Number of steps:  5 steps
Time taken: 15 - 25 minutes
Approximately 190 kcal per serving (when serving 5)

About This Dish:
Beef bowl (Gyu-don) is a very popular dish in Japan. Usually served in fast food chains such as "Yoshinoya" and "Sukiya", gyu-dons are affordable, filling and delicious. It is also a popular dish served at home. The last time I was back home in Japan, my boyfriend and I grabbed a bowl at Yoshinoya for only 260 yen (that's around $3.00). At these chains, you can pick the size of bowl, normal to extra large. You can even add toppings like egg, natto, kimchi and so on. How fun! So how about trying to make your own at home? For those of you who are unfamiliar with the dish, it's savoury but slightly sweet because of the sugar and mirin which goes into it.

This recipe is easy, quick and tastes absolutely amazing. It made me feel like I was home. Unfortunately I couldn't find thin sliced beef in my nearby Asian market, so I ended up having to use Shaws' shaved beef steak; it still worked. I highly recommend using thin sliced beef sold in your nearby Asian supermarket, if you can! 

P.S. As you can see on the photo, I added avocado as a topping and it went very well together.

What You Need:
(Makes 4-5)

• 16oz of shaved beef steak (or preferably thin sliced beef sold in Asian supermarkets)
• 1 onion
• 500ml - 550ml water (2 - 2.33 cups)
• 1 - 2 tsp Hondashi soup stock 
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp grated or chopped ginger

Sauce

•  5 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 2 - 3 tbsp Japanese sake
• 2 tbsp sugar

Number of steps:  4 steps
Time taken: 15 minutes
Approximately 200 per serving (when serving 4)

About This Dish:
Chicken, chicken, chicken. One of my favourite meats, especially for cooking at home. It's versatile and goes great with various Japanese sauces. As you can see on my recipe list, lots of dishes can be made with chicken! 

This dish like any other Japanese chicken dish goes perfectly with rice. I found myself pouring the chicken and leftover sauce all over my Japanese brown rice like a "donburi" which is literally a bowl of rice with food on top like this dish with a bed of chicken and eggplant with delicious eel sauce!  By using egg white and potato starch, the chicken becomes soft and chewy as well as helps to thicken the delicious vinegar sauce. 

Vinegar has various health benefits; given the increase in health consciousness in Japan, vinegar has become popular and have been used greatly in dishes in the recent years. What are the health benefits? The main 5 benefits of vinegar according to this article in Japan is: Recovery, better appetite, increase in ability for the body to take in calcium, reduction in body fat, blood sugar level and blood pressure. 



What You Need:
(Makes 3-4 servings)

• Chicken breast (I used boneless/skinless chicken breast) 1lb
• 1 egg white
• 2 tbsp potato starch
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp oil (I used organic coconut oil but any oil works)

Marinade

• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp Japanese soy sauce
• 1 tsp Japanese rice vinegar

Sauce

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 2.5 tbsp Japanese soy sauce

Number of steps:  5 steps
Time taken: 15 - 20 minutes
Approximately 130kcal per serving (using ground turkey)

About This Dish:
Japanese hamburg steaks are basically burger patties eaten without buns. It's a very popular dish in Japan, served in many restaurants/cafes/fast food chains and for dinner at home. Beef or pork is usually picked as the choice of ground meat, however I've picked turkey just for a more lean option. For an even healthier option, check out the tofu hamburg recipe or the chicken patty recipe I've posted. Various sauces are used; demi glace, ponzu, teriyaki, ketchup, etc. I've posted a super easy demi glace recipe so check that one out if you've got the time! People of various ages are seen eating this dish in Japan, whether it be children or a senior. You could even make a Hawaiian dish, locomoco with leftovers!

One important tip I have is to make sure the onion is cold upon mixing with the ground meat. If the meat is warm or hot, it causes the juicy fat of the meat to run away, making the patties soggy! :[

Serve with Japanese rice and plenty of veggies! 

What You Need:
(Makes 4 servings)

• 300g or 10oz of ground meat (I used ground turkey here)
• 1/2 - 1 onion
• 1 egg
• 5 tbsp panko bread crumbs
• 5 tbsp milk
• Salt and pepper
• Oil (I use organic coconut oil from Trader Joes)

Number of steps:  4 steps
Time taken: 15 - 20 minutes
Approximately 300kcal per serving

About This Dish:
I love fish, especially when it's cooked in soy sauce! This recipe cooks ahi tuna in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin and sake. It's very similar to teriyaki sauce and I can't tell you how great the fish and sauce goes with rice! The ahi tuna becomes a very Japanese dish. Additionally, you cook the fish and add the sauce until it gets thick so it's very simple to make on a busy night. My only advice is to put the lid on the pan once you throw in the sauce to make sure it seeps through. Enjoy!

What You Need:
(Makes 2 servings)

• 2 slices of ahi tuna (I bought mine at Trader Joes) approximately 12oz for 2 slices
• 1 - 2 tsp chopped garlic
• 1/2 - 1 tbsp oil (I used organic coconut oil from Trader Joes)
• Salt and pepper
• (Optional) Sprinkle of potato starch
• (Optional) Butter for taste

Sauce

• 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp Japanese sake

I have recently started to buy whole grain pasta after reading numerous nutrition blogs. Pasta is my to-go-dish; I often make it when I'm lazy to make anything else. So what do I do when I'm craving for something Japanese and some pasta? Make "Shoyu pasta"! It's so easy and most of all, you can just dump in any left over veggies or meats into it. This time, I put in 1/2 red onion, mushrooms and green onions. It's quick, easy and delicious. 

Ingredients
(Used about 300g of dried pasta)

Approximately 260kcal per serving, considering that 1 cup of cooked pasta is 1 serving

• 300g pasta
• (Optional) Vegetables of your choice
• (Optional) Meat of your choice
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 3 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• Garlic (I put in about 1-2 tsp chopped garlic)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Steps

1. Start cooking the pasta.
2. In a separate pan, heat the garlic with olive oil. Then, throw in the vegetables/meat and heat until cooked. Add the soy sauce and let it heat. I also put in a couple tablespoons of the water from the boiling pasta to add to the sauce.
3. Once the pasta is done, throw it in the pan with the sauce and mix!
4. I usually sprinkle some cheese on top, mmm!

I already have posted a wonderful recipe for tofu patties made with ground meat of your choice (I pick turkey) or one using teriyaki sauce and chicken ground meat, but this time I'll introduce a easy demi glace sauce which goes so well with those patties. Keep in mind that you can completely disregard the ground meat and make tofu hamburgs just with tofu! You can use chicken, turkey, pork, beef ground meat. Possibilities are endless.

Now for the sauce, simply mix the ingredients and heat up in a pan until it starts bubbling. Then it's ready to serve! 

Ingredients
(Makes about 3-4 servings)
Approximately 60kcal per serving

• 4 tbsp ketchup
• 3 tbsp katsu sauce (if you don't have this, you can try with Worcestershire sauce or steak sauce)
• 1/2 tbsp mirin
• 2 tbsp Japanese sake

Number of steps:  3 steps
Time taken: 10 minutes
Approximately 200 kcal per serving if divided by 2

About This Dish:
"Shoga-yaki"; "Shoga" is ginger and "yaki" means grilled or stir fried! Another famous shogayaki dish is "Pork Shogayaki" which goes perfectly with Japanese mayo and rice, but we'll leave that recipe for later :) This dish is the eggplant version of it! The savoury sauce becomes thick, so thick that it makes it a perfect partner to white or brown rice and other vegetables. It's a healthy alternative, but so satisfying that my friends who love meat said they don't need meat for dinner that day! 

This dish is usually eaten for dinner as it is savoury. Serve with warm rice and miso soup! Perfect healthy dinner, not to mention that it is so easy! Ginger has so many health benefits for you, especially in the winter, it can work to warm your body.

Number of steps:  3 steps
Time taken: 10 minutes
Approximately 200 kcal per serving if divided by 4

About This Dish:
I like eating edamame in pods as a side dish but how about stir frying it with chicken and Japanese sauce? It turned out to be delicious! A wonderful match with rice and miso soup. It took 5 - 10 minutes to make too. My boyfriend kept asking for more! The sauce blends in perfectly with the chicken. The chicken remains soft and juicy by massaging the potato starch into the chicken before cooking. If you are lazy to make an extravagant dinner but seek for something simple, healthy and Japanese, this recipe is perfect for you!  

What You Need:
(Makes 3-4 servings)

• 1 - 1.25 lb (20oz, ~500g) boneless, skinless chicken breast
• 1 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp olive oil or coconut oil
• Sliced or chopped garlic
• Frozen edamame (as much as you like, I put in 1/2 cup of edamame in pods from Trader Joes)

Sauce

• 1 or 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (I put in 1 tbsp but feel free to add more if you like)
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp Japanese sake
• (Optional) Salt, pepper

Number of steps:  5 steps
Time taken: 10 to 15 minutes

About This Dish:
To begin, let me start by telling you that after making this dish and having it for dinner, I was surprised and very impressed about myself! It truly was a great accomplishment and I would like to share this recipe with you. Shrimp with chili sauce is a very popular dish in Chinatown (in Japan). This recipe aims to replicate that dish people eat in Yokohama's Chinatown. The garlic, ginger, sesame oil and ketchup are one of the main ingredients which come into play. It's simple (trust me) so I hope you try it out and enjoy it as much as I did. 

What You Need:
(Makes ~2 servings)

• ~20 shrimps (defrosted or fresh, up to you)
• Finely chopped garlic (approximately 1 tbsp)
• (Optional) Finely chopped green onion (as much as you like)
• 1 tbsp Japanese sake
• 1/2 tbsp regular oil
• 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  

Marinade

• 1 tbsp Japanese sake
• 1 tsp grated ginger
• 1 tsp grated garlic
• Pinch of salt

Chili Sauce

• 2 tbsp tomato ketchup
• 1 tbsp each of sugar, starch (I used potato starch) and Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbsp water
• Pinch of salt

Number of steps:  4 super easy steps
Time taken: 5 minutes

About This Dish:
My father is originally from Ise city which is located in Mie prefecture. There, Ise Udon is extremely popular. Everywhere you go, you'll see signs and little local diners serving this dish. Tourists love it too. Real Ise Udon is served with udon which is extremely thick (yeap, thicker than the usual udon); since this recipe aims for simple, easy and homemade, I use frozen packaged udon sold at Asian markets. 

What is also important is the so called "black broth".  It's so concentrated that the broth does not cover the whole bowl up like you see in regular udon dishes. It stays in the bottom and you stir/mix as you enjoy the meal. For garnish, most restaurants just sprinkle some green onion. It's as simple as that.  Since this recipe is very simple and easy, compared to the real Ise Udon, it's much less work and may taste a little different, but it's close enough and great to enjoy given the fact that it only takes 5 minutes to make! 

What You Need:
(Makes 2 servings)

• 4 tbsp Japanese soy sauce 
• 1 tbsp Japanese sake
• 2 - 3 tbsp mirin
• 1 - 2 tsp sugar
• 1/3 cup dashi stock (~90ml)
• Green onion for garnish
• Udon for two

Number of steps:  6 super easy steps
Time taken: 10 min prep, 20 min in oven.
Approx. 90 kcal per mini yaki-onigiri

About This Dish:
Onigiris (rice balls) are delicious even when they are not baked, but when the rice is dipped in soy sauce and are baked on both sides, making the onigiri crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, it's becomes a dish you will start craving for! They're called Yaki-onigiris. In Japan, my mom used to make these for lunch as it is easy and goes well with various side dishes such as chicken. It is also eaten at Izakayas along with some sake and yakitori. It's just a fun twist to your regular onigiri, please give it a try! 


You don't have to use fresh cooked rice. You could even use left over rice in your freezer or fridge to whip this up quickly for lunch! Just make sure you warm the rice up before you dip it into the sauce.

What You Need:
(Makes 11 mini yaki-onigiris)

• 2 cups of uncooked rice (Around 300g or 3 cups cooked)

The Sauce

• 1 tsp of Hondashi diluted in water (If you don't have this, don't worry about it, skip it)
• 2 - 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 - 1.5 tsp mirin
• 1 - 1.5 tsp sesame oil
• (Optional) sesame seeds

Number of steps:  6 easy steps
Time taken: 10 min to prepare, 8 min in oven
Approx. 30 kcal per cookie

About This Dish:
Being a girl, sometimes you just crave for desserts. Unfortunately, I find the cookies and sweets in Boston too sweet compared to those in Japan. Solution? Bake my own! These matcha cookies are not too sweet, but not too bitter; it makes the taste of matcha truly come out. All you need is flour, butter, sugar, matcha powder and an egg yolk. I'm not a professional baker, and I must say these cookies came out perfect. Just make sure to use room temperature butter!

Note: The cookies I made are tiny, bite size, miniature cookies. Please cut and bake according to your taste!


What You Need:
(For approximately 30 mini bite sized cookies)

• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (120g)
• 1 - 1.5 teaspoon matcha powder (~6g)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (60g) *Room temperature
• 3 - 3.5 tablespoons white sugar (~45g)
• 1 egg yolk
  

Number of steps:  6, 7 steps
Time taken: 20 - 30 min
Approx. 50 - 80 kcal per skewer

About This Dish:
When you go to a casual drinking dining (a.k.a. Izakaya) in Japan, one of the dishes people usually order is yakitori. Chicken on skewers. Easy to eat, goes great with beer and sake and tasty. Although there are a bunch of other skewers (such as chicken meatballs, liver, skin, cartilage, vegetables, fish) people order, chicken on skewers is the most common. Usually it is char-boiled but given the fact that we are home, this recipe calls for the regular pan you usually cook your regular dishes with. 

When you are at a restaurant, you usually pick if you want the sauce version or if you want the salted version. Most of the skewers are usually eaten with the sauce but once again, it's all your preference ;) This dish turned out great! My izakaya lover boyfriend even said "It tastes better than izakaya!" My friends who were over for dinner also loved it! 


What You Need:
(For 2 - 3 servings)

• 1 - 1.5 lb of chicken (I used 1.3 lb of chicken breast here)
• (Optional) Green onion 
  

Sauce

• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp Japanese sake
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 tsp Hon-dashi powder (If you don't have it, I don't think it'll make too much of a difference)
• 1 piece of garlic grated (Around 2 - 4 cm if you are using tubed grated garlic)

Add Later

• 1.5 - 2 tbsp sugar (Depending on how sweet you like it, I usually put 1.5)

Number of steps:  5 steps
Time taken: 30 min to marinate the chicken (if you choose to)
                      5 min to prepare
                      15 - 20 min in the oven
Approx. 200 kcal per serving

About This Dish:
As you probably know by now, I love fried food. Especially fried chicken! However, now that I'm trying to eat healthy and cut out empty calories from oil and such, "fake" fried food are my best friends. Check out the Fake Katsu Recipe. Doesn't it just feel great knowing that what you made tastes as good as fried food, but is much MUCH healthier? This recipe, like the Fake Katsu Recipe uses absolutely no oil. Additionally, I've used very lean chicken. The crunchiness of the sesame seeds and the marinate prior gave this chicken a fantastic taste which reminded me of a dish back in Japan; Kara-age (Fried chicken with coating)! 

What You Need:
(For 4 servings)

• 1lb chicken (I used boneless, skinless chicken breast from Costco. Any chicken meat will work though!)

Marinate:

• 2 tbsp Japanese soy sauce
• 2 tbsp Japanese sake
• 1 - 2 tsp grated ginger
• 1 - 2 tsp grated garlic

Coating:

• 1 large egg
• 5 tbsp sesame seeds
• 1 tbsp potato starch (If you don't have starch, you can use 2 tbsp flour too)

Number of steps:  9 steps
Time taken: 15 - 20 min

About This Dish:
Omurice is essentially a soft and fluffy omelette topped on chicken rice which is usually ketchup flavoured. Some people wrap the chicken rice into the omelette and some top the omelette carefully on top of the bed of rice. This dish is popular as a homemade dish and as a lunch/dinner dish in western restaurants. You could add some more ketchup on top of the dish or pour beef stew on top (a.k.a. Hayashi rice, which I will post in the future). I cannot tell you how great the rice tasted. It tasted as though I had been cooking it for hours or in my crockpot! 

What You Need:
(For 2 dishes)

• 2 cups of rice (Of course, I used Japanese rice. Usually rice previously in the fridge works best)
• Mixed vegetables (I used half an onion and some carrots)
  
• 50g of chicken (around 2oz)
• 1-1.5 tbsp of butter
• 2 tsp soup stock powder/cube
• 100ml water (0.4 cups)
• 2 tbsp ketchup (Adjust as needed, I ended up putting a little more than this)
• 1 tsp sugar
• Pinch of salt and pepper
• Oil
• 4 eggs (2 eggs per person shall do!)
• Optional: Couple tsp of milk

Note: If you want to wrap your chicken rice with the egg, simply put the bed 
of rice on top of the egg at step 7. Place on the edge so you can roll the egg up like an omelette!