Despite my best efforts at cooking Japanese food, it never seems to come out as good as what my Japanese wife makes. She just has that special sense of what is needed to make something taste authentically Japanese.
Last week, she made a batch of Okonomiyaki here at home. She didn’t precisely measure anything, but it turned out as delicious as it always does.
If you want to know ​how to make Okonomiyaki, this post ​explains how. By the way, I loved seeing the pictures that were sent to me by those who tried it.
Japan vs. Oregon: Shopping for and preparing Japanese food
Whenever we are living in Japan, it is so much easier and more convenient.
One of the main reasons is that the sauces and seasonings come prepared and ready to use in the markets. One of those main ingredients is “dashi,” a fish-based stock or broth. When we are in Oregon, my wife has often made dashi from scratch by boiling a type of seaweed and dried fish flakes. The broth she makes is even better than some that I’ve tried already prepped in the Japanese markets.
Rice is also different. Restaurants and markets in Oregon serve Japanese rice that lacks the texture and consistency we find in Japan. We became friends with one rice farmer when we lived in California. Their farm is called Koda Farms. The rice they grow is the closest we’ve found to authentic Japanese rice.
Another significant difference is the freshness of the seafood. I don’t think I’ve ever seen day-old fish in Japanese supermarkets. When we want fresh sashimi in Oregon, we usually buy it from the fishing boats in Newport and cut it up ourselves.
Finally, tofu is just different. While Kyoto and Koya San are known for having some of the best tofu in Japan, tofu that you buy in normal markets in Japan is also very delicious. We love tofu, but are often disappointed with the tofu we find in the Oregon markets.
Cooking at Home
What are some easy Japanese recipes you could try at home?
Grilled fish marinated with miso
Zarusoba Noodles
The secret is having the right sauce for dipping. The dipping sauce is called soba tsuyu and is basically a mix of soy sauce and mirin. Adding green onions, grated radish, and wasabi goes well with soba noodles.
Oyako Donburi
This is a mix of chicken and egg served over rice. The secret ingredient is the dashi used when cooking the chicken and eggs. Tofu could be used as a sub for chicken. My wife cooks the chicken and egg mixture in a separate pan before putting in on top of a bowl of rice, then adds seaweed strips for added flavor and a decorative touch.
Japanese Curry Rice
This is a favorite that is hard to mess up. Other than the standard ingredients of meat, potatoes, onions, carrots, and curry, I’ve seen my wife add various other ingredients like chocolate, ground coffee, grated apples, and BBQ sauce to enrich the taste. I don’t know where she gets her ideas from. 😜
Grilled Eggplant
The secret sauce for this dish is the “Yakiniku no tare,” a sauce mostly used for grilled meats. My wife topped the grilled eggplant with seasoned “konbu” seaweed and ground sesame.
Japanese Dessert Mizu Yo-kan
This cool dessert is super simple if you have smooth red bean paste, some gelatin, and water. Although this mizu yokan was served to us in a restaurant, I’ve seen my wife make this at home several times. It’s not difficult to make this light and cool dessert.
Tempura
If you are more experienced than me, you could try making tempura shrimp and vegetables. Not that difficult, but above my skill level.
My Japanese Recipe Website Recommendation
You can learn how to make the Japanese dishes above and so many more at ​Just One Cookbook​. Nami Chen is a Japanese woman from Yokohama, Japan who now lives in San Francisco. She and her husband have built an amazing online recipe book with helpful videos and instructions.
What I like about Nami’s site is that it’s in English. She has easy recipes as well as more difficult options. She also has dessert recipes. I’m sure you’ll find it helpful.
Would you send me a few photos and your comments after you have made a Japanese dish? would love to hear how it turns out!Â