Fresh water eel or “unagi 鰻” is a popular fish item in Japan and many restaurants specialize in eel dishes. At these specialized restaurants, eels are brought in live and prepared on site. “Kaba-yaki 蒲焼“ (eel grilled with sauce) is the most common dish with two variations of preparation and cooking* i.e., Kansai, Eastern Japan 関西 and Tokyo 東京 styles. (Even in Japan, however, other types of restaurants may use previously prepared and frozen eel the majority of which comes from China (99 percent) and the rest from Taiwan.) Once eel kaba-yaki is prepared, two main ways of eating it is “Una-ju 鰻重” and “Una-don 鰻丼”. Both are eel kaba-yaki on rice but the former is served in a Ju-bako 重箱 (a square lacquered box) and the latter in a don-buri 丼bowl. Consequently, Una-ju is the more expensive and formal way of serving eel on rice. Una-don is the more informal way of serving eel.
In the U.S., although some eel is aqua-cultured in Maine and some restaurants may bring it in live and prepared it on site, most of the eel is pre-packaged and frozen. The majority of this frozen eel comes from China, and Vietnam.
*For Tokyo style the filet of the eel comes from the eel’s back. It is then steamed, and grilled. For Kansai style the filet comes from the eel belly. It is then grilled without steaming. Please see here in more details.
We had a package of frozen eel kaba-yaki (11oz) in our freezer which came from Weee some time ago. We decided it was time to eat it. Since we are not big eaters and eel is quite rich, we ended up making three dishes over 3 days to finish the entire package. (Of course, we had some other small dishes along with the eel so we didn’t just eat eel for 3 days.)
The first dish I made (picture #1), is called “Wu-zaku 鰻ざく”. I posted a version of this some time ago. It is a combination of cold cucumber with julienned ginger and vinegar dressing and warmed slices of kaba-yaki eel. The cold cucumber slices counteract the rich flavor of the eel.
The next day, I made another standard or popular fail-proof eel dish called “wu-maki 鰻巻き” (picture #2). Again, I made and posted a version of this some years ago. I served this with sliced cucumber and grated daikon with soy sauce.
Finally, I made a mini una-ju ミニ鰻重 as a shime or ending dish the next evening (picture #3). I used a small square box which was a part of a larger ju-bako we used for Hanami. The traditional way of serving this is with white rice, some “unagi” sauce and the filet of kaba-yaki eel placed on top. My wife requested “sushi rice” so I used frozen rice we made some time ago when we cooked rice. After thawing and warming up the rice in a lidded silicon container in the microwave, I added some sushi vinegar (from the bottle). I mixed the vinegar into the rice and let it sit for a few minutes. Meanwhile I heated up the eel kabayaki in the toaster oven (on toast mode) until warm with the sauce bubbling. I added “sansho 山椒” Japanese pepper powder on the top.
For us, this was the perfect ending to the meal. We spread the enjoyment of this eel over several days because too much eel is too much of a good thing. We were quite pleased with the quality of this frozen eel kaba-yaki from China which we got from Weee.
Showing posts sorted by date for query hanami. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Showing posts sorted by date for query hanami. Sort by relevance Show all posts
Thursday, June 4, 2026
Friday, April 17, 2026
Vegetarian Buttermilk Panna Cotta ベジタリアンバターミルクパナコタ
My wife was planning on serving “buttermilk panna cotta” for dessert the night we were having a Hanami celebration with our friends. Then she realized one of the guests was vegetarian so she could not use “gelatin” to make the panna cotta as she usually does. She remembered that in the past we had gotten agar-agar powder to use instead of gelatin for just such a situation. Luckily I was able to locate it quickly in the pantry. She then remembered, that the last time she used it the desert she made was a failure because it did not jell. So she went on the web to see how to use agar as a substitute for gelatin. She discovered that the agar failed the last time because she just treated it like it was gelatin. From her web search, she discovered that agar is quite different. The quantity of agar can not be directly substituted for gelatin on a one-to-one basis; 1 teaspoon is agar powder typically replaces 1 tablespoon of gelatin. In general agar makes the panna cotta firmer with less melt-in-the-mouth feel than geletin so less agar must be used to make it creamier. In addition, agar must be completely dissolved, rather than just “bloomed” in cold liquid before heating. Most importantly, it must be heated for considerably more time than gelatin to become activated. My wife found several recipes/instructions on the web and the resulting panna cotta was a complete success. If you were not told you could not tell the difference between the panna cotta made with agar and the one she usually makes with gelatin.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light (or heavy) cream
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 + 1/8 tsp agar (it has to be completely dissolved in cold liquid)
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Directions:
Hydrate the agar: In a medium saucepan, whisk the agar powder into the cold cream and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften. Heat and Activate: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it simmers, continue to boil gently for 1-2 minutes to ensure the agar is fully activated. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool slightly (to avoid curdling), then whisk in the vanilla and buttermilk.
This panna cotta was quite a success. There was a bit of a learning curve involved but it was worth it because vegetarian panna cotta is now a viable option for future vegetarian desserts.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups light (or heavy) cream
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
1/2 + 1/8 tsp agar (it has to be completely dissolved in cold liquid)
1/2 cup sugar (or to taste)
1 tbsp vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Directions:
Hydrate the agar: In a medium saucepan, whisk the agar powder into the cold cream and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to soften. Heat and Activate: Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once it simmers, continue to boil gently for 1-2 minutes to ensure the agar is fully activated. Remove from the heat and stir in the sugar until dissolved. Allow the mixture to cool slightly (to avoid curdling), then whisk in the vanilla and buttermilk.
This panna cotta was quite a success. There was a bit of a learning curve involved but it was worth it because vegetarian panna cotta is now a viable option for future vegetarian desserts.
Sunday, April 5, 2026
Hanami 2026 #2 and #3 花見2026、二回目、三回目
This year, two of our cherry trees (shown in the picture) kept their blossoms for several days, which gave us an opportunity to have multiple “Hanami 花見” cherry blossom gazing celebrations. The weather was a bit too cold to stay outside in the evening but we had a some time during the day to sit under the cherry trees. In the evening, we moved inside but still had a great view of the cherry blossoms. We served several small hanami dishes in the red and gold “jubako 重箱” (stackable boxes) which we have. These boxes were was just the right size and an elegant way to serve the small hanami feasts.
The picture below shows the various dishes we served in the jubako. In picture #1, the dish in the upper left is a small “chirashi-sushi* ちらし寿司” scattered sushi with “ikura いくら” salmon roe, “uni ウニ” (not fresh uni but “Uni shuto うにの酒盗 from Maruhide 丸秀 which is the next best thing to fresh uni), and slices of avocado and cucumber.
*Since I had hydrated dried shiitake mushrooms left over from making vegetarian broth and “Kanpyo 干瓢” gourd peel from making salmon kelp rolls, I cooked and seasoned them with sugar and soy sauce (sweet and salty “ama-kara 甘辛” ). I chopped them up and mixed it into the sushi rice (this is the classic way of preparing rice for “chirashi-zushi ちらし寿司” scattered sushi).
The upper right is simmered mackerel in miso sauce 鯖の味噌煮 with small pieces of two kinds of dashi-maki omelettes だし巻き卵, left-over from the first hanami. The left lower is Russian marinated salmon サーモンのロシア漬け topped with ikura. Finally the lower right is an assortment of what I made mostly for the first hanami, all vegetalian including mock tofu 擬制豆腐, persimmon in tofu dressing 柿のしら和え, braised burdock 金平牛蒡, nappa and cucumber asa-zuke 白菜とキュウリの浅漬け,
and marinated qual eggs うずらの味玉.
The next day, I served similar items including scattered sushi. A notable addition were the fire-fly squid ホタルイカ we got from Regalis foods. We ate half of the quantity of squid soon after we received them. For the other half, I re-boiled, then removed the tough rock-like eyes and beaks and froze them. I thought they would be a perfect addition to the hanami feast. After thawing them, I briefly sautéed them in butter and seasoned them with a small amount of soy sauce. I also added karashi-sumiso 辛子酢味噌 miso and vinegar dressing with Japanese hot mustard (picture #2).
This has been our cherished once-a-year event. The only problem is that when the blooms are over, we have to wait a whole year before we can enjoy them again. As an aside, the Easter (and late blooming Christmas) amaryllis are also adding to the show.
The picture below shows the various dishes we served in the jubako. In picture #1, the dish in the upper left is a small “chirashi-sushi* ちらし寿司” scattered sushi with “ikura いくら” salmon roe, “uni ウニ” (not fresh uni but “Uni shuto うにの酒盗 from Maruhide 丸秀 which is the next best thing to fresh uni), and slices of avocado and cucumber.
*Since I had hydrated dried shiitake mushrooms left over from making vegetarian broth and “Kanpyo 干瓢” gourd peel from making salmon kelp rolls, I cooked and seasoned them with sugar and soy sauce (sweet and salty “ama-kara 甘辛” ). I chopped them up and mixed it into the sushi rice (this is the classic way of preparing rice for “chirashi-zushi ちらし寿司” scattered sushi).
The upper right is simmered mackerel in miso sauce 鯖の味噌煮 with small pieces of two kinds of dashi-maki omelettes だし巻き卵, left-over from the first hanami. The left lower is Russian marinated salmon サーモンのロシア漬け topped with ikura. Finally the lower right is an assortment of what I made mostly for the first hanami, all vegetalian including mock tofu 擬制豆腐, persimmon in tofu dressing 柿のしら和え, braised burdock 金平牛蒡, nappa and cucumber asa-zuke 白菜とキュウリの浅漬け,
and marinated qual eggs うずらの味玉.
The next day, I served similar items including scattered sushi. A notable addition were the fire-fly squid ホタルイカ we got from Regalis foods. We ate half of the quantity of squid soon after we received them. For the other half, I re-boiled, then removed the tough rock-like eyes and beaks and froze them. I thought they would be a perfect addition to the hanami feast. After thawing them, I briefly sautéed them in butter and seasoned them with a small amount of soy sauce. I also added karashi-sumiso 辛子酢味噌 miso and vinegar dressing with Japanese hot mustard (picture #2).
This has been our cherished once-a-year event. The only problem is that when the blooms are over, we have to wait a whole year before we can enjoy them again. As an aside, the Easter (and late blooming Christmas) amaryllis are also adding to the show.
Thursday, April 2, 2026
Hanami 2026 花見2026
Since the past winter was brutally cold, it was estimated that the cherry trees in the Washington area would not bloom until early April; much later than usual. But somebody forgot to inform the cherry trees of the proposed schedule. After just a few warm days the cherry trees in our backyard snapped to attention and before we knew it, they were in spectacular full bloom. And when did this occur? At the end of March; the time they usually put on their performance. With the cherry trees in full bloom it was time for us to snap to attention and seriously celebrate the coming of spring. As we may have mentioned before we have 3 cherry trees in our back yard. They are of different ages and different vintages. They generally bloom in sequence, one after the other, with the one we called the smallest (which is now the tallest) so named because I rescued it as a small twig, going first. Next is the newest member of the “family” which we planted in 2018 to replace the cherry tree we planted soon after we moved into the house but was destroyed by a large branch that flew off the neighbors pine tree during a Nor'Easter in 2018. Last to bloom is the oldest cherry tree (the Grand Dame) which was well established in our backyard when we moved in. (We would like to think it may be around 70 years old). This year all three were blooming in succession but almost simultaneously. So, celebration was mandatory. We invited our friends over and had our Hanami 花見. One of our guests is a vegetarian. We made a special “sashimi” plate of assorted vegetarian appetizers for them to enjoy while we had a plate of actual sashimi. The vegetarian plate shown in the picture was an assortment of dishes we have previously posted.
1. Persimmon and green beans dressed in tofu dressing 柿とインゲンの白和, 2. Japanese omelet with dried “aonori” sea weed 青のり入りのだし巻き, 3. roasted red pepper sauce omelet 赤パプリカソースのだし巻き, 4. pan-fried oyster mushroom 平茸の洋風ソテー, 5. mock tofu 擬制豆腐, 6. braised crunchy cauliflower モンパルナスのカリフラワー炒め, 7. Braised baby artichokes 8. marinated quail eggs うずらの味玉, 9.eggplant caviar ナスのキャビア. I was very careful to make sure I did not use any classic Japanese “dashi” broth which contains bonito flakes and other fish derived flavors. Instead, I used a broth made from kelp and dried shiitake mushrooms.
After this, we had assorted nigiri-sushi, rolls (vegetarian sushi and rolls for our vegetarian friend). Although it was rainy when we had our friends over, our main cherry tree was in full bloom shown in this picture.
In addition, our Easter amaryllis (and even some tardy Christmas ones) were also in full bloom.
What’s not to like about this after the harsh winter we had? Although this lasts only a short time we should still be able to have several more hanami.
1. Persimmon and green beans dressed in tofu dressing 柿とインゲンの白和, 2. Japanese omelet with dried “aonori” sea weed 青のり入りのだし巻き, 3. roasted red pepper sauce omelet 赤パプリカソースのだし巻き, 4. pan-fried oyster mushroom 平茸の洋風ソテー, 5. mock tofu 擬制豆腐, 6. braised crunchy cauliflower モンパルナスのカリフラワー炒め, 7. Braised baby artichokes 8. marinated quail eggs うずらの味玉, 9.eggplant caviar ナスのキャビア. I was very careful to make sure I did not use any classic Japanese “dashi” broth which contains bonito flakes and other fish derived flavors. Instead, I used a broth made from kelp and dried shiitake mushrooms.
After this, we had assorted nigiri-sushi, rolls (vegetarian sushi and rolls for our vegetarian friend). Although it was rainy when we had our friends over, our main cherry tree was in full bloom shown in this picture.
In addition, our Easter amaryllis (and even some tardy Christmas ones) were also in full bloom.
What’s not to like about this after the harsh winter we had? Although this lasts only a short time we should still be able to have several more hanami.
Wednesday, December 31, 2025
Table of Contents 2026
January 2026
January 1 Happy New Year 2026 明けましておめでとうございます
January 2 “Ozoni” New Year’s Soup お雑煮 2026
January 5 Osechi from Sushi Taro 2026 すし太郎のお節
January 8 Chocolate Brownie Pudding チョコレートブラウニープディング
January 11 Japanese “Kabu” Turnip Simmered in Broth 蕪の煮物
January 14 Japanese Sweet potato Blini さつまいもビィリニ
January 17 Simmered “Satoimo” taro with squid 里芋とイカの煮物
January 19 Grilled Beef Tongue 牛タンの焼肉
January 20 Persimmon in Tofu Dressing 柿の白和え
January 23 Cauliflower-puree Blini カリフラワーピュレー ビィリニ
January 25 Gingerbread Pancakes with Date Sauce ジンジャーブレッドパンケーキ
January 26 “Bento” Lunch Box 弁当
January 29 Chestnuts and Apple Blini 栗とリンゴ味のビリニ
February 2026
February 1 Warm sake on a cold night 寒夜の燗酒
February 4 Cranberry sauce muffins クランベリーソースマフィン
February 7 Appetizers; one with Shad Roe 酒のつまみ
February 10 Custardy Apple Cake カスタードアップルケーキ
February 13 Salted “Kabocha” 塩かぼちゃ
February 16 Fried “Renkon” Lotus Root with “Aonori” dried seaw...
February 19 Valentine‘s day sashimi dinner バレンタインデイ刺身ディナー
February 22 Valentine’s day cake バレンタインデイケーキ
February 25 Crispy Cheese Rice Puffs チーズライスパフ
February 28 Persimmon and “Kabu” turnip salad 柿と蕪のマリネ
March 2026
March 3 Peanut butter pancake ピーナッツバターパンケーキ
March 6 Cold Jade Eggplant in broth 茄子の翡翠煮
March 9 Cream Cheese Biscuits クリームチーズビスケット
March 12 Roasted Red Pepper Sauce V2 赤パプリカのソース
March 15 Pan-fried Oyster Mushroom 平茸の洋風ソテー
March 18 English Muffin Loaves イングリシュマフィンローフパン
March 21 Honey Oatmeal Roll 蜂蜜とオートミールのロールパン
March 24 Shrimp and Grits with Poached Egg 温玉のせ海老とグリィツ
March 27 Sweet potato gnocchi さつまいものニョキ
March 30 Japanese Fluffy “Soufflé” Pancake (version 2) 日本風フ...
April 2026
April 2 Hanami 2026 花見2026
April 5 Hanami 2026 #2 and #3 花見2026、二回目、三回目
April 8 Baked Spaghetti (angle hair) Cup with meatballs オー...
April 11 “Atsu-age “ Fried Tofu 厚揚げ
April 14 Mango Crumb Bars マンゴークラムバー
April 17 Vegetarian Buttermilk Cotta ベジタリアンバターミルクパナコタ
April 20 Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes 苺とクリームチーズのカップケーキ
April 23 Stir-steamed “Kimpira gobo” Burdock-root 蒸し炒め金平牛蒡
April 26 Mini Cheese Grits Casserole ミニグリッツキャセロール
April 29 Duck Leg Confit アヒルのもも肉のコンフィ
May 2026
May 2 Pan-fried Grits Cake フライパンで焼いたグリッツケーキ
May 5 Lemon Ricotta Cake レモン、リッコタチーズケーキ
May 8 Roasted Carrot Soup にんじんスープ
May 11 Shrimp and Scallop Rice Krispies Bites エビとホタテのライスク...
May 14 Rice Krispies Pancake ライスクリスピーパンケーキ
May 17 Walnut Cheddar Loaf くるみとチェダーチーズのローフ
May 20 Norwegian Lefse Flatbread ノルウェイのレフシイ フラットブレッド
May 23 Grape-puree Muffin ブドウのピューレのマフィン
May 26 Pork Vindaloo served in Soup Curry-style スープカレー風豚肉...
May 29 Honey Curry Bread 蜂蜜カレーパン
June 2026
June 1 Morning Glory Muffin 朝顔マフィン
June 4 Three Eel Dishes うなぎの蒲焼料理3種類
June 7 Meatloaf ミートローフ
June 10 Air Fried stuffed Chicken Wings エアーフライ手羽餃子
June 13 Air Fried Chicken Wings エアーフライ手羽
June 17 Air Fried Eggplant エアーフライ茄子
June 20 Grilled Tofu-puff with Egg Yolk Miso 柚子胡椒入り玉味噌の焼き油揚げ
June 23 Goat Cheese Popover ゴートチーズ ポップオーバー
June 26 Sausage Encased in Cookie Dough (Full Moon Pastries)
June 29 Raspberry Muffin Bites ラズベリーマッフィンバイツ
July 2026
July 1 Raspberry Muffin Bites ラズベリーマッフィンバイツ
July 4 Salmon Pate サーモンパテ
January 1 Happy New Year 2026 明けましておめでとうございます
January 2 “Ozoni” New Year’s Soup お雑煮 2026
January 5 Osechi from Sushi Taro 2026 すし太郎のお節
January 8 Chocolate Brownie Pudding チョコレートブラウニープディング
January 11 Japanese “Kabu” Turnip Simmered in Broth 蕪の煮物
January 14 Japanese Sweet potato Blini さつまいもビィリニ
January 17 Simmered “Satoimo” taro with squid 里芋とイカの煮物
January 19 Grilled Beef Tongue 牛タンの焼肉
January 20 Persimmon in Tofu Dressing 柿の白和え
January 23 Cauliflower-puree Blini カリフラワーピュレー ビィリニ
January 25 Gingerbread Pancakes with Date Sauce ジンジャーブレッドパンケーキ
January 26 “Bento” Lunch Box 弁当
January 29 Chestnuts and Apple Blini 栗とリンゴ味のビリニ
February 2026
February 1 Warm sake on a cold night 寒夜の燗酒
February 4 Cranberry sauce muffins クランベリーソースマフィン
February 7 Appetizers; one with Shad Roe 酒のつまみ
February 10 Custardy Apple Cake カスタードアップルケーキ
February 13 Salted “Kabocha” 塩かぼちゃ
February 16 Fried “Renkon” Lotus Root with “Aonori” dried seaw...
February 19 Valentine‘s day sashimi dinner バレンタインデイ刺身ディナー
February 22 Valentine’s day cake バレンタインデイケーキ
February 25 Crispy Cheese Rice Puffs チーズライスパフ
February 28 Persimmon and “Kabu” turnip salad 柿と蕪のマリネ
March 2026
March 3 Peanut butter pancake ピーナッツバターパンケーキ
March 6 Cold Jade Eggplant in broth 茄子の翡翠煮
March 9 Cream Cheese Biscuits クリームチーズビスケット
March 12 Roasted Red Pepper Sauce V2 赤パプリカのソース
March 15 Pan-fried Oyster Mushroom 平茸の洋風ソテー
March 18 English Muffin Loaves イングリシュマフィンローフパン
March 21 Honey Oatmeal Roll 蜂蜜とオートミールのロールパン
March 24 Shrimp and Grits with Poached Egg 温玉のせ海老とグリィツ
March 27 Sweet potato gnocchi さつまいものニョキ
March 30 Japanese Fluffy “Soufflé” Pancake (version 2) 日本風フ...
April 2026
April 2 Hanami 2026 花見2026
April 5 Hanami 2026 #2 and #3 花見2026、二回目、三回目
April 8 Baked Spaghetti (angle hair) Cup with meatballs オー...
April 11 “Atsu-age “ Fried Tofu 厚揚げ
April 14 Mango Crumb Bars マンゴークラムバー
April 17 Vegetarian Buttermilk Cotta ベジタリアンバターミルクパナコタ
April 20 Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes 苺とクリームチーズのカップケーキ
April 23 Stir-steamed “Kimpira gobo” Burdock-root 蒸し炒め金平牛蒡
April 26 Mini Cheese Grits Casserole ミニグリッツキャセロール
April 29 Duck Leg Confit アヒルのもも肉のコンフィ
May 2026
May 2 Pan-fried Grits Cake フライパンで焼いたグリッツケーキ
May 5 Lemon Ricotta Cake レモン、リッコタチーズケーキ
May 8 Roasted Carrot Soup にんじんスープ
May 11 Shrimp and Scallop Rice Krispies Bites エビとホタテのライスク...
May 14 Rice Krispies Pancake ライスクリスピーパンケーキ
May 17 Walnut Cheddar Loaf くるみとチェダーチーズのローフ
May 20 Norwegian Lefse Flatbread ノルウェイのレフシイ フラットブレッド
May 23 Grape-puree Muffin ブドウのピューレのマフィン
May 26 Pork Vindaloo served in Soup Curry-style スープカレー風豚肉...
May 29 Honey Curry Bread 蜂蜜カレーパン
June 2026
June 1 Morning Glory Muffin 朝顔マフィン
June 4 Three Eel Dishes うなぎの蒲焼料理3種類
June 7 Meatloaf ミートローフ
June 10 Air Fried stuffed Chicken Wings エアーフライ手羽餃子
June 13 Air Fried Chicken Wings エアーフライ手羽
June 17 Air Fried Eggplant エアーフライ茄子
June 20 Grilled Tofu-puff with Egg Yolk Miso 柚子胡椒入り玉味噌の焼き油揚げ
June 23 Goat Cheese Popover ゴートチーズ ポップオーバー
June 26 Sausage Encased in Cookie Dough (Full Moon Pastries)
June 29 Raspberry Muffin Bites ラズベリーマッフィンバイツ
July 2026
July 1 Raspberry Muffin Bites ラズベリーマッフィンバイツ
July 4 Salmon Pate サーモンパテ
Saturday, April 5, 2025
Hanami #2 花見#2
After our first hanami 花見, we were expecting bad weather and rain. However, luckily, we had a second nice day of hanami and I made another attempt at a hanami bento 花見弁当. This time, I filled the smaller lidded box with scattered sushi or “chirashi-zushi” ちらし寿司 made of smoked salmon, marinated “ikura” salmon roe いくらの醤油漬け(#1).
Opening the lid of the smaller box revealed scattered sushi (#2 left upper). I also served Russian marinated salmon 鮭のロシアずけ topped with ikura (#2 upper right) and herring marinated in wine sauce (store-bought) topped with sour cream mixed with the brine from the herring jar and chopped dill (#2, lower left). The smaller box without a lid, I served salmon kelp roll 鮭の昆布巻き, “kinpira gobo” 金平牛蒡 braised burdock root, mock tofu 擬制豆腐, braised spicy marinated tofu ピリカラ豆腐, braised crunchy cauliflower モンパルナスのカリフラワー and crispy marinated enoki mushroom エノキのパリパリ焼き, skinned Campari tomato, and chicken liver simmered in red wine 鶏肝の赤ワイン煮.
I used frozen rice to make sushi rice. I just microwaved the rice until warm, added the sushi vinegar (from the bottle) mixed and microwaved a bit more to warm up. I mixed it again and let it sit for 5 minutes. It was not the best sushi rice but certainly good enough for the purpose. I marinated ikura with x4 concentrated Japanese noodle sauce overnight in the refrigerator. I first placed the sushi rice on the bottom of the small covered box then distributed ikura over half of the rice surface followed by smoked salmon (#3). I topped this with a julienne of cucumber and golden thread egg or “kinshi-ran” 金糸卵 and nori threads or “kizami-nori” 刻み海苔(#4). Since we were not expecting to have the second hanami this was a bonus and what I put together for the occasion was pretty satisfying.
Now, our main cherry tree (“somei-yoshino” 染井吉野 which has a bottle brush appearance of numerous blossoms covering the branches (foreground) and the more traditional one like depicted in “ukiyoe” painting of edo time 江戸時代の浮世絵 which is in the background are both in full bloom displaying their individual personalities in the shape and characteristics of their petals.
Opening the lid of the smaller box revealed scattered sushi (#2 left upper). I also served Russian marinated salmon 鮭のロシアずけ topped with ikura (#2 upper right) and herring marinated in wine sauce (store-bought) topped with sour cream mixed with the brine from the herring jar and chopped dill (#2, lower left). The smaller box without a lid, I served salmon kelp roll 鮭の昆布巻き, “kinpira gobo” 金平牛蒡 braised burdock root, mock tofu 擬制豆腐, braised spicy marinated tofu ピリカラ豆腐, braised crunchy cauliflower モンパルナスのカリフラワー and crispy marinated enoki mushroom エノキのパリパリ焼き, skinned Campari tomato, and chicken liver simmered in red wine 鶏肝の赤ワイン煮.
I used frozen rice to make sushi rice. I just microwaved the rice until warm, added the sushi vinegar (from the bottle) mixed and microwaved a bit more to warm up. I mixed it again and let it sit for 5 minutes. It was not the best sushi rice but certainly good enough for the purpose. I marinated ikura with x4 concentrated Japanese noodle sauce overnight in the refrigerator. I first placed the sushi rice on the bottom of the small covered box then distributed ikura over half of the rice surface followed by smoked salmon (#3). I topped this with a julienne of cucumber and golden thread egg or “kinshi-ran” 金糸卵 and nori threads or “kizami-nori” 刻み海苔(#4). Since we were not expecting to have the second hanami this was a bonus and what I put together for the occasion was pretty satisfying.
Now, our main cherry tree (“somei-yoshino” 染井吉野 which has a bottle brush appearance of numerous blossoms covering the branches (foreground) and the more traditional one like depicted in “ukiyoe” painting of edo time 江戸時代の浮世絵 which is in the background are both in full bloom displaying their individual personalities in the shape and characteristics of their petals.
Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Hanami 2025 花見2025
Because it got warm quickly, three of our cherry trees blossomed one after the other. The first one is dropping petals already, our main tree is in full bloom and our old tree has just started. So it was hanami 花見 time. I filled the new jubako box 重箱 with goodies for the occasion. I used the smaller box without a lid, the smaller box with a lid and two small porcelain bowls to fill each tier. One tier served one person. I served quite a few sashimi items accompanied by soy sauce, wasabi and yuzu kosho 柚子胡椒 (#1).
The sashimi I served (#2) was bluefin tuna クロマグロ (was called “akami” 赤身 but it was more like “chutoro” 中トロ), kanpachi カンパチ” amberjack, and salmon. All came from Riviera Seafood Club. The tuna was good but kanpachi and salmon could have been better. The meat was abit too lean and could have used a bit more fat.
In one of the bowls, I served the remaining tuna and Russian marinated salmon 鮭のロシア漬け in the shape of roses and topped it with “ikura” いくら salmon roe (#3).
I also served scallop sashimi ホタテの刺身 which was really good as always (#4).
In the covered small box (#5), I served an assortment of dishes I made as well as “uni suhto” which I did not make ウニの酒盗 shown in a very small square bowl. Lower bottom is a salmon kelp roll 鮭の昆布巻 and mock tofu 擬制豆腐. Left upper are dashimaki egg omelet with dried nori powder or “aonori” 青海苔入りだし巻 topped with cruchy braised cauliflower.
Our second generation cherry tree blossomed nicely. The tree has grown quite a bit. It was planted after we lost the original tree in a nor’easter 7 years ago.
Sunday, March 30, 2025
Jubako for “hanami” cherry blossom gazing 花見用市松模様の重箱
Recently, I got a new “Jubako” 重箱 which is a tiered square box with a lid for picnic like “hanami” 花見 cherry blossom gazing. I saw this at MTC Kitchen and thought this was perfect for our hanami. It has red or fuchsia and gold staggered square pattern called “Ichimatsu” pattern 一松模様. “Ichimatsu” 一松 is the name of the “kabuki” actor 歌舞伎俳優 from Edo period 江戸時代 who wore a costume in this pattern.
A bit unusual feature of this box is that two small square boxes, one with a lid and one without, are included in each tier. The little box without the lid is shown in the picture below as #1. The one with the lid is shown in the pic with a red/gold diagonal pattern.
Here is what the two layers of the box look like. The lidless boxes are shown with a #1 and they are touching the corner of the boxes with a red and gold colored lid. This configuration of open and closed boxes with regular uncovered spaces provides are great deal of options to artistically display the bento box food.
A bit unusual feature of this box is that two small square boxes, one with a lid and one without, are included in each tier. The little box without the lid is shown in the picture below as #1. The one with the lid is shown in the pic with a red/gold diagonal pattern.
Wednesday, January 1, 2025
Table of Contents 2025
January 2025
January 2 Happy New Year 2025 謹賀新年2025January 5 Sushi Taro Osechi box 2025
January 8 Sushi Taro New Year Soba 手打ち蕎麦
January 11 Grilled “Tai” Perch Seasoned Rice 鯛飯もどき
January 14 “Karasumi” Japanese Bottarga from Maruhide 丸秀の唐墨
January 17 Bottarga/Karasumi Taste Test 日本の唐墨とサルジニアのボタルガの味比べ
January 20 Apple Pie Muffin and Pan Cake アップルパイ マフィン
January 23 “Endless” Konnyaku 無限コンニャク
January 26 Mock Tofu 擬制豆腐
January 29 Apple Fritter アップルフリッター
February 2025
February 1 Braised Eggplant with Ground Chicken 茄子のそぼろ煮February 4 Sashimi Daikon Garnish 刺身の大根つま/けん
February 7 Wild Rice Salad ワイルドライスサラダ
February 10 Apple Pie Muffin Made with Juiced Apple アップルパイマフィン
February 13 Chocolate Milk Bread チョコレートミルクパン
February 19 Ricotta Lemon Cookie リコッタチーズ レモンクッキー
February 21 Assorted Japanese Mini-pans 日本のミニ菓子パン各種
February 24 Quesadilla with Mini-corn Tortilla and Browned Cheese
February 27 Burdock Root Kelp Roll ごぼうの昆布巻き
March 2025
March 2 Anchovy Onion Cocktail Biscuit アンチョビイと玉ねぎカクテルビスケットMarch 6 Shrimp Chicken Gyouza エビと鶏肉の餃子
March 9 Chickpea fries ひよこ豆フライ
March 19 Babka Cookie Muffin バブカ クッキー マフィン
March 22 Nappa Cabbage Cream Stew 白菜のクリームシチュー
March 30 Jubako for “hanami” cherry blossom gazing 花見用市松模様の重箱
April 2025
April 2 Hanami 2025 花見2025April 5 Hanami #2 花見#2
April 8 “Cotton Candy Grape Muffin” “わたあめブドウ” のマフィン
April 11 “Cotton Candy Grape” Panna Cotta “わたあめブドウ“ パンナコッタ
April 14 Carrot Salad Muffin 人参サラダ入りマフィン
June 2025
June 12 Tokyo Kyobashi Areas Izakayas (part 1) 東京の居酒屋 東京駅八...June 15 Cream Cheese with Pickled Daikon クリームチーズ 沢庵入り
June 18 Tokyo Kyobashi Areas Izakayas (part 2) 東京の居酒屋 東京駅八...
June 21 “Renkon” Lotus Root in sweet vinegar 酢れんこん
June 24 Tokyo Kyobashi Areas Izakayas (part 3) 東京の居酒屋 東京駅八...
June 27 Lemon Crumb Bar レモンクラムバー
June 30 Tokyo Kyobashi Areas Izakayas (part 4) 東京の居酒屋 東京駅八...
July 2025
July 3 Matcha Almond Pancake (again) 抹茶アーモンドパンケーキJuly 6 Izakaya in Kanazawa 金沢の居酒屋
July 9 Topping of Katsu-Don カツ丼のあたま
July 12 Kyoto Izakaya in Kyoto Station area part 1 京都駅付近の居...
July 15 Vinegar Cured Mackerel Sushi with Shiro-ita Kelp バッテラ
July 18 Kyoto Izakaya in Kyoto Station Area Part 2 京都駅駅付近付...
July 21 Pea, Ricotta ad Mint Gazpacho えんどう豆、リコッタチーズとミントのガス...
July 24 Tottori Izakaya and Shinkansen “Izakaya” 鳥取の居酒屋と新幹...
July 27 Pea, Avocado and Mint Blini グリーンピー、アボカド、ミント ガスパッチョ
July 30 Izakaya in Sapporo Part 1 札幌の居酒屋パート1
August 2025
August 2 Chilean Sea Bass in Sweet “Saikyo” Miso メロの西京味噌焼きAugust 5 Izakaya in Sapporo Part2 札幌の居酒屋パート2
August 8 Cream Cheese Muffin クリームチーズマフィン
August 11 Sapporo Lunch Places Part 1札幌の昼ごはん パート1
August 14 Pork Vindaloo with Baby Corn and Edamame ポーク “ビンダル...
August 17 Izakaya in Sapporo Part3 札幌の居酒屋パート3
August 20 Impromptu Eggplant Mushroom Stir-fry 茄子と椎茸のオイスターソース炒め
August 23 Sapporo Lunch places part2 札幌の昼ごはん パート2
August 26 Cold Udon with Sesame Sauce 胡麻ソース和え冷製うどん
August 29 Izakaya in Sapporo Part 4 札幌の居酒屋パート4
September 2025
September 1 Savory Breakfast Mini Cheesecakes ミニチーズケーキSeptember 4 Izakaya in Sapporo Part 5 札幌の居酒屋パート5
September 7 Mapo (sort of) Eggplant “麻婆風” 茄子
September 10 Izakaya in Sapporo Part 6 札幌の居酒屋パート6
September 13 Oyster Mushroom and Chiku-wa Stir-fly with Yuzu-ko...
September 16 Cheese Straws チーズツイスト
September 19 Small Dishes or “Sake-no-sakana” 酒の肴
September 21 Prosciutto, dates, and goat cheese bites
September 24 Cabbage and pork belly stir-fry キャベツと豚バラの炒め物
September 27 Scallop fry ホタテのフライ
September 30 Yellow Squash Garlic Bites イエロースクワシュ、ガーリックバイツ
October 2025
October 3 Green Yuzu, “Kinome” Japanse pepper leaves 青柚子と木の芽October 6 Japanese “Mizu” eggplant Asazuke 水茄子の浅漬け
October 9 Spanish Mackerel dumpling Soup topped with “Kinome...
October 12 Cucumber with Miso Sauces 味噌胡瓜
October 15 Moon gazing 10/6/2025 月見
October 18 Dishes from Yellowfin Tuna Sashimi Block キハダマグロ刺身の柵
October 21 Scallion Cheese Pinwheels ねぎとチーズの渦巻き
October 24 Hiyaoroshi Sake and Matsutake ひやおろし酒 “如空”と松茸
October 27 Funny cake ファニーケーキ
October 30 Julienned vegetable salad 刻み野菜サラダ
November 2025
November 2 Salmon Shrimp Pâté with Shiitake 椎茸入り鮭とエビのパテNovember 5 Cheese Pennies チーズ (ペニー) バタークッキー
November 8 Japanese Cucumber with “Sudachi” Miso 酢橘味噌胡瓜
November 11 Indian Pudding インディアンプディング
November 14 Kabocha Blini かぼちゃビリーニ
November 17 Brioche ブリオーシュ
November 20 Caramelized onion pizza 飴色玉ねぎピザ
November 23 White Pizza “Pizza Bianca” 白いピザ
November 27 Vanilla Shoofly Pie バニラシュウフライパイ
November 30 Simmered “Ni-Yakko” tofu 煮やっこ
December 2025
December 2 Nutmeat Pate 木の実のパテDecember 5 Wood-ear Mushroom in Sesame Sauce キクラゲの胡麻和え
December 8 Lemon Sponge Pudding/Pie レモンスポンジプッデング
December 11 Scallops and Shrimp with Yuzu Galic Butter Sauce ホ...
December 14 Sweet Potato muffin with Dates and Cranberries サツマ...
December 17 Chili Crisp Cottage Cheese Flatbread カッテージチーズフラットブ...
December 20 Chilean Sea bass with Steamed with Japanese Turnip...
December 23 ”Boti Gosht” Indian style Meat Cubes インド風の豚肉キューブ
December 25 Roasted Bone-in Leg of Lamb 骨付き子羊脚ロースト
December 28 Lotus root salad with Yuzu-kosho Mayo 柚子胡椒マヨ蓮根サラダ
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