Season 2013 2013

Yakiniku is basically a very simple dish of grilled meat. So, today's point is Rika's original sauce that she developed through trial and error! We are sure you will be addicted to her original sauce once you try it and then you can't stop eating!
Japanese-style BBQ

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
200g beef round
200g beef flank
200g beef sirloin
Red leaf lettuce
Boston leaf lettuce
Shiso leaves
Cucumber
White part of leek
[For dipping sauce]
4 tbsp chopped leek
2 tbsp grated apple
2 tsp grated garlic
2 tsp grated ginger
6 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp sake
2 tsp honey
2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp salt
Wasabi, to taste
Gochujang and vinegar, to taste 

[Method]

1. To make Rika's original dipping sauce, chop the leek, grate the apple, garlic and ginger. Add the seasonings and mix well.

2. Rinse the vegetables well, and cut into hand-size pieces as needed. Thinly cut the cucumber. Cut the white part of the leek and immerse it in cold water to crisp it, arrange on a plate.

3. Cut each part of the beef into 4mm thick slices. If the slices are a little tough, lightly pound to tenderize.

4. Marinate the slices as if you are massaging. Do this 3 to 5 minutes before grilling.

5. Grill both sides until the surface gets burned.

6. Rika recommends a healthy way to eat the meat slices by wrapping with vegetable leaves. Serve with wasabi, and the mixture of gochujang and vinegar.

Fluffy Egg Drop Soup

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
2 cups water
1 tsp granulated dashi
1 tsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 egg
10 cm piece of leek 

[Method]

1. Heat the water, granulated dashi, and nam pla in a saucepan.

2. Place the leek strips in a bowl, crack the egg, and beat.

3. Slowly pour the egg mixture into the gently simmering pan, wait, then turn off the heat just before the egg mixture coagulates.

4. Ladle into a bowl, being c

Today's main dish is Japanese hamburger steak, "hambagu"! One of the most popular dishes served in Japanese homes. Rika's hambagu is a thick, fluffy patty which is cooked in a frying pan. The meat juice is sealed into the hambagu, and it's delicious when combined with the flavor of soy sauce and wine!
Hamburger Steak with Soy Sauce & Wine Sauce

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
200g ground beef
100g ground pork
1/2 onion
1 egg
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 tsp salt
Nutmeg
Black pepper
Olive oil
1 tsp vegetable oil
1/3 cup red wine
1 tsp soy sauce
2 tbsp tomato ketchup
1 tbsp honey 

[Method]

1. Mince the onion and microwave for 2 minutes.

2. In a bowl, place the ground beef, ground pork, onion, breadcrumbs and egg. Add the salt, nutmeg, pepper and olive oil, and knead well by hand.

3. Divide the mixture in half. Shape each half between your palms into a patty, 1.5 cm thick.

4. Put some oil in a heated frying pan, cook one side for 2 minutes over medium heat. Then flip and decrease the heat to low. Cover and cook with natural steam for 13 minutes.

5. For the sauce, add the tomato ketchup, honey, soy sauce, and red wine into a frying pan. Flip the patties 2 or 3 times and dress with the sauce.

6. Arrange each of them onto a plate, and garnish with broccoli.

Broccoli with Sesame Sauce

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
3 tbsp ground sesame seeds
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 head of boiled broccoli 

[Method]

1. Microwave the ground sesame seeds for a minute.

2. Mix in the sugar and soy sauce.

3. Then dress the broccoli with the sauce.

Four Mushroom Soup

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 cup shiitake mushrooms
1 cup enoki mushrooms
1 cup maitake mushrooms
1 bag (about 100g) nameko mushrooms
2 cups water
1 piece of dried kombu kelp
1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 tbsp mirin
Sesame oil, to taste
Shichi

Ginger and soy sauce are the keys to delicious tatsuta-age. This represents scenery with autumn foliage. Tatsuta-age and rice are the best match! We will introduce a recipe for a combination of tatsuta-age and rice!
Tatsuta-age Fried Chicken

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
250g chicken
2 spring onions
20g ginger
1 red bell pepper
1 yellow bell pepper
2 green bell peppers
1/2 lemon

1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce

Batter
2 egg whites
Salt
4 tbsp potato starch
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Oil for deep-frying 

[Method]

1. Cut the chicken by tilting the knife. Marinate for 15 minutes in the mixture of sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Remove the chicken from the marinade and drain.
   Mince the ginger. Cut the spring onion into thin rounds. Cut the lemon into wedges.
   Shape the bell peppers into leaves using a cookie cutter.

2. For the batter prep, first whip the egg whites. Add the salt to stabilize the foam, then gently mix in the ginger, onion, sesame seeds and potato starch.

3. Carefully coat the chicken pieces with potato starch. Then dredge the chicken pieces with the egg white batter.

4. Deep-fry the chicken pieces in 160 °C oil for 4 to 5 minutes. When they get nicely browned, remove from oil and shake off any excess.
   The bell peppers are deep-fried without batter for 10 seconds, then sprinkled with salt. Arrange the chicken, bell peppers, and lemon wedges on a plate!

Rice Balls with Tatsuta-age Fried Chicken

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
350g cooked short-grain rice
5 dried nori seaweed
Sliced takuan pickles (25g)
5 shiso leaves 

[Method]

1. Cut each tatsuta-age in half. Make triangular rice balls.

2. Make an indentation on top of each of the balls and insert a half piece of chicken. Dress each with nori like a kimono, then it's done!

3. Put shiso leaves and takuan on the side.

Kaki-age is usually made by combining small pieces of seafood and vegetables with batter and deep-frying it. It is a well-known variety of tempura. With one bite, you can enjoy various flavors in your mouth. Crispy and satisfying, kaki-age has become a main dish. The second was the soba noodles with kaki-age. It's a traditional Japanese soba dish. You won't forget the deliciousness!
Kaki-age Tempura

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
6 to 8 scallops (150g)
1/2 burdock root (120g)
1/3 sweet potato (150g)
1/2 carrot (50g)
1/2 bunch mitsuba
3 to 4 tbsp flour

Batter
1 egg yolk
2/3 cup cold water
1 cup flour

Dipping Sauce
200ml dashi stock
50ml mirin
50ml soy sauce

Ginger, daikon, lemon to serve 

[Method]

1. Cut the scallops. Cut the sweet potato and soak in water. Cut the carrot smaller than the sweet potato pieces. Cut the mitsuba into 3 long pieces.
   Shave the burdock root, and plunge in water to remove bitterness.
   Pat the drained sweet potato and burdock root with paper towels to dry.

2. Mix the scallops and vegetables evenly and sprinkle with flour.
   Add the flour little by little into the mixture of egg yolk and water, and mix until no lumps remain. Add the batter into the bowl of the mixed ingredients and combine well.

3. Place the mixture on a spatula and fry in the 160 degree Celsius oil.
   Increase the oil, and finish frying at a high temperature.

4. For the dipping sauce, combine the dashi, mirin and soy sauce, and bring to a simmer. Combine with daikon and ginger.
   Arrange the lemon wedges and salt, and it's done!

Soba Noodles with Kaki-age Tempura

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
250g dried soba noodles
1/2 naganegi long onion

Soup
10cm dried kombu
50g dried bonito flakes
4tbsp mirin
1tbsp sugar
150ml soy sauce
1500ml water

Powdered chili pepper, to taste 

[Method]

1. Cook the soba, drain, and rinse off exc

Japanese love fish. Rika will teach you a stewed fish recipe you can make at home. Today's theme is the standard home-made dish, Misoni, Stewed Mackerel with Miso!
Rika's recipe is Korean-style and spicy so it is good for people who are not so keen on fish.
Stewed Mackerel with Miso

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 mackerel fillet
8 thin slices of fresh ginger
1 tbsp miso
1 tbsp gochujang
1 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp sake
2/3 cup / 130ml water 

[Method]

1. Cut the fillet in half. Blanch in boiling water for 10 seconds, take it out when it becomes opaque, then, soak in cold water.

2. Slice the ginger.

3. Combine the miso, with the gochujang and other ingredients, place the mixture in a frying pan, simmer and stir over medium heat.

4. Place the mackerel fillet skin-side up. Add the ginger slices, Then cover with a paper towel with a hole in the center.

5. Cook for 20 minutes over low heat, and it's done.

Chicken and Grated Daikon Soup

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1/2 chicken thigh
1 cup water
1 cup grated daikon radish
2 tbsp sake
1 tsp sesame oil
1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 pinch of salt
Watercress, for garnish 

[Method]

1. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces. Grate the daikon radish.

2. Add the chicken and water, to a pan, and cook over medium heat. Once it boils, skim, lower the heat and cook for 10 more minutes.

3. Remove from the heat and leave for another 10 minutes.

4. Reheat the soup. Add the sake, sesame oil, nam pla and grated daikon radish.

5. Have a little taste, and adjust with salt if needed. Arrange the soup into a bowl and top with watercress.

Sautéed Spinach

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 bunch spinach
1 clove garlic
1 dried red chili pepper
1 tsp soy sauce
1 pinch of salt
1 tbsp sake
3 tbsp water
1 tsp vegetable oil 

[Method]

1. Cut the spinach

Japanese adore Italian food. Today, Rika is teaching us something she loves to eat, Japanese-style pasta. The perfectly cooked, al dente spaghetti, is combined with nutritious, seasonal oysters. Enjoy them hot and dressed with soy-sauce and olive oil.
Pasta with Oysters

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
10 oysters
160g spaghetti
2L boiling water
2 tbsp salt
2 cloves garlic
2 dried red chili peppers
1/2 cup cilantro
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp granulated chinese soup stock
Extra virgin olive oil, to taste 

[Method]

1. First, begin boiling the spaghetti. Meanwhile, start on the sauce.

2. Chop the garlic, chili pepper and cilantro.

3. Place the garlic and olive oil in a frying pan and turn the heat to medium. When the garlic gives off a good smell, and it is lightly browned, turn off the heat. Add the chili pepper, chinese soup stock and soy sauce.

4. When the spaghetti has 1 minute left to cook, add the oysters and finish cooking them both at the same time.

5. Add the oysters and spaghetti to the frying pan with the sauce. And add the extra virgin olive oil.

6. Arrange the cilantro on the plate.

Tuna and Vegetable Carpaccio

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
100g fresh tuna
1/2 cup arugula
1/3 celery
1/2 cucumber
5 shiso leaves
1/2 fresh green chili pepper
1 tbsp ponzu soy sauce
1 tbsp olive oil
4 pinches salt
Ground black pepper, to taste 

[Method]

1. Cut the celery, cucumber and shiso into thin strips. Cut the green peppers into thin slices. Tear the arugula by hand.

2. Sprinkle salt over the serving plate. Arrange the tuna slices on top and sprinkle with salt once more.

3. Mound the vegetables in the center, drizzle the ponzu soy sauce and olive oil over the top and sprinkle with black pepper.

Sautéed Yellow Bell Pepper and Nori

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 yellow bell pepper
1 tbsp sesame oil
1

Rika will show us how to make three different sea food dishes that makes a casual dining perfect. Today's main course is steamed Sea Breams with clams and potatoes on the side. Potatoes are perfectly steamed with Sea Breams and clams in sake based broth which makes all the ingredients taste even better.
Steamed Tai Sea Bream in Sake

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
2 fillets Tai sea bream
2 potatoes
230g live steamer clams
1 naganegi long onion (or leek)
1 clove garlic
1 dried red chili pepper
1 tsp salt
50 ml sake
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 tsp soy sauce 

[Method]

1. Wrap the potatoes in plastic wrap, and microwave for 4 minutes.

2. Sprinkle the fish fillets with salt and let them sit for 10 minutes.

3. Peel the potatoes, and slice into 1.5 cm thick pieces. Slice the long onion diagonally. Thinly slice the garlic and chili pepper.

4. Spread the potatoes in a pan, add garlic and chili pepper, and top with fish fillets. Add the long onion and clams. Then pour the sake and sesame oil over the top.

5. Cover and turn the heat to medium. When the steam begins escaping from the pan, lower the heat and steam for 10 to 15 minutes. Place on a plate and sprinkle it with soy sauce.

Lettuce and Crab Meat Salad

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1/4 head lettuce
1/2 cucumber
5 shiso leaves
60g canned crab meat
2 tbsp ground sesame seeds
2 tbsp mayonnaise
2 tbsp sushi vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper 

[Method]

1. Cut the lettuce and shiso leaves into shreds. Thinly slice the cucumber.

2. Mix those vegetables with the canned crabmeat, mayonnaise, sushi vinegar, salt, pepper and ground sesame seeds.

3. Stir well, and it's done.

Octopus Sashimi with Hot Sesame Oil

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 boiled octopus tentacle
1 naganegi long onion, white part only
Asatsuki or chives, for garnish
1 clove garlic
1 dried red chili pepper
1 tbsp

Today's dish is sashimi with tuna and squid. Sashimi is the supreme form of Japanese cuisine. To achieve the simple beauty, there are many tips and techniques.
Thickly cut tuna and thinly cut squid are arranged on a plate. The sashimi is then arranged with decoratively cut fresh vegetables.
Cutting Part1
Tuna and Squid Sashimi Plate

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
200g lean tuna
100g sashimi-quality squid

Garnish ideas to your liking:
Daikon radish
Carrot
Cucumber
Red radish
Boiled green asparagus
Watercress
Shiso leaves

Chef Saito's special soy sauce
100ml soy sauce
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp mirin
2.5g dried bonito flakes

Grated ginger
Grated wasabi 

[Method]

1. Cut the tuna into 1 cm thick straight slices. Score the inner side of the squid and cut into 2 mm thick strips.

2. Cut the daikon and carrot to resemble pieces of ice. Peel the cucumber into a long strip, roll it up and cut to resemble water droplets. Thinly slice the red radish and plunge it into ice water for 40 minutes. Quarter a spear of asparagus.

3. For the sauce, bring soy sauce, sake, mirin and dried bonito flakes to a simmer. Then skim and strain.
   Arrange the fish and vegetables to resemble a mountain and a river.

Marinated Tuna Rice Bowl

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
200g lean tuna

Marinade
2 tbsp ground sesame seeds
3 tbsp sake
3 tbsp mirin
3 tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp juice from grated ginger

400g cooked short-grain rice
Powdered nori, to taste 

[Method]

1. Blanch the tuna in boiling water for 5 to 7 seconds, and take it out when the surface becomes opaque. Dry well.

2. For the marinade, combine sake, mirin and soy sauce with sesame seeds and the juice from grated ginger and sesame seeds.

3. Thinly slice the tuna by tilting the knife. Place the slices in a single layer, pour the marinade over and let it sit for 2 hours.
   Pl

Today's first dish is the octopus and rapini with egg vinegar dressing. This is a popular vinegary sashimi dish in Japan, and a perfect spring dish. Next dish is octopus and avocado caesar salad. The red octopus is outstanding in contrast to the pale greens. The avocado mingles with the caesar dressing, and it's so good!
Cutting Part2
Octopus and Rapini with Egg Vinegar Sauce

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
2 octopus tentacles, 150g in total
1 bunch rapini
Salt... to taste
Usukuchi soy sauce ...to taste

Egg Vinegar Sauce
1 egg yolk
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp usukuchi soy sauce
Salt ...to taste
1 tbsp rice vinegar 

[Method]

1. Slice the octopus by sazanami-cut, and score. Cut the rapini in half, blanch in salted water, and immerse in ice water. Lightly squeeze out the excess water, and sprinkle with usukuchi soy sauce for seasoning.

2. Combine the egg yolk with sugar, mirin, soy sauce and salt. Stir in the vinegar at the end. Stir well over a warm water bath until it reaches the consistency like mayonnaise.
   Transfer into a bowl and cool in an ice bath to stop it from thickening further.

3. Mound the rapini and octopus, spoon the sauce on top, and it's done!

Octopus and Avocado Caesar Salad

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
2 octopus tentacles, 150 g in total
1 avocado (200 g)
1/2 lemon
2 leaves of romaine lettuce
Salt and pepper... to taste
3 tbsp grated mountain yam
50 g caesar salad dressing
Croutons 

[Method]

1. Make deep cuts on the octopus and cut into chunks.
   Cut the avocado into 2 cm cubes and sprinkle the lemon juice to prevent it from discoloring. Tear the Romaine lettuce by hand. Grate the mountain yam and mix with the caesar dressing.

2. Add the avocado, octopus, lettuce and mix. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, top with croutons as desired. Enjoy this variation of the octopus texture!

Japanese love to serve fried chicken with beer. Rika's fried chicken, is extra crispy, with a tasty batter. A perfect combination of a fried dish, salad, and soup! Enjoy with some delicious Japanese beer.
Rika's Quick Fried Chicken

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
300g chicken thigh
1 tbsp ground ginger
1/2 clove garlic
2/3 tsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1/3 tsp soy sauce
1 pinch of salt
80g potato starch (or cornstarch) 

[Method]

1. Cut the chicken thighs, into about 8 pieces.

2. Grate the ginger and garlic. Add them to the chicken, and also add the nam pla soy sauce and salt and rub into the chicken.

3. Add the potato starch, and toss well. Fry in 170 to 180°C oil for 7 to 8 minutes.

Ground Chicken and Bean Vermicelli Salad

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
100g ground chicken
50g bean vermicelli
1/2 red onion
1/3 cucumber
3 tbsp crushed peanuts

---For dressing---
Lemon zest from 1/2 lemon
1 dried red chili pepper
2 tbsp Nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 tbsp sushi vinegar
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 clove garlic 

[Method]

1. Thinly slice the onion and soak it in water. Cut cucumber in half, lengthwise, and slice each on a diagonal. Chop the chili pepper.

2. Rinse the lemon with warm water, and grate only the yellow part of the peel.

3. Combine the chopped chili pepper and lemon zest, with the other dressing ingredients.

4. Cut the garlic clove in half, and rub it against the bowl to draw out its flavor.

5. Cook the vermicelli and ground chicken in the same pot. Drain well and add to the bowl of dressing.

6. Add the cucumber, peanuts and onion, and stir.

7. We recommend chilling the salad in the refrigerator for better flavor.

Daikon and Dried Scallop Soup

[Ingredients] *Serves 3
20 cm long piece of daikon radish
4 dried scallops
4 cups water
1 tbsp sake
1 tbsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1/2

oday's theme is stuffing. First dish is Inari Sushi, an example of a casual dish at home. Inari Sushi is made with abura age, which is seasoned with sugar and soy sauce, and it is stuffed with seasoned rice. It is a very popular item for picnics or box lunches.

Inari Sushi

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
6 slices abura-age ( Deep-fried tofu pouches)
Simmering liquid:
400ml dashi
25ml mirin
40g coarse sugar
30ml soy sauce

Prepared sushi rice:
2 cups rice
5cm square piece of dried kombu

Sushi vinegar:
100ml rice vinegar
60g granulated sugar
20g salt

2 tbsp sesame seeds, toasted
Gari (pickled ginger) 

[Method]

1. Roll chopsticks on the abura-age to incorporate the air inside and then cut them in half. Blanch them in hot water for a minute to wash off some of their oil. Drain abura-age in a colander to let them cool and dry the excess water and oil with paper towels.

2. For simmering the abura-age, heat dashi, mirin, coarse sugar and soy sauce until they are mixed well. Add the abura-age, then cover them with a drop lid and gently simmer them for 10 to 15 minutes over low heat.
   Keep on simmering them until the simmering liquid evaporates completely. Be careful not to let the abura-age get completely dried. It is important to keep them moist with the liquid. Lay the abura-age on a tray and let them cool.

3. Next is the preparation of sushi rice.
   Cook the rice with the kombu in it. For seasoning the rice, mix vinegar, sugar and salt together over heat and cool it after they are dissolved.
   Transfer the cooked rice to a wooden tub, pour the vinegar mixture on top of the rice and mix them with a cutting motion.
   Fan the rice occasionally while you are mixing it with the other ingredients, so that the rice would not absorb extra moisture from air and vinegar mixture. Cover the wooden tub with a clean damp cloth to let the grains absorb the vinegar. Mix in the sesame seeds.

4.

Japanese-style, stuffed peppers are popular menu among kids and adults, which are half-cut grilled pepper stuffed with ground pork. For a applied variation on the dish, the whole stuffed peppers will be battered and deep-fried to a delicious, crispy texture.
Pan- fried Stuffed Peppers

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
3 small green bell peppers

Filling
100g ground pork
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
20g dried shrimp
10g fresh ginger
8cm piece naga-negi long onion
Salt and pepper
1/2 tbsp sake
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil

Potato starch, for dusting peppers
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp sake, for steaming peppers
Chervil
Ponzu-soy sauce
Grated daikon radish 

[Method]

1. Cut the peppers into half, lengthwise, and remove the stem and white pith.
   Cut the rehydrated shrimps and shiitake mushrooms into small pieces.
   Thinly slice the long onion and mince the fresh ginger.

2. Season the ground pork with salt, pepper, sake, soy sauce and sesame oil.
   Mix well by hand until it becomes opaque and viscous. Add the chopped filling ingredients into the pork and mix them well again.

3. Generously dust the inside of the pepper cups with potato starch. Heap each pepper with the filling. It is important to stuff corners completely with the filling so that the filling won't come apart from the peppers. Generously sprinkle the potato starch on the filling side.

4. Add oil to a frying pan and set the pan over medium heat. First, panfry the peppers from filling side down. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes until they are browned and gently flip them over. Pour in the sake and cover the pan and steam them for 4 to 5 minutes.
   Arrange them on a plate with chervil.

Deep- fried Stuffed Peppers

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
1 medium red bell pepper
1 medium yellow bell pepper

Filling
150g ground chicken
2 dried shiitake mushrooms
20g dried shrimp

Buckwheat flour is made into soba, the buckwheat noodle, and loved in Japan. Zaru-soba, the chilled soba served with cold dipping sauce is the best way to enjoy its scent and texture simply. Let's get a taste of Japanese' favorite popular noodle with its apt side dish, tempura.
Chicken and Cucumber Salad

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
300g chicken breast
Salt
1 cucumber
Cilantro leaves for garnish

For sauce
5cm naganegi long onion (or leek)
1tbsp minced fresh ginger
1tbsp minced cilantro
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp sesame oil
1tbsp rice vinegar
1tbsp sugar 

[Method]

1. Remove the skin from the cut chicken breast and rub the salt on the chicken. Put them in boiling water, and turn off the heat. Check one of them 5minutes later whether they are cooked through or not.

2. Peel the cucumber into thin slices with the peeler. Soak the cucumber slices in cold water to make them crispy.

3. For making the sauce, chop the long onion and combine with minced ginger and cilantro in a bowl. Add soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, and sugar in the bowl and mix them well. Shred the chicken while they are still warm. Dress with the sauce.

4. Place the drained cucumber slices on the center of the plate. Mound the chicken on the cucumber slices. Garnish with the cilantro leaves.

Shrimp & Mushroom Tempura

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
4 jumbo shrimps, thawed if frozen
50g maitake mushrooms
1cup tempura flour
3/4cup (150ml) sparkling water, chilled
Vegetable oil for deep-frying 

[Method]

1. Prepare the shrimps. Remove the shell and legs and devein them. After that, rub them with salt and rinse in order to remove the fishy odor. Cut off the hard spike on the tail. Put the small slices on the inside to prevent them from curling up when they are fried.

2. Tear the maitake mushrooms into chunks.

3. Add sparkling water to the tempura flour and mix.

4. Heat the oil to 170℃. Co

Ma Po Tofu is a representative Sichuan dish. Ground meat and tofu can be enjoyed with spicy chili peppers. Today, Rika is making 3 dishes, featuring Tokyo-style Chinese cuisine. Rika's Ma Po Tofu has fluffy tofu pieces and the spiciness and the sweetness goes well together.
Rika's Ma Po Tofu

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
300 to 350g momen tofu (or firm tofu)
100g ground pork
1 tbsp grated fresh ginger
2 tsp grated garlic
1/2 naganegi long onion (or leek or spring onion)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp doubanjiang (Sichuan chili-bean paste)
1 tbsp tianmianjiang (Chinese sweet bean paste)
1 tsp gochujiang (Korean chili paste)
1/2 tsp soy sauce
1 tsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 tsp powdered sansho pepper
1 tbsp potato starch (or corn starch)
2 tbsp water 

[Method]

1. Grate ginger and garlic. Roughly chop the long onion. Cut the tofu into 1.5 cm cubes. Place them in a strainer and cook briefly in the boiling water until they start moving.

2. Heat the frying pan over the medium heat. Put vegetable oil in the pan and heat doubanjiang, tianmianjiang and gochujiang. Add the grated garlic and ginger. After that, add the ground pork. Cook the ingredients until most of their moisture is gone. Add the leek at this point and cook it lightly.

3. Add water, soy sauce and nam pla. After mixing them in the pan, add the sansho pepper. When the mixture comes to simmer, add the potato starch dissolved in 2 tbsp water.

4. Add the tofu at this point. Mix the tofu with the sauce, and heat the mixture about 30~40 seconds to thicken the sauce.

Stir-fried Egg and Tomato

[Ingredients] *Serves 2
2 eggs
1 medium tomato
Salt
2 to 3 shiso leaves
1 pinch salt (to flavor the egg)
1 tsp nam pla (Thai fish sauce)
1 tsp sesame oil 

[Method]

1. Roughly cut the shiso leaves. Mix the eggs with a pinch of salt and nam pla, and add shiso leaves.

2. Cut a tomato into bite-

Rika will introduce healthy attractive Japanese party dishes. The appetizer is vegetable finger food salad, served with savory Japanese dipping sauce. The roast pork is presented sashimi-style with soy sauce-based sauce. Enjoy your weekend party at home with these wonderful dishes!

Today's first dish is Chikuzen -style Chicken and Vegetables. When you quick-braise the food with soy sauce, it will turn to a beautiful caramel color. A bright green element like green beans adds a great contrast. For the variation, chef Saito will use the chicken and vegetables for making stir-fried rice.

Today's theme is"Itameni Quick Braising Part 2". We are going to learn this technique along with kimpira. Kimpira is one of the most popular dishes in restaurants as well as at home. Chef Saito is using lotus root instead of burdock root today, so that we can enjoy the crunchy, fun texture. By using the same technique and seasonings as kimpira, Chef Saito is going to make Gyudon, a beef rice bowl. Let's try cooking!

Today's theme is stuffing. First dish is Inari Sushi, an example of a casual dish at home. Inari Sushi is made with abura-age, which is seasoned with sugar and soy sauce, and it is stuffed with seasoned rice. It is a very popular item for picnics or box lunches.

Japanese-style, stuffed peppers are popular menu among kids and adults, which are half-cut grilled pepper stuffed with ground pork. For applied variation on the dish, the whole stuffed peppers will be battered and deep-fried to a delicious, crispy texture.

Today, Rika introduces us to a chilled noodle dish that is a favorite of Japanese.

Hiyashi Chuuka or Chilled Ramen Noodles is a classic summer dish in Japan.

Rika is making Chilled Ramen Noodles as the main dish and 2 additional summer vegetable dishes.

Today's menu consists of 3 dishes each with its own flavorful composition. Our 1st dish is Spicy Seafood and Vegetable Salad seasoned with sweet and hot Korean miso called gochu-jang. Our 2nd dish is Green Spicy Aromatic Rice. Our last dish is black-pepper flavored dessert for the adults. These bold flavors will give you a boost, during the hot summer months!

Today's theme is "marinating". We are learning how marinating elevates the flavor of fried vegetables by infusing them in a dashi stock and soy sauce mixture. For one variation on this dish, our chef is making a noodle dish, using marinated and fried vegetables.

Today's theme is "Marinating Part2". We are making "Chicken Namban", Fried Chicken Marinated in Sweet Vinegar. Fried chicken pieces quickly become pickled in a sweet and sour marinade. They are eaten with tartar sauce. It's a type of Western-influenced, Japanese chicken dish. For one variation, the fried chicken will become an open-faced sandwich.

The theme of this episode is “Yoseru”(setting together and congealing) part1.
With the help of gelatin, Chef Saito makes softly-set Creamed Corn Tofu and “matcha warabi mochi”, a popular Japanese sweet dumpling.

The theme of this episode is part two of “Yoseru” (setting together and congealing).

Chef Saito uses an agar stick, called kanten in Japan, to make a dish which represents clear running river water.

Another dish is mizuyokan, a traditional Japanese dessert – a smooth, sweet azuki bean paste jelly made with powdered kanten.

This episode features dishes that go well with a refreshing highball. The main dish is fried aji (Japanese horse mackerel), covered in crispy breadcrumbs and served with Rika's original tartar sauce made with fresh cucumber and celery.

In this episode we will look at nabe cooking using autumn seasonal mushrooms. Rika will be using chicken with five different kinds of mushrooms. She will also make two types of dipping sauces. The first with a lemon flavor inspired by Vietnamese cooking, and the second is a hot sauce that uses Japanese soy sauce.

The theme for this episode is Rolling (Part 1).

We look at Rolled Dashi Omelet: egg with a lavish amount of dashi full of umami flavor, which is rolled while being fried nice and thinly.

As a different variation we added vegetables and some sweetness from sugar, which creates a lovely colorful touch.

The theme for this episode is Rolling (Part 2).

We look at beef and burdock rolls, a dish that in Japan often finds its way onto the table during celebrative occasions.

Burdock root is wrapped in beef, and sautéed with a sauce, creating an exquisite flavor.

As a different variation, we then wrap the rolls in rice and seaweed to create futomaki (thick rolls). The perfect dish for parties!

This menu includes 3 dishes sure to warm you to the bone in the cold of winter. The main dish is cuisine that uses the seasonal root vegetable daikon radish with pork belly, stewed slowly until soft, and seasoned with salt and sugar. Why not try it with the Japanese liquor shochu as they go very well together.

In this episode we look at a warm and hearty Japanese udon noodle dish - Udon Hot Pot with a rich chicken stock base. This wonderfully nutritious hot pot, made with udon, fresh seafood and seasonal vegetables, is sure to warm you to the bone. Perfect for the company of family or friends on a cold winter's night.

The theme for this episode is Thickening Techniques (Part 1). We will take a look at Fried tofu with dashi sauce, which is extremely popular both at home and at Japanese-style pubs. Enjoy the smooth texture of fried tofu covered in a thick sauce that uses plenty of dashi. As a different variation there's Yuba no Ankake, which is chopped up bean curd skin in a lovely thick sauce. Topped with vegetables it makes a wonderfully healthy dish!

The theme for this episode is Thickening Techniques (Part 2).

We take a look at jibuni, a local dish from Kanazawa in the Hokuriku region. It uses flour to thicken the sauce which is quite unique among Japanese cuisine. As a different variation the jibuni sauce can be poured over deep-fried bean-starch vermicelli creating an attractive, colorful dish!