Keep Calm and Carry On: The Diary of Foodie and Gourmet

Keeping with my new Japanese food challenge, this past Sunday, since I had free time, I attempted a couple of dishes. It took forever to make, but it was well worth the wait! 1) My version of Nikujaga (肉じゃが) with thin shabu shabu beef, potatoes, carrots, shirataki, lotus root, daikon, enoki mushrooms, edamame, and burdock ( Recipe ) 2) Steamed Kabocha with maple syrup and cinnamon (Recipe ) 3) Red Miso Soup with nameko mushrooms and tofu ( Recipe ) Looking forward to continuing my Japanese food cooking challenge!

For me, the big challenge this weekend was cooking my version of " Nikujaga " (肉じゃが). To quote Wikipedia: "Nikujaga is a Japanese dish of meat, potatoes, and onion stewed in sweetened soy sauce, sometimes with konnyaku and vegetables. Generally, potatoes make up the bulk of the dish, with meat mostly serving as a source of flavor. It is usually boiled until most of the liquid has been reduced. Thinly sliced beef is the most common meat used…Nikujaga is a common home-cooked winter dish." I quite like Nikujaga and Sukiyaki, so I wanted to do something in that vein. It was a challenge, and there is definitely room for improvement, but overall, I quite enjoyed my version of Nikujaga.  Now, my version is a little bit different from the original recipe because I used a lot more vegetables, to make it healthier. Yes, that may have worked against me, but I actually quite liked it that way! This is a great family dinner and it is very hearty --- HOWEVER, it takes fr...

When most people hear the word "pumpkin", images of Jack-O-Lanterns tend to get conjured. I on the other hand, think of my mother's cinnamon and maple syrup kabocha. My mom has been making this side dish for as long as I can remember. It's a family favorite and I tend to devour it when I see it. This side dish is not only incredibly fast, delicious, and easy to make… but it's also quite healthy! Kabocha is rich with an assortment of vitamins including: beta carotene, iron, vitamin C, potassium, calcium, folic acid, and some vitamin B. It is also a beautiful color and so so yummy!  You may be raising for eyebrows at the combo of kabocha, cinnamon, and maple syrup, but trust me, IT'S WONDERFUL. It's like eating butternut squash or pumpkin pie!  So here it is, my mother's steamed cinnamon and maple syrup kabocha. I hope that you all enjoy it as much as I do! Ingredients: - Japanese pumpkin - a pinch of cinnamon - drizzle of maple s...

Today, I made something that I surprisingly have never ever made before: miso soup. Everyone knows miso soup…it's practically synonymous with Japanese cuisine. Of course, I grew up eating miso soup and my mother always makes it from scratch --- so delicious! When mom isn't around, I always made instant miso soup, but today, I challenged myself and made miso soup from scratch. One thing I quickly learned is that making miso soup is not hard at all. I'm not quite sure why I felt so intimidated or never attempted this sooner. Tonight, I was determined to give it a go.  Rather than make the miso soup you get at Japanese restaurants, white miso with tofu and seaweed, I went for my personal favorite: red miso soup with tofu and nameko mushrooms. There are different types of miso , for example red and white. White miso tends to have a lighter taste, whereas red miso is much bolder.  I am picky about mushrooms, but I love nameko mushrooms . They are really cute, tiny,...

This week, I made a monumental discovery --- a Japanese grocery store has opened at the end of my block! Literally, all I need to do is walk a mere two minutes from my apartment building and the grocery store is right there! This is amazing! I love Japanese food, but I don't usually cook it. There are several reasons for this, which I will share with you all.  Reason 1 : It's hard. Japanese flavors are complicated and frankly, Japanese cooking takes a really long time! Reason 2 : The Japanese grocery stores are kind of far away --- the closest is a 20 minute walk. Sure, that's not too far, but when you are carrying a lot of groceries, 20 minutes can feel like an eternity. Reason 3 : Following reason #2, Japanese ingredients are rather expensive. With all that on the table, you may be wondering, "why are you cooking Japanese now?" Well, with the Japanese grocery store around the corner, I have no excuse. This place has everything I could possibly w...