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.

Have you tasted our top 3 most popular dishes?

For izakaya beginners, looking at our menu can be a daunting experience because of the volume and types of dishes we offer. But you'll quickly find that some dishes make regular appearances at other diners tables. Ask our servers for recommendations and they'll gladly run down a list of our most popular dishes. Today, we're sharing with you our Top 3.

Bamboo's top 3 most popular dishes

#3 MISO SOUPS

Miso manila clam soup

Plural because we have more than one for you to try;

• Classic miso soup with tofu and seaweed
• Miso soup with manila clams and tofu
• Country style miso soup with a stronger broth and kabocha squash

Our soups are extremely popular because they are comforting yet very healthy and savory. Served in classic Japanese soup bowls, they're the perfect light appetizer to start your meal.

* Did you know that the proper way to drink miso soup is to stir the broth with your chopsticks and drink it straight from the bowl? 

#2 EDAMAME

Edamame is a very well known and popular appetizer in America. Usually served warm with a sprinkle of salt, they can be found even in some pubs these days. However, our edamame dish has a kick! We've spiced it up and got creative in the kitchen to bring you revised edamame, better than you've ever tasted before!

We slowly steam our soybeans (never microwaved!) for an even and moist texture and toss them in a soy garlic sauce. Finger licking good!



#1 SPICY TUNA CRISPY RICE

This incredibly popular dish was created at our sister restaurant Ozumo in San Francisco. It was in such demand over there, we had to bring it to Santa Monica!

The mixture of spicy tuna mixed with a wasabi ponzu sauce and topped over cubes of crispy rice, is making people smile and ask for more all across California!

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.