Grilled Japanese Style Avocado

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appetizer, Asian, avocado, grilled, Japanese, ponzu sauce, side dish, style

I have always wanted to try grilled avocados but have never gotten around to it. When Cin Cin Let’s Eat posted this recipes, I knew I had to try it. Especially since I had all the ingredients readily on hand. The grill made the avocado especially creamy and added a nice subtle smoky flavor. I didn’t care for the wasabi paste. It made the dish taste too much like sushi. I can’t wait to make guacamole with these smoky avocados!

Grilled Japanese Style Avocado (from Cin Cin, Let’s Eat)

• 1 avocado
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Nori sheets, thinly sliced into flakes
• Ponzu sauce
• Wasabi paste (optional)

Slice the avocado in half and remove the pit. Slice the avocado on the horizontal and vertical without piercing the skin. Rub the flesh with a small amount of olive oil. Grill for about 3 minutes or until warmed through and with char marks. Remove from the grill and top each half with salt, nori flakes, and ponzu sauce. Serve with wasabi paste on the side, if desired. Serves 2 as a side dish or appetizer.

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Japanese Fried Tofu

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Asian, food, fried, Japanese, main, marinade, tofu, vegetarian

I need to incorporate more vegetable based proteins into my diet but I am hesitant because I love the flavor and texture of meat so much. Tofu has such a stigma. Bland, boring, crunchy, hippie food. This tofu changes that perception.

Marinaded and Fried Tofu (from Food52)

• 1 pound extra firm tofu
• 1/4 cup shiro miso paste (white miso)
• 1/4 cup ponzu sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 1 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ginger paste
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely minced
• Vegetable oil, for frying

Gently press the tofu to drain off the extra juice. Slice into 1 inch thick slices (I did cubes and they were way too small). In a ziplock bag, combine all the marinade ingredients. Add tofu and marinade for 24 to 48 hours. In a skillet, heat vegetable oil. Fry each slice until both sides are golden brown. Drain on a paper towel. Use on sandwiches, plain, or add to miso soup. Serves 3.

Yamaguchi’s Sake and Tapas

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Asian, fine dining, Japanese, Lexington, sake, tapas, Yamaguchi's

For my birthday dinner, the hubby and I met some friends, David and Kathryn, at Yamaguchi’s Sake and Tapas. A little restaurant in an out of the way area (they don’t even have a sign outside), Yamaguchi’s is as much about the food as it is about the experience. The best way to explain their food is to say this – they serve the food you would eat at a traditional Japanese home. There are some raw things but most everything is cooked.

Freshness of the ingredients is the key to their success. Every Thursday fresh fish is flown in from Japan. I am pretty sure no other place in Lexington can guarantee such fresh seafood.  And there is no sushi on the menu. Perhaps it is too cliche for a place that clearly prides itself on quality, tradition, and atmosphere.

If you go to Yamaguchi’s, there are a few things you should know. They frown on cell phone conversations. Children, unless they are older and well behaved, are not really their customer type (aka don’t bring them). They encourage you to sit and enjoy each tapas, the soothing music, and your companions. Wait staff is the cook’s wife and she is very gracious/unobstrusive. If you are expecting to have a loud, boisterous family reunion and an American style meal, this is not the place for you!

Please forgive the not so amazing quality of the photos below. Iphones only can do so much.

They have cold sake by the taste, glass or bottle. I had only tried warm sake in the past and greatly disliked it. Cold sake is amazingly smooth and a bit sweet. They also have interesting names. The sake below is a “taste” and called Wandering Poet.

They also serve fresh sashimis as well as unique things. The picture below was taken by David a few months ago. They are Firefly Squid with a Vinegar Mustard Miso Paste. They are only offered one week a year. How awesome is that? And they look super tasty.

The Wafu Caprese salad is lovely. This caprese varies from the traditional in it’s use of shiso, a Japanese basil, and a Japanese style dressing.

Tontoro Misoyaki is a pork jowl meat, thinly sliced, broiled, then served with a homemade garlic miso. I think it was my favorite of all the dishes we tried.

Gyuniku Aburiyaki is thinly sliced ribeye steak, topped with fresh wasabi and soy sauce. Surprisingly, the fresh wasabi is not nearly as spicy as one might expect from paste or powder. The beef tones down any overwhelming hotness.

I tried a bite of the Jikasei Atsuage Tofu. I normally shy away from tofu because of it’s odd texture. But since this is adventure eating, why not try everything? I was very pleasantly surprised. The tofu is deep fried and served with ginger, scallions and soy sauce.

The squid tempura was very nice as well. The crust was nice and light with a minimal greasiness. It was served with soy sauce, green tea salt, and some amazing little peppers whose name I have forgotten.

The dessert was an almond flavored pudding with strawberries. Very nice, light finish to a delightful meal.

I strongly suggest you go to Yamaguchi’s Sake and Tapas. We tried several other things not pictured above that were just as yummy as those mentioned. I intend to go back in the future!!

Dashi

Tags

dashi, food, Japanese, miso, soup

Dashi is the broth base of miso soup. It adds part of the distinctive flavor found in the soup. It can be purchased pre-made but I imagine homemade is better. There are several variations of making this broth but I chose to use Alton Brown’s because it is so highly rated.

Next post- Miso Soup!

Dashi 

• 2 (4-inch) square pieces kombu
• 2 1/2 quarts water
• 1/2-ounce bonito flakes, about 2 cups

Place the kombu in a saucepan, cover with the water and soak for 30 minutes. Set the saucepan over medium heat until the water reaches 150 to 160 degrees F and small bubbles appear around the sides of the pan, 9 to 10 minutes.

Remove the kombu from the pan. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil, 5 to 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add the bonito flakes. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Strain the liquid through several layers of cheesecloth. Makes 2 quarts of dashi. It can be kept in the fridge for a week or frozen for up to a month.

Soba with Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce

Tags

Asian, Japanese, main dish, salad, side, soba, vegetarian

Thanks to Simply Reem for this gorgeous meal (the below recipe is a variation of the original). Since I first tried soba in Japan, I have been on the lookout for recipes that make use of this fantastic noodle. I love the uniqueness of it’s taste and texture. Soba seems sits lighter on your stomach but fills you up longer than spaghetti and the like. I suggest you try this simple recipe when you need something satisfying but quick to prepare.

Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce

• Soba noodles – 1 9oz packet.
• Salt and Pepper as per taste
• Sesame seeds as garnish

For Sweet Ginger Scallion Sauce:

• 1 1/2 cup finely chopped scallions
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp sesame seed oil
• 2 tsp chili oil
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 2 tbsp honey

Mix all the ingredients for sweet ginger scallion sauce in the bowl, check for the seasoning. Keep it aside for 10 -15 minutes for the flavors to develop. Boil the soba noodles as per the instruction on the package. Add the sauce, sesame seeds and toss the noodles well, check for the seasoning one last time. You can serve this warm as a main dish or cold as a salad.

Chicken Veggie Noodle Bowl

Tags

Asian, Dinner, Japanese, noodles, soba, Supper, vegetables

My junior year of college I had the privilege of traveling to Japan as a student craftsperson. At County Fair held on the grounds of Seisen Ryo (the hotel where we stayed), I demonstrated how to braid the brooms made at Berea College. The experience was life changing. I met amazing people, ate wonderful new foods, and was exposed to a fantastic culture.

Below: This plate was part a meal we were served at a traditional Japanese home during a traditional Japanese meal. Each were in season at the time. The grapes are as big as rubber bouncy balls.

Below: Fried pork served with grainy mustard.

Below: The most delicious thing I ate the whole time in Japan was this creamy vanilla pudding with fresh fig, kiwi, pear, and grapes topped with raspberry sauce. Unbelievably good!

Since coming back to the US, I have tried to incorporate some of Japanese food into my own menus. Soba, a noodle made of buckwheat, is a traditional Japanese ingredient I have access to in KY. When I ate it in Japan, it was prepared in a broth with scallions and mushrooms. Very filling and like a fancy version of ramen noodles.  Today’s recipe is one of the best ways I have found to serve soba.

Chicken Veggie Noodle Bowl

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tbsp light soy sauce
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tsp sriracha (chili-garlic sauce found in the Asian section but excellent in many other cuisines)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 3/4 lb chicken tenders
• 1 1/4 lb baby bok choy
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1/2 lb snow peas
• 1 sweet pepper, sliced into strips
• 1/2 lb mushrooms of your choice
• 6 ounces of soba noodles, cooked according to package instructions
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1/4 cup sliced scallions

In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, soy sauce, cornstarch, hoisin, vinegar, and sriracha. Set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet and add 1 tbsp. Saute chicken until no longer pink in the middle; set aside. In skillet, add second tbsp oil along with bok choy, onion, and garlic; stir fry for 3 minutes. Add snow peas and peppers and stir fry for about 4 minutes or until tender crisp. Cover part of the time. Stir in sauce and chicken. Bring to a simmer and cook until sauce starts to thicken or about 2 minutes. In a large serving bowl, combine soba and sesame oil. Toss in vegetable and chicken mixture. Garnish with scallions.  Makes 4 servings.

Shoyu Chicken

Tags

Asian, chicken, Dinner, grilled, Japanese, summer, Supper

Shoyu is Japanese for soy sauce, one of the prominent ingredients in this traditionally Hawaiian recipe.  I read all the reviews on AllRecipes and was skeptical that it was all that…. Let me tell you, IT IS! Awesome way to spice up chicken and it simple. I suggest you make all 5 pound because you will be so glad you have the leftovers. Delicious hot, cold, plain, with salad, in a wrap. The perfect multi-purpose chicken!

Shoyu Chicken

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup water
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground paprika
• 5 pounds skinless chicken thighs

Whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, water, garlic, onion, ginger, black pepper, oregano, red pepper flakes, cayenne pepper, and paprika in a large glass or ceramic bowl. Add the chicken thighs, and toss to evenly coat. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and marinate the chicken in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate. Remove the chicken thighs from the marinade. Discard the remaining marinade. Grill the chicken thighs on the preheated grill until cooked through, about 15 minutes per side.