rice in squid ( obento )

First of all , I'm so sorry for not updating always ! Had lots to do lately .

This is another of my obento masterpieces ...hahahah ! I had this idea from a popular obento that is sold on the train stations. This is my own version .

You will need ....

* 1 big squid
* 1 cup of cooked rice
* oyster sauce ( 2 tbsp.)
* onion ( half , diced )
* salt and pepper
* butter
* olive oil ( regular cooking oil is ok too )

Here's how....

1. Wash the squid thoroughly, remove the innards . set aside the the arms ...( don't know what its called, sorry )

2. Pat dry, set aside. Slice the feet or arms into very small pieces.

3. In a skillet, heat a small amount of oil. Saute the onions and the squid. When cooked, add the rice.

4. Pour the oyster sauce. Salt and pepper to taste . Set aside to cool.

5. Squeeze the fried rice inside the squid. Don't overfill . Close the opening with a toothpick.

6. In a clean skillet , put enough butter and cook the squid. Turn the squid so all sides will be evenly cooked. Drizzle salt and pepper.

7. Slice and serve .

omorice

Actually its omelette and rice , hihihi! Japanese people find ways to make english words shorter.

This is another very easy dish and I assure the moms that kids will love this . So if you have kids ,try this.

Ingredients:

left-over rice ( 1 cup per person )
eggs ( I used 2 for one person, you can use more but not less )
milk ( a bit )
chicken ( sliced in to small pieces )
onions ( 1/2 , diced )
cooking oil
ketchup
salt and pepper

Here's how ..

Chicken rice ( thats how they call it there )

1. Put a small amount of oil on skillet, add onions and stir until onions becomes transparent.
2. Add the chicken, cook.
3. Now add ketsup ( tomato or banana ketchup is ok ), about 5 tbsp. Stir.
4. Add in the rice , and stir until the ketchup covers all the rice . Season with salt and pepper.
5. Put in platter, set aside.

omelette
Now I know I dont have to tell you how, everybody can make it. But here's a few tips.

1. Add milk to the eggs when you beat it. This will not only add flavor but will also make your omelettes fluffier. Some use fresh cream so if you have then use it.

2. Make sure the skillet if very hot before you pour in the eggs.

3. Be very quick in cooking the omelette, do not over cook.

4. Pour your omelette on the chicken rice, drizzle ketchup and your done.

enjoy cooking everyone!

salmon meuniere

Easy dinner for me and hubby . Potato salad , fresh tomatoes and radish sprouts with blanched broccoli together witht he main dish in just one plate. Isn't that nice. A bowl of rice on the side and a cup of hot soup. No tons of dishes to wash this time .

Here's how I made the meuniere .

You will need .

fresh sliced salmon , washed and patted dry .
flour
a mixture of your favorite herbs , chopped
butter
salt and pepper

here's how :

1. Sprinke the fish with the herbs , salt and pepper to taste.
2. Dredge it with flour.
3. Saute' in butter.

note: if you dont have herbs, salt and pepper only is also equally delicious !
Very easy to prepare , huh. This is also a favorite " obento " of my hubby.

kimuchi nabe

People here have many ways to keep them warm or else who can survive the long and cold harsh winters ? One of those ways are the many delicious " nabe mono ", or hotpot recipes that are served on the family table and restaurants during the winter. My favorite and one of the 2 that I can make is the dish above.....kimuchi nabe. Maybe you already know it, kimuchi is a hot korean food. Very easy and healthy too....

Ingredients:

kimuchi paste or sauce ( can be bought at asian grocers )

kimuchi ( chinese cabbage and other vegetables fermented in the kimuchi paste also sold at any local asian grocer )

chinese cabbage ( bite pieces )
tofu ( I used the firm kind this time )
leeks ( sliced diagonally , bite pieces )
pork meat ( thin slices )
nira ( another kind of leek that has a stronger smell )
japanese radish ( actually most dont use this but ...I love them so ..)

how to:

1. In a large hotpot ( earthen ware is best ), put the kimuchi paste and enough water.
2. Now put the meat and simmer . Now I boiled the daikon that I cut into bite pieceｓ
　　beforehand until they are soft then I added it to the meat mixture and let it boil again.
3. Put the kimuchi vegetable first then, Arrange the fresh vegetables and tofu around the meat and cover the pot, simmer until cooked.

Serve with hot rice....careful you dont burn your tonque !

pork and vegetable salad

A popular dish on my table during the hot and humid summer days. Very easy to make and healthy too. Here's how ....

* prepare a bowl of water and put plenty of ice cubes to it. set aside.
* boil enough water , add a pinch of salt.
* put the thinly sliced pork on the boiling water and as soon as the meat changes color,
take it out.
* put the meat on the very cold water , leave for about a minute .
* prepare your favorite salad vegetables , I used lettuce , cucumber , tomatoes and " kaiware"
or white radish sprouts. Of course you can use any . Arrange it on a platter.
* pat dry the now cold meat and put it on top of the vegetables.


For dressing...

There are special dressings for this recipe ...soy sauce based or sesame paste based that you can find at your local japanese grocer.

Or else why dont you experiment ...try adding soy sauce to your italian dressing.

from moms garden

My in-laws have a big vegetable garden. They even have a ricefield. And so me and hubby dont buy rice anymore , lucky no?! And during summer , I dont have to purchase some vegetables. Like this recipe , I only bought the chicken.

The eggplants , tomatoes and onions are from my dear mom. We also receive loads of potatoes and carrots and some other vegetables. Sometimes its even difficult for me and hubby to eat them all. If only my sister lives near me, I could share with her.

This is an easy dish , definitely not japanese. Italian maybe ??
If you wanna try here is the recipe.

Ingredients :

eggplants ( slice into bite pieces )
tomatoes ( big slices)
chicken ( small bite pieces )
onions ( sliced )
olive oil
salt
pepper
soy sauce
basil

how to :

* In a skillet, pour enough of the oil and saute chicken until a little brown.
* Add the onions , saute until onions are slightly cooked.
* Now add the eggplants , stir well. Pour a little bit of water , cover the pan and simmer for a few minutes until eggplants are soft.
* Lastly add the tomatoes , season with salt and pepper to taste. And drizzle a small amount of the soy sauce. Sprinkle with dried basil and serve .


Note : You can use garlic too, I just skipped it coz my hubby dont like garlic much!

soboro bento

I always make obento for hubby. His friends and co-workers teased him that " it will just be for a couple of years, and your wife will no longer make your lunch or else she will pack those frozen, ready to eat food. " Well, we've been married for 4 years but I still make obento for him. And I'm proud and so is my hubby that never for once did I put something in his lunch box that I didnt personally prepare.

Of course, I get sick , tired or sometimes , who doesn't ? Those day he buys obento at the various convenience store near his office. I think thats ok too. So he also gets the chance to choose what he wants for lunch .

This soboro bento is one of the lunches I prepare for him during my " a liitle lazy " days. Very easy , quick and delicious too.

Ingredients :

eggs ( in this case 2~3 )

ground pork meat ( 100~150 grms. )

soy sauce

mirin ( a sweet cooking wine )

cooking sake ( wine)

grated ginger

sugar ( 1 teaspoon )

How to :

1. Beat the eggs until fluffy, sprinkle salt or a little soy sauce. Japanese people put cooking wine to their eggs but I prefer not to. Salt is ok for me.

2. Prepare 5 cooking chopsticks.. . or if you dont have , use thick barbacue sticks. Not the pointed sides coz it will scrape your skillet.

3. Heat oil in a skillet , pour the beaten egss and immediately mix it with the chopsticks, quickly just like you would when making omeletes. Keep on stirring until the eggs become course and dry just like in the picture. Set aside !

4. On the same skillet, put a little oil then put the ground meat. Squeeze the juice of the grated ginger to it.

5. Now, this is important, in a bowl put the same amount of the soy sauce, mirin and cooking osake. In this case I used 1 tablespoon each. Now measure 4 tablespoons of water, add it to the mixture, put the sugar and mix it well. When the sugar is dissolved, pour it to the skillet, simmer and cook until the liquid is all gone.

6. Now put freshly cooked rice on your bento box and top it with the egg soboro and meat soboro and voila....

easy , isnt it?? I think this will also be good for sandwiches. Try it!