Spinach steeped in dashi My friend Sayaka kindly invited me to her home and taught me this quick and easy recipe, perfect for appetizers. Ohitashi means ‘to soak in dashi stock’. Spinach ohitashi is a popular dish but you can make it with onions, asparagus and all sorts of veg. For now, let’s stick…
I’m going to prepare you for Valentine’s Day this year. In Japan the whole day revolves around chocolate. This recipe can be made for friends, co-workers, boyfriends and girlfriends so you’re either making tomochoco (å‹ãƒãƒ§ã‚³), giri choco (義ç†ãƒãƒ§ã‚³) or for your own true love, honmeichoco (本命ãƒãƒ§ã‚³). Whoever it is, this recipe is easy to do…
Back home I was a frequent gig-goer. I enjoyed summer festivals filled with music and moshpits. Since my move to Japan, the meaning of ‘summer festival’ has somewhat changed; cue yukatas and bon dances. But good music travels far, so I occasionally peruse the net hoping for familiar bands to fly to this side of…
Hyogo AJET Book Club (3) Happy New Year Hyogo! It’s time to stop kidding yourselves and write off those generic, unattainable New Year’s resolutions now. You might join the gym this January, but are you going to GO? Here are some realistic resolutions to consider: socialise with more Hyogo Jets, venture to our…
This year Chinese New Year just about makes it onto January’s calendar, sitting firmly on the 31st. To celebrate the famous zodiac race, you could immerse yourself in all things sweet and sour, salt and peppered or egged and fried but why not try something a little more authentic? This month’s recipe has been stolen…
Living in Hyogo you can’t get away from the big, fat, drunken cow in the room: Kobe beef. Locals boast about its Hyogo roots; and many travel far to taste the real deal. Of course it comes with a hefty price tag, so it’s almost essential you pick the right spot among the bright mooing…
Simple Chicken Nabe for One. As the “samui†grunts enter the staffroom you know what’s coming: winter. My solution to tackle this season is nabe, lots of nabe. Nabe is a soupy hot pot recipe literally full of meat and veggies ready to cure your winter blues (or flu?). It can be enjoyed party…
Last month we kick started our first book club with reading fanatics from all over Hyogo (thanks for coming guys!). There were heated opinions, casual conversations and a spontaneous game of charades. For an unbiased review here’s Amy Kelly from Akashi: An afternoon of high-brow literary analysis with a side of book-title charades. Last month,…
I don’t think this can technically be classed as Japanese food but this heart attack handful is a trendy alternative to the American hamburger. Ingredients Instant ramen (not a Cup Noodle – the packet kind!) 1 egg 100g minced meat (pork or beef) A pinch of chopped spring onions 1 tsp soy sauce Vegetable…