Category: Dinner menu

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Bento Ideas Dinner menu gluten free plant based Quick and easy Vegan

How to make Crispy Vegan Karaage: Jackfruit Delight!

Hi everybody!

Today, in Australia, there are not many people who don’t know about Karaage chicken.
More and more people are eating it at home as well as in Japanese restaurants.
Recently, vegan people want to eat kaarage but don’t want to use fake chicken,
so, I was thinking what can I use… and few month ago, I used tin of jackfruits and the texture was like pulled pork so I had an idea and came up with this recipe.

What is jackfruit?
Jackfruit is a large, tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia that is becoming increasingly popular around the world. The fruit is a relative of the breadfruit and the fig and can weigh up to 80 pounds (36 kg) and be up to 3 feet (0.9 meters) long.
The outer layer of the jackfruit is a green, spiky skin that is often removed to reveal the yellow flesh inside. The flesh of the fruit is sweet and fragrant, with a flavour that has been described as a mix of pineapple, banana, and mango or Some people say taste like bubble gum. It has a fibrous, meaty texture that is sometimes compared to pulled pork, and can be eaten raw or cooked.
Jackfruit is a nutrient-rich fruit that is high in fibre, vitamin C, potassium, and antioxidants. It is also a good source of other essential vitamins and minerals, including vitamin A, calcium, and iron.
In addition to its nutritional benefits, jackfruit is also a popular meat substitute among vegetarians and vegans due to its texture and flavour. It can be used as a substitute for pulled pork in sandwiches, added to curries or stews, or even used as a pizza topping.
Overall, jackfruit is a versatile and nutritious fruit that is gaining popularity around the world for its unique flavour and texture.

Where can you buy tinned jackfruit?
You can buy it at pretty much any supermarket in the health section or health food shops.

Tips for this recipe
Tinned jackfruit is hard so you will need cook if for at least 2 hours or until soft.
To cook jackfruit, cover the fruit with water and the baking dish with foil. Cook in an oven at 180℃ for 2 hours.
When you cook the jackfruits, don’t let it dry so check water level periodically.
If you are celiac or gluten free, use Tamari and quinoa flake, or if you can get them, gluten free oats.

Print

Vegan Karaage

To make vegan karaage using jackfruit
Course Appetizer, Bento, dinner
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword bento, plant based, Vegan
Prep Time 2 hours
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 2 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • 1 tinned Jackfruit 400g
  • 300 ml Water for cook jackfruit

Seesoning

  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce Or tamari
  • 2 tbsp Maple syrup
  • 1 tbsp Mirin
  • 1 tsp Ginger used tube or bottle
  • 2 tsp Garlic used tube or bottle
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 4 tbsp Quinoa flake or oats

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 170℃.
  • Open the tin of jackfruit, drain the water, then put the jackfruit into a baking dish and cover with water.
  • Cover the baking dish with foil then put it in the oven and bake for 2 hours.
  • In the meantime, prepare the seasoning.
  • Check the jackfruit is soft.
  • Drain the jackfruit into a colander then into a bowl. Loosen the jackfruit with a fork or your hands.
  • Add soy sauce, maple syrup, garlic, ginger, mirin, and salt then mix well.
  • Add quinoa flakes then mix well.
  • Dust a tray with starch and portion the jackfruit onto the tray.
  • Cover the jackfruit with the starch.
  • In a deep pan heat up oil over a high heat.
  • Check the oil with long chopstick and if bubbles come off the chopstick you’re ready to go.
  • Put the jackfruit balls into the oil.
  • Jackfruit is already cooked so only fry until both sides are crispy.
  • When both sides are crispy, remove from oil and you are done.

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Categories
dairy free Dinner menu gluten free Japanese food recipes plant based Vegan

How to make Chickpea Tofu + 2 Tofu Recipes

Hello.

I would like to share with you a very easy way to make tofu.
This tofu is made from chickpeas, not soybeans.
Once the chickpeas are soaked for a day, the rest can be done in about 15 minutes.
Of course, you need time to cool and set the tofu, but it will do so in about an hour.

So, what is tofu?
Tofu is basically made from soybeans and Nigari. After the soybeans are soaked in water overnight, crushed and boiled, they are strained through a cloth-lined container. The strained liquid is soy milk. The residue on the cloth is Okara. Tofu is completed when the soy milk is mixed with Nigari and allowed to set. It is a very simple process, but it is surprisingly difficult to set the mixture evenly, as the mixture begins to set as soon as the soy milk and Nigari are mixed. Because of the need to be efficient and produce large quantities for the market, the detailed types and methods of making tofu vary from manufacturer to manufacturer, but the mechanism for the production of tofu is basically the same

What is Nigari
Nigari is the liquid that remains after salt is crystallised from seawater. It is named “Nigari” because of its very bitter taste. Its main ingredient is magnesium chloride. When “magnesium chloride” is listed as an ingredient in tofu, it is actually Nigari.
Good news!
This time, you don’t need Nigari
Just chickpeas and water.

Tip for this recipe
Always wash dried chickpeas to remove dust and dirt before soaking them in water as the chickpeas are put in a blender with the water.

Chickpeas taste better if they are soaked in filtered water for a day.

The hardness of the chickpea tofu depends on your preference and 2 cups of water for those who prefer it hard, 3 cups for those who prefer it soft.

It is easier to use a cotton cloth to squeeze the chickpeas through a blender, separating them into chickpea milk and okara (chickpea pulp).

Always stir the chickpea milk while it is simmering over medium heat.
Cook until chickpea milk is custard-like.

When setting the tofu in the refrigerator, do not cover while it is hot as it will sweat and water droplets will enter the tofu.
Once the tofu has cooled to a certain degree, cover it with a lid and allow it to set.
This chickpea tofu is heat-sensitive and should not be cooked.

Print

Chickpea Tofu

Easy to make but taste is so fresh
Course Appetizer, Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword Gluten free, plant based, soy free, Vegan
Prep Time 1 day
Cook Time 15 minutes
2 hours
Servings 2 people
Author grazing wombat

Equipment

  • 1 Mixser

Ingredients

  • 1 cup Dried chickpea
  • 3 cup Filtered water

Instructions

  • Wash the dried chickpea and soak in 3 cups of filtered water for 1 day.
  • Put the filtered water into a blender and mix until white, smooth and creamy.
  • Place a bowl under a colander lined with a cotton bag. Pour the into the colander separating the pulp from the chickpea milk.
  • Pour the milk into a pot and turn the heat to mid.
  • Stir the milk until a custard like consistency.
  • Turn off the heat and pour into a takeaway container.
  • Place the tofu into the fridge for 2 hours.
  • Once cool, cover the container with a lid.

Video

Print

Chickpea Tofu with Avocado and Wasabi topping

The rich, full-bodied avocado, fragrant shiso leaves, and wasabi soy sauce go well together and are delicious.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword easy to make, plant based, soyfree, Vegan
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 1 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • ½ each Chickpea tofu
  • ½ each Avocado
  • 2 tsp Lemon Juice
  • 2 tsp Soy sauce
  • ¼ tsp Wasabi tube
  • Shiso leaves Garnish

Instructions

  • Cut avocado in to bite-sized pieces and put into a bowl.
  • Add lemon juice, soy sauce, and wasabi into the bowl and mix well.
  • Cut shiso and add as well.
  • Slice the tofu and top with the avocado.

Video

 

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Chickpea Tofu Caprese

Dairy free Caprese so vegan can eat it !
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Italian
Keyword dairy free, plant based, soy free, Vegan
Prep Time 5 minutes
Servings 3 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

For Dressing

  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • 4 tsp Lemon juice
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • A pinch Pepper

For Caprese

  • 1 each Tomato
  • ½ each Chickpea tofu
  • A pinch Salt
  • Basil leaves Garnish

Instructions

For dressing

  • Put olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well. This will be the dressing.

For Caprese

  • Remove the tomato core and slice.
  • Slice the tofu
  • Place alternately the tofu and tomato on a plate.
  • Dust a pinch of salt on the tofu and tomato.
  • Pour on the dressing and garnish with basil.

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Categories
Dinner menu Japanese food recipes Lunch plant based Quick and easy Salad Vegan

Three plant based, main or side dish recipes using Okra

Hello.
It’s getting hotter!
In summer, you want something refreshing to eat, don’t you? So this time, I would like to introduce three dishes using okra. Okra is low in calories but packed with nutrients. The vitamin C in okra helps support healthy immune function. Okra is also rich in vitamin K, which helps blood clotting. Antioxidants are natural compounds that help fight off molecules called free radicals that damage cells.

The first dish is pickled okra.
Fermented pickles are rich in probiotics, which improve digestion and prevent stomach upsets.

What you need
Okra
Rice vinegar
Garlic cloves
Grains of pepper
Dried Chills
Dill (dried) or bay leaves

Tip for this recipe
Always sterilize bottles by boiling.
Do not wipe disinfected bottles with towels. Bacteria will stick to them.
The okra we bought this time was quite black on the outside.
By rolling the okra on a chopping board, the hairs on the okra are removed and the colour becomes brighter after boiling.
After the okra has been boiled, it should be rinsed with water and dried well.
When the pickled mixture cools down, cover and store in the refrigerator for 2 days before eating. It will be fine in the refrigerator for about one month.

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Okra pickles

Pickled okra is very refreshing and can be used as in salad or as a side dish.
Course Appetizer, pickles
Keyword easy to make, healthy, pickels, plant based, quick, Vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Servings 1 Jar
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • 180 g Okra
  • A Pinch Salt for okra
  • 2 each Garlic
  • 1 each Dried chilli
  • 1 cup Filtered water
  • 100 ml Rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp Sugar
  • 2 tsp Salt
  • 15-20 pieces Whole pepper

Instructions

  • Sterilize bottles with boiling water. Do not wipe with towels.
  • Sprinkle salt on the okra and roll them on the chopping board.
  • Wash the okra in water and drain.
  • Place 1 cup filter water and 100 ml rice vinegar in a saucepan and over a medium heat.
  • Add sugar and salt into the vinegar and bring to the boil to dissolve.
  • Once the vinegar has boiled, turn off the heat and let cool.
  • Pack the okra into the bottle along with garlic, dried chilli, peppercorns, and dill.
  • Pour in the cooled pickle liquid, and when completely cool, cover and refrigerate.
  • It will be ready to eat in two days.

Video

The second item is chilled udon noodles with okra and tomatoes
A refreshing summer dish! it is also delicious with Soba or Somen noodles! (Thin noodles)

What you will need
Udon noodles (use frozen, dried, or fresh udon noodles of your choice).
Kelp dashi powder (shiitake mushroom dashi powder is also fine).
Lemon
Okra (okra)
Tomatoes
Sesame oil
Sesame seeds
Soy sauce
Mirin
Green onion (for garnish)
Salt

Tips for this recipe
Remove the okra from the pan.
Cook the udon noodles in boiling water. If using dried, boil for the indicated time. Rinse the udon well in the boiling water to remove any slime.
If using fresh or frozen udon noodles, loosen them well in boiling water. Rinse in cold water to remove any slime.
Prepare the ingredients and soup ahead of time.

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Chilled Udon Noodle with Okra and Tomato

A light, refreshing noodle dish that's tasty even when you have no appetite.
Course dinner, Lunch
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dinner ideas, easy to make, plant based, serving time, Vegan
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 1 person
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • 2 each Okra
  • A pinch Salt for okra
  • ½ each Tomato
  • 1 pack Udon noodles (or you can use frozen, dry)
  • Shallots For garnish

For lemon and salt sauce

  • 2 g Kombu dashi powder
  • 2 tsp Sesame oil
  • 1 tsp Soy sauce
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • ½ each Lemon juice
  • 1 tsp Sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Sprinkle salt on the okra, roll them on the chopping board, blanch them in boiling water for about 20-30 seconds, and then drain it in cold water.
  • Chop tomatoes in to bite sized pieces and place in a bowl.
  • Slice the okra and place in the bowl with the tomatoes.

Make the sauce.

  • In a bowl with the tomatoes and okra, add kombu dashi powder, sesame oil, soy sauce, salt, lemon juice, and sesame seeds then mix.
  • Boil fresh or frozen udon noodles then drain using a colander.
  • Put the udon noodles in a bowl and top with the sauce, then add green onions.

Video

The third item is a salad with okra, corn, tomatoes, edamame and black lentils.
This brightly coloured salad is a good source of protein thanks to the lentils and edamame. It is dressed with a refreshing lemon, soy sauce, and kelp dashi powder dressing and is perfect for vegetarians and vegans.

What you need
Okra
Black lentils (or your favourite beans).
Tomatoes and cherry tomatoes
Corn (frozen is fine!)
Edamame (fresh or frozen)
Purple (Spanish) onions
Jalapeño pickles (fresh or not)
Lemons (fresh or frozen)
Kelp dashi powder
soy sauce
Olive oil

Tip for this recipe
Wash lentils before boiling. When boiling lentils, start with plenty of water and cook over low heat until tender.
Slice the okra.
Cut the onions, sprinkle with salt, let sit for about 5 minutes, then rinse with water and drain to remove the pungency.
Warm the raw corn in the microwave for 3 minutes before peeling, it is easier than boiling.
When adding lentils to a salad, be sure they are cold.

Print

Salad of okra, corn, tomatoes, edamame and black lentils

You can enjoy the different textures of the ingredients in this salad! Cutting the ingredients in uniform sizes improves the texture and makes it more palatable.
Course Salad
Keyword dinner ideas, healthy, plant based, Vegan
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • 5 each Okra
  • A pinch Salt for okra
  • 2 each Tomato
  • 80 g Cherry tomato
  • 1 each Corn You can use frozen one
  • ½ each Cucumber
  • 80 g Frozen edamame defrost
  • ½ each Red onion
  • A pinch Salt for red onion
  • 30 g Pickled jalapeño if you don't have one it's ok
  • 50 g Black lentil
  • 1 tsp Salt for lentil

For dressing

  • 1 each Lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp Olive oil
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 4 g Kombu Dashi powder
  • 1 tsp Salt

Instructions

  • Rinse the lentils, place them in a pot with plenty of water and 1 teaspoon salt.
  • Simmer over low heat until tender.
  • Pour the lentils in colander and let cool. Do not rinse with water.
  • Sprinkle salt on the okra, roll them on the chopping board, blanch in boiling water for about 20-30 seconds, and then rinse them with cold water.
  • Slice the okra.
  • Warm corn in microwave for 3 minutes without peeling. When cooled, peel and slice with a knife.
  • Chop the onion in to bite sized pieces, place in a bowl with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes, rinse with water and drain. This method reduces the onion’s pungency.
  • Chop the tomato and cucumber into bite sized pieces.
  • Defrost edamame (I used frozen edamame this time).
  • Rough chop the jalapeño pickles. (You don't have to use)
  • Place everything in a bowl. Add the cooled lentils as well.
  • In the same bowl, add olive oil, lemon juice, kombu dashi powder, soy sauce, and salt and mix well.

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Categories
Beef dish Dinner menu Japanese food recipes Quick and easy Salad

Beef Shabu-Shabu Salad with Yuzu and Tomato Dressing

Hello how are you everyone?

It is getting warmer in Australia. The other day I bought some organic salad mix and radish at the market, so I thought I would make a Japanese shabu-shabu salad, something refreshing but filling for my husband.

What is Shabu Shabu?
Shabu-shabu is a Japanese Nabe dish. Bite-sized pieces of thinly sliced ingredients are cooked by dipping them into boiling water or broth simmering in a pot on the table, and then dipped into a small bowl of sauce. The sauce is usually ponzu (Japanese citrus juice) or sesame sauce

This time, instead of a hot-pot dish, we’re going to make a dish where the meat is quickly boiled and served on top of a salad with a dressing. Shabu-shabu salad is very popular in Japan and is often eaten at home. Sometimes the salad and meat are served on top of cold Udon noodles with sauce. Popular sauces includes sesame sauce and soy-based sauces.

What you need for this recipe
Thin sliced shabu shabu cut beef from Asian supermarkets
Yuzu Jam– Asian supermarkets or you can use orange jam.
Soy sauce- Supermarkets or Asian shops.
Rice vinegar-Supermarkets or Asian shops (I like to use rice vinegar because I found it’s not as sharp a taste. If you prefer a sharper taste other such vinegars like apple or to your liking can be used.

What is Yuzu?

Yuzu is a type of citrus fruit classified in the tangerine family. It is a member of the tangerine, lemon, sudachi, and kabosu family, and has a distinctive fresh aroma and sour taste.
Because of its strong acidity and hard peel, yuzu is not often eaten as-is like mandarin oranges.
However, the juice, peel, and of course the fruit itself can be used in a variety of dishes, and is attracting attention not only in Japanese cuisine but also in France and other countries.

 

Tips for this recipe
• Make the dressing ahead of time.
• Soak the salad in water for 5-10 minutes to crisp it up.
• When boiling the meat, spread the meat out one piece at a time for about 15-20 seconds. When the meat is no longer reddish, remove the meat from the hot water and immediately place in cold water. Putting the meat into the cold water stops it cooking further and becoming chewy.
• After chopping the onion, sprinkle salt on it and let it sit for about 5 minutes. This will eliminate the pungent taste of the onion.
• Keep the tomato seeds, you can use it for making tomato sauce or soup. If you don’t want to use soon, put them in the freezer.

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Beef Shabu Shabu Salad with Yuzu and Tomato Dressing

A refreshing, yet filling shabu-shabu salad with yuzu and tomato dressing
Course dinner
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dinner ideas, dinner menu, easy to make, Japanese authentic food
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Servings 3 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

Yuzu and Tomato Dressing

  • 2 each Tomato small one 3 each
  • 7 each Cherry Tomato
  • 1 each Red onion
  • 1 tbsp Yuzu Jam
  • 50 ml Rice vinegar
  • 90 ml Rice oil
  • 1 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • A pinch Pepper

For Salad

  • 500 g Beef thin sliced Shabu Shabu cut
  • 180 g Salad mix
  • 3-4 each Radish

Instructions

Making Dressing

  • Chop the red onion finely, put it into a bowl, sprinkle with salt, and leave 5mins.
  • Cut tomato into quarters, remove seeds, and chop finely.
  • Cut sherry tomato into quarters.
  • Wash the onion and drain the water.
  • Put the rice vinegar, rice oil, yuzu jam, soy sauce, salt and pepper into a bowl and mix well.
  • Put the cut tomatoes and the onion into a bowl. Add the yuzu jam mixture and mix well.
  • This is yuzu and tomato dressing.
  • Put the salad mix into a bowl and add cold water. Let it sit for 5mins then drain the water.
  • Slice the radish.
  • Prep cold water in a bowl.
  • In boiling water cook the beef. Spread the slices out one piece at a time for about 15-20 seconds or when the meat is no longer reddish.
  • Put the meat into the bowl of cold water.
  • Pour the meat into a sieve and drain the water.
  • Put the salad mix on a plate. Put the radish and the cooked meat on top of the salad.
  • Pour the dressing on top of the meat and you’re done.

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Categories
Beef dish Bento Ideas Dinner menu Izakaya menu Japanese food recipes Quick and easy

Mother’s taste Nikujaga- potato and beef stew with Dashi

Hello! How are you everyone?

Nikujaga is Meat and potatoes are a staple dish for Japanese people.
It is also called “mother’s taste” in Japan.
It is a dish that has been around for a long time and is probably one of the dishes passed down from mother to daughter.
These days, many households make it simply by using dashi (soup stock) powder instead of soup stock.
This is probably due to the fact that they are both working and have little time to cook.
However, I would like to introduce a delicious Nikujaga using a freshly made dashi.
Please refer to the previous article on how to make dashi using a teapot.

What you will need this time
Potato
Carrot
Onion
Konjac noodles (You can buy at Coles or Asian shops).
Beef thin sliced (You can buy at Asian shops, and they are already sliced). called shabu shabu style beef.
Soy sauce, Sake, Mirin. (You can buy at Asian ships or sometime find them at Woolworth or Coles)

Beef shabu shabu style cut from asian shops
Shirataki-konjac noodles from asian shops

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip for making Nikujaga
Choose thin beef with a good amount of fat.
The amount of fat in beef used for Nikujyaga is crucial.
Too much fat will result in a greasy texture, while too little will result in a bland texture.

Sautee ingredients before simmering. Although nikujaga is a stewed dish, the process of adding water and simmering is only the “finishing touch.
By sautéing the ingredients first, it prevents them from falling apart. It also adds a savory flavour.

Remember stewed dishes have more flavour the next day.

Print

Nikujaga

Soft and flavour well potato, carrot and beef stew with Japanese stock
Course dinner, Main Course
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dinner ideas, dinner manus, easy to make, Japanese authentic food
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 3 people
Author grazing wombat

Ingredients

  • 200 g Beef thin sliced shabu shabu style cut
  • 4 each Potato 480g
  • 1 each Carrot 100g
  • 1 each Onion
  • 100 g Konjac noodles Shirataki
  • 450 ml Dashi stock
  • 3 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp Sake
  • 1.5 tbsp Mirin
  • 1.5 tbsp Sugar
  • 1.5 tbsp Oil

Instructions

  • Open the pack of konjac noodles, put them into a strainer, and wash well.
  • Put the konjac noodles into a bowl and using scissors and cut into short lengths.
  • Put the konjac noodles into a pot of boiling water and cook for 1-2mins.
  • After 2mins, strain the konjac noodles, rinse, and drain off water.
  • Wash and peel the potato and carrot.
  • Cut the potato and carrots into bite sized pieces.
  • Cut the onion in wedges.
  • Put the oil into a pot and turn the heat to mid.
  • Add the onion and cook until soft.
  • Put the beef in a pan and cook.
  • Add the potato and carrot and stir-fry the vegetables until they are slightly transparent on the surface.
  • Add konjac noodles and stir well.
  • Add the dashi stock.
  • Add sake, mirin, sugar and cover with a baking paper and let simmer for 15-20mins (cook the potato and carrot get soften).
  • Check the potato and carrot are soft and add soy sauce and cover baking paper and let simmer for 5-6mins and done.

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Categories
dairy free Dinner menu gluten free Japanese food recipes plant based

How to make Gluten Free Gyoza Wrappers and Recipe

Hi there!

I posted how to make dumplings in the last issue.

This time I will show you how to make gluten-free dumpling wrappers. Lots of people have celiac disease and I hope to help them in any way I can. I have experimented repeatedly to find the perfect gluten-free dumpling wrappers. Finally, I was able to make something close to a regular dumpling wrapper and I wanted to share it with you.

 

Tips for making Gluten free gyoza wrappers
To avoid burns when adding warm water to the dough, mix with a fork or chopsticks.

When the dough comes together, wrap it and let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Allowing the dough to rest allows the dough to acclimate throughout.

The average dumpling skin thickness is 1.0mm to 1.2mm, but if you prefer a thicker skin, you can make it 1.6mm to 2mm.

First stretch the dough to 2 mm thickness.
Use a scone mould to die-cut the dough, and then roll it out from there with a rolling pin.

If you don’t have a scone mould, you can use a glass.

The diameter of the scone mould used is 7.2 cm.

See this page for instructions on How to make Japanese style pork Gyoza.
Use Tamari instead soy sauce.

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How to make Gluten free Gyoza wrappers

Cuisine Japanese
Keyword Gluten free
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 12 Each
Author The Grazing Wombat

Ingredients

  • 75 g Brown rice flour
  • 35 g Tapioca flour
  • 2 g Xanthan gum
  • ¼ tsp Salt
  • 85 cc Warm water

Instructions

  • Combine all ingredients except warm water in a bowl.
  • Pour the warm water into the bowl.
  • Mix the dough using chopsticks or a fork.
  • When the dough comes together to some extent, place the dough on the bench and knead by hand.
  • Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  • After 30 minutes, remove the dough from the refrigerator.
  • Lightly dust the bench with potato starch.
  • Roll out the dough to a thickness of 2 mm.
  • Cut out circles of dough using scone moulds.
  • Stretch the dough a little with a rolling pin. At this point, the dough is about 1.2 mm thick.
  • Dust each of the wrappers with starch so they don’t stick together.

Video

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Categories
Bento Ideas Chinese food dairy free Dinner menu gluten free Quick and easy

How to make Gluten Free Char Siu Bao

Hi All

This time I made Char Siu Bao for Gluten Free.
This recipe doesn’t need time for the dough to rise and uses the same pork belly bites again so saving time and effort.

Tips for this recipe
For the filling will give you enough for 10-12 Gluten free Char Siu Bao.
The dough recipe will produce 5-6 Gluten free bao so if you want to make 10-12 each of gluten free Char Siu Bao, please double amounts.
When you steam Char Siu Bao, cover the lid with kitchen towel so don’t drop excess moist on Char Siu Bao.
Using pudding moulds and put muffin or cupcake cups in the moulds to hold Char Siu Bao in shape.
If you don’t have a steamer, use deep frypan. (Check the video how to)

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How to make Gluten Free Char Siu Bao

This recipe doesn’t need time for the dough to rise and uses the same pork belly bites again so saving time and effort.
Course Bread
Cuisine Gluten free
Keyword dinner menu, easy, Gluten free, quick
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 5 people

Equipment

  • 1 Steamer if you don't have one, use deep frypan

Ingredients

For Char Siu Bao filling

  • 250 g Pork belly bites From Coles
  • ½ each Onion
  • 95 g Spring onion
  • 1 tsp Garlic Grated
  • 1 tsp Gigner Grated
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1.5 tbsp Tamari
  • 1 tbsp Sake
  • 1 tbsp Olive oil
  • ½ tbsp Starch
  • 1 tsp Water

For Gluten free Bao

  • 150 g Gluten free self raising flour
  • 200 ml Rice oil
  • 30 g Raw sugar
  • 1 tbsp Rice oil

Instructions

  • Chop the spring onion and onion fine.
  • Grate garlic and ginger (I often use already grated ones from a jar or tube)
  • Remove the pork skin and chop the pork small pieces.
  • Add sesame oil into a frypan and turn heat to mid.
  • Cook the onion and spring onion until soft.
  • Add the ginger and garlic and stir.
  • Add the pork and cook until it soft.
  • Add sugar, honey, sake, and Tamari and stir.
  • Put the starch into a bowl. Add the water and mix well. This is starch mixture.
  • Pour the starch mixture on the pork and stir until it thickens.
  • Pour the pork mixture on a tray and let it cool down.
  • Making gluten free Bao, pour the rice milk into a bowl. Add rice oil and sugar and mix well.
  • Add the gluten free self-raising flour into the bowl and mix well.
  • Put muffin cupcake cups into pudding moulds.
  • Fill the mould halfway with the gluten free Bao mixture.
  • Put the pork mixture onto the Bao mixture.
  • Cover the pork mixture with the remaining Bao mixture.
  • Place the moulds into the steamer.
  • Fill the bottom of the steamer with water and bring to the boil.
  • Cover the steamer’s lid with towel. (If you are using a bamboo steamer, you don’t need a towel.)
  • Steam Char Siu Bao for 12-15mins.
  • After 12mins, remove char Siu Bao from the steamer and let them cool.

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How to make Char Siu Bao at home taking less time and effort

Hi there

Soft and fluffy buns filled with juicy Char Siu Pork. Using pre-cooked belly pork from the supermarket to make Char Siu Bao. oh no, it’s not cheating, it’s being smart! These are still soft even the next day!

Today, you can buy at Char Siu Bao frozen from the supermarkets. I’ve tried some of and they’re not bad. In Japan in winter, you will see steamed pork buns everywhere in convenience stores, supermarkets, and small pop-up stands.
Convenience store’s steamed pork buns are ready to eat and lot of people buy them for lunch or dinner or snacks. Also, there are lots of different kinds of steamed buns at convenience stores, such as pork char siu, pizza, sweet azuki, cheese, curry, teriyaki chicken, chocolate, custard cream etc…everyone loves steamed buns so if you have chance to go to Japan in winter, check them out!

About Char Siu
This time I used already cooked belly pork from Coles, easy to use and saving your time as well.

About Buns
• Using more plain flour than bread flour will make your buns softer.
• No special ingredients required, pretty much ingredients you most likely have at home.
• Recipe says rice oil, but you can use vegetable oil instead.

Tips for make fully and soft buns

• When you make Yeast mix, add sugar and warm water to the dry yeast because fermentation takes less time and effort. Sugar will help the yeast to rise.

• Take out the milk from refrigerator about 15 minutes before using. If it is too cold, it may affect the fermentation/rising of the dough.

• Dough should be kneaded until the surface is smooth.

• On cooler days I put a container of boiling water in a covered/insulated shopping bag with the dough. The temperature inside should be about 27-30 degrees C to help the fermentation process and allow the dough to rise.

• Check to see if the dough is ready to go. To check, poke your finger in the centre of the dough and if the hole does not return, the first fermentation is complete.

After dividing the dough into 12 pieces, roll the dough until the surface of the dough is smooth, cover the dough to prevent the surface from drying out, and let the dough rest for 15 minutes. This action called bench time.

Bread dough is tight immediately after it is rolled. If it is left as it is, it cannot be shaped properly. The purpose of bench time is to loosen the dough and make it easier to shape during the forming process that follows the bench time.

When the dough is tight, it does not stretch well when you try to roll it out or shape it with a rolling pin. By allowing the dough to rest on the bench, the gluten is broken off and the dough becomes loose. The dough becomes softer and easier to shape.

Bench time allows the dough to rest for easier shaping. Since the purpose is not to ferment the dough, there is no need to control the temperature and the dough can be left at room temperature.

After filling the dough with the Char Siu, cover the dough to prevent it from drying out and allow it to rise for 15-20 minutes.

How to eat left over Char Siu Bao next day

Place to Bao on plate and cover with plastic then 10-15 second in the microwave.

Print

How to Make Char Siu Bao for Busy People

easy and serving your time but fully and jucy!
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
Keyword dinner, easy, serving time
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 15 minutes
Servings 10 each
Author the grazing wombat

Equipment

  • 1 Steamer

Ingredients

For Bao

  • 200 g Bread flour
  • 100 g Plain flour
  • 3 g Dry yeast
  • 2 tbsp Sugar
  • ½ tsp Salt
  • 2 tbsp Rice oil or vegetables oil
  • 55 ml Milk not too cold
  • 110 ml Warm water 36-40℃

For Char Siu filling

  • 400 g Pork belly bites from Coles
  • 90 g Spring onion
  • 30 g Ginger
  • 20 g Garlic
  • 2 tbsp Soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp Sake
  • 1 tbsp Sugar
  • 1 tbsp Honey
  • 1 tsp Gochujang
  • 1 tbsp Sesame oil
  • ½ tbsp Starch
  • 1.5 tbsp Water

Instructions

Making Bao

  • Put yeast into a bowl, add warm water and sugar, then mix well.
  • Put plain flour, bread flour, salt, rice oil, milk and the yeast mixture into a mixer’s bowl. Use a dough hook and set the mixer to a slow speed then mix until the dough is completely combined.
  • Knead for 5 - 6 minutes until the dough is soft and elastic.
  • Remove the dough from the hook and form the dough in to balls. Put the dough balls back into the bowl, cover with plastic, and place it in warm place. (I used a shopping bag with a zipper and put a jar of boiling water next to the dough).

Making the char Siu filling

  • Cut the pork belly bites into small pieces.
  • Chop spring onion.
  • Grate the ginger and garlic.
  • Pour the sesame oil into a pot or frypan and turn heat to mid.
  • Add the spring onion and stir.
  • Add the ginger and garlic then stir.
  • Add the pork and stir.
  • Cook the pork until soft then add soy sauce, sake, Gochujang, sugar, and honey and stir well
  • Once all ingredients are mixed well, put the starch into a bowl, add water, and mix well.
  • Pour the starch mix into the pork mixture and stir well. (When doing this the ingredients are bubbling.)
  • Once the ingredients have combined, turn off the heat and place the pork mixture on a tray to cool down.
  • Back to the dough, check the dough, if the dough’s now twice its original size and you can put a finger in middle of the dough and the hole doesn’t close, the 1st Fermentation/ raising of the dough is done.
  • Remove the dough from the bowl and make 10-12 portions. (45-50g)
  • Roll up each piece into a ball again and cover, with plastic, and leave for 15minutes.
  • After 15mins, dust your work bench and press each of the dough balls down with your palm. Then, using a rolling pin, flatten the dough so it’s 7-8cm in diameter.
  • Put the filling on middle of the dough and pinch the dough together to form folds. Pinch the end of the dough and twist slightly to close the dough tightly.
  • Lay baking paper in bamboo a steamer and put tin he Char Siu bao. (Don’t put too close together because they’ll stick together during steaming.)
  • Cover the bao and leave 15-20mins for 2nd fermentation.
  • In the meantime, in a pot bring water to the boil. After 20mins put the bamboo steamer with char Siu bao on the pot and steam for 15mins.
  • After 15mins, remove from boiling water.
  • Place the Char Siu Bao to a plate.

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Lot of goodness in a bowl, how to make Tonjiru miso soup

Hi there!

How is going?
Do you like Miso soup? I found lots of people think Miso soup is just wakame and tofu, or onion and wakame. When I had a Japanese restaurant, a girl ordered miso soup but was expecting just wakame and onion or tofu with miso. We served Tonjiru, or Buta-jiru, with lots of veges and pork which is the recipe I’ve posted this time. Anyway, she said that this isn’t miso soup, miso soup had only wakame and onion. That’s not always the case so I’m going to talk a little about miso soup.

Miso history
The word “miso” first appeared in literature in the Heian period (794-1185). At that time, miso was not used as a seasoning in cooking as it is today but was used for dipping, licked, or eaten as is. It was also used as a salary or gift for people of high rank and was a precious commodity that could not be consumed by the common people.

In the Kamakura period (1185-1333), under the influence of monks who came to Japan from China, mortars were used to grind miso grains, which dissolved easily in water and came to be used as miso soup. It is said that with the appearance of miso soup, the basic diet of the Kamakura samurai, “one soup, one vegetable (main dish, soup, side dish, and pickles)” was established. Originally, it was a meal that emphasized frugality, but today it is treated as a balanced style of eating.

Warlords always carried miso as food on the battlefield. At that time, miso was not only a seasoning, but also a valuable source of protein. It was also a nutritious food that could be preserved, so they dried or grilled it to make it easier to carry. Shingen Takeda called it “Shinshu miso,” Hideyoshi Toyotomi and Ieyasu Tokugawa called it “soybean miso,” and Masamune Date called it “Sendai miso.

As the population of Edo grew the demand for miso far exceeded the available supply so more and more miso was sent to Edo from Mikawa and Sendai, and miso shops prospered. As the population of Edo was more male than female, eating out became popular so more and more miso dishes appeared and Miso soup became the taste of the common people and part of their daily lives.

Types of Miso

It is said that there are more than 800 miso breweries in Japan. Most of them were established in the Edo period (1603-1868), and many of them are named after the clan that lived there at that time.
In Hokkaido, medium dry miso with a red color is the mainstream, while Sendai is famous for Sendai Miso, a red dry miso that has been handed down since the days of the Masamune period. Although rice is the most common grain used for miso throughout Japan, beans are used in the Chubu region, and barley is used in some areas of Kyushu and Shikoku.

Most people think that miso soup is just scallions and wakame or tofu, but you can add whatever you like to miso soup.
For example, some people add cabbage, eggplant, fried tofu, zucchini, carrots, daikon, salmon, chicken, and milk.
My favourite miso soup is pork miso soup. It has a lot of ingredients and is quite filling on its own.

Butajiru (Tonjiru) history
There are many theories about the origin of this soup, including the theory that meat was added to kenchin-jiru. This theory is a reference to botan-nabe, when the former Japanese Navy made it with miso instead of curry powder. In addition to its delicious looks and taste of Tonjiru you can get a variety of nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals in one dish.

Where you get ingredients
Miso paste-you can buy at Woolworth, Coles, Asian shops
Dashi powder-Woolworth, Coles, or Asian shops
Konjac- Asian shops (You don’t have to use it)

What is konjac?
Konjac has long been called “grated sand for the stomach” or “the broom for the stomach.
This means that eating konjac, which is rich in dietary fibre, cleanses the body of unnecessary substances.

Tips for this recipe

Tonjiru (Butajiru) is basically a combination of pork and plenty of root vegetables. In this case, I used daikon, carrots, onions, sweet potato, and Konjac.
As for pork, I recommend using thinly sliced pork belly, which has a good amount of umami and fat. I think the thinner pork is better than the thicker pork as it blends well with the soup.

To make a delicious Tonjiru, it is important to stir the ingredients before adding water or soup stock.

After adding the water, increase the heat and wait for it to boil. When the water boils, scoop out the scum with a ladle.

Before adding miso paste, check all vegetables are soft and remove scum.
Once you’ve added the miso paste, turn off the heat. Don’t allow it to boil otherwise you soup will taste salty.

Print

Tonjiru (Butajiru)

An easy and authentic Tonjiru miso soup with lots of goodness.
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dairy free, Gluten free, miso, quick
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4 people

Ingredients

  • 220 g Thin Sliced pork
  • 160 g Sweet potato Middle size 1 each
  • 150 g Onion 1 each
  • 140 g Daikon White radish
  • 60 g Carrot Small size 1 each
  • 1 pack Konjac
  • 1 tsp Salt for Konjac
  • 2 tsp Dashi powder
  • 65 g Miso paste
  • 1 L Water
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

  • Unpack the konjac, score on both sides, then cut it into bite sized pieces.
  • Put the konjac into a bowl. Add 1 tsp of salt, rub well, then leave 15mins.
  • Cut the onion, carrot, and sweet potato into bite sized pieces.
  • Cut daikon into quarter round.
  • Put all vegetables into a bowl, add water, wash them, then strain the water.
  • Cut the pork into bite sized pieces.
  • Add water into the konjac bowl, wash, then strain the konjac.
  • Add sesame oil into the pot and turn heat to mid.
  • Add the pork and cook through.
  • Add the onion and stir, then add all remaining vegetables and stir well.
  • Add the konjac and stir well.
  • Cook the vegetables for 2-3 mins.
  • Add 1L of water into the pot and bring to the boil.
  • Once boiling, remove any scum.
  • Check the vegetables are soft, if still hard, reduce heat to low.
  • Add the Dashi powder and miso paste. Simmer until the miso paste has melted.
  • Turn off heat and you’re done.

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How to Make Authentic Takoyaki without a special machine

Hello
How are you everyone?

Do you know Takoyaki?
If you visit to Japan, especially the Kansai area and cities such as Osaka, and you might see it.
Takoyaki is golf ball sized balls of batter with octopus, spring onion, red ginger. Shops will often add other ingredients to make their Takoyaki different from the others. You will be surprised find different tastes, textures, or ingredients.

 

This recipe, of course you can use a Takoyaki maker, or Japanese Tamagoyaki non-stick fry pan, but this time I’m using something most people have, a Sandwich press.
Yes, the shape is different but the taste is the same and you don’t have to use or buy a special machine.

What is Takoyaki
It is a dish believed to have originated in Osaka. It is made of flour dough, filled with octopus and condiments, and baked into a spherical shape about 3-5 cm in diameter.

History
Takoyaki was invented by Tomekichi Endo, the founder of Aizuya in Nishinari-ku, Osaka, in 1935.
Takoyaki was made with soy sauce flavoured batter and was not eaten with sauce. It is said that it was not until after the war, when tonkatsu sauce like BBQ sauce were introduced, that sauces were added, around the 1950s. Incidentally, “Aizuya” still sells “Takoyaki”, a lightly seasoned dough that can be picked up without sauce, in keeping with the taste of the original establishment.
Takoyaki is street and soul food in Osaka.

About Ingredients

Takoyaki Flour– You can buy this at Asian or Japanese supermarkets.
Takoyaki flour includes Dashi powder, sugar, salt, wheat etc. Each maker has a different recipe. Mine is 100g of Takoyaki flour, 300ml of water and 1 egg. Just add water and egg, mix, then done. Easy to use and quick.

Takoyaki Sauce– You can buy at Asian or Japanese supermarkets.
I’m using Otafuku Takoyaki sauce, but you can use Tonkatsu sauce, Okonomiyaki sauce, BBQ sauce, Obento Tonkatsu sauce (from Coles), or Bulldog BBQ sauce.

Mayonnaise– I’m using a Japanese one. You can use any one you like.

Red pickled ginger – You can buy at Asian supermarkets
You don’t have to use this but using red ginger makes Takoyaki taste exceptionally different, or you can use sushi ginger pickled.

Konbu Dashi powder– You can buy at Asian supermarkets
You’ll need this product if you are using plain flour to make Takoyaki batter.

Frozen taro– You can buy at Asian supermarkets, or you can buy fresh Taro at vegetable markets. You’ll need this as well if you are using plain flour for making Takoyaki batter. Using taro, your Takoyaki batter will be nice and fluffy.
Octopus– Frozen or Fresh.
You can use squid or prawn if you don’t like octopus or if you can’t get any.

Tenkasu– make tempura batter and drip the batter with chop sticks or a fork into hot oil and deep fry until golden colour. I make a lot them and make small portions. I put them into Ziplock bags and then freeze them. You can use for making Okonomiyaki, toppings for Udon noodle with soup, salad topping etc. If you don’t want to make them, you can use fried onion which is you can buy at supermarkets.

Bonito flakes– this is for topping when finished, but you don’t have to use it if you don’t want to. You can buy them at Asian supermarkets

Takoyaki makers– you can buy on eBay, or at Dick Smith, Kogan, Amazon, or Bunnings if you want to get one.

Tips for making Takoyaki

• When you make Takoyaki batter, put wet ingredients in first and add dry ingredients so your batter doesn’t get rumps.
• Grate taro, I tried putting taro into a blender but didn’t get good results. It didn’t make my batter fluffy.
• When you use Takoyaki flour, each company has different recipes so before making the batter, check your Takoyaki flour.
• Cool down Dashi stock before adding it to the plain flour when making Takoyaki batter.
• When oiling the sandwich press, oil both sides.
• When you put the lid of the sandwich press down, check edge of the batter if it’s firm put it down carefully without any pressure.

When to eat Takoyaki

In japan, sometimes we do Takoyaki parties when a bunch of people gather, cook Takoyaki, drink beer, and have fun. Just like a BBQ here in Australia.

Print

Using sandwich press to make Takoyaki

Authentic tasting Takoyaki without a special machine
Course Appetizer
Cuisine Japanese
Keyword dinner, easy to make, snack, with beer
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 5 minutes
Servings 4 people
Author The Grazing Wombat

Equipment

  • 1 Sandwich press

Ingredients

For Tenkasu

  • 1 cup Tempura flour
  • 1 each Egg
  • 1 cup Water

For using Takoyaki flour

  • 100 g Takoyaki flour
  • 1 each Egg
  • 300 ml Water

For using plain flour

  • 100 g Plain flour
  • 2 g Baking powder
  • 300 ml Water
  • 5 g Konbu dashi powder
  • 100 g Frozen taro
  • 1 each Egg

For Takoyaki

  • 250 g Octopus Or prawn or squid
  • 30 g Spring onion
  • 20 g Red pickled ginger
  • 30 g Tenkasu Or fried onion 25g
  • Takoyaki sauce Or BBQ sauce, bulldog sauce, tonkatsu sauce
  • JP mayonnaise
  • Bonito freke For garnish
  • 1 tbsp Oil

Instructions

Making Tenkasu

  • Add egg and water into a bowl and mix well. Add tempura flour then mix well.
  • Drip the tempura batter into hot oil and deep fry Tenkasu until golden colour. Scoop them out and put them on a tray.

Making Takoyaki batter (using Takoyaki flour)

  • Add egg and water into a bowl and mix well. Then add Takoyaki flour and again mix well.

Making Takoyaki batter (using plain flour)

  • Pour hot water in jug, add Konbu dashi powder, mix well, then let it cool down. This is Dashi stock.
  • Grate Taro with grater.
  • Add baking powder into the 100g of plain flour.
  • Crack an egg into a bowl, add the dashi stock, and mix well.
  • Add the grated taro and mix well.
  • Add the plain flour mix and mix well. This is Takoyaki batter.

Prep for Takoyaki Ingredients

  • Boil water, add octopus and cook until a light pink colour.
  • Strain and rinse the octopus then let it cool down.
  • In the meantime, chop the spring onion and red ginger pickles.
  • Chop the octopus into small pieces.
  • Heat the sandwich press.
  • Wipe oil on both surfaces of the sandwich press using kitchen paper.
  • Pour a little more than half of the Takoyaki batter on the sandwich press.
  • Add the octopus, spring onion, red ginger pickles and Tenkasu or fried onion to the Takoyaki batter.
  • Pour rest of the batter on top of all the ingredients.
  • Check the edges of the mix and if they are firm, put the lid down but don’t press on it.
  • Cook for 2-3mins and raise the lid (if not quite cooked, cook more 1 min at a time).
  • Cut into whatever shapes you like, I cut into 4 this time.
  • Place the Takoyaki on plate and top with Takoyaki sauce, mayonnaise, bonito flakes or whatever you like.
  • Itadakimasu!

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