Japanese

Smoked salmon and furikake onigiri

Chopped smoked salmon, black fungus, furikake and toasted sesame seeds were mixed with Japanese rice to make onigiri. Eat one for a snack; more for a full meal. Smoked salmon and furikake onigiri makes a lovely party dish too!

Cook time: 20

Servings: 16 small onigiri

Bacon and wakame onigiri

Cook Japanese rice the usual way, season a la sushi rice, stir in chopped rehydrated wakame, crispy bacon and toasted sesame seeds, season with a little salt then press into an onigiri molder.

Cook time: 20

Servings: 4 people

Ebi (shrimp) tempura

Succulent shrimps coated in a thin batter, and fried until lightly crisp, are served with a sweet-salty dipping sauce.

Cook time: 10

Servings: 4 people

Japanese braised pork belly (buta no kakuni)

Chunks of pork belly are browned then braised in soy sauce, mirin, dashi, ginger and sugar until the fat literally melts in the mouth.

Cook time: 1 10

Servings: 3 people

Chicken katsu

Comfort food for the Japanese and comfort food for my family even though we are not Japanese. Why? Because what’s not to love about pounded chicken thigh fillets coated in panko, fried until golden and crisp, and served with a sweet-salty sauce?

Cook time: 10

Servings: 4 people