Yumme in my Tummy : japan

Japan

For this week’s Recipes I have chosen to do Japan. Rice is a very popular ingredient this is because it has been grown for 2000 years in japan. It is a staple food for the Japanese. It was once used as currency. I’ll tell you how to make Miso Soup, Donburi and Daifukumochi. So a little about them all. Miso Soup is a very traditional Japanese dish. It is served with normally every meal. Any ingredients can be used in Miso Soup. You can use a miso paste also to make it. Donburi this is a rice dish that can include fish, meat and vegetables. It also can be sweet and savoury. The sauce that you put on top can be dashi, soy sauce or Mirin. Mirin is a type of ‘rice wine’ that is regularly used in Japanese rice dishes. Danfukumochi or Danfuku is a rice cake full with a sweet filling. The filling can be whole. E.g. a whole strawberry or a fruit mixture. Danfuku were originally called habutai mochi because of its it was such a filling food but it has been change to danfuku because it means great luck rice cake as fuku can mean belly or luck. The danfuku is also used at ceremonies or as gifts.

Starter: miso soup

Main Donburi

Dessert Strawberry daifukumochi

Miso Soup

Serves:4

Total time: 20 mins

Ingredients

· 2 tsp dashi granules
· 50g miso paste
· 1 pack of silken tofu diced
· 2 green onions
· 950ml water

Recipe;

1. Chop the onions into slices
2. Place the dashi granules in a saucepan and boil
3. When boiling mix in miso paste and stir in tofu.
4. Add the onions
5. Let the soup simmer for 2-3 minutes
6. Serve

Chicken Donburi

Serves: 4

Total Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

· 2tsp oil

· 1 onion

· 2tsp fresh minced ginger

· 240ml chicken broth

· 60 ml soy sauce

· 4 tsp sugar

· 230g of chicken breasts or 4 chicken breasts

· 1kg and 400g of baby spinach leaves

· 3 eggs

· A 1kg bag of rice

Recipe:

1. In a deep frying pan lightly brown the chopped onions and ginger in some oil.
2. Ass the broth, soy sauce and sugar.
3. Cut the chicken into strips and then add to the frying pan.
4. Bring to the boil.
5. Cook the rice
6. Put the spinach into the pan and cook for about 1 minute until it has wilted make sure the pan is covered.
7. Beat the eggs
8. Pour in the eggs and stir the mixture
9. Cook for about 2 minutes
10.Spoon the rice into a bowl pour on the sauce and if you want you can sprinkle with tomatoes.

Strawberry Daifuku mochi

Serves: 6

Total time: 45mins

Ingredients:

· 6 strawberries
· 150g anko (sweet red bean paste)
· 100g shiratamako (glutinous rice flour)
· 20g sugar
· 150ml water
· corn or potato starch for dusting

Recipe:

1. wash the strawberries then cut off the leaves
2. divide tha anko into 6 balls
3. fully wrap apart from the tip the strawberries in the anko
4. mix the shiratamako and sugar together
5. slowly add the water until it is thick
6. microwave for 1 minute it should be white and floury
7. microwave for a further 1 minute it should be more yellowish and smooth
8. microwave for another 30 seconds it should look translucent
9. sieve some corn starch onto a tray divide the mixture into 6 balls
10.flatent them out and then place the anko cover strawberries in the centre and cover. Make sure the tip of the strawberry is facing down
11.twist the top to close
12.make sure you eat within 2 days