigae ot Kimuchi Nabe

2007-11-10T03:48:00.000+01:00

Kimchi is a traditional Korean pickles that made of vegetables with varied seasonings. It tastes spicy, but very tasty.
So Japanese people also like this Korean pickles very much.
Kimchi jjigae is a spicy stew-like dish cooked and served boiling hot in a pot that contains Kimchi and other vegetables, meats, or seafood.
Japanese people call it Kimuchi Nabe. Nabe means Pot or Stew pan.
This is very good to eat on cold winter to make your body warm.

How to make?
First boil meats or seafood in a water in a pot to make Bouillon.
And put some Miso. This is a basic Bouillon.
After that,
Just put together ingredients and boil.
Easy and tasty. Good to eat with rice.

Gyoza

2007-11-04T01:06:00.000+01:00

Gyoza was originally from China known as Jiaozi. But now a days it is populer localised food in Japan.
This is a kind of dumpling.
Gyoza is typically consist of a ground meat and vegetable filling wrapped into a thinly rolled piece of dough, which is then sealed by pressing the edges together or by crimping.
Japanese Gyoza is cooked by baking on the frying pan. 10 minutes bake and add a little bit of water, and put a lid on the frying pan for steaming in 5 minutes.
Served with dipping sauce seasoned with soya sauce, rice vinegar and red chili pepper-flavored sesame oil. This dipping sauce is Japanese style.
Japanese people love to eat Gyoza with drinking beer.

Tofu salad with Japanese dressing

2007-10-26T01:03:00.000+02:00

Tofu is a famous for healthy food.This is a recipe of Tofu salad with Japanese dressing.

Ingredients:

-Tofu-Flesh vegetable for salad

-Japanese Soya sauce dressing:

--Japanese Soya sauce: 20cc

--White wine vinegar: 15cc

--Sesame oil; 30CC

--Pepper: a little

--Sesame: 1 table spoon

1. Make Japanese Soya sauce dressing.

2. Just cut Tofu.Put this on fresh vegetables.

For vegetarians, for dieters, and of course for U.

Important items. Dishes and plates with Japanese image

2007-10-14T23:37:00.000+02:00

Important items. Dishes and plates with Japanese image
One of important fundamentals are dishes, plates, bowls, chopsticks, and other decollation items for Japanese cooking.We say we eat foods with our tong and our eyes.
I prefer to use Japanese potteries and Japanese lacquer.(Japans lakwerk)(The red plate on left top of photo.)
Japanese lacquerware (wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_lacquerware

We have Japanese lacquer artists in Japan.

By the way the menu of photo

from the left; Omelet with Shiso (japanese basil), Umeboshi (Japanese pickled plum), tomato and Shiso
Japanese rice with Adzuki(Azuki) beans, Miso soup with Wakame (seaweed).

This is a vegetarian meal and quite simple ingredients.
But the example to show beautiful if we use good dishes, plates, or bowls.
Of course ALL I cooked !

Wakame-Soba(Japanese Soba noodle with seaweed)

2007-10-14T16:34:00.000+02:00

Soba is also popular noodle in Japan.
The difference between Soba noodle and Udon noodle are:

Udon (うどん, 饂飩) is the noodles made from wheat.
Soba (そば, 蕎麦) is the noodles made from buckwheat flour.

Mostly those are served either with a dipping sauce, or in hot broth as a noodle soup.
Especially Soba is famous for healthy food like as to prevent high blood pressure.

Wakame is a typical Japanese seaweed.

For Miso soup, salad, and for toppings.

And it is very famous that Wakame contains high levels of calcium.

This is the recipe of Wakame Soba. Very good for vegetarians, or also for diets.

-Ingredients: (2 to 4 people)
---1 pack of Dried Soba noodle

---1 grip of dry Wakame seaweed

---4 to 8 spring onions
---few sesames
-Soup (broth):

---1600cc of hot water

---3 packs of Japanese Dashi (Japanese soup stock powder)

---100cc of Japanese Soya source

---2-table spoon of sugar

1. Put 1 grip of Wakame in cold water. Wait Wakame growing in the water.When it grows enough, remove water, and squeeze Wakame to remove extra water.

2. Combine broth ingredients in a pot; bring to a boil with high heat. Keeping broth warm by low heat.

3. Boil a generous amount of water in another pot, and boil dried Soba noodle for 5 to 6 minutes(See Udon picture. same procedure, but boiling time is shorter than Udon)

4. When done 3, rinse with cold water, running the noodles with one hand to get rid ofｆ the stickiness quickly. (10 second enough. don’t rinse it for long time)　Drain in a sieve.(See Udon picture. Same procedure)

5. Transfer Soba noodle in to bowls, sprinkle spring onions and put Wakame on.

6. Make broth hot again until boiling, and pour broth over on the Soba noodle in the bowl. Sprinkle sesame on it. See the picture on the top.

It’s so easy to make Sushi!

2007-10-13T12:09:00.000+02:00

Sushi is too expensive to eat in Japanese restaurants.
Most people think “Oh, Japanese foods are expensive.”
Most people think “To make expensive foods is difficult”.

Making Sushi is very easy like making sandwich.
This is the secret weapon.

Sushi form.

Costs only 4 euro. You can get in bigger Toko (Chinese shop)

Make rice base with it, and put toppings on it.

You can put everything as you want.
For example
Roast beef
Omelet
Vegetables
Herring (harring)
Ham
Cheese
Etc…

This is same formula with sandwiches.

Get up! Stand up! Stand up for your Sushi!

How to make Japanese Udon?

2007-10-12T14:51:00.000+02:00

Udon is a Japanese noodle, like pasta. most popular style is noodle-soup type.With spring onion is popular for the topping.This is the recipe of Japanese noodle soup with chicken.

Chicken Udon (Japanese Udon noodle with chicken)

-Ingredients: (2 to 4 people)
---1 pack of Dried Udon noodle

---1 Chicken breast, or turkey breast (If you are vegetarian, you don’t have to add)

---4 to 8 spring onions

-Soup (broth):

---1600cc of hot water

---3 packs of Japanese Dashi (Japanese soup stock powder)
---100cc of Japanese Soya source

---2-table spoon of sugar

1. Cut chickens and spring onions

2. Combine broth ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil with high heat, add chicken and boil it in the broth. Keeping broth warm by low heat when it has done

3. Boil a generous amount of water in another pot, and boil dried Udon noodle for 10 minutes

4. When done 3, rinse with cold water, running the noodles with one hand to get rid ofｆ the stickiness quickly. (10 second enough. don’t rinse it for long time)Drain in a sieve.

5. Transfer Udon noodle in to bowls, sprinkle spring onions and put Chickens on.

6. Make broth hot again until boiling, and pour broth over on the Udon noodle in the bowl.

See the picture bellow.

Enjoy!