Kinpira Gobo (Pan fried burdock root and carrot)

Ingredients (Serve 4 people) :

• 1/2 lb gobo (burdock root):  peeled and cut into 2 inch long and thin strips
• 1/4 lb carrot: peeled and cut into 2 inch long and thin strips
• 1 1/2 Tbsp mirin
• 1 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 Tbsp sake
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 2 tsps vegetable oil
• 2 Dried red chili peppers (option)

Direction :

1. Soak the gobo strips in cold water for a few minutes to eliminate bitterness and drain well.
2. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan, and fry gobo for a couple minutes.
3. Add carrot strips in the pan and stir-fry.
4. Add sake, mirin, and sugar and stir-fry until the liquid is gone.
5. Season with soy sauce and stir-fry well.
6. Turn off the heat. Sprinkle sesame seeds.

*If you like spicy, fry sliced dry red chili pepper before adding gobo in the pan.

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Teriyaki Chicken

Ingredients (Serve 2 people) :

3/4 lb chicken thighs with skin*

2 Tbsp sake

4 Tbsp soy sauce

4 Tbsp mirin (Japanese Sweet sake)

2 Tbsp sugar

Directions:

1. Poke chicken from skin side with a fork.
2. Mix soy sauce, sake, milin, and sugar in a bowl and marinate the chicken in it for 15 minutes.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan.
4. Fry the skin side of the chicken on medium heat until the skin is browned.
5. Turn the chicken over to fry the other side on low heat.
6. Pour the sauce (used for marinate chicken at direction2) over the chicken in the pan.
7. Cover the pan and cook the chicken on low heat until dchicken is fully cooked.
8. Remove the lid and simmer until the sauce becomes thick. 
9.  Slice the chicken and serve on a plate. Pour thickened sauce over the teriyaki chicken.

*We useally use chicken thighs with skin for Teriyaki chicken in Japan, however, if you prefer helthy dish, use chicken breasts without skin.

 

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Hamburger Steak Japanese Style

Ingredients (Serve 4 people) :

Burger:

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 medium onion (chopped)
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup panko
• nutmeg
• salt
• black pepper

Sauce:

• 1/2 cup Tonkatsu sauce
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• pepper

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a frying pan then cook chopped onion over medium heat until onion become soft and slightly brown.
2. In a large bowl, put ground beef, onion, and egg, then knead with your hands.
3. Add panko, nutmeg, salt and pepper, and knead
4. Roll out 4 large patties
5. Make a dent in the center of each.
6. Heat the frying pan, place the patties, and cook for 3 minutes over medium heat
7. Flip patties, cover and cook for five minutes over low heat
8. Flip again, and cook for an additional 5 minutes
9. Remove burgers from the pan, add tonkatsu sauce, ketchup, and pepper. Cook for 30 seconds, then pour on top of burgers

* Instead to this sauce, you can use steak sauce, ketchup, or ponzu as you like.
* If you like cheese, put sliced cheese on top after direction 8 and heat until melt .

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Tonkatsu (Japanese style pork cutlet)

Ingredients (Serve 4 people) :

-2 egg beaten

-all-purpose flour for dredging

-8 thin cut boneless pork chops

-1 1/2 cup panko crumbs (Japanese breadcrumbs)*

-oil for deep frying

-Tonkatsu sauce* for serving (Worcestershire sauce can be substituted)

-1/4 head of cabbage shredded on a mandoline

-8 mini tomato

* Available at most Asian food grocery store

Directions:

1. Dreadge pork chops with all-purpose flour. Make sure to get an even coat on both sides.
2. Get two shallow bowls and beat an egg in one, and add the panko to the other.
3. Coat flour dreadged pork in beaten egg, then transfer to the bowl with the panko. Coat panko evenly on both side of pork, then press softly.
4. Leave prepared pork for 10 minutes.
5. Add 3/4″ of oil into a heavy bottomed pot and heat over medium heat.
6. When the oil is reached to 340 degrees F, place pork chops into the pan, and fry for about 5 minutes on each side, until cutlet become golden brown.
7. Cut cutlet, then serve with shredded cabbage, mini tomato and Tonkatsu sauce.

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