JAPANESE SEAWEED & TOFU SALAD RECIPE

My husband’s grandparents came from a beautiful chain of islands off the south of mainland Japan called Okinawa. Okinawa is best known outside of Japan for enjoying one of the highest life expectancies in the world. This is mainly attributed to their healthy diet which includes tofu, seaweed and sweet potato.

Although Ireland has always had an abundant supply of seaweed it's only recently that we've started to take advantage of this wonderful natural resource. Nowadays, we have a collection of Irish seaweed companies including the Wild Irish Sea Veg, Cleggan Seaweed Company, Carraig Fhada Seaweed and VOYA). 

If you'd like to learn about seaweed and how to cook with it an Irish lady called Prannie Rhatigan wrote a fantastic book called "Irish Seaweed Kitchen".

Here's a very basic recipe of mine using seaweed and tofu.

INGREDIENTS:
3 medium size tomatoes (cut into bite size pieces)
1 tbsp dried wakame seaweed (soak in a bowl of cold water for 5 minutes)
280g tofu/ small block of tofu (preferably organic GM free)

Salad dressing
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tsp wasabi
Half tsp brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Put all the salad dressing ingredients into an empty jam jar, put the lid on and shake well until the sugar is dissolved. 
2. Cut the block of tofu into small bite size cubes.
3. Take the wakame out of the water and place on kitchen paper to remove excess water.
4. Place the tofu, wakame and tomato pieces in a salad bowl.
5. Pour the dressing over the salad when ready to eat.

Where can I buy seaweed?
Seaweed is available in Asian markets and health stores and more recently it's available in supermarkets. My local fish shop has a great selection of seaweed.

TIPS:
Depending on your own taste add more or less wasabi and sugar.

NOTES:
See my miso soup recipe with wakame and tofu.
For more info on seaweed see www.seaweed.ie

QUICK JAPANESE RECIPE: FIG & GOAT'S CHEESE SALAD WITH JAPANESE DRESSING

SALAD INGREDIENTS:
100g mixed salad leaves
2 fresh figs (cut into bite size pieces)
80g soft goat's cheese (use a teaspoon to roll into small balls)
3 radish (thinly sliced)

JAPANESE DRESSING INGREDIENTS:
4 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tsp brown sugar

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Pour all the Japanese salad dressing ingredients into an empty jam jar, put the lid on and shake well. 
2. Toss all the salad ingredients into a salad bowl. 
3. Just before serving pour the salad dressing over the salad and mix well using your hands.   

JAPANESE TONJIRU RECIPE - PORK SOUP

Tonjiru is a tasty Japanese stew using pork, vegetables,  and miso paste. Traditionally pork is used however you could use chicken instead.

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS:

1 litre of homemade dashi stock or 1 litre of water and 1 tbsp of instant dashi granules
1 tbsp vegetable oil 

200g pork shoulder (thinly sliced) or pork belly
2 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine) - optional

300g  daikon (peeled and cut into bite size cubes)

100g carrots (peeled and cut into bite size cubes)

100g potato (peeled and cut into bite size cubes)
3-4 tbsp miso paste 
Scallions/ Spring onion (finely chopped to garnish)

Nanami togarashi (optional to taste)

Chilli oil (optional to taste)

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. If you're using homemade dashi then click here to see how to make homemade dashi. You'll need to make a start on this first.
2. If you're using dashi granules then you'll need 1 litre of cold water and 1 tbsp of dashi granules. Set aside until point 5.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a large heavy based saucepan and fry the pork slices until browned on both sides.
4. Pour the sake over the meat and then add daikon, carrots and potatoes to the pork. Stir and continue to fry for a few minutes.
5. Pour the homemade dashi stock or 1 litre of cold water and 1 tbsp of dashi granules into the saucepan with the meat and vegetables until the vegetables are cooked (15-20 minutes).
6. When the water starts to boil skim the scum off the surface of the water.
7. When the vegetables are cooked lower the heat allowing the dashi to simmer only. 
8. Dilute the miso paste in a cup of dashi water taken from the saucepan. Then, add to the saucepan and mix all the ingredients. Do not allow to boil once the miso is added. 
9. Serve in a bowl sprinkled with nanami togarashi and a few drops of chilli oil. 
10. Garnish with spring onion. 

NOTES:

Click here to see my post on daikon and it's health benefits.

QUICK JAPANESE RECIPE: SMOKED SALMON AND TOFU SALAD WITH WASABI DRESSING

The wasabi in this salad dressing adds a nice kick and goes really well with smoked salmon. You should be able to find all the ingredients for this salad in the world food section of your local supermarket or your local health store.

Salad ingredients:
100g mixed salad leaves
100g smoked salmon (cut into bite size strips)
200g tofu (drained and cut into small cubes)
2 x peppery radish (thinly sliced)
Freshly chopped mint & basil (optional to garnish)

Japanese dressing ingredients:
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Half tsp sesame oil
1 tsp wasabi paste

Serves 2

Instructions:

1. Toss the salad leaves, smoked salmon and radish together in a salad bowl.

2. Gently add the tofu pieces.

3. Stir all the Japanese dressing ingredients in a small jug.

4. Pour the dressing over the salad just before eating.

5. Garnish with freshly chopped mint and basil if you have some.

Why not:

Add prawns instead of salmon.

Tips:

Make sure to stir the salad dressing ingredients just before pouring over the salad as the wasabi will sink to the bottom of the jug.

LOW CALORIE TUNA & CHICKPEA SALAD WITH JAPANESE DRESSING

I love this salad because the ingredients are very filling so you won't be hungry an hour after eating it! The salad ingredient measurements are just a guide, you can add more or less or whatever you like!

Salad ingredients: 
100g mixed salad leaves
130g tin of steak tuna, drained
150g cherry tomotoes, halved
Handful of sweetcorn
Few handfuls of chickpea

Japanese dressing ingredients:
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp soya sauce
2 tsp sesame oil
2 tsp brown sugar

Roasted sesame seeds (optional) 

Serves 2

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Toss the salad ingredients in a large bowl and mix together. 

2. Mix the Japanese dressing ingredients in a small jug.

3. Pour the dressing over the salad just before eating.

4. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds over the salad.

Japanese Renkon & Wakame Salad - Lotus Root & Seaweed Salad

This is a refreshing and healthy salad that can be quickly prepared. You don't have to follow the exact ingredients listed below, use whatever you have in the fridge! 

Click here to see my last post on lotus root which has a brief note on the health benefits associated with lotus root and where it can be sourced.  

 
Ingredients:
300g renkon/ lotus root (peeled and cut into thin slices)
1 medium sized carrot (peeled and cut into julienne strips)
Half a large cucumber (remove seeds and cut into julienne strips)
1 tbsp dried wakame (seaweed)
1 tsp vinegar
2 tbsp mayo
1 tsp Japanese soya sauce
Salt & Pepper (to season)

Instructions:

1. Add 1 tsp of  vinegar and sliced lotus root to a mediun sized saucepan of boiling water and boil for 10 mins. 

2. Remove the lotus root from the water and set aside to cool on kitchen towel to remove excess water.

3. Place the dried wakame in a bowl of cold water for about 10 minutes. Then remove the wakame from the water and place on kitchen towel to remove the excess water. 

4. Place the cooled lotus root, wakame, carrots and cucumber in a large salad bowl.

5. Add 2 tbsp of mayo, 1 tsp of soya sauce and pepper. 

6. Mix well and serve chilled.

Tips:

After peeling lotus root it can quickly turn brown so soak it in water and vinegar if you're not going to use it immediately. 

Where can I find lotus root? 

In most Asian markets

What are the health benefits associated with lotus root?

Low in calories and high in dietary fibre, iron, vitamin C, vitamin B-6, thiamim and riboflavin. 

 

SPINACH, BEANSPROUT AND TOFU DONBURI

Donburi means bowl in Japanese but when referring to food it can mean a Japanese rice bowl dish. So when a dish is served sitting on a bowl of rice the name of the dish often ends with don (the abbreviation for donburi)!

Oyako-don (chicken and egg dish) and katsu-don (pork cutlet, egg and onion dish) are two of the most popular donburi dishes in Japan.

I made my own donburi dish one evening using leftovers in the fridge and was delighted to find that spinach and beansprouts go really well with tofu in a stir-fry. You can use whatever leftover vegetables you have at home for this dish once you have the rice and the seasoning. 

Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 30 mins

Ingredients
Bowl of cooked rice per person serving
Vegetable oil or rapeseed oil (for frying)
Sesame oil (for frying)
150g tofu, preferably GM free (carefully cut into bite size rectangular pieces)
2 large garlic cloves (peeled and finely grated)
Thumbsize piece of ginger (peeled and finely grated)
150g Spinach/ Pak choi
150g Beansprouts

Seasoning:
2 tbsp sake (Japanese rice wine)
3 tbsp soya sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar

Roasted sesame seeds or nanami togarashi (optional to garnish)

Instructions:
1. Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a non-stick frying pan on medium to high heat. 
2. Gently place the tofu pieces on the pan and fry both sides of the tofu until slightly browned.
3. Carefully place the fried tofu pieces on a plate and set aside.
4. Heat 1 tsp of vegetable oil and 1 tsp of sesame oil in a heavy based saucepan.
5. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for less than one minute (do not brown).
6. Toss in the beansprouts, spinach and finally add the fried tofu pieces.
7. Pour the sake evenly over the veg and tofu followed by soya sauce and sugar. Then gently stir.
8. Fry for a few minutes until the seasoning has absorbed into the vegetables and tofu.
9. Serve on top of a bowl of white rice.
10. Sprinkle roasted sesame seeds or nanami togarashi over the dish.

How to eat:
This dish can be served immediately with rice. It can also be eaten cold like a salad and tastes great the next day!

Tips:
1. Freeze leftover rice in the freezer in portion sizes wrapped in cling film.
2. Try not to overcook the vegetables.

Notes:
Please see my posts on Basic Japanese Ingredients to understand the basic ingredients used for Japanese cooking.
Basic Japanese Ingredients Part I
Basic Japanese Ingredients Part II

Japanese hearty breakfast - miso soup with poached egg

Japanese people consider breakfast to be one of the most important meals of the day. A traditional Japanese breakfast includes a bowl of rice, miso soup and side dishes which are usually leftover from the previous day's dinner.

It's not always practical to prepare a full traditional Japanese breakfast but this hearty miso soup is a nice compromise!

Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 litre homemade dashi stock or 1 litre water and 1 tbsp instant dashi granules

300g tofu, preferably GM free (cut into bite size cubes)
1 tbsp dried wakame 
1 poached egg (preferably organic or free range) per each bowl serving
2-3 tbsp miso paste (you can add more if you like a stronger taste) 
Scallions/ Spring onion (finely diced to garnish)
Sesame seeds or nanami togarashi (optional to garnish)

*Click here to see miso and dashi explained on my "Basic Japanese ingredients - what they are and where you can find them" post
*Click here to see my recipe for homemade dashi (fish stock) 

Instructions:

1. If you're using homemade dashi then click here to see how to make homemade dashi. Once the homemade dashi is ready put it in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. If you're using instant dashi granules then put 1 litre of cold water into a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Then add 1 tbsp of instant dashi granules to the water and stir.
3. Once the dashi is boiling add the wakame seaweed and reduce the heat so that the water isn't boiling but simmering.
4. Gently toss the tofu pieces into the saucepan.
5. Dilute the miso paste in a cup of dashi taken from the saucepan. Then, add to the saucepan and gently mix all the ingredients. 
6. Pour the miso soup into a bowl.
7. Place the poached egg on top of the miso soup.
8. Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds/nanami togarashi 

How to eat:
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks or a spoon. Japanese people hold the bowl to their mouth to drink the soup. They use chopsticks to eat the bite size ingredients in the soup.
 
Tips:  
Never boil the miso soup only allow to simmer.

Why not: 

Put udon noodles or one large spoon of boiled rice in the bottom of the bowl before pouring the miso soup. 

JAPANESE MISO SOUP RECIPE: WHITE MISO SOUP WITH CARROTS & BEANSPROUT

White miso paste is a nice introduction into the world of miso if you don't eat miso regularly. This miso paste has a mild taste compared to darker coloured ones. Once you've managed to source miso paste and have it in your fridge it takes little time to make miso soup. It's traditionally served with a main meal however depending on what you put in the soup it could be served as a light lunch or main meal!

I buy Japanese miso paste in my local Asian market, however you can also buy it in health stores. I haven't seen it in supermarkets in Ireland yet but I think they sell it in supermarkets around the world including the UK, America, Australia etc.

Serves 4
Prep time 10 mins
Cooking time 15 mins

Ingredients:

1 litre homemade dashi stock or 1 litre water and 1 tbsp dashi granules

200g carrots (peeled and cut into julienne strips)

100g beansprouts

2-3 tbsp white miso paste

Sesame seeds (optional to garnish) 

Spring onion (optional to garnish)

Instructions: 

1. If you're using homemade dashi then click here to see how to make homemade dashi. Once the homemade dashi is ready put it in a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil. 
2. If you're using dashi granules then put 1 litre of cold water into a medium sized saucepan and bring to the boil. Then add 1 tbsp of dashi granules to the water and stir.
3. Once the dashi is boiling add the carrots. 
4. When the carrots are nearly cooked add the beansprouts and continue to boil for one minute (I like the vegetables to be crunchy rather than overcooked).
5. Before adding the miso paste lower the heat allowing the dashi to simmer only. 
6. Dilute the miso paste in a cup of dashi taken from the saucepan. Then, add to the saucepan and gently mix all the ingredients.
7. Garnish with spring onion and sesame seeds if you can. 

How to eat:
Japanese people drink soup directly from the bowl and then use chopsticks to eat vegetables in the miso soup. 

Tips:  
Once you add the miso paste never boil the miso soup only allow to simmer.

Why not: 
Add pork to this recipe.

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.

Easy Japanese Miso Shiru Recipe: Miso Soup

When I lived in Japan I had miso soup almost everyday. So, when I left Japan and returned to Ireland I really missed the taste of real Japanese miso soup. I could buy miso soup sachets in Asian supermarkets and health stores or order miso soup in Asian restaurants around the country but none of them compared to the delicious taste of this simple recipe that you can make at home. 

Ingredients: 
1000ml dashi* (homemade or instant dashi)

180g potato (peeled and cut into small bite sized cubes) 
60g onion (peeled and thinly sliced)
2-3 tbsp miso* paste (you can add more if you like a stronger taste)

*Click here to see miso and dashi explained on my "Basic Japanese ingredients - what they are and where you can find them" post
*Click here to see my recipe for homemade dashi (fish stock)

Instructions: 

1. Put the dashi in a medium sized saucepan and turn the heat up to maximum. 
2. Once the dashi is boiling add the potatoes. 
3. When the potatoes are nearly cooked add the onion and continue to boil until the onion slices are nice and soft. 
4. Before adding the miso paste lower the heat allowing the dashi to simmer only. 
5. Dilute the miso paste in a cup of dashi taken from the saucepan. Then, add to the saucepan and gently mix all the ingredients. 

The miso soup is now ready! 

How to eat: 
Serve in a bowl with chopsticks or a spoon. Japanese people hold the bowl to their mouth to drink the soup. They use chopsticks to eat the bite size ingredients in the soup.

Tips:

1. Never boil the miso soup only allow to simmer.
2. Leave the chopped potato cubes into a bowl of cold water for a few minutes to remove excess starch before adding to the dashi.

Why not: 
Add tofu and wakame seaweed instead of potato and onion or any of your favourite vegetables.