Okayu
Friday July 22, 2011
Do you like rice porridge? It's called okayu or kayu in Japan and is known as an easily digestible dish. I like simple okayu seasoned with salt, but you can make it more nutritious by cooking with chicken, vegetables, and so on, or adding lots of toppings. I sometimes make okayu for breakfast when I don't have much appetite in the hot weather. It's really easy on our stomachs.Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Marinated Vegetables
Tuesday July 19, 2011
Lots of vegetables are deep-fried and marinated in dashi based soup. This type of dish is often called age-bitashi. It's usually served chilled, so it's a good dish to make during the hot season. You can use a variety of colorful vegetables for this dish. As deep-fried vegetables are marinated in soup, they aren't so oily. It's simple but makes a good main dish.
Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Ume Flavored Wakame and Okra
Friday July 15, 2011
When I don't feel like eating much on hot days, I eat umeboshi (ume pickles) which are often available at Asian grocery stores. As they are very salty and sour, you might not like the flavor. But it helps stimulate the appetite and also can add a nice flavor to many dishes. For example, they are used in salad dressing, simmering dishes, fried dishes, and lots more. In this dish, wakame seaweed and boiled okra are seasoned with sour umeboshi based sauce. It has a slimy texture and makes a refreshing side dish.
Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Chilled Tofu
Tuesday July 12, 2011
It's a traditional tofu dish called hiyayakko. Chilled tofu is simply served with various toppings. They can be a wide variety of fresh or cooked ingredients of your choice. Common toppings are katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes), grated ginger, green onion, shiso (perilla), and so on. I like to use silken tofu for this dish. When it's too hot to cook, hiyayakko is a quick appetizer to prepare. Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com
Hiyashi Chuka
Friday July 8, 2011
You probably know hiyashi chuka which are popular cold noodles in Japan. They are boiled and chilled Chukamen noodles topped with a variety of different colors of ingredients. It might be a little time consuming to prepare a number of toppings, but the toppings can vary. You can be creative and have fun making them. Soy sauce based sour dressing and sesame flavored creamy dressing are popular, but you can also make different flavors of dressings as you like. Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Spicy Chicken
Tuesday July 5, 2011
Freshly fried chicken or fish are sometimes seasoned with sour sauce to make the dishes refreshing. The sauce can be spicy as you would like, and various vegetables can be added. In this dish, spicy and sour sauce is simply poured over fried chicken pieces, and it's easy to make. It might be a good dish to increase your appetite during the hot season.
Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Wonton Appetizer
Friday July 1, 2011
Deep-fried wonton aren't authentic Japanese appetizers, but they are populary cooked in Japan with various fillings. This one is filled with shiso (perilla) and process cheese which is my favorite combination. My mother used to make small versions of these wonton and pack them in my bento when I grew up. Of course, freshly cooked and crispy fried wonton make great snacks for both kids and adults.
Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.
Steamed Eggplant
Tuesday June 28, 2011
I remember my grandfather used to happily eat steamed eggplant in the summer. As a child, I thought it's kind of a boring dish to have. But I now enjoy eating this simple dish with steamed rice or cold noodles when I crave light food. It's a taste of summer for me. I normally dip it in the mixture of soy sauce and karashi mustard, but you can use your favorite salad dressing if you prefer. Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com
Tofu in Thick Soup
Friday June 24, 2011
Do you like tofu in soup? This simmered tofu can be served chilled on a hot day if you would like. I use edamame and imitation crab sticks to add different colors and textures to this dish. If you want to make a quick tofu dish, try this thick soup with your choice of vegetables, seafood, mushrooms, and so on. Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com
Daikon Salad
Tuesday June 21, 2011
As grated daikon is essential in Japanese meals, I always have daikon radish in my refrigerator. It's often simmered in dashi soup, but it's also a good addition to salads. Raw daikon might be slightly hot, depending on the kinds. If you like the flavor, juicy and crunchy daikon pieces add a nice texture in salads. This salad uses wakame seaweeds and cucumber and makes a refreshing side dish.
Photo © Setsuko Yoshizuka, licensed to About.com, Inc.