Sushi Crunchies!

I discovered sushi crunchies (not sure of their 'real' name) when we were in Denver a few months ago. My parents favorite sushi place, where I think we ate like 8 times in 4 weeks (!!) makes a roll with sushi crunches inside it that I've been trying to replicate ever since. I think I've come pretty close with the roll you see in the photo above ... although, I don't roll mine inside out like they do.

I put avocado, dry roasted cashews, sushi crunchies and sometimes cream cheese. (the one pictured doesn't have the cream cheese) I top it will bulldog sauce. So yum ! It's my current favorite roll !

To make the crucnhies ... I watched this video ... you should watch it if you are going to try them. It gives some great tips.

I only make half his recipe ... here's how ...

Vegetable, corn or peanut oil

1/2 cup of Tempura flour (i actually used tempura batter mix),

1/2 cup of Water

1 egg white

Heat the oil in a pot. Don't fill it more than half way. I did the first time and ended up having to throw away the pot I used after I burned the oil to the outside of it ! Anyway, get the oil really hot (but not boiling)

While your oil is heating, mix the egg white, flour and water.

Test the oil by adding a drip of the mixture to the oil. If it instantly floats and sizzles at the top then the oil is ready. When the oil is hot, drizzle a bit of the mixture into it. (see the video for useful tips on this part !) Make sure you pour it slowly and not too much at once.

Once it's golden, remove it with a slotted spoon or small metal strainer to a plate covered with paper towel. Continue until all the mix is used up. Let it cool for a bit, then tip into a bowl. I smash it a bit with the back of a spoon because I like my cruchies broken up.

That's it.

These are so yummy.

One thing though, if you are making the sushi for the next day, don't add the crunchies, just sprinkle them on top the next day ! (they go soggy in the rice over night)

Salmon and Soba and Soy Beans, oh my !

 

This is one of those recipes that I wanted to try as soon as I saw it !
I knew I would love it ... and I was right !!

This is so delicious.

My family

agrees.

I didn't dress the salad, as the dressing had wasabi in it and I thought it might be a bit spicy for the kids.  Jono (10) did try it though and said it wasn't too spicy.  But, he didn't dress his salad with it.  The kids just had straight soy sauce as their dressing.

I made a few changes to the original recipe too.  It said it served two and I was feeding four so I added a bed of spinach, cooked more noodles and did more salmon.  I reduced the amount of edamame, mostly because I got tired of shelling them, but also because one cup seemed like enough. Also, I used cooked edamame that had been frozen and thawed.  Oh, and I reduced the amount of wasabi in the dressing.  Here's how I did mine ...

1 nice piece of sashimi grade salmon, sliced

250g soba noodles

1 cup cooked edamame (soy beans), shelled

1 cup watercress, leaves trimmed and washed

2 cups baby spinach leaves, washed

6 radishes, thinly sliced

3 spring onions, chopped small

1 tablespoon wasabi paste

2 tablespoons peanut oil

sesame oil ... I just did a few drops 

2 tablespoons soy sauce

sesame seeds

Bring a pot of water to the boil over high heat.  Cook the soba noodles.  Drain, rinse under cool water and set aside.  

In a big salad bowl, mix spinach, edamame, watercress, radishes, spring onions and soba noodles.  

Whisk wasabi paste, peanut oil, sesame oil and soy sauce.  

To serve, put salad on plate, top with salmon slices, sprinkle with sesame seeds and then dress with wasabi dressing or plain soy sauce.  

So good !!!

Japanese Mince and Rice ....

This is so yummy and so simple. Last time I made this, I had some ground beef (mince) already cooked and in the freezer. I took that out in the morning to thaw, set the timer on the rice cooker and then only had one step to do when I got home.

Here's what you do.

500g beef mince

cooked rice (i like sushi rice best)

3 Tablespoons Sake

3 Tablespoons Mirin

3 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

All you do is cook the mince in a bit of oil, add the sake, mire and soy and continue to cook until the juice is gone. I did this on a med heat. Then you just stir that through the rice. You can shape it into onigiri (as shown below) or just eat it. Lately, we've opted to just eat it !! 

And  I add a little bit more soy sauce to my bowl ...

Nancy's Osaka Chicken

I got this recipe from my sister's husband's Mom ... Nancy ! Though I have never eaten any of her food cooked by her hand, I know that she is an incredible cook ! I drool over everything that she posts onto facebook and often ask for the recipe ! She's also who we give credit to for the most amazing soup ever ... Thai Chicken Soup !!

This chicken is one of the ones I asked for the recipe of and boy am I glad she was willing to give it to me ! You will be too once you try it !!

Sauce #1
1/2 cup veg oil
1/4 cup orange juice
2 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 Tablespoons grated ginger
1 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon sugar
1 clove garlic minced
2 scallions chopped
Combine all ingredients in a container and blend well. I used a stick blender.

Sauce #2
3 Tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 Cup lemon juice
2 teaspoons Dry Mustard
3 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons sesame oil
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/3 cup veg oil
Combine all ingredients in a container and blend well.

Now that you have these two sauces made you can start with the chicken. I used 4 chicken breast. Cut them into bite size pieces.

In a big hot skillet fry till browned a little in some oil then add Sauce #1 and cook until the sauce thickens a bit. Oh yeah. You can add some slices of ginger to the cooking oil and I added some sliced Thai peppers for heat.

Serve with your preference of rice ... And a mixed up a salad of sliced celery, cucumbers and grated carrot. Serve with sauce #2. We pour it over the whole thing.

Enjoy!

Cold Soba Noodles

75g sesame seeds
250g soba noodles (in this instance I used somen instead)
2 tsp rice vinegar
5 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
5 spring onions (green onions)

The original recipe said to toast the sesame seeds til golden, and set aside. I never bother. I just use them un-toasted. (or sometimes I used the already toasted ones)

Bring a large pot of water to the boil. Add soba noodles. Cook according to packet instructions. (til tender but not mushy) Have a bowl of iced water ready to put them into after draining. (so ... drain them and then put them in the iced water !)

In the serving bowl you will use, mix vinegar, soy sauce, honey and sesame oil. Finely slice spring onions, add to vinegar mixture. Drain noodles. Add them to vinegar mixture. Mix thoroughly. Add sesame seeds and mix again.

Leave for about half an hour to let flavours develop .. although this is not absolutely necessary.

Serves 4 as part of a meal ... or 2 when eaten on their own.

That's it ! Easy and really yummy !!!

What's for Lunch ?

Leftover sushi rice, inari-zushi pockets, Annie's Honey Muesli Slice and some grapes.

Kids loved this one.

Breakfast

This is one of my favorite breakfasts (and lunches) ...

Leftover rice
Nori Tamago Furikake
Avocado
Masago
Takuan
and a bit of scrambled egg ...

Soy Yaki Udon

Yaki means 'fried' in Japanese.
Udon noodle is thick noodle with flour.

- Olive oil ( Cooking oil )
- Soy sauce 2 big spoon
- Sugar 2 small spoon
- Minced Ginger 1/2 small spoon
- Garlic (optional)
-2 packs of Udon Noodle

At Woolworth, I buy one packet of 100g Udon Noodle with only 1 Australian Dollar.

I'm not sure that Udon Noodle can be easily found in the States.

'Soy Yaki Udon' is affordable and easy to cook.

All you need to do is throwing soy sauce,sugar,ginger and olive oil and Udon on a fly pan.