♥︎Kikerage & enoki with udon noodles

For ➋

25 g dried kikerage (black fungus)

1 tbs sunflower oil

1 tbs mirin

100-150 g udon noodles

100 g fresh enoki, without feet, in 2 portions

5 g plant butter

3 scallions, cut in rounds

2 garlic cloves, chopped or crushed

1 tbs furikake

Pour warm water over the kikerage and let it soak for 15 m to 1 h. Drain it, and use as a base to cook the udon. If necessary, add some water. Heat and dissolve 1 tbs miso in it. Cook the miso as directed.

Meanwhile, fry the kikerage for 5-7 m in 1 tbs sunflower oil. Add a dash of mirin and let evaporate. Set the kikerage aside in another container. Stew the onion and garlic for 2 m in the same pan, with a little oil.

In the meantime, cook the enoki with a few small lumps of plant butter in 2 packets 1 m in the microwave.

Mix the kikerage with the onion and garlic.

Let the udon drip. Place on plate. Mix the kikerage and onion over it. Sprinkle with furikake.

Place the enoki on the plate.  Serve.

Kikerage is an edible mushroom and is a popular condiment in Japanese ramen noodles. It is also commonly known as wood ear mushroom, black fungus, jelly ear, jew’s ear, and mu-er in Chinese. It is known for its nutritious value.The edible mushroom gets its name from resembling the shape of an ear. Kikurage has a smooth surface on both sides and is dark brown in colour. Raw wood ear mushrooms carry a light woody fragrance. Once cooked, the mushroom is gelatinous and easily absorbs the flavours in the dish. To rehydrate wood ear mushroom, soak the desired amount in cold water for 1 to 2 h. The wild mushrooms can expand 3-4 times in size. For faster results, soak the dried kikurage in warm water for 20 m. However, the mushrooms will not expand as much and will be less crunchy. Once rehydrated, store in the fridge and consume within 1-2 days.

Japanese risotto with mushrooms & scallions

For ➋

80 cl water

1 tbs miso* 

1 tbs extra-virgin olive oil 

100 g sushi or other short-grain rice 

10 cl sake 

salt & freshly ground black pepper 

150 g enoki or shimeji mushrooms 

50 g chopped scallions 

25-50 g kaiware daikon sprouts**

2 tbs olive oil

Combine 1 tbs miso with the water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer the stock. 

In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice, stirring constantly in one direction, until well coated. Remove the pan from the heat and add the sake. Return to the heat and stir constantly in one direction until all of the liquid is absorbed. 

Add the stock in 10 cl increments, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed with each addition (about 12-15 m)***.   Season with salt and pepper. 

Meanwhile stir-fry the mushrooms and scallions in 1 tbs of oil. (about 5 m). Add some mirin if you want. The last 2 m add the sprouts.

Spoon into serving bowls. Garnish with the mushrooms, scallions, and sprouts and serve.

*or vegetal stock

**or sliced daikon

***or pour the warm miso stock on the rice, bring to a boil, cover with a lid and let cook on moderate heat for 12-15 m.

Read tip on risotto making.

Japan style risotto

For ➍

1 tbs sesame oil

300 g sushi rice, rinsed

2 garlic cloves, pressed or finely chopped

2 scallions, cut into thin rings, keep white & green parts separately

4 tbs white miso paste

50 g butter

400 g mixed Asian mushrooms, such as shiitake **, shimeji *** (beech mushroom) and enoki **** / *

50 g young spinach (optional) *

sesame seeds, toasted

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Fry the sushi rice, garlic and the white parts of the scallions 1 m while stirring until the rice grains are coated with oil. Spoon the rice mixture into a pan / wok with a lid.

Beat the miso paste with 75 cl of boiling water until the miso is completely dissolved and pour the liquid into the rice. Boil 10-15 m

Melt 20 g of butter in the frying pan over medium heat. Fry the Asian mushrooms 3 m until they are slightly softer. Stir them, put the lid on. Cook for 5 m over low heat, or until the mushrooms are al dente soft. *****

Stir the remaining butter into the baby spinach. Cook for 5 m with the rice. Add if necessary. extra liquid.

Let the rice rest for 1 m. Add sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. 

Sprinkle the green parts of the scallions and toasted sesame seeds over the risotto.

* use other vegetables, such as pumpkin and snow peas

** the stems removed and the hat cut into slices

*** base removed and brushed

**** cut into thick vertical slices

***** otherwise: add the mushrooms to the risotto and cook for 5 m 

Read tip on risotto making.

Salmon with miso

For ➍
2 salmon steaks, cut in halves, bones removed
4 small green bell peppers, julienned
½ medium carrot, peeled, julienned
100 g enoki mushrooms, stems trimmed*
3 tbs white miso paste**
2 tbs sake***
1½ tbs sugar
2 tbs butter

Mix miso, sake, and sugar in a small cup. Put ½ tbs of butter and a portion of green bell pepper, carrot, and enoki on a large sheet of aluminium foil. Place a piece of salmon on the top. Spread a portion of miso mixture on the salmon.
Fold the foil and seal the edges. Make 4 foil packets.
Place two foil packets in a large skillet. Put water into the skillet up to about 1 cm high. Cover the skillet with a lid and steam on medium heat for about 15 m. Cook other 2 foil packets in the same way.
Serve with dry rice.

*Or use shiitake mushrooms.
**Soy bean paste. Avoid salty brown miso.
***Or use dry sherry.

Read more fish in a parcel recipes: Japanese seafood & vegetables, Moroccan spiced fish, fish & fennel, Burmese steamed fish, chicken or fish with lime & peppers, chicken or fish with basil & tomatoes, Italian fish parcel, saumon en papilotte.

Scallops & enoki

For ➋
3 large or 4 small scallops
1 bundle of enoki mushrooms
peanut oil
1 ts toasted sesame oil
a few basil leaves, shredded
salt & pepper

If the scallops are thick, slice them. Dry them with kitchen paper.
Cut the bottom of the enoki mushroom.
Heat the peanut and sesame oil. Fry the enoki for a few m. Sprinkle with salt and pepper if necessary.
At the same time, preheat a frying pan, add some oil. Quickly fry the scallops on high heat (30 s a side for thin scallops, 1 m each side for thick ones). Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Arrange on plates. Shred the basil over the scallops.

Read tip on cooking frozen scallops.

Asuparagasu no bēkon (Japanese asparagus bacon roll)

For ➍ (4 bites per person)
8 slices bacon
16 fresh (green) asparagus (or thawed)*
1 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs vegetable oil

Wash asparagus and boil lightly. Cut them in thirds.

Cut bacon slices in half. Place 3 pieces of asparagus on a bacon piece and roll the bacon around the asparagus. Secure the roll with a toothpick. Repeat the process to make more rolls.

Heat vegetable oil in a frying pan. Saute bacon rolls in the pan on medium heat. Put a lid on the frying pan and steam-cook for 1 m. Pour soy sauce over the rolls and stop the heat.

Asparagus bacon rolls are popular bites in Japanese izakaya bars. It makes a great appetizer. It is also suitable for bento lunch boxes.
An izakaya is a Japanese drinking establishment which also serves food to accompany the drinks. The food is usually more substantial than that offered in other types of drinking establishments. The name stems from 'i' (to sit) and 'sakaya' (sake shop), a sake shop which allowed customers to sit. Sometimes they are called 'akachōchin' (red lantern) in daily conversation, after the lanterns traditionally found in front of an izakaya.
The variation with enoki mushrooms, baked in the oven, has become a Western favourite.
Try another izakaya favourite, kara-age chicken.
Read microwave or steaming tip on cooking asparagus.

Ochazuke (green tea & rice with salmon)

For ➍
4 boneless skinless salmon fillets (100 g each)*
¼ sheet nori
100 g cooked rice*
2 ts hot green tea
4 ts soy sauce
1 ts wasabi**

Cover salmon with a thick layer of salt. Set aside for 30 m. Rinse off salt.

Grill salmon for approximately 5 m. When done, reserve a square of fish* and flake the rest with a fork.

Cut nori into 1 cm strips.

Boil 35 cl of water. Add tea and let steep for 1 to 3 m.

Heat rice in microwave oven. Divide rice into 4 bowls. Place ¼ of salmon in each bowl, square on top*. Drizzle 1 ts of soy sauce in each bowl, along with ¼ ts of wasabi**. Garnish with nori strips. Pour over some green tea***.

*Use 150 g for 4 as snack. Use sautéed shiitake and enoki, or grilled tofu, to make a vegetarian version.
**Optional.
***Depending on taste, you can choose between moist and wet (the traditional way). To have a more western dish, add the salmon and nori at the end to keep them dry.
Another way would be simmering the rice in the tea to achieve a risotto-like consistency.

Ochazuke is a traditional Japanese dish, referring to Chinese wisdom that green tea is not a drink but food. The recipe can vary from snack to substantial dish, with different toppings over the rice.
Green tea is the least processed of teas. It provides the most antioxidants and has been drunk for centuries in Asia, where it originated in China. In Japan, the several varieties, differing highly in price and quality, have been used as the main tea. Matcha, powdered tea, is a fine ground tea made from the tencha variety. It is used primarily in the tea ceremony, but has become popular as flavour for ice cream and other sweets in Japan. It can be added to other foods, and is considered a food itself, not a beverage.