Tag: Japanese

Japanese Cabbage Rolls

Japanese Cabbage Rolls

Japanese Cabbage Rolls

Cabbage rolls are a popular Japanese dish that has been influenced from Western cuisine. Unlike most westernized cabbage rolls that are simmered in a tomato soup base, Japanese cabbage rolls are simmered in chicken stock and topped with pieces of bacon. They can be filled with pork, beef, or a combination of the two.
To make the filling, the onions need to be lightly sautéed. This will bring out the sweetness in the onions and add more flavor to the filling. The cabbage leaves will need to be boiled for 3 minutes to soften them for rolling. Place a 1/2 cup of the filling in the cabbage leaf and roll in up. Place them seam side down in a saucepan with the chicken stock and bacon. Simmer for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by half. Garnish with chopped parsley.
Prep Time20 minutes
Cook Time40 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: East Asian, Japanese, main course, Pork
Servings: 4
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 8 large cabbage leaves
  • 4 strips bacon chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock
  • salt to taste

Cabbage Roll Filling

  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 1 large onion finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 lbs ground pork
  • 1 large egg
  • 3 tbsp cornstarch
  • 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 tsp nutmeg
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp white pepper

Garnish

  • parsley chopped

Instructions

  • Melt butter in a sauté pan over medium high heat. Sauté the onions for 5 minutes until translucent. Take off the heat and let cool.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Mix together all of the filling ingredients. Let rest in the refrigerator until ready for use.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Bring a pot of water to boil. Boil the cabbage leaves for 3 minutes, just enough to soften them.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Shock the leaves in ice water to stop the cooking process.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • When ready to roll, place a cabbage leaf flat on the surface with the rib side facing towards you. Place a 1/2 cup of the filling across the bottom center of the leaf.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Fold up the bottom of the leaf over the top of the filling. Fold in the sides and roll it up.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Place all of the cabbage rolls in a large saucepan. Top the rolls with chopped bacon. Pour in the chicken stock. Bring the stock to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low.
    Japanese, main course, pork
  • Simmer the cabbage rolls for 40 minutes until the stock has reduced by half.
    Japanese, main course, pork
Japanese, main course, pork
Garnish with chopped parsley.
Marinated Quail Eggs

Marinated Quail Eggs

Marinated Quail Eggs

Marinated quail eggs are a popular bar snack in Japan. They are served to you before you even order food and drinks to show good hospitality to customers. The marinated eggs are really easy to make at home. They only take 5 minutes to cook and a day to marinate.
Prep Time5 minutes
Marinating Time1 day
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: appetizer, East Asian, Eggs, Japanese
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • quail eggs
  • 3 tbsp dashi stock
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake

Instructions

  • Place the quail eggs in a cold pot. Fill with enough water to completely cover the eggs.
    Japanese, appetizer, eggs
  • Bring the pot to boil for 2 minutes.
    Japanese, appetizer, eggs
  • Place a cover on the pot and turn off the heat. Let sit for 3 minutes.
    Japanese, appetizer, eggs
  • Cool the eggs completely in ice water.
    Japanese, appetizer, eggs
  • Peel the eggs.
    Japanese, appetizer, eggs
  • Mix together the marinade ingredients.
  • Place the eggs in a small jar. Pour in the marinade, making sure the eggs are completely submerged. Marinate for 24 hours.
Japanese, appetizer, eggs
Quail eggs go great with beer!
Oden

Oden

Oden

Oden is a Japanese fish cake soup with hard boiled eggs and daikon; all simmered in a dashi/soy sauce broth. Oden is mostly found at Japanese street carts, but can be found at many izakayas. What is great about this soup is that it is a one pot dish that comes together in 30 minutes. The oden is served with togarashi pepper sprinkled on top with a side of hot Japanese mustard to dip the fish cakes in.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: East Asian, fish, Japanese, main course, soup
Servings: 1
Author: Alex Gorgos

Ingredients

  • 3 1/2 cups dashi
  • 2 pieces kombu
  • 12 oz assorted Japanese fish cakes and balls
  • 2 hard boiled eggs
  • 1 cup daikon diced into cubes
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sake
  • togarashi pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Bring a pot of dashi stock with kombu to a boil over medium high heat.
    Japanese, main course, fish, soup
  • Add in the daikon. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer until the daikon is cooked through; about 10 minutes.
    Japanese, main course, fish, soup
  • Rinse the excess oil off the fish cakes.
    Japanese, main course, fish, soup
  • Add in the fish cakes, hard boiled eggs, soy sauce, mirin, and sake.
    Japanese, main course, fish, soup
  • Simmer for 15 minutes.
    Japanese, main course, fish, soup
Japanese, main course, fish, soup
Serve with togarashi pepper and a side of Japanese mustard torpid the fish cakes in.