Fruit Daifuku is a Japanes Mochi dessert, Fruit, like strawberry, is wrapped in Anko sweet bean paste, then in Mochi rice cake. Fruit Daifuku is not a very traditional sweet, but it’s been around for a few decades now, and it is one of the most popular items at Wagashi Japanese sweet shops.
Shiro An is sweet white bean paste, and it is a crucial ingredient for Japanese traditional confectioneries, just like Anko sweet red bean paste. Shiro An is made from white kidney beans and sugar. It’s used in a lot of different forms of desserts in Japan, from fresh Mochi desserts such as Fruit Daifuku to baked Manju so it is a great recipe to know if you like making Japanese sweets.
Spam Musubi is a Rice Ball with grilled Spam on top. The whole thing is wrapped with a strip of Nori seaweed. It is a popular Hawaiian dish but also found in some regions of Japan.
In addition to Onigiri, Musubi or Omusubi is another word for rice ball in Japanese. Spam meat was a combat ration for soldiers in the American military during World War II. After Japanese-American soldiers came back to Hawaii after the war, Spam turned into a popular local food when they brought the canned meat with them. Areas in Japan that have a big American military presence, especially Okinawa, also have a lot of food from the American military after the war, and Spam dishes became popular for restaurant and home food.
Noritama Furikake is a rice seasoning made with egg and Nori roasted seaweed. It is a very popular kind of Furikake, and used often over Steamed Rice in Bento boxes or Onigiri rice balls. Sweet flavored egg granules and salty Katsuo bonito flakes give a lot of flavor to simple white rice.
Summer Vegetable Somen is cold Somen noodles with summer vegetables like okra and tomato. The sauce is also cold, simple Mentsuyu poured over the noodles. This easy to make cold noodle dish is perfect on hot summer days. Even when you don’t have much appetite on a hot day, this will cool you down and give you good nutrients and energy.
Shiitake Kombu Tsukudani is rehydrated dried Shiitake mushrooms and Kombu seaweed that are cooked and seasoned mainly with sugar and Soy Sauce. It is a great accompaniment for plain Steamed Rice for its strong sweet and salty flavor. You can use it to top a bowl of plain Steamed Rice or with Ochazuke, rice and tea.
Onigirazu is free form Onigiri, steamed rice and filling is merely wrapped with large sheet of Nori roasted seaweed. While Onigiri is shaped and formed by hands, there is no need to do that step for Onigirazu. It is very easy and quick to make it without a mess.
Beef Shigureni is a great side dish you can make ahead. This strongly seasoned beef can be kept in the fridge up to a week. Perfect for lunch and busy weekday dinners when you want one more thing.
Kinpira Carrot is braised carrot in a sweet and salty sauce. Kinpira usually means Kinpira Gobo which is braised burdock root and carrot seasoned with Soy Sauce and sugar, but here we made it even more simplified with just carrot.
This is another mom’s home cooking kind of dish rather than restaurant food. Because there are only a few steps to cook with a few ingredients, it can be made at a moment’s notice. It’s also a helpful recipe if you don’t have or can’t find Gobo – or don’t like it!