don't diet, change your lifestyle - 7 Japanese secrets

Photo courtesy of thetaste.ie
I'm delighted to be joining the fabulous team at TheTaste.ie (Ireland's fastest growing online food magazine) as a food writer. 

My articles & writing will focus on Japanese food and my foodie adventures across Ireland and further afield. 

You can read my first article now live on the website "don't diet, change your lifestyle - 7 Japanese secrets". I hope you enjoy it and let me know if there's anything in particular you'd like me to write about :)
http://thetaste.ie/wp/dont-diet-change-your-lifestyle-7-japanese-secrets/

Fiona Uyema in the Sunday Independent Home Feature

I thought it would be nice to post this article on my blog in case you live outside Ireland. This article was published in the Sunday Independent around the time of my book launch for my first cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy". There are some nice photos of my kitchen and home so have a look. By the way my house is NEVER this clean!!! Fiona :)

http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/a-yen-for-adventure-peek-inside-japanese-cookery-authors-home-31602034.html

Salmon Teriyaki recipe from my cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy"

 My cookbook is available to buy on Amazon. 

I want to share one of the most popular recipes from my cookbook SALMON TERIYAKI. The homemade teriyaki sauce works really well with other meats too including steak and chicken. If you are vegetarian it works beautifully drizzled over steamed vegetables or added to a tofu and vegetable stir fry. This is the perfect dish (Japanese recipe) to bring Japanese cooking into your home!

Without exception, everyone loves this salmon teriyaki recipe – it’s one of the most talked about recipes at my cooking classes. The perfect combination of flavours in the salmon and the sweet teriyaki sauce make this an all-time favourite in households across the world and on menus in both Asian and non-Asian restaurants.

Serves 2

Ingredients:

- vegetable oil
- 2 fillets salmon
- handful of sesame seeds to garnish

Teriyaki sauce 
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar/honey

Method:

1.  Combine all the ingredients for the teriyaki sauce, mix well and set aside.
2.  Pour a little vegetable oil into a non-stick frying pan on a medium to high heat.
3.  Place the salmon fillets (skin-side down) on the frying pan and sear both sides of the fish.
4.  When the fish is nearly cooked (place the salmon fillets skin-side down at this point) pour the teriyaki sauce over it.
5.  Use a large spoon to continually pour the sauce over the fish fillets while continuing to fry.
6.  Fry until the teriyaki sauce is reduced to the consistency of a syrup.
7.  Garnish with sesame seeds.

Tip
Keep a close eye on the teriyaki sauce as it can quickly reduce on a high heat and start to burn.

5 things I miss about Japan (apart from food of course)

Here are the 5 things that I really miss about Japan after returning home from my trip in November.

1. Outdoor Vending Machines

You can get hot and cold drinks in these machines. You can even get beer in some machines! I would love to see these in Ireland but I don't think they'd work as vandalism and theft might be a problem.

2. Transport system 

I often tell people that it's so easy to live in Japan and one of the reasons for this is the amazing transport system. If you've never lived in Japan and you're reading this post you'll will find it hard to believe that buses and trains are NEVER late in Japan. I've taken buses in terrible weather conditions including rain and snow and they still arrive on time! The Japanese subway system is so efficient and it's so enjoyable to ride on a SHINKANSEN (Japanese bullet train). 

I wouldn't recommend bringing a buggy on the subway though, I made this mistake in rush hour traffic and it wasn't pleasant! Japanese women tend to use baby carriers more than buggies especially in busy places like Tokyo which don't really accommodate buggies. 

3. Japanese Convenience Stores

On my first day back to Japan I was so excited to go to a convenience store! The staff are so polite and accommodating. They sell everything you need including food, alcohol, toiletries, stationery and limited clothing. They also sell a fantastic selection of healthy convenience food including small salads, rice balls, boiled eggs, individually wrapped bananas. My 4 year old was thrilled that they had children's shopping baskets too! 

4. Wet Cloth (oshiori)

It is custom in Japan for restaurants and coffee shops to give customers a wet cloth before serving them to clean their hands. Sometimes you get a cold cloth in a plastic wrap and other times you get a hot face cloth (as shown in the photo above taken from Wikipedia). After living in Japan I got used to this custom, it makes sense!

5. Toilets

You might think this is a strange one but I'm intrigued by Japanese toilets! Apart from the traditional Japanese toilets where you have to squat, Japan's Western style toilets are so advanced. They are plugged in so the toilet seat is always warm. There's also a selection of buttons on the right side of the toilet which do a range of things including making white noise. If you can't read Japanese I would advise against using these buttons as you may get a fright! 

NHK's TV news feature on my return trip to JAPAN

Last month a dream came true when my family and I returned to my Japanese hometown through the JET Satogaeri Programme. Over 10 years ago I worked as an English teacher through the JET programme in a small rural village in Japan called Nishiyama located in Niigata prefecture. 

NHK (Japan's National Broadcaster) filmed my return trip to Japan. This meant that NHK's correspondent and camera crew followed my family and I around Japan for 3 days!! It was an amazing experience, one we'll never forget and treasure! They also popped over to Ireland prior to my trip to Japan to film me at work and at home. It was aired on NHK Niigata in Japanese and NHK World in English. Here's the link to the English version from NHK World.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2BYgg28I9fQ

I popped into NHK's studio in Tokyo for a live interview during the airing of the news feature! The other presenters were so friendly and easy going they settled my nerves.

I wasn't complaining when they offered to do my hair and make-up.

And the studio is very close to the famous Shibuya crossing in Tokyo which I remember from my time in Tokyo as a student. It's astonishing to see the stark contrast between Tokyo and Japan's countryside, both completely different experiences but still Japan :)

I hope you enjoy watching my return trip to Japan, we certainly enjoyed making it :)

Japanese Food Made Easy by Fiona Uyema LAUNCH

I launched my first cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy" two weeks ago in Arnotts Department Store in Dublin. Smiles! Photography captured all the special moments with her beautiful photography (I'm sharing some of them in this post). 

I want to say a big THANKS to everyone who came I was honestly overwhelmed by the amount of support I received on the night. 

Before the book signing I gave a short demonstration of some of the recipes from my cookbook. 

Everyone got to taste a bit of everything to give them a flavour for the type of food in my cookbook! 

I couldn't believe some people queued for 1 hour or so to get a signed copy of my cookbook, thanks for your patience and support. I really hope you'll think it was worth the wait. 

Now start sharing pictures of your Japanese cooking with me!! Fiona xxxx

Japanese Food Made Easy by Fiona Uyema

It's such an exciting time for me as I'm doing the final edits of my cookbook "Japanese Food Made Easy". I've been working on this for the past year and the recipes are inspired by the three years I lived in Japan and also by the ingredients available to me here in Ireland. I can't wait to share this with you and hope you like it!

My book is now available to pre-order from my publisher Mercier Press at a discounted price so be sure to check that out, here's the link:

http://www.mercierpress.ie/irish-books/japanese_food_made_easy/

I will officially launch my cookbook in mid September 2015. I'll be giving cooking classes, demos and book signings around the country so be sure to keep an eye on my website to see an upcoming events that might be close to you - www.fionauyema.com. My book will be available in most bookstores across Ireland however for people living outside Ireland you can buy my book on Amazon or  www.mercierpress.ie.

Thanks for supporting my food journey. 

Fiona x

Japanese Courgette (Zucchini) Fusion Salad

Here's my refreshing Japanese courgette salad. I hope you like it. Let me know what you think! 

Ingredients:

1 courgette

2 tbsp rice vinegar (30ml)

1 tsp olive oil

1 tsp sugar

Salt and pepper, to season 

Black sesame seeds, to garnish

Instructions:

1.Wash the courgette and then grate. 

2. Place in a serving bowl. 

3. In a separate bowl mix together the olive oil, rice vinegar, sugar and salt and stir until the sugar is fully absorbed into the vinegar. 

4. Pour over the grated courgette and mix well together. 

5. Garnish with black sesame seeds. 

Tip:

If the courgette is large then double the ingredients for the salad dressing.

Serving suggestion:

I served this salad with oven cooked sweet potato fries and leftover roast chicken breast with milled dillisk sprinkled over it. 

Fiona Uyema's Review 2014

I've created a short video to share with you some of my highlights from 2014. It was a really exciting year for me and I was lucky to learn so much and have so many new experiences in the foodie world. I can't wait to share some of my 2015 projects with you. 

Wishing you all a great 2015 and may all your dreams come true this year. Fiona x 

RTE Guide recipe feature Fiona Uyema

You can find this chicken teriyaki recipe along with other Japanese recipes in this week#s RTE Guide magazine. 

Serves 2

Ingredients:

4 chicken legs or thighs

For the sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons mirin

2 tablespoons sake

1 teaspoon sugar

2 tablespoons water

Instructions:

- Mix all the ingredients for the sauce in a large bowl. Marinate the chicken pieces in the sauce for at least 30 minutes. If you have time leave them in the fridge to marinate for a few hours.

- Remove from the fridge at least 15 minutes before putting them in a preheated oven set to 180 degrees Celsius.

- Cook for about 45 minutes or until cooked through. While cooking pour the sauce over the chicken pieces 2 to 3 times to ensure the sauce is fully absorbed into the meat.

Chirashi-zushi (home-style sushi) with prawn & avocado

This recipe has been very popular in my house over the summer months since it takes less time to prepare than rolled sushi. It can be served for lunch or dinner and also works well when entertaining at home. Try it and let me know how you get on. 

Ingredients:
For the sushi rice
2 cups of Japanese rice (320g)

2 cups of cold water
100ml rice vinegar
2 tbsp sugar
Half tsp salt

For the sushi fillings and toppings:
2 eggs (preferably free range or organic), beaten
Half a yellow pepper & half a red pepper (cut into small cubes)
1 avocado (cut into small cubes)
8 large prawns (cut into bite size pieces)

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Sesame oil and soy sauce (to garnish)

Instructions:

1. Click here to see how to make sushi rice.

2. To make the egg crepe, lightly oil a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat. Depending on the size of your pan place about half the egg mix on the frying pan so you have a very thin layer of egg like a crepe. Now adjust the heat to low and leave the egg on the pan until the edges of the egg crepe start to break away from the pan. Set aside on a large plate. Continue to do this until all the egg mix is cooked. Place the egg crepes on top of each other as you cook them. When you're finished roll the pile of egg crepes together. Then using a sharp knife cut into thin strips to get shredded egg crepe.

3. Allow the seasoned sushi rice to cool to room temperature, and then mix half of the peppers, avocado and prawns into the rice. Place in a large serving dish. 

4. Scatter the remaining ingredients on top of the rice mix including the shredded egg crepe.

5. For extra flavour lightly drizzle sesame oil and soy sauce all over.

BASIC JAPANESE COOKING: TEMAKI SUSHI HAND ROLLS

I love making temaki when I'm entertaining family or friends at home. Sometimes I prepare the temaki rolls in advance and other times I leave all the ingredients in the centre of the table and let everyone dig in and make their own temaki. My nieces and nephews eyes always light up when they're allowed to make their own temaki so it's a enjoyable way to encourage kids to eat a healthy meal. 

Temaki sushi is a cone shaped hand roll wrapped in nori seaweed and filled with sushi rice and your favourite ingredients.

INGREDIENTS:

Sushi rice and seasoning

160g sushi rice (uncooked)
Japanese white rice vinegar 50ml
Sugar 1 tbsp
Salt half tsp

Temaki

Half nori (roasted seaweed) sheets

Smoked salmon or raw salmon (make sure to source salmon which is suitable for eating raw)

Avocado (peeled and cut into long strips)

Mango (peeled and cut into long strips)

Sesame seeds (optional to garnish)

Soya sauce (optional as a dipping sauce)

 

INSTRUCTIONS:

How to prepare sushi rice

1. Click here to see my post on how to prepare and cook Japanese rice. 
2. To make the sushi rice seasoning pour 50ml of rice vinegar and 1 tbsp of sugar into a non-aluminium saucepan. 
3. Heat until the sugar is dissolved and then add half tsp of salt. Stir, take off the heat and allow to cool. 
4. Once the rice is cooked transfer it to a shallow non-metallic baking tray using a rice spatula or wooden spoon. 
5. Sprinkle the sushi rice seasoning evenly over the rice and then gently turn the rice with a spatula (try not to break the rice grains by gently using the spatula to cut into the rice at an angle and fold over the rice).
6. Fan the rice using a fan or a piece of cardboard to help cool the rice to room temperature and absorb the excess sushi rice seasoning. 
7. Try to use the rice as soon as possible and avoid putting it in the fridge as this will harden the rice. You can cover the rice with a damp tea towel and set aside in a cool place until needed.

 
Temaki
1. Cut the nori sheet in half placing the shiny side of the nori sheet down.

2. Put a heaped tablespoon of sushi rice on the left side of the nori sheet. 

3. Moisten your hands before spreading the rice evenly over nearly half of the nori sheet using your fingertips.

4. Place all the ingredients including the strip of salmon, avocado and mango at a 45 degree angle on the rice (try not to overload with ingredients as this will make it difficult to roll).

6. Slowly start to roll the temaki by taking the bottom left corner of the nori and fold it over towards the top right corner of the rice. Continue to fold as shown in the photos below. Place a few grains of cooked rice on the last corner of the nori (to stop the roll unfolding) and finish folding. 
 

 7. Sprinkle sesame seeds on top of the temaki. 

  
HOW TO EAT:
Serve as soon as possible so that the nori is still crispy. Dip into a little soya sauce and eat with your hand. 

TIPS:
You can roll the temaki by laying the nori on the palm of your hand but I find it easier to roll the temaki on a solid surface. 

Temaki is a perfect finger food to serve at a party. 

GARLIC FRIED RICE TOPPED WITH A FRIED EGG

This is one of my favourite quick and healthy recipes. You only need three basic ingredients (garlic, egg and rice) to make this dish so it's perfect when the fridge is practically empty and you don't have much time to cook. 

Ingredients:

Bowl of cooked white rice (any type of rice)

2 cloves of garlic (peeled and grated)
1 egg (free range/organic preferably)

Vegetable oil (for frying)

Sesame oil (optional to season)

Soya sauce(optional to season)

Nanami togarashi (Japanese seven spices) or a mix of any of the following - salt, pepper, paprika, sesame seeds (black or white), bits of nori seaweed.

Instructions:
Garlic Fried Rice

1. Heat the vegetable oil on medium to high heat in a heavy based saucepan and add the grated garlic.

2. Fry the garlic for a minute or less (do not brown)

3. Add the cooked rice and mix with the garlic for about 1 minute.

4. Drizzle a little sesame oil over the rice and stir. 

5. Pour a little soya sauce evenly over the rice and stir quickly. Then take off the heat.

Fried Egg

1. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat. 

2. Crack in the egg and fry until the white is cooked but the yolk is still soft. 

2. Toss the rice on a warm plate and place the fried egg on top. 

9. Sprinkle the egg with nanami togarashi or any of the alternative spices listed in the ingredients above. 

  

BENTO - JAPANESE STYLE LUNCHBOX

Japanese people take great pride in preparing bento for their families. Many Japanese mothers get up quite early in the morning to make bento. They put a lot of effort and time into creating a bento that is nutritionally balanced, tastes great and looks appealing. In Japan, the appearance of the food is just as important as the taste! Generally, the bento will have rice, fish or meat and some kind of vegetable or fruit. Since the bento box is divided into different compartments various dishes can be stored in the box together.

It is surprising how quickly you can become immersed in this bento culture. When I lived in Japan the thoughts of bringing my bento to work every day seemed like a chore but it didn't take long before I was looking forward to making my bento every night.

Here is a bento that I made for my family at the weekend. It is served in a bento box used by Japanese restaurants and can be used to serve a Japanese meal at home. I bought this online from Amazon! The bento box used for work/ school lunches is smaller and more compact.

BENTO BOX MENU

1. Japanese rice - click here to see my post on how to cook Japanese rice. You can use any type of rice of this meal.

2. Japanese style pan fried cod fillet 
Ingredients:
1 tbsp vegetable oil or rapeseed oil (for frying)
Cod fillet
2 tbsp sake

Pinch of salt

Thumb size piece of ginger root (peeled and finely grated) 
2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce

Instructions:
Marinate the cod in sake and salt. Leave for about 10 minutes before frying.
Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan over medium to high heat. 
Place the cod on the pan and seal one side by frying for a minute or so. Then turn the cod over and seal the other side. 
Reduce the heat and continue to cook for another 5 minutes or less. 
Mix the ginger and soy sauce together in a small bowl and then pour over the fish when ready to eat. 

3. Japanese style stir fried spinach/pak choi with beansprouts

Ingredients: 
1 tbsp vegetable oil or rapeseed oil (for frying)
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and finely grated)
Thumbsize piece of ginger (peeled and finely grated)
200g Spinach/ Pak choi
200g Beansprouts

Seasoning (mix all in a bowl together):
2 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
3 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
2 tsp caster sugar

Roasted sesame seeds (optional to garnish)

Instructions:
Heat the oil in a heavy based saucepan on medium to high heat. 
Add the garlic and fry for about 10 seconds. The quickly add the ginger and fry for another 10 seconds.
Toss in the beansprouts and stir. 
After less than one minute add the spinach. 
Pour the seasoning evenly over the vegetables. 
Fry for a few minutes until the seasoning has absorbed into the vegetables.
When ready to serve sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over the vegetables. 

4. Sliced melon and mango sprinkled with pomegranate (Japanese people often eat fruit as dessert)
Ingredients:
Honeydew melon 
Mango
Handful of pomegranate seeds

Instructions:
Peel and cut the chilled melon and mango into small bite size cubes.
Toss a handful of pomegranate seeds over the fruit salad.

How to eat:
Bento goes well with miso soup if you're eating it at home or in a restaurant.

Tips:
Pack a smaller version of this bento into a lunch box by using cupcake cases or tinfoil to separate the dishes.
Be adventurous by swapping the dishes in this bento with your favourite Japanese dishes.

Why not:
You can get takeaway bentos in a few places in Dublin including Kokoro on Lower Liffey Street in Dublin http://kokorosushibento.com/
Musashi noodle and sushi bar and Michie sushi in Dublin, Ireland have a reasonably priced bento lunch deal 

PUMPKIN (KABOCHA) & PEA RICE

Prep time 15 minutes

Cooking time 30 minutes

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

320g Japanese rice (or other type of rice), uncooked
Sesame oil, for frying
Thumb size piece of fresh ginger, finely diced
2 x garlic cloves, finely diced

200g pumpkin, peeled and cut into 1/2cm cubes

100g fresh or frozen peas

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Cook rice (please click here to see my post on how to cook Japanese rice).

2. Pour 1-2 tsp of sesame oil on a frying pan and turn the heat to medium. When the oil is hot add the garlic and ginger. Slowly cook for a few minutes on low/ medium heat.

3. Add the pumpkin cubes and continue to cook for another few minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper. 

5. Turn the heat to medium/ high and add a few tbsp of water to allow the pumpkin to cook faster. When the water has almost reduced turn the heat to low/medium.

6. Add the peas, stir and continue to fry for a few more minutes.

7. In a large saucepan mix the hot cooked rice and pumpkin mix together and drizzle 1-2 tbsp of soya sauce evenly over the rice.

HOW TO EAT:

You can eat this dish as a main course or a side dish served with other dishes.

TIPS:

Try not to add too much soya sauce as it will over power the rest of the flavours.

WHY NOT:

Add king prawn or shrimp to this dish.

Healthy Japanese Spinach Salad Recipe: Ohitashi Horenso

A traditional Japanese meal consists of rice, fish or meat, soup and then side dishes called okazu. These delicious okazus take little time to prepare once you have the basic ingredients. I find this recipe a great way to use leftover vegetables in the fridge. One of my favourite toppings for this side dish is sesame seeds but I also love garlic and ginger fried in sesame oil. I'd love if you'd share your favourite topping with me once you've tried this recipe!

Prep time: 5 minutes

Cooking time: 1 minute

Ingredients:
Bunch of fresh spinach, washed 
Salt (pinch of salt)
Soya sauce
Sesame seeds (optional for topping)
Bonito flakes (optional for topping)

Instructions:

1. Blanch the spinach in salted boiling water for less than 1 minute.

2. Remove from the water and drain in a colander. Use your hands to gently squeeze any excess water.

3. Place the spinach leaves in a serving bowl as they are, or alternatively shape the leaves with your hands into a roll and cut as shown in the picture above.

 

4. Lightly drizzle soya sauce over the spinach.

5. Sprinkle sesame seeds or bonito flakes over the spinach.

How to serve:

Goes really well as a side dish with boiled rice.

Tips:
- Depending on the type of spinach it may take less or more time to cook.

- To make perfectly rolled spinach rolls use a sushi mat to form a nice firm spinach roll.

Why not:

Finely chop garlic or ginger, fry with sesame oil and use as the topping.

JAPANESE FOOD REVIEW: MUSASHI NOODLE AND SUSHI BAR, CAPEL ST, DUBLIN 1

After reading several good reviews about Musashi I was excited to go there and check it out for myself! I popped into Musashi with my husband for a quick lunch on a Friday afternoon. We were greeted by friendly staff and asked to wait for a table as the restaurant was full. While we waited we enjoyed soaking up the bustling atmosphere. We were seated after 5 minutes and given complimentary green tea. When I asked the waitress for a refill she returned with a small pot of Japanese green tea which I thought was a nice touch. At first glance, I wanted to order everything on the menu! Then, I promised myself that if the food was good I'd return and work my way through the menu. Finally, I decided on the bento box special which included Japanese style breaded chicken on a bed of stir fried vegetables, lightly fried squid with a Japanese style salad, 2 pieces of maki sushi and rice (miso soup was served with the bento box). My husband ordered the seafood miso ramen. We love authentic/ traditional Japanese cuisine so this was a big treat and brought us right back to our time in Japan. Our lunch cost just over 20 euro which is more than reasonable for an enjoyable lunch in central Dublin. The whole experience surpassed our expectations and we'll definitely return again soon to try the sushi and sashimi.

BENTO BOX SPECIAL

SEAFOOD MISO RAMEN

Website: http://www.musashidublin.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/musashisushibar

Twitter: @musashi_sushi

Phone: 01 5328068

Irish times article on Musashi:

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/magazine/2012/0/1224314064951.html

NOTES: All restaurant reviews posted on this blog are written by me without the prior knowledge of the restaurant. I visit the restaurant as an average customer and always pay for the food!