Japanese Archives - Page 9 of 11 - My Lilikoi KitchenMy Lilikoi Kitchen

Dinner, Fish, Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes

Furikake Seared Ahi

May 27, 2014

Every now and then I have a craving for ahi tuna, either as sashimi or seared. Although Hawaii has an abundance of fresh fish, it’s not always available at the markets. Most of the premium fish is sold to restaurants who then charge premium prices. But don’t get me wrong. You’ll never have to drag me out of the house to go out to dinner. I’m always available.

Our local Whole Foods market has a small seafood section that I normally don’t pay much attention to. Instead, I head to the meat department to check out their wonderful steaks. One day as I was shopping, I noticed beautiful sashimi grade ahi blocks at the seafood counter. I couldn’t resist buying one, even though I paid dearly for it. John sliced the ahi into perfect pieces and we enjoyed it sashimi-style with wasabi soy sauce. It was delicious. So now when I go to Whole Foods, I pay more attention as I walk by their seafood section. If I see beautiful ahi, I buy it.

In Hawaii, everyone has their favorite ways of preparing this luscious fish. Here is one of mine. I coat the ahi with a bit of canola oil, season it with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, then dredge it in furikake. There are no measurements for this simple dish, just a short list of ingredients.

Furikake? Delicious sprinkled over hot rice. My favorite furikake is simple. Seaweed, white and black sesame seeds and a bit of seasoning.

Furikake Seared Ahi

Serves 2

Ingredients

about 3/4 pound sashimi grade ahi block

canola oil

kosher salt

freshly ground black pepper

furikake

Kikkoman wasabi sauce or a mixture of wasabi paste and soy sauce

Preparation

Lightly coat the ahi with canola oil and season with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkle a generous amount of furikake over the ahi, pressing gently to coat all 4 sides well.

Place a small sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add 2 – 3 teaspoons of canola oil and swirl to coat the pan. Once the pan is hot and you see a few wisps of smoke, add the ahi block to the pan and sear about 1 minute per side, or until desired doneness is reached. The ahi should be rare in the center.

Remove ahi to a cutting board. Let rest for a few minutes then slice ahi into 1/3 inch thick pieces. Serve with wasabi sauce or wasabi soy sauce, a bowl of steaming rice and homemade takuan.

Japanese, Pickles, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Homemade Takuan

May 4, 2014

My friend Tomoe always has a treat to give me when I stop by now and then to deliver tomatoes or avocados from our garden. I never leave her home without a gift of her delicious mango bread, lilikoi jelly or in this case takuan. I have never thought of making takuan since I only eat it occasionally and it’s readily available in the markets here. After taking a jar of Tomoe’s homemade takuan home and tasting it, I decided it was about time to make my own. Her little yellow pickles were so tasty, crunchy, sweet and salty with just a hint of tartness (much superior to the commercial brands) and, oh so delicious with a bowl of steaming hot rice.

Daikon are not the most attractive vegetable. In fact, with their pale color and gangly shape, they are quite homely. However once you add a bit of seasoning to daikon, they transform into some of the best pickles you can imagine. A case in point is Vietnamese pickles (Do Chua). I adore these pickles piled high in a banh mi. Takuan pickles are delicious served as a side dish with rice and grilled fish, chicken or even tofu. In fact I enjoy just a bowl of hot rice and takuan.

After mixing the daikon with sugar, let it sit for an hour or two. You’ll end up with quite a bit of liquid in the bowl.

Though these pale radishes don’t need to be tinted a bright yellow, their color is actually part of their identity and what we grew up with. Tomoe goes to Japan every year and buys powdered coloring. I have no idea what the box says but it worked.

It takes about a week for the daikon to absorb the pretty yellow color and flavor of the brine. After 2 weeks the pickles are ready to eat.

Onigiri goes hand in hand with takuan pickles!

Homemade Takuan

Adapted from Tomoe’s recipe

Makes 2 quart jars

Ingredients

3 1/2 pounds long daikon

2 cups + 1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 cup Hawaiian sea salt (kosher or other coarse salt if Hawaiian sea salt is not available)

1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons rice vinegar

yellow food coloring

Preparation

Peel daikon and cut into 2 inch length pieces about 1/3 inch thick. Place in a large bowl and toss with sugar. Let stand for 1 – 2 hours, tossing occasionally. Do not discard liquid.

Add Hawaiian salt and rice vinegar to the bowl of daikon. Toss to coat well. Add yellow food coloring being very careful not to add too much. You can always add more if the color is not what you expected. Cover bowl well, and refrigerate for 2 weeks, tossing pickles every few days. The amount of liquid from the daikon will vary. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Transfer pickles to quart jars and cover tightly. Takuan pickles will last for months stored in the refrigerator.

Japanese, Lactose Free, Recipes, Salad, Vegetarian, Veggies

Miso Carrot & Sesame Dressing

March 13, 2014

This quick salad dressing tastes so good I can eat it alone by the spoonful. The mellow white miso with its savory flavor is lightly sweetened with grated carrot and honey. Fresh ginger gives the dressing a little kick and roasted sesame seeds add crunch. Serve with peppery, crisp, watercress. Very refreshing!

The original recipe mentions the dressing can be made up to two days in advance of serving, however, I’ve kept it for up to four days and it was just fine.

Miso, Carrot & Sesame Dressing

Adapted from Bon Appetit

Makes about 1 1/2 cups

Ingredients

1/2 cup (scant) white miso

5 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup water

1/4 cup (packed) finely grated peeled carrot

2 tablespoons finely grated ginger

3 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar

2 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 1/2 teaspoons honey

4 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Place all ingredients in a jar and shake vigorously or alternatively place in a bowl and whisk until combined.

*If the dressing seems too thick add a teaspoon or so of water to thin it out.

Appetizers, Dinner, Japanese, Recipes, Side Dishes, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Renkon no Kinpira – Sautéed Lotus Root

January 13, 2014

Lotus root, or hasu as we call it in Hawaii, is a unique delicacy. Once you peel and slice this rather homely root (or rhizome) you’ll see how beautiful it is. Only available in Hawaii for a few months each year, I buy it as often as I can. With its snowflake like appearance when sliced and its crunchy and delicate flavor, it is wonderful sautéed and served with brown or white rice. This is my favorite way to prepare it.

Peeled and sliced lotus root. It’s crunchy with a mild flavor some say reminds them of jicama.

A simple combination of a few ingredients will add just the right depth of flavor to sautéed lotus root. Besides sautéing, lotus root can be used in soups, fried (crispy tempura), pickled or steamed. Its crispy texture holds up very well regardless of how it is prepared.

Renkon no Kinpira – Sautéed Lotus Root

Adapted from mmm-yoso!!!blog

Serves 4

Ingredients

1 pound lotus root, peeled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 cups water

2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 teaspoons canola oil

2 tablespoons sake

6 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons mirin

Ichimi Togarashi or cayenne pepper

Toasted sesame seeds

Preparation

Pour vinegar and water in to a large glass bowl. Peel the lotus root, rinse and slice thinly. Place in vinegar water.

Combine sake, soy sauce, sugar and mirin in a small bowl. Set aside.

Drain lotus root, place on paper towels and pat dry.

Heat sesame and canola oil in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Sauté lotus root for about 5 minutes, Do not over cook. Add soy sauce mixture and simmer until most of the liquid evaporates about 2 minutes.

Remove lotus root to a shallow bowl. Sprinkle with Ichimi Togarashi (or cayenne pepper) and toasted sesame seeds. Serve at room temperature.

Dinner, Japanese, Recipes, Tofu, Vegan, Vegetarian

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu

May 22, 2013

Teriyaki Tofu Grilling is a terrific way to prepare most any food, even tofu. There’s something about the subtle smoky flavor that can transform whatever you are grilling into a spectacular meal. And, in particular when teriyaki sauce is involved.

A while back I posted a recipe for granny’s teriyaki sauce. Until this day, I still chuckle when I read the recipe my mom passed on to me. Just under the title of the recipe, my mom wrote “the best!” And of course she was right.

I recommend WildWood extra firm tofu for this recipe. It holds its shape nicely when grilled.

One of my favorite kitchen items is the TofuXpress. It presses out the water and there’s no need to waste paper towels.

Tofu soaks up marinades quickly which means you won’t need to prepare this days in advance. A quick soak and you’re ready to grill the tofu.

John has this thing about grill marks. They are always perfect.

I love all types of rice but one of my favorite ways to prepare rice is called onigiri. These delicious rice balls go well with grilled tofu and they are perfect to pack for a picnic lunch.

Teriyaki Grilled Tofu

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 block extra firm tofu (water pressed out)

Granny’s teriyaki sauce recipe here.

Preparation

Press out the water from the block of tofu then cut into 6 cutlets.

Pour enough teriyaki sauce to cover the bottom of your dish and place tofu cutlets on top of the sauce. It’s best to use a dish that snugly fits the tofu pieces so the sauce is confined to just that area. Pour more sauce over the tofu pieces, cover with plastic and refrigerate for about 1/2 hour then turn the tofu over.

Simmer the remaining sauce on low heat for about 15 minutes or until it thickens slightly and becomes syrupy. Watch closely so it does not burn. Set aside until ready to use.

Grill the marinated tofu on both sides. Transfer to a plate and drizzle with syrupy teriyaki sauce and roasted sesame seeds.

Dinner, Japanese, Pasta, Recipes, Salad, Vegan, Vegetarian, Veggies

Soba Salad with Cucumber, Carrot, Snow Peas & Edamame

May 16, 2013

Here’s a refreshing noodle salad that is especially delicious on a warm summer day. The salad can be made in advance and refrigerated until you’re ready to serve it. In fact, you can make it a day in advance and it will be in perfect condition the following day.

Soba noodles can be served hot or cold with toppings such as tempura, fish cake, nori, mushrooms, egg, vegetables, and fish. I love all preparations but my first choice is the cold version with a refreshing dressing drizzled over noodles topped with delicately sliced vegetables.I have only tried fresh soba noodles once, on a visit to Honolulu. They were delicious. But in the absence of fresh noodles, the dried variety works fine.

I like to use carrot, cucumber, snow peas and edamame. You can use almost any vegetable. The important thing to remember is to julienne your vegetables so they are similar in size to the soba noodles. This creates a pretty tangle of colorful vegetables combined with the noodles.

Soba Noodle Salad with Cucumber, Carrot, Snow Peas & Edamame

Serves 2

Ingredients

Dressing

1/4 cup rice vinegar (unseasoned)

1 tablespoon sweet mirin

1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil

2 tablespoons canola oil

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 teaspoons roasted sesame seeds

freshly ground pepper

Salad

2 bundles soba noodles (about 6 ounces)

2 ounces snow peas (about 16)

1/2 small carrot, julienned

1/2 Japanese or English cucumber, julienned

1/4 cup boiled edamame

fresh cilantro (optional)

Preparation

Place all of the dressing ingredients in a small jar and shake to combine or whisk together in a small bowl.

Cook soba noodles as directed on the package (check the noodles 1 minute prior to the total cooking time to test for doneness). Rinse noodles under cold water and drain well. Divide noodles into two wide bowls or large salad plates.

Blanch the snow peas in boiling water for 25 seconds. Place in an ice water bath to stop the cooking. Drain well on paper towels. Thinly slice blanched peas on the diagonal.

Julienne the carrot and cucumber. You can remove the skin of the cucumber or leave it on. I prefer to remove strips of the skin so that some of the bright green color remains.

Layer the snow peas, carrot and cucumber on the noodles. Scatter the edamame on and around the noodles. If you enjoy cilantro, add chopped cilantro over the soba salad.

Drizzle sesame dressing over the salad and serve.

Older Posts

Newer Posts

Japanese

Furikake Seared Ahi

Share this:

Homemade Takuan

Share this:

Miso Carrot & Sesame Dressing

Share this:

Renkon no Kinpira – Sautéed Lotus Root

Share this:

Grilled Teriyaki Tofu

Share this:

Soba Salad with Cucumber, Carrot, Snow Peas & Edamame

Share this:

Follow My Lilikoi Kitchen