Create Your Taste

Japanese Cookbook

by Ethan Bergman

Contents

Chicken and vegetable yakitori

Beef & shallot skewers
Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes)
California rolls
Teriyaki salmon with pickled vegetables
Spicy udon noodles
Chicken donburi
Egg and nori rolls
Japanese beef rolls
Crumbed chicken with katsu sauce

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- page 12

Chicken and vegetable yakitori

Ingredients:
80ml (1/3 cup) soy sauce
80ml (1/3 cup) mirin (rice
wine)
55g (1/4 cup) caster sugar
1 tablespoon rice wine
vinegar
2 teaspoons grated fresh
ginger
1.3kg chicken thigh fillets, fat
trimmed, cut into 3cm pieces
2 medium red capsicums,
halved, deseeded, cut into
3cm pieces
8 shallots, pale section only,
cut into 4cm lengths
10 (about 100g) fresh
shiitake mushrooms
3 Lebanese (slender)
eggplant, cut into 2cm-thick
slices

Step 1
Place the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, vinegar and ginger in a
medium glass or ceramic bowl and stir until the sugar dissolves.
Reserve half the soy sauce mixture. Add the chicken to the
remaining soy sauce mixture and stir to combine. Cover with
plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 4 hours to marinate.
Step 2
Drain the chicken from the marinade. Thread the chicken,
capsicum, shallot, mushrooms and eggplant onto the skewers.
Step 3
Preheat a barbecue grill or chargrill on medium. Add the
skewers and cook, turning occasionally, for 15 minutes or until
browned and cooked through.
Step 4
Meanwhile, place the reserved soy sauce mixture in a small
saucepan over medium heat. Bring to the boil. Simmer for 2
minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Step 5
Place the skewers on a serving platter. Serve with the sauce.

Beef & shallot skewers

9 (about 250g)
beef sizzle steaks,
quartered
1 bunch (about
12) shallots,
trimmed, cut into
5cm lengths
Oil spray
125ml (1/2 cup)
teriyaki sauce

Step 1
Place 3 steak pieces on a clean work surface. Place
a piece of shallot on top of each piece of steak.
Roll up to enclose. Thread onto a skewer. Repeat
with the remaining steak and shallot to make 12
skewers.
Step 2
Heat a non-stick frying pan over high heat. Spray
with oil. Add half the skewers and brush with some
sauce. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Turn and brush with a
little more sauce. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes
for medium or until cooked to your liking. Transfer
to a serving plate. Repeat with remaining skewers
and a little more sauce.
Step 3
Add remaining sauce to the pan. Simmer for 1
minute or until reduced slightly. Drizzle sauce over
the skewers.

Okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes)

!
225g (1 1/2 cups) plain flour
500ml (2 cups) water
300g pork mince
6 eggs
250g green cabbage, hard core
removed, finely shredded
4 shallots, ends trimmed, thinly
sliced
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Worcestershire sauce, to serve
Japanese-style mayonnaise (such
as Kewpie), to serve

Step 1
Place the flour in a bowl. Make a well in the centre. Gradually add
the water, whisking constantly with a fork, until smooth. Cover
with plastic wrap and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.
Step 2
Meanwhile, heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add
the mince and cook, stirring with a wooden spoon to break up any
lumps, for 5 minutes or until browned. Transfer to a bowl.
Step 3
Add the eggs to the batter and whisk to combine. Stir in the
cabbage and shallot.
Step 4
Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a 22cm (base measurement) non-stick
frying pan over medium-high heat. Add 80ml (1/3 cup) of the batter
and swirl to cover the base. Sprinkle with one-sixth of the mince
mixture. Cook for 3 minutes or until the pancake is golden
underneath.
Step 5
Carefully turn the pancake and cook for a further 2 minutes or until
golden. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat, in 5 more batches, with
the remaining oil, batter and mince mixture, reheating the pan
between batches.
Step 6
Drizzle Worcestershire sauce and mayonnaise over each pancake.
Serve.

California rolls

3 cups SunRice Japanese Style

Sushi Rice
4 cups water
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 tablespoons mirin
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 teaspoons salt
8 sheets nori (seaweed sheets)
1 large Lebanese cucumber, cut
into thin strips
1 avocado, peeled, cut into thin
slices
12 seafood sticks or crabsticks
wasabi paste and Japanese soy
sauce, to serve*

Step 1
Wash rice under cold water until liquid runs clear. Place rice into a
large non-stick saucepan. Add water. Bring to the boil over high heat.
Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 5 minutes, or until small holes
form in the rice. Cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes.
Remove from heat. Stand, covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, place vinegar, mirin, sugar and salt into a small saucepan
over low heat. Cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until sugar has
dissolved. Refrigerate until cold.
Step 3
Spread rice over a large tray. Drizzle vinegar mixture over rice. Using
a wooden spoon, make cutting strokes into rice to distribute vinegar
mixture (don't stir).
Step 4
Place a sheet of nori, shiny side down, onto a bamboo mat or sheet
of baking paper. Place 3/4 cup of rice mixture onto nori. With wet
hands, gently spread rice evenly over nori, leaving a 3cm border at
far end. Place a strip of cucumber onto rice, 3cm in from edge. Place
an avocado slice and a seafood stick next to the cucumber. Using the
mat or baking paper as a guide, roll up. Repeat with remaining nori
and fillings. Cut each roll into 6 pieces. Serve with wasabi and soy
sauce.

Teriyaki salmon with pickled vegetables

1/4 cup (60ml) gluten-free tamari (see

note) (naturally brewed soy sauce)
1 tablespoon caster sugar
2 tablespoons mirin (see note) (sweet
Japanese rice wine)
1 tablespoon sake or shaohsing (Chinese
rice wine) (see note)
4 skinless salmon fillets
Steamed rice, to serve
1 teaspoon black (see note) or white
sesame seeds
Pickled vegetables
1 Lebanese cucumber, halved, seeds
removed, very thinly sliced
100ml rice vinegar
1 teaspoon caster sugar
1 small carrot, cut into thin matchsticks
1/2 daikon radish, cut into matchsticks
2 tablespoons Japanese pickled ginger
(see note), shredded

Step 1
Combine the tamari, sugar, mirin and sake in a small bowl,
stirring to dissolve sugar. Place fish in a shallow dish, pour
over the tamari mixture, then marinate in the fridge for up
to 30 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile for the pickled vegetables, place the cucumber in
a sieve set over the sink. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons salt,
then stand for 10 minutes. Rinse well, then pat dry with
paper towel. Simmer the vinegar and sugar in a pan over
low heat for 5 minutes. Cool slightly, then toss with
cucumber, carrot, daikon and ginger. Chill while you cook
salmon.
Step 3
Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a tray with baking paper.
Place salmon on the tray, pour over the marinade and bake
for 8-10 minutes until just cooked. Serve the salmon with
rice and pickled vegetables, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Spicy udon noodles

3 x 270g pkts Hakubaku udon

noodles
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 bunch green shallots, thinly
sliced
1/2 teaspoon Sichuan
seasoning
2 x 200g pkts Japanese tofu,
sliced
80ml (1/3 cup) tamari (wheatfree soy sauce)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
150g snow peas, ends trimmed
150g sugar snap peas, topped

Step 1
Cook noodles in a saucepan of boiling
water for 8 minutes or until tender.
Refresh under cold running water. Drain.
Step 2
Heat the vegetable oil in a wok over
medium-high heat. Add shallot and stirfry for 1 minute. Add noodles, seasoning
and tofu and stir-fry for 8 minutes. Add
tamari, sesame oil and peas and stir-fry
for 2-3 minutes or until heated through.
Serve.

Chicken donburi

1 1/2 cups SunRice Japanese Style Sushi

Rice
1 sachet (2 teaspoons) dashi soup stock
(see related article)
1 cup boiling water
1 tablespoon peanut oil
2 medium brown onions, halved, thinly
sliced
1 garlic clove, crushed
3cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, finely
grated
600g chicken breast fillets, trimmed,
thinly sliced
2 tablespoons salt-reduced soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
6 eggs, lightly beaten
thinly sliced green onion, to serve

Step 1
Place rice and 3 cups cold water in a saucepan over medium-high heat
Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Cover. Simmer for 10 t
12 minutes or until liquid has absorbed. Remove from heat. Stand,
covered, for 10 minutes.
Step 2
Meanwhile, combine stock and boiling water in a heatproof jug.
Step 3
Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Cook brown onion, stirring
for 10 minutes or until softened. Add garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring
for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Step 4
Add half the stock mixture. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low.
Simmer for 2 minutes or until liquid has almost evaporated. Add
chicken, soy sauce, vinegar and remaining stock mixture. Simmer,
covered, for 10 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Pour egg
over mixture. Cook, covered, without stirring, for 2 to 3 minutes or
until egg has just set.
Step 5
Divide rice between bowls. Top with chicken mixture and green onion
Serve.

Egg and nori rolls

3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste
125ml (1/2 cup) water
8 eggs, at room temperature
Pinch of salt
20g (1 tablespoon) butter
4 sheets sushi nori (roasted
seaweed)
1 carrot, peeled, cut into thick
matchsticks
2 celery sticks, trimmed, cut into
thick matchsticks
40g snow pea sprouts, stems
trimmed

10

Related Recipes Notes

Step 1
Whisk the soy sauce, wasabi and 60ml (1/4 cup) of the water in a
small bowl until well combined. Cover and set aside until serving.
Step 2
Crack the eggs into a large jug and add the remaining water. Add
salt and use a fork to whisk until well combined.
Step 3
Heat 1 teaspoon of the butter in a 20cm non-stick frying pan over
medium-high heat until foaming. Pour a quarter of egg mixture into
pan and tilt pan until mixture covers base. As omelette begins to
set, lift edge so uncooked egg runs underneath. Cook, uncovered,
for 2 minutes or until omelette is set. Slide onto a large plate and
cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Repeat in 3 more batches
with remaining butter and egg mixture.
Step 4
Place the omelettes in a single layer on a clean surface. Top each
with 1 nori sheet. Divide carrot, celery and snow pea sprouts
among nori sheets, placing down the centre. Roll the omelette up
tightly. Trim edges and cut the rolls in half. Arrange on a serving
plate and serve with the wasabi mixture.

Japanese beef rolls

6 beef minute steaks

12 stalks asparagus
12 spring onions
1 carrot
60ml (1/4 cup) light soy sauce
2 tablespoons sake (see Top tips)
or dry sherry
2 tablespoons mirin (see Top tips)
2 teaspoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
40g butter
100g button mushrooms, thinly
sliced
Steamed rice, to serve

11
!

Step 1
Bring a saucepan of water to the boil over mediumhigh heat.
Meanwhile, halve beef widthwise. Place half the beef side by side
between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Using a meat mallet or rolling
pin, pound until 4mm thick. Repeat with remaining beef.
Step 2
Trim asparagus and onions to 8cm lengths. Cut carrot into 12 x
8cm-long batons. Blanch asparagus and carrot in boiling water for
30 seconds. Add onions, then blanch for a further 30 seconds.
Drain, refresh in iced water, then drain again. Pat dry with paper
towel.
Step 3
To assemble rolls, place 1 piece of beef lengthwise on a work
surface. Lay 1 asparagus stalk, 1 carrot piece and 1 onion widthwise
along bottom edge. Roll up beef to enclose vegetables. Secure
with a toothpick. Repeat with remaining beef and vegetables.
Step 4
Combine soy sauce, sake, mirin and sugar in a bowl. Add beef rolls
and turn to coat. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over
medium heat. Add half the rolls and cook, turning, for 5 minutes
or until browned and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and
cover to keep warm. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and
rolls. Wipe pan clean and reserve remaining marinade.
Step 5
Return pan to heat with butter. Melt butter, then add mushrooms.
Cook, tossing, for 3 minutes or until browned. Stir in reserved
marinade, bring to a simmer, then remove from heat.
Step 6
Divide beef rolls among bowls. Drizzle with mushroom sauce and
serve with steamed rice.

Crumbed chicken with katsu sauce

!

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons finely grated fresh ginger
1.2kg (about 4 single) chicken breast fillets
140g (2 cups) fresh breadcrumbs (made from day-old bread)
75g (1/2 cup) plain flour
2 eggs, lightly whisked
Olive oil spray
Shredded wombok (Chinese cabbage), to serve
Shredded red cabbage, to serve
97% fat-free mayonnaise, to serve
Lemon wedges, to serve
Katsu sauce
125ml (1/2 cup) tomato sauce
60ml (1/4 cup) water
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
1 tablespoon caster sugar
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

12

Step 1
To make the katsu sauce, combine the tomato sauce, water,
Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, ginger, garlic
and allspice in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook,
stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes or until the sauce thickens.
Set aside to cool. Transfer to a jug. Cover with plastic wrap and
store in the fridge.
Step 2
Combine the soy sauce, vinegar and ginger in a large bowl. Add
the chicken and stir to coat. Cover and place in the fridge for 4
hours or overnight to marinate.
Step 3
Line a large baking tray with non-stick baking paper. Place the
breadcrumbs on a large plate. Place the flour on a separate
plate. Season with salt and pepper. Place the egg in a bowl. Dip
the chicken in the flour and shake off excess. Dip in egg, then in
the breadcrumbs, pressing firmly to coat. Transfer to the lined
tray. Cover and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to chill.
Step 4
Preheat oven to 200C. Spray the top of the chicken with oil.
Cook for 6 minutes. Carefully turn and spray with oil. Cook for
a further 6 minutes or until cooked through.
Step 5
Thickly slice the chicken diagonally. Arrange the wombok and
red cabbage on a serving platter and top with the chicken.
Drizzle over the mayonnaise and katsu sauce. Serve with lemon
wedges.