Summer Vegetables for Pasta Estate For the veggies, I used a combination of garlic, cherry tomatoes, corn, and zucchini. They’re a colorful combination that is loaded with umami producing amino acids. That being said, this will work with many other summer vegetables and would be a fun way to use up items from a CSA basket. Here’s how to think about the vegetables to add: Aromatic - These are fragrant vegetables and herbs that add flavor to your pasta....
“Pseudo-Japanese?” you say? While we have salads in Japan, and even sesame dressing, but it’s not quite the same as the Wafu Dressing found in Japanese restaurants across the US. Aside from being less sweet, the sesame dressing in Japan also tends to be less rich because it’s made with coarsely ground toasted sesame seeds instead of neri-goma (練り胡麻), which is a pureed sesame paste. Neri-goma is similar to Middle Eastern tahini, but tahini is made by grinding just the inner kernel of the seed, while neri-goma is made by grinding the whole sesame seed, including the husk....
Why This Recipe Works? Coarsely cracking black peppercorns ensures maximum aroma while creating bursts of peppery flavor. Cutting the chicken into large bite-sized pieces keeps it from getting dried out. Marinating the chicken with salt, pepper, and potato starch ensures they’re seasoned all the way through while rendering them plump and juicy. Chicken takes longer to cook than beef, so adding the oyster sauce at the very end keeps it from burning....
Gołąbki, Holubtsi, Niños Envueltos, محشي كرومب (Mahshi Kuronb), and ロールキャベツ (rouru kyabetsu) are just a few of the names this dish goes by, but regardless of what you call it, there’s something marvelously comforting about cabbage rolls. Recently, I was asked by a reader for my version of this global comfort food. Despite its worldwide popularity, the reader raised a good point in that most versions of this dish tend to be rather bland....
Why This Recipe Works? Applying salt directly to the surface of the fish can make some areas saltier than others. Preparing a liquid brine ensures the salmon is evenly seasoned throughout. The brine also ensures the thin salmon fillets stay moist and tender. Adding mirin to the brine adds umami to the salmon thanks to its high concentration of naturally occurring glutamate. It also adds a barely perceptible sweetness that balances the salt without tasting overtly sweet....
Given the availability of reasonably good frozen ramens, and the plethora of shops specializing in the one bowl meal, most sane people in Japan don’t undertake the challenge of making ramen at home from scratch. I don’t know if I’m just crazy or if it’s my fearless American spirit, but at some point in college, it occurred to me that I could make the one bowl wonder that got me through many an all-nighter… from scratch....
If you like green tea, these sweet treats are the best thing since green tea ice cream, and they make for a fun addition to a basket of holiday baked goods. I have a recipe for a more conventional Chocolate Cherry Brownie for all your chocolate-loving friends. It’s also worth noting that one of these brownies contains more caffeine than a cup of tea, yet it won’t make you jittery like a cup of coffee will, thanks to a compound called theanine....
In Japan, a great Oyakodon, such as one that might be served at a yakitori restaurant, is made with high-quality Japanese chicken cooked medium rare with silky eggs that are close to raw. I’ve posted a recipe for a more traditional Oyakodon in the past, but in most places, chicken and eggs should be cooked to a higher temperature, which tends to render the chicken tough and dry and the egg spongy....
Why This Recipe Works? Using skin-on chicken helps protect the meat from getting dried out and tough while adding a ton of flavor. Although chicken teriyaki is traditionally made with whole boneless chicken legs, cutting it into bite-sized pieces makes the chicken cook faster while making it easier to eat. Traditional teriyaki sauce only includes three ingredients, yet it’s thick and flavorful, thanks to the caramelization of the ingredients. Ingredients for Chicken Teriyaki Bowl Chicken - I like using boneless skin-on chicken thighs for this as they’re going to be the juiciest and most flavorful, but skin-on chicken breast will work too....
These days, most people don’t have a grill at home in Japan, so they are commonly made in a frying pan, but the oil can cause them to fall apart more readily, and it’s challenging to get enough glaze onto them to season them properly. For my version, I’ve changed a few steps to create a grilled rice ball that’s flavorful inside and has an exterior that’s as crisp as a cracker....
Why Ginger The strong fragrance of ginger helps smooth over some of the funky notes that pork can have while imparting a warm, comforting heat to the marinade. Ginger also has a few hidden superpowers that make it the perfect addition to this dish. The first is that ginger contains an enzyme called Zingibain. Aside from having a cool sounding name, this protease enzyme breaks down the peptide bonds in complex proteins....
The chicken is seasoned and pan-fried with garlic before being coated in a sweet, tart sauce that’s loaded with mouth pleasing umami and the fresh zing of lemon. Served with rice and green veggies, it’s a quick meal that comes together in a matter of minutes, and yet it’s both comforting and satisfying. Cut of Chicken I like to use bone-in skin-on chicken thigh for Honey Lemon Chicken as the skin keeps the chicken moist while preventing the meat from getting tough as it pan-fries....
Why Debone Chicken Thighs? While intact thighs or whole legs are great for grilling or stews, they don’t work for stir-fried and pan-fried preparations. It’d possible to buy boneless skinless thighs, but without the skin, the meat tends to dry out easily, and finding boneless skin-on chicken thighs in the US can be challenging. Thankfully, you can enjoy crispy chicken skin and the juicy texture of skin-on-thigh meat by deboning thighs or whole legs yourself....
To be honest, I was excited about the salmon and the black cod, but given the fact that crab legs were making cameos in my dreams, I wasn’t sure how much I wanted the crab. Of course when the box showed up with a bag full of gorgeous legs, I promptly gave myself a mental flogging for even having such thoughts. Not only were they delicious, it gave me a chance pass on my hard-earned technique to all of you, so that if you ever find yourself having to crack hundreds of crab legs, you’ll be well prepared!...
It’s been over three years since my last fish and chips post. While there was nothing wrong with it, I’ve always been a fan of the adage “if it ain’t broke, then take it apart and make it better”. Yep, I was “that kid” that would take apart a brand new Nintendo (amongst other household items) to figure out how to make it play foreign games. Today, I blame credit that inquisitive nature for my penchant for cooking without recipes....
Why this recipe works Including boiled eggs adds enough protein to this salad that you could sandwich it between bread and turn it into a meal. Boiling the carrots with the spuds not only makes them tender but also brings out their sweetness. Salting the onions and cucumber tames the onions while removing excess water from both vegetables. This gives them an extra crunchy texture while preventing watery potato salad. Starchy potatoes like russet or yukon gold potatoes results in a creamier texture....
I know I’m always coming to you guys with some new favorite dish or other, and I realized I might be starting to look like the boy who cried wolf. So let me assure you there’s less hyperbole here than you think. My passion is food, and when I get really excited about something, the first thing that comes to mind is that I want to share it with all of you!...
Making light, airy, evenly browned crêpes that are just a little crisp around the edges is no harder than making pancakes (I actually think it’s easier). Here are 5 tips to ensure things go smoothly. 5 tips for making perfect crêpes The crepe recipe below will make about 12-16 crêpes depending on what size pan you use. Apples tend to have a subtle flavor so I like using a couple forms of apple to make sure it’s got plenty of flavor....
The piquant filling can be used in many different ways, and in this Spicy Tuna Roll recipe, I want to show you three different styles of rolling sushi. Hosomaki Hosomaki (細巻き) literally means “thin roll,” which is the most popular style of rolled sushi in Japan. The nori is rolled on the outside, with the rice and filling in the center. Common fillings include cucumber, pickled daikon, and negitoro, and it has a good balance of rice to nori to filling....
