Instant fried rice: Instant delight!

You can find these fried rice mix at Marukai in Santa Monica.

Ever wonder what the secret behind Japanese fried rice is? How modest yet present flavors meet to sing in perfect harmony, creating a fried rice that's so addictive? Katsuobushi (bonito flavored stock) is part of the equation, but why spend time trying to figure out the secret recipe when you can walk into any Japanese supermarket and buy instant fried rice mix! And these powdered mix packets taste like the real thing: The roasted garlic mix is mild yet smoky, while the shrimp and crab flavored ones taste a little fishy (in the best possible way!) and just like the sea.

With packets like these, you can create some outstanding and unforgettable *chahan dishes while saving on cooking time! Add an egg, some chopped onions, carrots and celery (we love adding mushrooms too!), and your chahan will be ready in less than 10 minutes.

No one has to know your famous, well-loved fried rice is coming from a packet either. This will be our little secret!

* chahan means fried rice in Japanese

Quick and healthy spinach and eggdrop soup recipe

Bamboo Izakaya's quick and healthy recipe of the week!

Similar to miso soup but made with a clear broth, spinach, tofu and egg drop soup is easy to make and great for those looking to shed a few pounds, without having to give up on good flavors! 

Ingredients

• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 bag of pre-washed spinach (about 4 handfuls)
• 1/2 box of silken tofu, drained and cut into small cubes
• 5 scallions, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 8 cups bonito broth (I use powdered bonito and use about 1/2 tsp per cup)
• 1 tbsp mirin
•  salt and pepper to taste

Cooking Directions

1. In a large pot, bring the broth to boil. Meanwhile, chop the spinach into strips
2. (chiffonade style, by stacking the leaves and rolling them into a tube, then
3. chopping them into strips). When the water is boiling, add the mirin and soy,
4. stir well. Break the eggs in a small bowl and lightly whisk. Turn the heat down
5. so the broth is simmering, slowly add the eggs and gently whisk while stirring.
6. Add spinach, scallions and tofu. Cook for another 5 minutes, season with salt
7. and pepper, and serve.

Cucumber and seaweed salad

This is a very delicious and healthy seaweed salad recipe perfect for a side dish or to snack on.

Seaweed (or kelp) has more minerals like calcium and zinc than any terrestrial vegetation! This makes seaweed exceptionally high in nutrients and vitamin A, B, C and E, essential for hair growth and stimulation. This includes the nori, or dried black seaweed wrapped around sushi rolls, seaweed in soups (like miso or osuimono), dried nori snacks now found in many supermarkets, salads, etc..

A little seaweed goes a long way - You only need to eat about 1/3 of a cup a day to reap the benefits, so make a habit to include a little seaweed in your daily diet for strong hair and nails.

Note: For dried seaweed, don't let the seaweed sit in water for too long - 5 minutes should do it, otherwise it will get slimy.

Cucumber and seaweed salad recipe
Serves 4

For the dressing:

4 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
4 tbsp dashi stock
2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp mirin

Ingredients:

1 English cucumber, cut into sticks
1/4 cup dried seaweed

Directions:

Put cucumber stick in a tupperware and sprinkle generously with salt. Mix with your fingers and let sit for about 20 minutes. Quickly rinse in cold water and dry with paper towel Set aside.

Soak the dried seaweed in cold water for about 5 minutes, no longer than that. Drain well, transfer to a cutting board and chop into bite size. Divide among 4 bowls and do the same for the cucumber sticks.

Put all the ingredients for the dressing into a bowl and mix well. Pour evenly among 4 bowls and serve cold.

Make Japanese rice at home

Japanese rice is essential to Japanese cooking. It's used in dishes or served as a side, or at the end of a meal.

Most households in Japan use rice cookers because they're convenient and easy to use. For those who don't own a rice cooker, you can use a pot and still yield good results. It may not be as easy as a rice cooker but it's possible to create good, fluffy Japanese rice with just a pot, water and a basic stove top.

Some extra work is required and the cooking process is slightly different:

This will make about 3 cups of Japanese rice.

Rinse 1 1/2 cups of rice, swish it around with your fingers in circular motion until the water becomes really cloudy, changing the water until it runs almost clear. This removes the starch of the grains which, if left unrinsed, could end up sticky and slimy.

Drain with a strainer and leave it for about 15 minutes (in the strainer) to absorb some water.

In a medium size pot or pan (about 2.5 qt/ 2/4 liter) add the rice and 1 1/2 cups of water, and leave another 15 minutes. Tightly cover the pot or pan and bring to a boil (do not lift the lid!)

Cook on high for about 7 minutes. It's important to leave it alone, do not stir! The rice will bubble and steam, that's the way you want it. Lower the heat and cook for another 8-10 minutes. This slowly cooks the center of the rice. Crank up the heat again for about 10 seconds to evaporate what water is left.

Turn off the heat and let sit for about 10 minutes to finish the cooking process.

With a wooden or plastic spatula, fold the rice in big chunks from the bottom (do not stir or knead).

Japanese rice can be frozen in individual sized Tupperware and reheated to eat with pickles or spicy tuna, etc.. You can even make onigiri (rice balls) and freeze them for later. It's a great time saving, pre-made food to have around!

Onigiri - Japanese rice balls

What could be more Japanese than onigiri! The more laid back cousin of sushi maki, they're usually filled with ume (pickled plums), mentaiko (spicy cod roe), okaka (bonito flakes), tarako (salty cod roe), tuna mayo, and kombu (pickles). Sold in most convenience stores in Japan (and here a Bamboo too!) these tasty rice balls are a favorite snack among the Japanese community because they're easy to make and also very healthy.

Makes about 8 onigiris

Ingredients

•  cooked Japanese rice (I use Nishiki)
•  umeboshi (Japanese picklked plums)
•  mentaiko (spicy cod roe)
•  nori (seaweed)
•  salt

Cooking Directions

1. A couple of tricks to make good Japanese rice; soak your rice for a few minutes and massage a little until the water turns milky white. This removes some of the starch. Do it 2 or 3 times until the water is almost clear. Follow instructions and measurements listed on packaging. When you add your rice, give it a quick stir, put the lid on and leave it alone! I use a timer each time I make rice, this way I don't have to worry about under or over cooking it, and it always turns out perfect.
2. When the rice is cooked, put it in a bowl and let cool. Grab a wooden spoon and gently fold over the rice (do not stir, you want to keep it fluffy!) while adding some salt (until you get your own perfect level of saltiness). Now let's make our onigiris!
3. Grab a small handful of rice, shape it into a triangle (or ball) and make a dent in the middle. It's good to have a bowl of water nearby so you can wet your fingers (it helps with shaping the rice). Add filling of your choice. Wrap a strip of nori (a wider strip will make it much easier to eat) around the rice and you're done! It's that easy!

NOTE: You can keep onigiri by wrapping it in cling film and refrigerate overnight. Zapping it in the microwave for about 30 seconds the next will day make the rice balls nice and soft again.

Miso mayo Dip

Classically Japanese - Sweet and tangy meet in this yummy miso mayo dip.

The perfect dip for veggies! We like this quick dip recipe for its tanginess and simplicity. The flavors are very Japanese and work beautifully with cucumbers, carrots, and celery.

Serve it at your next dinner party for a little something different, and watch your guests try to decipher the flavors of this creamy and refreshing recipe!

Miso mayo dip

Ingredients:

• 1 cup mayo
• 1 tbsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Mix all the ingredients and serve cold along with a beautiful veggie plate!

Mmmmiso Soup!

Who doesn't like the earthy, savory flavors of a simple miso soup!

Served in every Japanese restaurant as an accompaniment to bento or sushi lunches/dinners, most people are unaware of how easy it is to make a home. Packed with vitamins and nutrients, miso is an ingredient used in many traditional Japanese dishes. You can find white and red miso paste in most Asian supermarkets and a tub of it will cost you about $5.00 (which will last for a very long time!)

To celebrate our love for all things miso, Bamboo Izakaya is sharing a simple and terrific miso soup recipe with you. Ready? Grab your miso paste and let's get started!

Miso Soup with Asari Clams

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 4 cups dashi broth (or water) 
• 3 1/2 tbsp white miso paste
• 350 grams asari (Manila) clams
• 2 tbps scallions, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp onions, finely chopped

Directions:

1. Using a brush, scrub the clams to get rid of any sand and other impurities. Soak them in salt water for half an hour (to release any extra dirt or sand).
2. Bring dashi broth to a boil then add miso paste and chopped onions. Mix well until miso paste has completely dissolved. Turn the heat down to low (simmer).
3. Add clams and cook for a minute. 
4. Add chopped scallion, turn the heat off and serve.

A quick and savory broth (tsuyu) recipe for the perfect noodle soup

Chef Toshi's own quick and easy recipe for tsuyu (soup broth).

Pour this over soba or somen noodles, add some chopped scallions, veggies and you've got yourself a healthy, and delicious dinner!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 3/4 cup mirin
  
• 3/4 cup soy sauce
• 3 tbsp dried fish flake (katsuobushi)
  

Directions:

Put all the ingredients in a small/medium size pot, simmer for a few minutes until warm and serve!