Shio Koji Hamburger

This hamburger recipe is really good! Nice and juicy, thanks to *Shio Koji!

For 2 people
200g Ground beef
1tsp  Shio Koji
1/4   Beaten egg
1/4cup Japanese panko
1.5tsp Mayonnaise
Paprika, Nutmeg, Garlic powder, pinch each
1tsp Sugar
Black pepper

0. Add shio koji to beef and mix well. Let it sit over night in a fridge.
1. Mix panko and egg. Set aside.
2. Mix the other ingredients and knead. Add the panko and egg. Mix well.
3. Shape and bbq!



*Shio Koji

Shio koji is a rice malt that has been fermented with salt.
This fermented koji marinade will bring out the best flavors from food! It's called magical sauce by some Japanese people!  It's becoming a staple seasoning in Japan.
It contain a lot of enzymes that breaks down the starches and proteins in food into sugars ans amino acids.
It's nutritious and good for digestive system.
You can get this at any Japanese grocery stores or I saw it at Whole Foods Market the other day.
It's called "Umami Enhancer".

I brought a pack of shio koji when I visited my friend, Ally last year. She loves to cook, so I thought she would enjoy this seasoning. She explains well about shio koji on her blog. She is a great food blogger!
 Please see her blog post, "Ingredient Spotlight: Shio Koji". She is also showing how to use it.
I will try to introduce more recipes with this shio koji on this blog:)





To make a cheese puppy, create shape cutters with a soy milk carton.
Cut cheese with these and make the face parts with nori sea weed.

Yakisoba Bear

One of my husband's favorite Japanese food!
It's so easy to make (I use yakisoba mix sold at Jp grocery stores) that I cook yakisoba when I feel lazy:pEy

Face parts: Turkey ham, cheese and nori seaweed

Homemade Japanese Curry Roux

My husband looooves Japanese curry!!
I always use boxed instant curry roux when making Japanese curry.
However, it contains a lot of fat. preservatives and other unhealthy ingredients!
So I decided to make it from scratch.
This is as easy as using instant curry roux:) Miso helps it bring out rich flavor.


Ingredients

60g flour
45g Canola oil
10g Curry powder
1tbs Shio Koji, or 1tsp Salt
*See the older post about Shio Koji

1clove Garlic
Ginger, same size as a clove of garlic
1 Onion
1 Potato
1/2 Carrot
1 chicken breast
800ml Water


1tbs Sugar
1tbs Honey
1tbs Ketchup
2tbs Miso
1/2can Diced tomato

Soy sauce to taste


1. Mix flour, oil, curry powder, shio koji or salt together and set aside.
2. Mince garlic and ginger. Cut vegetables and meat into small pieces.
3. Heat a little oil in a pot and add garlic and ginger.
4. Add vegetables and chicken. Cook until the veges get soft.
5. Add water, sugar, honey, ketchup, miso and canned tomato. Cook over low heat about 15 mins.
6. Add the curry paste from step1 and mix well.
7. Taste it and add a little soy sauce if you need.
8. Cook about another 10min over low-heat.



Bear face parts

Ear-eggs
Eyes-egg whits + seaweed
Nose-rice + seaweed
Hands-rice

Heart- red pepper

Shio Koji Creamy Corn Pot Pie

I will introduce a Japanese magical seasoning today.
I use it when I marinade chicken or fish, pickle vegetables.
I like to use it for any recipes that call for consomme bouillon. It is a good replacement.

The magical seasoning is........

Shio Koji !!

Shio koji is a rice malt that has been fermented with salt.
This fermented koji marinade will bring out the best flavors from food! It's called magical sauce by some Japanese people!  It's becoming a staple seasoning in Japan.
It contain a lot of enzymes that breaks down the starches and proteins in food into sugars ans amino acids.
It's nutritious and good for digestive system.
You can get this at any Japanese grocery stores or I saw it at Whole Foods Market the other day.
It's called "Umami Enhancer".

I brought a pack of shio koji when I visited my friend, Ally last year. She loves to cook, so I thought she would enjoy this seasoning. She explains well about shio koji on her blog. She is a great food blogger!
 Please see her blog post, "Ingredient Spotlight: Shio Koji". She is also showing how to use it.
I will try to introduce more recipes with this shio koji on this blog:)



Creamy Corn Chowder

1 Chicken breast
2 Potatoes, big
1~2 Onion
1 Carrot
1 Canned sweet corn
4tbs Flour
400ml Soy milk
500ml  Water
1 tbs Shio Kouji

1. Cut chicken, potatoes, onions, carrot into small pieces.
2. Place corn in a FP and mix until smooth. Set aside.
3. Heat butter in a pot and cook the chicken and the vegetables. Add shio koji
4. Turn off the heat and mix flour until you don't see any powder.
5. Add the corn, soy milk and water. Turn on the heat. Cook over medium-low heat until thick.
6. Add salt. pepper to taste. You could add more shio koji. But if you do, add tsp at a time.

Making pie tops.

Follow the instruction on a package of frozen pie sheet.
Cut as shown to make rabbit.
Poke holes and brush mixed egg.


                                                       

Cheese and Cracker Bunny for Easter

Just place cream cheese on crackers and create face parts with peppers and ears with sliced almond!
Easy and cute party appetizer:)

Easter Salad

Cute salad cup for bento! Great for Easter season.

I got a juicer as an anniversary gift from a friend and have been making carrot & apple juice every morning ever since!  I get a lot of juice pulp so am trying to make a good use of them.

I made dressing with it this time!

Carrot Dressing

1 handful of carrot or carrot & apple juice pulp

1/4 Onion

1tbs White sesame

60ml Soy sayce

1tbs Sugar

60ml Vinegar (Balsamic or White wine vinegar preferred)

120ml   Oil

100ml Water (or Soy milk)

pinch, Salt

1. Slice onion and soak in water for about 1 hour.

2. Mix all the ingredients in FP.

3. Let sit in a fridge over night.

To make a rabbit, cut a slice of bread as shown. ( I used wholefoods brand snappy sourdough. This bread is easier to shape than other kinds I think)

2. Roll over plastic wrap with a rolling pin.

3. Place ham, cheese, or anything you like in the middle of the bread. 

4. Wrap it as shown.

5. Put salad in a cup. Place the bread in the middle. Make ears with extra bread and ham.
Make face parts with nori seaweed.

Tofu Matcha Cream

Tofu sweets is very popular in Japan, such as tofu cheese cake, tofu pudding and tofu cream.
It is true that tofu itself has distinct smell and taste....However, if you add this secret ingredient, you won't notice it that much! The ingredient is......WHITE MISO!
No worries, you won't taste miso at all somehow... You gotta try this!!


 Tofu Matcha Cream

1pk Firm tofu
1tbs Matcha powder
2tsp White miso
1/2tsp Lemon juice
100ml Maple Syrup
1tsp Vanilla extract


1. Wrap tofu with paper towel and place something heavy on it to drain water over night.
2. Mix all the ingredients in FP and mix well.
3. Add a little soy or almond milk if the cream is hard.

Anniversary Naked Cake with DIY garland

Happy anniversary to us<3
Made garland with $1 stickers! :p