Kozmo Kitchen

Authentic Japanese Home Cooking

Summery Miso Soup with Corn and Okra

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 Summery Miso Soup with Corn and Okra
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Course Soup
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Put a sheet of kombu, the corn cob, and water in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once mixture is boiling, remove the kombu. Cook another five minutes and remove the cob.
  2. Note: bonito flakes are not necessary in this recipe because the corncob makes a rich broth, but for extra flavor, you can add 1/4 cup of bonito flakes with the corncob and strain them out).
  3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the corn kernels and cook for about one minute more.
  4. Add okra and turn off the heat immediately. Add miso paste, stirring well until it is dissolved.
  5. Serve hot in individual bowls, garnished with green onion.
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Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen with Amazu Dare Dressing)

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 Hiyashi Chuka (Cold Ramen with Amazu Dare Dressing)
Hiyashi Chuka, chilled ramen noodles with a variety of shredded vegetables, eggs, meat toppings, and cold tare (vinegar dressing), is a very popular dish that is often made at home. The easiest way to make it is to get a packaged Hiyashi Chuka kit that includes noodles and tare, which you can find it at many Asian grocery stores these days. But it’s so easy to make your own tare, and topping choices are very flexible. You can use any leftover veggies in the fridge, although Kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe), cucumber, and either ham, cha-shu pork, or chicken tenders are seen in most recipes. The most common tare is amazu dare (a soy sauce-based sweet and sour dressing). There is also goma dare, a richer tare that includes sesame paste. I am sharing a simple recipe with amazu dare. You can then add some creative twists to make your own version of Hiyashi Chuka.
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. For amazu dare, combine all ingredients except ginger and lemon juice in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil and cook for 1 minute. Turn off heat, add ginger and lemon juice, and transfer tare to a container. Allow it to cool to room temperature, then chill in fridge. The tare will keep for up to a month in the fridge, so you should have enough to make Hiyashi Chuka several times.
  2. For Kinshi tamago (shredded egg crepe), beat eggs and add a pinch of salt and the potato starch mixture. Mix well. Heat a 9-inch non-stick or greased stainless steel pan over medium heat. Pour one quarter of the egg batter into the pan, spreading the batter evenly to cover the entire bottom of the pan. Cook for about 30 seconds, or until the surface is no longer wet and the edges are starting release from the pan edges. Pick up the edge of the crepe and flip it. Cook for about 10 to 15 seconds, transfer the crepe to a cutting board, and cool to room temperature. Cut the crepe into quarters, stack the pieces into a pile, then slice them thinly. Put aside.
  3. If you are using chicken breast for the meat topping, place chicken in a deep pot and add enough water to cover by one inch, along with ginger root and green onion. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-high, and cook for one minute. Cover pot and turn off the heat. Leave the lid on for about 30 minutes; chicken will continue to cook with residual heat. Cut into chicken to make sure it is no longer pink inside. Tear cooked chicken into shreds. If you are using cha-shu pork or cooked ham, slice into matchstick-sized pieces about 2 inches long. Put aside.
  4. For noodles, boil 7-8 cups of water in a deep pot. Follow the cooking instructions on the package. Cooking time is usually 1-3 minutes. Drain noodles and give them a quick rinse under cold running water.
  5. Divide the cooked noodles into four portions and put each serving in a shallow bowl or on a plate. Garnish with Kinshi tamago, cucumber, meat, and tomatoes, and put a teaspoon of mustard on the edge of the bowl or plate. Pour 4 oz of amazu dare around the noodles and mix tare and mustard if you like as you toss the toppings and noodles together. Enjoy the authentic Hiyashi Chuka experience!
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Salmon Nanban Zuke

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The arrival of Copper River salmon in May gets Seattleites delighted and excited because it means the kickoff of summer in the Northwest, the long-awaited joyous season of sunshine and blue skies for the next three months. Local grocery stores and restaurants start showcasing Cooper River salmon, known for its succulent texture and rich flavor. It’s pricey (although buying a whole fish can save you a lot of money) but definitely worth trying while it’s available (for season updates, see http://www.copperriversalmon.org/press-news). And even if you miss the opportunity to taste Copper River salmon, there is a wide variety of other wonderful kinds of salmon that can inspire you to cook numerous recipes through summer and into fall — from simple grilled fillets or steaks to super-fresh sashimi or sushi.

Now here is a great summery recipe that I love and highly recommend that you add to your salmon repertoire. Nanban Zuke is often made with small fish like Aji (Spanish mackerel), smelt, and sardine, and it works wonderfully with salmon as well. Fried salmon is marinated in sweet vinegar called Nanban zu along with fresh summer vegetables that add bright colors and flavor. You can serve it chilled as a refreshing appetizer on a hot summer evening. I hope there will be many occasions on which you can make Nanban Zuke, the perfect addition to your dinner menus this summer.


Print Recipe
 Salmon Nanban Zuke
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Appetizers
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Passive Time 3 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Make Nanban zu. In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients for the vinegar. Bring to a boil over high heat, and then turn off the In a Dutch oven or deep pot, heat oil over high heat to 325F.
  2. Sprinkle salmon pieces with salt and pepper and let sit for 10 minutes. Wipe off excess water with a paper towel (do not rinse the fish under running water). Place the potato starch in a medium bowl, add the salmon pieces, and toss to coat.
  3. Shake excess potato starch off salmon pieces and put them in the frying oil. Cook for about 2 to 3 minutes and increase the heat to 350F. Cook for another minute or two until the surface looks nice and crisp.
  4. Transfer salmon pieces to a rack, let stand for 30 seconds, and then immediately transfer them to the container of nanban zu.
  5. Place the sliced onion, bell peppers, lemon slices, and red chili flakes on top of the salmon. Cover with a sheet of plastic wrap, pressing lightly onto the surface so that there’s no air under the wrap. Refrigerate for at least three hours or overnight.
  6. Make shiraga negi (onion garnish). Cut the root end off the green onion, cut off the green tops, and then cut the remaining white section into inch-long pieces. To each white section, make a lengthwise cut without cutting all the way through, and remove the core. Lay the outer layers flat and then cut them lengthwise into very thin strips. Soak the cut pieces in ice water for 30 minutes. Drain and pat dry.
  7. Transfer the salmon and vegetables to serving bowls and garnish with shiraga negi.
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Azuki Bean Rice

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 Azuki Bean Rice
Rice is a staple ingredient in Japanese cooking and can be served plain (unseasoned), or cooked and seasoned with other ingredients. Azuki is sometimes cooked with sweet rice to make Sekihan, which is often served on celebratory occasions, but Azuki rice can be your everyday rice choice!
Course Rice
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Course Rice
Cuisine Japanese
Servings
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Rinse the rice well in running water until the water runs clear.
  2. Strain rice and put it into an electric rice cooker or deep heavy pan such as a Dutch oven.
  3. Rinse and strain azuki beans. Cook them in boiling water for a few minutes and discard the water. Add clean water into the pan and cook azuki over low heat for about 1 hour or until the beans get al dente consistency (i.e. the center of the beans can be uncooked). Separate the beans and the cooking water. Save the azuki water.
  4. Combine the azuki water and plain water to make up to the 2 cups line in the rice cooker or add 1.65 cups of water to the Dutch oven. Add salt and azuki beans.
  5. Rice cooker: Cook the rice with azuki as you normally cook white rice.
  6. Dutch Oven: Cook over high heat to bring to boil, then put the lid on, turn down to simmer and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat, with the lid on, let it sit for 15 minutes.
  7. Use a spatula to fluff the rice and toss it well with the other ingredients.
  8. You can sprinkle sesame seeds over rice and enjoy!
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Matsutake Gohan

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Print Recipe
 Matsutake Gohan
It's Matsutake season! You can't let the fall go without trying the mesmerizing aroma of Matsutake! Love living in the Northwest!
Course Rice
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Course Rice
Cuisine Japanese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Servings
people
Ingredients
Instructions
  1. Clean matsutake with damp paper towel if you see any dirt. You can shave off the very bottom of the mushroom if it's too dirty.
  2. Slice matsutake mushroom stems, and tear the stump by hand into small pieces.
  3. Rinse and polish rice and strain it through a collandar. Put it aside (for about 30 minutes)
  4. In a Dutch oven or any deep pot you have, put in the rice and add dashi, soysauce, sake and salt. Add in sliced matsutake. If you have an electric rice cooker. Note: If you have an electric rice cooker just cook the matsutake rice with all the ingredients as you normally cook rice.
  5. Place the pot, turn on the heat over High and wait for the liquid to start boiling. A lid is not required.
  6. Turn the heat down to simmer, put the lid on if you haven't done it yet, then cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat then but do not remove the lid yet.
  7. Wait for 15 minutes. Open the lid and fluff the matsutake rice! Don't pass out with the incredible aroma!
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