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STRIPES JAPAN STE OF JAPAN DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 A TA 2 American craft beer is our specialty! Antenna America is just what you need to quench your thirst! Our Kannai, Yokohama and Shinagawa branches serve up American craft beer from top U.S. craft brewer- ies. Please go to : http://www.antenna-america.com for more details. Our tasting rooms have rotating taps and a huge selection of bottles, all fresh from breweries thanks to our cold-chain delivery system. Chicken wings, burg- ers and other American food items all made to order at our Kannai and Yokohama branches. We have private space available upon request at our Kannai branch. An- tenna America is family friendly, so come check us out! A taste of Yokosuka you’ll never forget We ensure that in every dish we prepare, we add the best herbs and spices specially handpicked from Nepal and India. With our belief deeply rooted in the Eastern philosophy, we regard every customer as a god, and make sure in every way that we treat them as one. Our 5-star experienced cooks and chefs ensure the food looks as good as it is healthy. Once you come and visit us, we are confident that you will make plans to come again. We eagerly await the opportunity to serve you our delicacies!!
DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 STE OF JAPAN STRIPES JAPAN A TA 3 quat dis h sy m bol n kum d fort une ol e d oney, g oo G of m menu item for the New Year’s meal. Try the recipe below, adapted from the Japanese Consumers’ Co-oper- ative Union. With just a few simple steps to follow, this would arguably STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHOJI KUDAKA, be one of the easiest Japanese New STRIPES JAPAN Year foods that you can make on your N own. ow that we’ve taken care of The only daunting part of the en- Kinkan-no-kanroni (stewed kumquat) the happiness portion of the tire recipe is removing the seeds. New Year food courses with However, for 30 pieces of kinkan, I *For a family of four, this recipe should be enough for a few servings per person. burdock, it’s time to summon money was able to complete this task in 10 INGREDIENTS toothpick to bring the with kumquats! minutes by making small slits on the n Kinkan (kumquat) 30 pieces seeds up and out. Be In Japan, this tiny citrus fruit delicate skin and using a toothpick n Water 450cc sure to remove stem is called kinkan and forms part of to pry out the seeds with a little pa- n Sugar 135cc ends as well. the Osechi Ryori because the name tience. n Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine) 22.5cc in kanji is either “金柑” or “金冠”, 5. Heat 450cc of water, From start to finish, it took me which means “gold tangerine” and about 90 minutes. Though it is a bit 135cc of sugar, 22.5cc RECIPE of Mirin (sweet cook- “gold crown” respectively. In China, longer than I usually spend on cook- 1. Rinse and wash off ing rice wine) in a where the fruit originated, its name ing, the end result was totally worth kinkan with water. deep pan on a medi- is “金桔 (jin jié)”, meaning “wealth” it. The heavenly scent of the kinkan, 2. Put kinkan in a deep and “good luck”, according to the sugar and mirin will entice you to um-high heat for a few pot with water and Japan Weather Association. iew Video! give it a little taste, but just minutes. Besides the prospect of V be careful not to burn your- place over high heat. 6. Add kinkan to the mix- more wealth, kumquats (Make sure there’s self. ture and slowly heat it are delicious and delicately enough water to Another good pointer to on a medium heat, un- sweet! They can be eaten raw know is that this can be cooked cover the kinkan. Stop heating just before til the tangerine starts but for the New Year, we have in a big batch and stored much the water is boiled.) to glisten and soften. it in kanroni, which stews like you would marmalade or 3. Drain water and take 7. Serve on small plates kumquat with sugar and mirin sweet jelly. Refrigerated in a jar or airtight cooking rice wine. The cooking pro- container, the kanroni will last about kinkan out of the pan. cold (you can also en- cess brings up a distinct sweetness six months to a year. Let them cool. joy this dish warm if and fruitiness with a marmalade-like So, add this sweet dish to your 4. Once cool enough you let it cool a little consistency. New Year’s lineup and see if it brings to hold, remove the after cooking). Bon ap- Commonly called kinkan-no- you good luck and wealth in 2022! seeds. Do this by making about six vertical slits petite and good luck kanroni, stewed kinkan is a regular kudaka.shoji@stripes.com on each kinkan with a kitchen knife and using a in the New Year! ou-no-nikumaki for a lucky new year gob Try STORY AND PHOTOS BY SHOJI KUDAKA, Gunboumaki (Okinawan style roll of pork, burdock, and carrot) STRIPES JAPAN *For four people I n Japan, every New Year we eat INGREDIENTS a variety of foods which form part n (Sliced) Pork loin 600g of the Osechi Ryori (or New Year’s n Burdock 220g foods) meant to bring us good luck, n Carrot 450g health and happiness. Goubou-no-niku- n Water 600cc maki, a rolled slice of beef with burdock n Sugar 100 cc root at the center, is one of the popular n Liquor (cooking sake) 100 cc dishes in the Osechi lineup. n Soy sauce 67cc Burdock is a reminder of the grain har- n Salt (a little) vest because it’s black and elongated ap- but once the prep n Mirin/sweet cooking rice wine pearance resembles the Japanese crane, work was done, the rest of (a little) which comes flying when a rich harvest is the cooking went smoothly. gathered. The rolled dish includes burdock As the rolls simmered in a broth of sugar, RECIPE because it is eaten with the hope that hap- cooking sake and mirin sweet cooking rice 1. Rinse and wash off burdock, then peel skins. Rinse carrots. piness will last long like burdock grows. wine, the delicious scent spread through- 2. Slice burdock and carrots into small pieces. Make sure each piece Depending on where you’re celebrat- out the kitchen. I couldn’t resist giving one will match the width of sliced pork. ing the New Year, burdock and meat rolls a try before they were fully cooked. One 3. Boil sliced burdock and carrot in hot water for about 3 minutes have a different name. On the mainland, bite and the savory juices exploded over each. it’s called yawatamaki, after Yawata City my taste buds. The well-seasoned and ten- 4. Roll burdock and carrot with one (or two) slice of pork loin. (You in Kyoto Pref. On Okinawa, not only is its name different – it’s called Vie w Video! derwonder ingredients were delectable — no this is also a popular item can use a toothpick to secure the rolls if necessary) 5. Place the rolls in a deep pan. then add 100cc water to cover the Gunboumaki — but, so is its sec- for kids’ bento boxes year-round. rolls and boil for 5 minutes. ondary ingredient – pork instead This is a great option or those eas- 6. After the initial cooking process, add 500cc of water, 100cc of of beef. ing into Japanese cuisine, plus the cooking sake, 100cc of sugar, 67cc of soy sauce to the pan. Just recently, I had a chance to veggies and pork or beef are a good Loosely put a lid on the pot and lower the heat and simmer try the Okinawan version following source of nutrients. between 30 minutes to 1 hour. a recipe I found in an old cookbook Cornbread, peas, soba, mochi and 7. Add soy sauce, mirin/sweet cooking rice wine, and condiment at home. I happened to also have carrots beans are also popular ingredients used in to perfect the flavor to your taste. (You can do this in step No. 6 on hand, so I modified the recipe to include New Year’s dishes. But, make sure to in- as well before simmering) them. The recipe was simple enough even clude some burdock, carrots and pork or 8. Once they’re tender, remove them from the pan and slice into E for a first-timer like me. The only challenge beef for good health and good luck in 2022! MOR SEE EN SOBA bite-sized pieces. Enjoy! was peeling the skins of the burdock roots, kudaka.shoji@stripes.com EBI T N PAGE 6 O
STRIPES JAPAN STE OF JAPAN DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 A TA 4 Taste 2022 the right way STRIPES JAPAN pleasing to the eye as they are the pal- ate. I can’t say that I liked them all as Okinawa prefectural government. “But ever since Okinawa was returned to Ja- is not a tradi- N tional ingredient in nakamijiru, ew Year’s is Japan’s biggest a child. But these days, I find that their pan (in 1972), New Year’s foods have nowadays it may be added to this and longest holiday. People traditional meanings as well as the caught on. Nowadays, many people eat Okinawan dish just like ozoni. It’s take Dec. 29 through Jan. 3 off childhood memories they bring back Okinawan and Japanese foods for New tasty but be careful. from work to celebrate the first three make this a feast that I look forward to Year’s.” “There have been cases when peo- days of the year praying at temples and all year long. Local dishes you should be on the ple, especially the elderly and small shrines for the coming year. It is our You could say that, traditionally, the lookout for in restaurants include children, have severely choked on this Christmas and Thanksgiving – a time to feast really begins on New Year’s Eve, “rafute” (pork belly), “taamu” (taro) densely chewy treat. So watch out when relax with family and friends over spe- or “Oomisoka.”On this day, it is custom- and“inamuruchi” (white miso soup you eat mochi for the first time. But cial foods and sake. ary for Japanese to clean house to bring with chopped pork). While at the same once you try really good ozoni, you will When I was a child, every year my good fortune in the coming year. (OK, time, stores across the island will have be obsessed with the awesome taste. family would go to my grandfather’s this part is not a fond memory; I always traditional Japanese New Year’s fare This is, by far, my favorite New Year’s house in the Oita countryside to cel- wanted to play with my friends while on offer. dish. Then there is osechi, which liter- ebrate New Year’s with relatives. It my mom made me clean my room.) The first quarter or half of January ally means beginning a new season and was an important time of year when we Then we eat “toshikoshi,” or passing- is commonly called “oshogatsu.” It re- represents the start of the new year. enjoyed a traditional New Year’s feast year, soba noodles at night. fers to the whole month of January as This is a set of selected dishes. It’s kind around the “kotatsu,” a low table with a According to tradition, we eat long well. Plus, the first three days of the of like a fancy bento box for the entire heater underneath to keep thin noodles in hopes of a long healthy month are called “sanganichi” During family that is eaten during sanganichi, us warm and cozy. life for the whole family in the those days,“ozoni” and “osechi” are sometimes for all three meals.” There are tradi- coming year. Some people eat the main dishes on a typical Japanese They are designed to nourish and tional Japanese homemade soba or, on Oki- family’s table. Ozoni is a clear soup that wish the family well, while expressing foods to ring in nawa, Okinawan soba; contains “mochi,” a glutinous rice cake; thanks for the new year. The foods are the new year others eat a cup of in- fish cake; chicken; leafy greens; car- beautifully arranged in a “juubako,” that are as stant soba noodles. rots; shiitake mushrooms; and maybe which is traditional lacquered food box It does not matter, more. with three or four tiers. Ozoni as long as it is soba The soup stock varies from region Osechi consists of foods that can be noodles. to region. In most of mainland Japan it prepared in advance and keep for a If you are lucky may be flavored with seaweed or “boni- few days without spoiling. Tradition- enough to be in to” (dried fish flakes). People make mi- ally, it ensured everyone got a three- Okinawa for New so-based ozoni in western regions like day break, even mothers and wives who Year’s you’ll find Kansai. In Okinawa, instead of ozoni, wouldn’t have to cook and wash dishes. elements of two people eat “nakamijiru,” a soup made Also, most stores and restaurants used culinary traditions with chitterlings. to be closed during oshogatsu. to sample. Because From ancient times, mochi has been These days, some stores open Jan. of its Ryukyu King- a celebratory food in Japan represent- 1 because business can be good. It is dom history, Japan’s ing fortune. Today, you can still see it at believed that osechi started during the southernmost islands traditional events and elsewhere in the Edo Period (1603-1867) when coming have their own indig- form of white, stacked, circular cakes up with a variety prepared foods that enous dishes as well as (or packaged squares at grocers) – es- would keep for three days was a pretty those from mainland Japan. pecially this time of year. You’ll also see amazing feat. “In Okinawa, families gathered to a lot of mochi pounding events where For those who don’t have a lot time celebrate New Year’s with special foods large mallets are used to or desire to prepare osechi, you can that were served at ceremonies and pound steamed rice order them from companies at feast year round, not just foods for New into mochi. Al- supermarkets and online. Year’s,” says Yayoi Kohagura, of the though mochi You can even order one at Kurikinton Nishikitamago Kazunoko Kombumaki Get to know your‘o STRIPES JAPAN loose. They are marinated in a broth O of bonito soup stock, sake and soy h More ohseesc sechi is a decorative set sauce. You can often find them at of dishes eaten on New Year’s. Each traditional sushi restaurants. dis Kuromame (sweet simmered Japanese dish has a special meaning, black beans) is soft and sweet. You expressing well-wishing for the coming year. These osechi can be found at depart- may also notice a bit of soy sauce flavor- ment stores or supermarkets. Here are some of ing. Kuromame represents good health the classic dishes. and diligent work. Kazunoko (herring roe) are tiny yellow fish eggs. Tazukuri are small sardines that have The many eggs signify prosperity for your descen- been dried and cooked in a sweet sauce dants. The texture is chunky and the eggs are not of sugar, sweet rice wine, soy sauce and
DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 STE OF JAPAN STRIPES JAPAN A TA 5 Okin a w a n d e l ic a c ie s Nakamijiru as nakami pieces. 2. Put konnnyaku into boiling water and (pork guts soup) cook it for 2-3 minutes and slice them. 3. In a bowl, put wet nakami with water and add flour. Rub nakami with flour Nakamijiru is popularly known as and rinse with running water. Repeat l celebration food from Ryukyu King- 2 to 3 times until nakami to take out s dom. The key of cooking this soup is the grease. n you need to prepare well to take out 4. Put nakami into boiling water and t the smell of pork guts. The soup taste cook for 20 mins. Change into fresh l simple yet rich. boiling water and cook for 20 mins. Osechi Photo courtesy of Kibun Foods Inc. . Repeat three times. This is to take out s Ingredients for 4 servings: the smell of guts. - the nearest convenience store and pick bland vegetable dishes and I would • 10.6 oz pork intestines and stomach or 5. When nakami is soft, drain the wa- d nakami ter. Slice nakami into 5-6 cm by 1 cm it up. There is a wide variety available, have preferred something like steak or r. • 3.5 oz konnyaku pieces. Boil nakami pieces in a sauce including traditional Japanese as well fried chicken. I was also not too thrilled d • 4 dried shiitake mushrooms pan again. Drain and dry nakami in a as Chinese, Western and even Disney- about eating the same food for a couple e • 4 cups bonito flake soup stock bamboo basket or strainer. themed osechi. Prices range is from the days. But times, and I, have change. , • 2 tbs salt 6. In a pot, boil dashi (bonito flake soup equivalent of about $150 to $200 for a Now I really enjoy and appreciate os- • small soy sauce stock). Add nakami, shiitake mush- three- to four-person osechi. echi. It comes from the wisdom of my d • small grated ginger rooms and konnyaku. Mix soy sauce “This traditional Japanese food was ancestors. The colors and designs of g • flour and salt. Simmer in low heat for 10 recognized on UNESCO’s Intangible each dish are works of art with mean- e minutes. Cultural Heritage list in 2013,” says Fu- ings intended to bring good fortune in ” 1. Soak shiitake mushrooms into water 7. Serve in a Japanese soup bowl with mitoshi Kumagai, a spokesperson for the coming new year. I guess my sense x until soft. Slice them to the same size grated ginger to taste. osechi maker Kibun Foods Inc. “Since of taste has grown – grown for a taste then people have been paying more at- of Okinawa. e tention to traditional osechi. So they are a quite popular this year. But char- - acter-themed osechi such as - Disney are also popular o with families who have . small children.” d It’s too bad they didn’ t have those . fancy kiddy os- s echi when I e was growing g up. Honestly, t I was not a big y fan of osechi as a child because a e n lot of the traditional foods were kind of Kubuirichi” • 4 tbs mirin • 4 tbs sake t . (stir-fried seaweed) • 6 tbs soy sauce • 4 cups of bonito flake soup stock t Toshikoshi soba Okinawa is one of the most sea- weed consumption prefectures in 1. Rinse seaweed with running water, Japan. Okinawans loved seaweed wipe with kitchen towel and slice it from long time ago. The combina- about 1.1 inch width. Boil the sea- tion of seaweed and pork makes weed for a minute and take it out. Kuromame very rich flavor. Seaweed contains 2. Soak shiitake mushrooms into water lots of dietary fiber which helps to until soft. Cut into pieces. clean intestine system. 3. Put konnnyaku into boiling water and cook it for 2-3 minutes and slice them. Ingredients for 4 servings: 4. Cut fishcakes into pieces about half • 0.44 lb seaweed inch width. • 1.25 lb pork belly 5. Cut pork belly into pieces. Put oil • 7 dried shiitake mushrooms into frying pan and cook pork until • 0.44 lb konnyaku cooked. osechi’ dishes • 0.22 lb fishcake 6. And then add konnyaku, seaweed and shiitake mushrooms and stir fry. (Sauce) 7. Add sauce and cook with low heat for • 4 tbs sugar 20 mins. sake. These are rich in calcium. Tazukuri repre- sents praying for a large catch and a good harvest. hi Don’t be afraid to eat the head! Kombumaki or Kobumaki is kelp roll Tazukuri and stuffed with salmon or chicken, which has been cooked in a sweet soy sauce-based sauce. The name of kobumaki is a play on words, which mean joy in Japanese, so it’s eaten for good luck food during New Year’s.
STRIPES JAPAN STE OF JAPAN DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 A TA 6 ye ar w it h soba ing up v ity r p ap bring l on ge W id to Ebi ten soba (Soba noodles with shrimp tempura) saSTORY AND PHOTOS BY SHOJI KUDAKA, *For two people INGREDIENTS n Shrimp (x 2) n Salt (a little) STRIPES JAPAN n Soft flour (15cc) T n Beaten egg (15cc) oshikoshi soba (year-crossing soba n Coldwater (100cc) noodles) is a traditional food that n Soft flour (for tempura batter, 100cc) many Japanese eat every year on n Naganegi (shallot, 4cm or 1.57inches) December 31. 1. Eating soba noodles to n Soba noodles (240g) mark the end of the year is a custom be- n Water (600cc) lieved to have been established around n Soy sauce (45cc) the Edo Period (1603 – 1868).). n Mirin (sweet cooking rice wine, 30cc) There are many theories surrounding n Dashi (stock powder, a little more than 5cc) how or why the noodles became a part of n Salt (for broth, 1.25cc) the year-end ritual. According to the Ni- n Salad oil (for frying tempura, appropriate amount) hon Menruigyo Dantai Rengokai, an as- sociation of noodle makers in Japan, the most common theory involves the belief that the thin and long shape of soba noo- dles represents the hope for longevity and RECIPE good luck. PREPARATION Other theories include the breaking of 1. Peel the shell off shrimp except for the closest portion to the bad cycles of struggle, misfortune, and restaurants on Okinawa have Japanese- tail. Devein the shrimp. Slit the tip of the tail diagonally and debt because soba noodles are easy to cut. style soba on their menu, so check those squeeze out water. Or, another is that the noodles could bring out. Or, better yet, you can cook your own 2. Slit the stomach of the shrimp a few times and bend back- in gold since in the old days craftsmen at home! ward and straighten them by stretching the slitted portion. utilized buckwheat flour, the main ingre- Try this simple recipe and have fun Wipe water off the shrimp and sprinkle salt and flour on dient of soba noodles, to gather scattered choosing the toppings to make it your them. gold foil. own. This was my first time trying to cook 3. Chop naganegi (shallot) finely and drain the slices. No matter what kind of luck it brings or Japanese-style soba noodles, but it turned which of the theories you subscribe to, out great. The soy-sauce based COOKING INSTRUCTIONS soba noodles are a quintessential iew Video! broth and the smooth texture of 1. Mix beaten egg and cold water in a bowl. Add flour and mix portion of the New Year celebra- V them together to prepare tempura batter. the noodles went well together. tions in Japan and well worth a try. 2. Heat salad oil in a pan to 160℃ (320℉). Holding the The shrimp tempura and shi- If you live in mainland Japan, you shrimp’s tail, dip into the batter, then transfer to heated oil. chimi togarashi (seven-spice chili will not have trouble finding a good (Make sure its tail is not soaked in the batter.) soba restaurant. For those who live pepper) I used as toppings added a nice punch of flavor. 3. Sprinkle additional batter on top of the shrimp and fry for in Okinawa, however, it will be a dif- about 3 minutes. Take it out and drain excess oil. ferent story. My soba noodles and broth were so 4. To prepare a broth, put water (600cc), soy sauce (45cc), mi- On the subtropical island, Okinawa good, I am now wondering whether I rin (sweet cooking rice wine, 30cc), dashi (stock powder, a soba noodles, made from flour not buck- should go with Japanese-style or my usu- little more than 5cc), and salt (for broth, 1.25cc) in a pan, wheat, are what you’ll find at local restau- al Okinawa-style soba noodles for Dec. 31. and heat the mixture. rants. Although there are some eateries This will be a difficult choice, but either 5. In a separate pot, bring water to a boil. Add the soba noo- dedicated to the Japanese-style buck- way, I am on track for eating a lot of soba dles and let it simmer until the noodles are cooked through wheat soba noodles, finding those spots noodles to bring luck for 2022. (about 1-2 minutes for raw noodles, and 3-4 minutes for is a bit of a challenge. But many family kudaka.shoji@stripes.com dried noodles/see note below). Then, turn off the heat and strain out the water. RASHI 6. Portion out your noodles into a bowl and pour the broth SHICHIMI TOGA “Shichimi” literally means “seven flavor chili over. pepper.” This mixed spice consists of red chili 7. Top with shrimp tempura and other toppings to your prefer- pepper and six other ingredients. ence. n Red Chili Pepper n Sansho Pepper n Nori *For convenience, I utilized preprocessed shrimp and skipped n Black Sesame Seeds seaweed n Perilla Seeds preparations 1 and 2. n White Sesame Seeds n Hemp Seed * Regarding step 5, boiling time depends on how soft or hard n Dried Ginger you want your soba noodles to be. The longer you boil the n Dried Orange peel noodles, the softer they become just like pasta. I boiled the You can make the taste better by sprinkling noodles for 5 to 7 minutes. this on soba noodles. Shichimi is available in *Recipe adapted from Ajinomoto (https://park.ajinomoto. grocery stores. co.jp/recipe/card/705786/), a major food company in Ja- pan.
DECEMBER 17 – DECEMBER 23, 2021 STE OF JAPAN STRIPES JAPAN A TA 7 It tastes as good as it sounds Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock Cafe owns the world’s greatest collection of music memora- bilia, which is displayed at its locations around the globe. For fans of music, great food and good times, Hard Rock is the go-to restaurant to get that authentic American diner-inspired cuisine wrapped in a unique musical ex- perience. So, it’s time to strike up the band! Events, like great music, are born to inspire others. At Hard Rock Cafe, we pride ourselves on delivering an exceptional ex- perience with a rock ‘n’ roll twist for each and every one of our guests. Fresh pasta, sweet desserts inside Zama AEON Mall At Sandwich Café Panes House, you’ll love our delicious pastas and desserts made fresh daily. You’ll notice our pasta dishes use only the finest 100% Italian durum wheat. And, for dessert don’t miss our signature strawberry shortcake with its delicate sweetness. This moist and perfect sponge cake like grandma used to make is layered with juicy berries and fluffy whipped cream made from the freshest Hokkaido dairy. Our wide selection of pasta and desserts paired with any of our tasty café drinks will make you feel right at home. Make plans to visit Sandwich Café Panes House at Zama AEON Mall today!
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