Japanese-Style Lemon Chicken

INGREDIENTS: (2 servings)

1 chicken breast
1 egg
1/2 tsp salt
pepper
1 lemon
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp water
2 tsp potato starch
1/4 potato starch
1/4 cup all purpose flour
sesame seeds
lemon slices, cut into quarters (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

Cut chicken into 1-inch pieces and put into a bowl. Separate the egg and add the egg white into the bowl. Season with salt and pepper and mix well with your hands. Set aside for 10 minutes.

Next, squeeze out the juice of one lemon. Add in soy sauce, honey, water and potato starch. Mix well until no lumps.

Add in 1/4 cup of potato starch to your chicken mixture and toss to coat well. Add in 1/4 cup of flour and mix to combine.

Deep-fry the chicken pieces in hot oil for 3 minutes. Flip them over and cook for another 3 minutes or until they are done. Drain on paper towels. If you like your chicken extra crispy, put the chicken pieces back into the hot oil for 30 seconds, making sure to drain on paper towels to remove excess oil.

To make the sauce, give the sauce mixture a quick mix to make sure the ingredients are combined. Pour into a saucepan and cook over low heat until the sauce has thickened. Add in the chicken pieces and toss to coat. Add in lemon slices for extra flavor. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle on some sesame seeds. Serve immediately with some hot rice.

Shirataki Carbonara-Low Carb No Gluten Recipe

INGREDIENTS: (makes 1 serving)

300g (10 oz) shirataki noodles, washed and drained
2 eggs
pecorino romano cheese ( or parmesiano reggiano )
80g (3 oz) guancale (or bacon)
1 packet bouillon granules
black pepper
olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

First cut the shirataki noodles in half. To get rid of the smell, dump the noodles into a pot and pour in enough water to cover. Bring to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, turn off the heat and drain in a colander. Discard the water. Combine 300ml (1 1/4 cup) water and one packet of bouillon granules into a pot and bring to a boil. Add in the shirataki noodles and cook for 2-3 minutes. Turn off the heat and set aside to let the noodles take in the flavor.

In a bowl, combine two eggs, black pepper and cheese. Mix well to combine and set aside. Next, cut up the guancale or bacon into 1-inch small pieces. Heat some olive oil in a frying pan and cook the guancale or bacon until crispy. Drain the shirataki noodles in a colander of excess water. Transfer the noodles into the frying pan and cook it together with the crispy guancale or bacon for another minute or two. Turn off the heat and immediately pour the egg mixture over the noodles. Mix it together to coat, letting the residual heat cook the egg mixture. Do not overcook the eggs or else they will turn into scrambled egg! Once egg is no longer runny, transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with black pepper and more cheese and serve immediately.

Yakiniku Onigirazu (Japanese Barbeque Rice Sandwiches)

Some say that the Onigirazu is a rice ball. Others say that it's defintinely a sandwich. Either way, we are huge fans of Onigirazu. I mean how could you not like them? They are easy to make and is so easy to take with you for eating on the go. Take them on your next picnic and everyone will love you for making them.

Today, we decided to fill these rice sandwiches with one of Satoshi's favorite dish, YAKINIKU! In fact the yakiniku sauce is so delicious, you can just eat the meat with a hot bowl of rice. Of course if that's what you prefer. It's all up to you. The recipe includes links to Amazon, where you can purchase these ingredients online. 

INGREDIENTS: (makes 1)

1/2 clove garlic, grated

1/2 tsp grated ginger

1 tbsp soy sauce

2 tsp sugar

1/2 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp honey

vegetable oil

1 thick slice onion

3 slices thinly-sliced beef (ribeye or tenderloin)

kimchi (optional)

1 nori sheet

lettuce leaves

3/4 cup cooked Japanese rice

DIRECTIONS

First, grate the garlic and ginger and place in a bowl. Add in soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil and honey and mix well. Set aside. Next, add oil to a frying pan and turn on the heat. Cook the onion on both sides and set aside for now. Cook the beef on both sides being careful not to overcook. Return the onion slice to the frying pan. Pour the sauce over the meat and onion. Flip over and cook for another 30 seconds. 

Place a sheet of plastic wrap onto your work surface. Then place a sheet of nori on top. Put half the cooked rice onto the center of the nori, followed by onion, lettuce leaves, beef slices and kimchi if you desire. Top it off with the rest of the cooked rice. Carefully fold the corners of the nori towards the center. Do the same with the plastic wrap and wrap tightly. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting it in half. Don't forget to take off the plastic before eating. Enjoy!

Matcha and White Chocolate Mushipan (Steamed Cakes)

My mother loves Mushipan and she can eat it everyday without getting sick of them. I, on the other hand, have never cared much for them. Don't get me wrong. They are delicious! But most of the time, I feel like they need something to give it that extra oomph. It always feels like something's missing. Of course that's just me, because Mushipan is popular here in Japan. 

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Mushipan is basically a cake that's steamed rather than baked so it's much easier to make than a cake and our recipe for Mushipan just doesn't get any easier. And just in case you're wondering, we had to come up with a Mushipan recipe that I actually liked and if you know me by now, I have been in love with matcha for like....forever!

If you're a fan of matcha and if like Mushipan, you'll probably like this recipe. I added some white chocolate chips to give it an extra layer of flavor and just a little more sweetness. These would be perfect for an afternoon snack or even for a light breakfast!

INGREDIENTS: (makes 3) 

1 cup flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp matcha powder
1 egg
1/3 cup milk
1 tbsp vegetable oil
white chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS:

First combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and matcha powder and mix to combine. Then add in egg, milk and vegetable oils and mix until the batter is smooth. Fold in white chocolate chips and pour mixture into muffin molds. Steam for approximately 15 minutes covered. Enjoy!

Crazy for Kakigori!

It's hard to believe summer has officially come to an end here in Tokyo. It's already getting cooler and that's blessed relief. It had definitely been one of the hottest summers I've personally experienced since living here in Tokyo. And what I have found is that enjoying frozen treats throughout the day really helps in staying cool.

This year, we got ourselves a proper shaved ice maker and we put it to good use. Here are three varieties we made this year and all of them were really good! Which one do you like the most?

WATERMELON SHAVED ICE

BEER SHAVED ICE

MATCHA SHAVED ICE

Cloud Bread Sandwich (Low Carb and Gluten Free Recipe)

Somewhere along my never-ending quest to maintain my ideal weight, I discovered Cloud Bread. It's a great alternative to bread and the best thing about them is that they are so easy to make! Whether you're trying to decrease your carb intake, can't consume gluten or just want to try something new, definitely give this a try!

INGREDIENTS (makes 7-8 buns)

3 large eggs (separated)
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
2 ounces cream cheese, softened at room temperature
1 packet sweetener of your choice ( or 1 tbsp sugar )

mustard
lettuce leaves
tomato slices
ham slices
cheese

DIRECTIONS

Before you begin, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175C). Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine egg whites and cream of tartar in a large bowl and mix with an electric mixer until stiff peaks. In a separate bowl, mix egg yolks, cream cheese and imitation sugar (or sugar) until it comes together. Switch to an electric mixer and beat until smooth and no longer lumpy. Fold in egg whites into the mixture, being very careful not to deflate the egg whites. 

Scoop mixture onto the baking sheet, making 6-8 buns. Bake for 20-30 mintues until the top is lightly browned. Cool them on a wire rack to cool completely. 

Spread mustard on one side of your cloud bread. Top with lettuce, ham, cheese and tomato slices. Top it off with another slice of cloud bread and enjoy!

Hiyashi Chuka

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INGREDIENTS (makes 1 serving)

(sauce)

4 tbsp soy sauce

2 1/2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp rice vinegar

1 tbsp water

1 tbsp sesame oil

1/4 tsp grated ginger

1/2 tbsp sesame seeds

(omelette)

2 eggs

1 tbsp sugar

dash of salt

ramen noodles

1/2 cucumber, julienned

1/2 tomato, sliced into wedges

2-3 slices ham, thinly sliced

4-5 sticks imitation crab sticks, shredded
benishoga (pickled ginger) optional

DIRECTIONS

Combine all ingredients for the sauce and chill in the fridge. Combine ingredients for the omelette. Lightly grease your frying pan with oil and pour in the egg mixture. Cover and cook over medium-low heat until done. Transfer to your work surface and cut the omelette into thin strips. Cook the noodles for 3 minutes or until just al dente. Drain and transfer noodles into ice water until thoroughly chilled. Drain well of excess water, then transfer to a plate. Top with julieneed cucumbers, tomato wedges, sliced ham and imitation crab. Serve with a sprinkling of sesame seeds and benishoga (pickled ginger). Pour the sauce on right before serving. Enjoy with Japanese mustard for some extra kick if you like. Enjoy!