But we, especially we men, are human – and sometimes, well, lazy.
Especially when we live alone or have a hangover.
So, instant has it’s moments. And, as horrible as instant food is, it can be easily dressed up to taste fresh, simply by tossing in a few fresh ingredients. It’s amazing what a little sauted garlic added to instant anything will do. Throw in whatever fresh veggies you have, and you have a meal – and a not entirely unhealthy one.
Instant ramen, with the above garlic, or just with a sprinkling of sesame oil and pepper. Top it with a couple of leftover greens , onions whatever. Throw in some shredded cold cuts and voila.
Squid would work just as well for this summer dish, a specialty of an Italian izakaya in Tokyo. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
Octopus or squid (200g)
Large orange
Cherry tomatoes (about
Fresh mint (a handful of leaves)
Garlic (one clove, or more to taste)
Olive oil (30ml)
Fresh squeezed lemon juice
Salt
Drop the octopus into boiling water for 10 seconds. Yes, 10 seconds…not minutes! Remove it and chop it into bite-sized pieces. Take 1/2 the orange, peel it, and chop it up with half the mint and the garlic to make a salsa. Cut the tomatoes in half, and mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Add salt and lemon, and finally add the olive oil
The Kouchan blog is one of the best known food blogs in Japan. It started with one young and attractive male chef, and has grown to draw in huge numbers of contributors, mostly female. The recipes are all dishes that people like to make at home, and run the gamut from traditional, to fusion, to just kinds weird.
Maguro (blue or yellow fin tuna) and mizuna (a thin leafy vegetable that tastes like lettuce – you could substitute any light leafy green that can be eaten raw) are simply mixed here with oyster sauce for a very tasty dish.
Ingredients
Serves 4 (That is, four Japanese – so add more if you are hungry)
300 g/12 oz. Diced maguro or tuna, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 Bunch of mizuna or other green
Salt and Pepper (to taste)
1 Tablespoon Potato starch]
Half Tablespoon of Rice wine, or Chinese cooking wine
One Tablespoon of grated fresh ginger
One Tablespoon of sesame oil
Mix the cubes of maguro with sesame oil, salt and finally potato starch. Fry until the color changes and remove from the pan. Then add a little more oil and the ginger – cook until fragrant, and add the wine along with the maguro again. Cook a few minutes more and remove from heat. Finally, toss in the raw mizuna or leafy vegetable.
Amicolla is a Japanese collagen drink, supposed to be good for your skin. This restaurant owner may well be the first to make “dry curry” with it, which is what Japanese call curry fried rice.
The ingredients, minus the Amicolla, are (in order): egg, chopped green onion, rice (cooked), then red bell pepper, cooked bacon or pork, curry powder, vegetables (broccoli or whatever strikes you) and seasoning (to taste).
February 29, 2008
Posted in Japanese Condiments, Soups and Stews, Traditional Japanese Foods 
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