Japanese recipe: Kinako mochi (Soybean flour rice cake)

My favorite way to eat rice cakes is with kinako(soybean flour).
As I get older, I started craving traditional Japanese sweets like Kinako mochi a lot more than before.

Whenever I go back to Japan, I get excited to find new Kinako sweets too. It is amazing that Japanese people come up with tasty sweets using Kinako with non-traditional Japanese food such as cakes, chocolates, jam, breads, ice cream.....

By the way, If you have a chance to visit Japanese supermarkets, I recommend buying Kinako mochi chocolates from tirol. You will love it if you like soybean flour.

Japanese recipe: Kinako mochi


*1 serving


+Ingredients+

• 2 rice cakes
• 2 table spoons Soybean flour
• 2 tea spoons Sugar(add more if you would like)
• 1 pinch salt

+Directions+

1. Place the rice cakes on a pan, put the lid and cook with medium heat for about 5mins
2. Flip the rice cakes and continue to cook for about 5mins until the rice cakes rise and get soft inside.
3. Dip the rice cakes in hot water for about 30mins.
4. Combine soybean flour, sugar, and salt.
5. Coat the rice cakes(step 3) with soybean flour mix(step4) and serve.

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Japanese recipe: Fluffy green onion pancakes(Negiyaki)

With my leftover simmered konjac with sweet miso sauce, I cooked green onion pancakes.

The process of making green onion pancakes is somewhat similar to okonomiyaki. You will be amazed how sweet the cooked the green onions are and also be very satisfied the amount of vegetables(green onions) you eat with this recipe.


The sweet miso konjac gives a good accent to this pancakes too. Also, the vinegar base sauce is very refreshing with a hint of spiciness. Of cause, you can enjoy this pancakes with Okonomiyaki sauce, a little bit of mayo, and bonito flakes on top!

Japanese recipe: Green onion pancakes(Negiyaki)


*1-2 servings

+Ingredients+

• 1 heaped cup chopped green onions(85g)
• 4 table spoons flour
• 100ml water
• 1 large egg
• 1 tea spoon sesami oil
• 2 oz simmered konjac(←see recipe）(50g)
• salt and pepper

+Sauce ingredients+

• 1 table spoon soy sauce
• 1 table spoon vinegar
• 1 tea spoon sesami oil
• 1/4 tea spoon sugar
• 1/4 tea spoon chili garlic sauce
• sesami

+Directions+

1. Chop green onions. Cut konjac(already 1 bitesizes)into half.
2. In a bowl, combine flour,water, egg, salt and pepper then fold green onions.
3. Combine all the sauce ingredients.
4. Heat the pan to medium, add sesami oil and spread batter(step2). If green onions concentrate in the center, spread over the surface.
5. Cook each side with medium heat for about 2mins until brown.
6. Reduce the heat to low, put the lid and cook for about 5mins. Serve with the sauce(step3).

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Japanese recipe:Simmered konjac with sweet miso sauce

I love everything about Konjac(konnyaku) .

First of all,  the taste. Konjac can change the taste by how you cook. One of  the common dishes that konjac is necessary is Oden. I love the taste of Konjac soaked in oden broth.

Secondary, the texture. The texture of konjac is like very firm Jelly. It's just fun to chew. Konjac jelly, for example, has a great texture and I always feel something is missing when I eat normal jelly. 

Finally, the nutrition factor. Konjac contains lots of fiber and is extremely low in calorie. Since it's filling but yet healthy, Konjac is popular for diet food too.

I would like to introduce this Konjac dish today.

Simmered Konjac with sweet miso sauce

I cooked Konjac with miso and sweet rice wine.

The nutty miso sauce goes well with Konjac very well.

Japanese recipe: 

Simmered konjac with sweet miso sauce

+Ingredients+

*2 servings

• 10oz Konjac
• 2 tables spoons Awase miso(dashi blend)
• 1 table spoon Soy sauce
• 2 table spoons Sweet rice wine
• 2 table spoons Japanese sake
• 2 tea spoons Red miso
• 1/2 tea spoon Sugar
• 1/2 cup Water
• 1 dry red pepper(whole)
• 1 tea spoon sesami oil
• Chopped green onions 

+Directions+

1. Boil konjac in a pot for couple of mins.
2. Tea konjac with hands into 1 bite sizes
3. In a pot, drizzle sesami oil and cook konjac for couple of mins with medium heat.
4. Add Awase miso, soy sauce, sweet rice wine, Japanese sake, dry red pepper(whole) and bring it to boil.
5. Once it boils, put the lid and cook for about 20 mins with low heat.
6. Open the lid and add red miso and sugar and cook until the sauce thickens for about 10 mins with medium heat.
7. Garnish with chopped green onions and serve. 

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Japanese fusion recipe: Fried Shrimp with homemade bread crumbs

Homemade bread crumbs is another way to use up leftover stale bread.

To make bread crumbs, use a food processor to grind bread or just crush bread with your hands. If the bread is too moist, you can microwave or heat in a oven to dry.

This is fried shrimp I cooked on the other day with my own bread crumbs. Since I wanted a light breading for the shrimp this time, I ground the bread well and microwaved for couple of mins.


This fried shrimp is crispy but yet very light. You can enjoy the taste of shrimp well with this breading.

Japanese fusion recipe: Fried shrimp
*2 servings


+Ingredients+

• 8 Large shrimp
• 2oz Milk(60ml)
• 1/2 egg
• Bread crumbs
• Flour
• Salt and pepper
• 2 table spoons Ketchup*
• 1 tea spoon Horseradish*

+Directions+

1. Remove shells and veins from the shrimp and season with salt.　
2. Make 5 small, evenly-spaced cuts on the top and bottom of the shrimp so that they will lay flat.
3. In a bowl, combine milk and egg.
4. Coat the shrimp with flour, milk and egg liquid(2.), and then bread crumbs.
5. Wrap the shrimp with plastic wrap and let them sit for about 15mins.
6. Deep fry the shrimp until golden brown for couple of mins.
7. Serve the shrimp with ketchup and horseradish.

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Japanese recipe：Green pepper salad

I don't know if I can call this a recipe, however, this green pepper salad is very refreshing and tasty.

All you do is cut the green pepper into thin strings and season with shio-konbu.

Shio-konbu is seasoned kelp that is shredded, and ready to eat.
It's great with rice, onigiri, salad, pickles, stir-fry dishes.... and there are many more uses.

If you have a chance to go to a Japanese supermarket, grab one and enjoy cooking using shio-konbu.←Look for this package. The green package is a low-sodium one and red and blue are normal regular ones(just different sizes).

Japanese recipe: 
Green pepper salad


+Ingredients+

• 1 big green pepper or 3 Japanese green peppers (150g)
• 4 tablespoons shio-konbu(seasoned kelp)(20g)

+Directions+

1. Cut green pepper into thing strings and soak them into cold water for 5mins.
2. Drain water and remove excess water from green pepper.
3. Combine green pepper and shio-konbu and mix well. Let it sit for about 10mins.

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Use up your leftover bread: Garlic rusk

I always end up having lots of leftover bread in a freezer.
Since I don't want to waste them, I am constantly thinking how to use them up.

Yesterday, I made garlic rusk. It's great for appetizer with your favorite dip or just for snacks.
I used leftover ciabatta bread this time(It's dense and makes harder rusk), but you can use other bread too such as french bread, rolls, or sourdough bread.

Garlic rusk


+Ingredients+

• 7oz Ciabatta bread (200g)
• 1 table spoon Butter
• Garlic salt

+Directions+

1. Heat the oven to 300 degree(160°C).
2. Cut the bread into thin slices(about 1/2 inch).
3. Bake sliced bread in an oven for 15mins.
4. Take the bread out and spread butter to each bread. Sprinkle garlic salt over the bread.
5. Put the bread back in an oven and cook for another 15mins.

Tofu Recipe App for free↓

Japanese recipe: Grilled Herb and soy sauce chicken

Add a twist to your ordinary grilled chicken and enjoy a different taste!
It's very easy to make and you don't need any other special Asian sauces but soy sauce to cook this dish.

Japanese recipe:
Grilled herb and soy sauce chicken


*2 servings


+Ingredients+

• 1 lb(2thighs) boneless skinless chicken (450g)
• 2 table spoons Soy sauce
• 2 table spoons White wine
• 1/2 table spoon brown sugar
• 1/4 tea spoon herb mix
• 1 clove Garlic (sliced)
• Salt and pepper
• 1 table spoon vegetable oil

+Directions+

1. Season the chicken with salt and pepper lightly and rub the herb mix.
2. Combine soy sauce, white wine, brown sugar, sliced garlic in a bowl and marinate the chicken from 1. for about 20mins.
3. Take the chicken out and pat the chicken with paper towels. *It's easy to burn the chicken without this process. Discard the marinated sauce.
4. Heat the pan, add oil, and grill the chicken with high heat for couple of mins each side.(untill brown)
5. Reduce the heat to low, put the lid and cook for another 15min or until it cooks through.

Tofu Recipe App for free↓