Soy fried Mushrooms

You can buy a great variety of mushrooms in Japan, and they can be used for a great variety of recipes. One of our favorite mushrooms is the shiitake-mushroom. However, the recipe we are preparing today can easily be made using any kind of mushroom you like.

Today's recipe is for a side dish of mushrooms, stir-fried in soy sauce. Very nice to add some onions and finish it with sprinkled sesame seeds on top.

Ingredients (2p):

• Your own favorite mushrooms for 2 persons
• Soy sauce (around 4 tbsp)
  
• Optional: extra flavoring, for example half onion and/or sesame seed

First, wash the mushroom and cut them in desired size pieces (really, any size you like is good for this recipe). Also cut the onion in small pieces.

Heat some oil in a fry pan and fry the onions for a couple minutes. Then, add the mushrooms and fry again for a couple of minutes.

Add the soy sauce in the pan. And let it simmer until the mushrooms turn into the brown soy sauce color. The liquid should have (almost) completely disappeared from the pan.

Serve on a plate, and add some sesame seeds on top. Very easy, tasteful and healthy side dish.

Mapo Tofu

Originally Mapo Tofu is not a Japanese recipe. It originates in China, but -as with many Japanese recipes that find there origin elsewhere in the world- it has been fully incorporated into the Japanese kitchen and adapted to the Japanese taste. It is served in many (Chinese) restaurant in Japan, and it is often made by people themselves at home. The fastest and easiest way to make Mapo Tofu is to use the instant packages, sold in much varieties at all Japanese supermarkets. We however find that it is much better tasting to make it completely yourself. It is not difficult or much time-consuming at all, so why settle for the taste of instant versions.

Mapo Tofu is a spicy dish that combines ground meat and tofu. The different textures of the meat and the tofu make this a delicious meal. If you want, you can easily adjust the spice level to you own liking, but traditionally it is served quite spicy.

Ingredients (2p):

•  200 gr ground meat
• 1 package of tofu
• rice for 2 persons

sauce:

• 2 tbsp miso paste
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 100 ml water
• 0,5 tbsp doubanjiang (adjust amount to you own desired level of spicyness)

 Fry the ground meat in the pan (no need to add oil).  Optionally add some salt and pepper for seasoning.

Mix the miso paste, soy sauce, mirin, sugar and water together and add in the pan, and bring to boil.

Lower the heat and add the tofu (cut into pieces)

Now add the doubanjiang. Start with small amounts, try the taste, and add more if desired.

Serve with rice, and enjoy!

Daigaku-imo

Daigaku-imo is recipe made with Japanese sweet potatoes (satsuma-imo), that have been given a sweet caramelized taste. The name of the recipe literary means 'university potato'. Originally this was a recipe that was popular among university students, because it is a cheap, sweet recipe full of calories. And I have to agree, it is a great snack (or meal) to eat when you are studying all day for your next test.
It's pretty easy to make. Which student would want to spend a long time in the kitchen while you need that time to study anyway?



Ingredients (circa 2p):

• 1 Sweet potato (Satsuma-imo)
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 50ml water

Originally, most recipes call for more sugar and less water. We prefer it this way: sweet, but not overly sweet; and easier to make since you don't have the risk of the sugar caramelizing too fast and getting hard before it is on the potatoes. 

Cut the potato into small, bite-size pieces. Heat some oil in a fry-pan and bake the potatoes till they are soft.

Mix the soy sauce, sugar and water together and heat in a small saucepan.
When it starts simmering, add the potato-pieces in the saucepan. The saucepan will now be really full, no problem, you just have to stir really well so that the sugar-mixture will attach to all potato-pieces.
When all of the sugar-mixture has been attached to the potato-pieces, you put off the heat, and serve the daigaku-imo. Put them on a plate and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

It tastes good warm, so perfect as a side dish. But it also tastes good cold, so make some extra and put the rest in your bento-box (for when you are studying at the library the next day ;)

Daigaku-imo