Matcha Pudding (抹茶プリン) is soft custard pudding flavored with Matcha powder. Pudding is not very Japanese, but just by adding Matcha flavor, it becomes a great ending for a Japanese meal.
Sushi Cake (寿司ケーキ) is not typical Japanese food you find at Japanese restaurants at all. Before anything, it is not a dessert. Sushi Cake is Sushi Rice molded and decorated with fish and vegetables so it looks like a cake. It is very colorful and festive, and a great dish for a celebration of some sort. It looks a little complicated, but it is quite easy to make it at home. Actually, it’s much easier than Sushi rolls. Besides, you may not even be able to find it at any shops or restaurants, so you may have to make it if you would like to try this dish.
Tatsutaage is like Karaage, seasoned and deep-fried meat or fish. Just like our Saba Tatsutaage, chicken pieces are marinated in soy sauce, rolled in Katakuriko (potato starch) instead of wheat flour, and deep-fried. Tatsutaage may be a little lighter and crispier than Karaage.
Kabocha Soboroni is a variation of Kabocha no Nimono, cooked pumpkin in seasoned broth. Soboro is ground meat (using chicken in this recipe) cooked with seasonings such as Soy Sauce and sugar. You stir the meat as you cook it, breaking it up to form small pieces or pebbles, giving Soboro its typical appearance and texture.
Cucumber with Sesame Seeds is such a simple salad but a great small side dish. It takes literally no time to make it. The only tip here is to pound cucumbers with a pestle or a rolling pin to break them apart instead of cutting with a knife. Having a rough surface on the cucumbers makes seasonings adhere well.
Tsukune are Japanese chicken meat balls with a kind of Teriyaki sauce and are popular at Yakitori restaurants. Often times, small Tsukune meat balls are skewered on bamboo sticks and grilled on the coal barbecue grill, but they don’t have to be. Here they are shaped like small hamburger steaks and cooked in a frying pan. Tsukune is a great appetizer as well as a main dish for everyday dinners.
Shishito are Japanese green colored peppers similar to hot green chili peppers. Shishito are in season in summer, and are a taste of summer in Japan. The bitter and fragrant taste is a great companion to meat dishes.
Teppanyaki is grilled meat and vegetables prepared on a flat Teppanyaki iron grill. The meat used in this dish is usually beef although not exclusively, and it is similar to or sometimes interchangeable with Yakiniku, grilled beef often cooked on a slotted grill. Most often Teppanyaki is eaten with a garlicky spicy dipping sauce or simple salt. Teppanyaki can be enjoyed as a regular dinner for a family but it’s also great as a party food for bigger crowds.
Fruit Sandwich is literally a sandwich with an assortment of fruits. Thinly sliced Japanese soft white bread goes very well with the filling of fresh fruit and whipped cream. This is not an everyday Japanese food, but people like to eat it from time to time.
Shokupan (Shoku Pan, Japanese Milk Bread, 食パン) is a Japanese square loaf bread that is often eaten as toast or used for sandwiches. Although rice is the biggest staple food in Japan, Shokupan bread today may be the most popular breakfast item. Shokupan is very soft and tender and delicious, and you will love it if you like Japanese bread. This basic white bread is so versatile it can be used it in many recipes, both savory and sweet.