Tag Archives: japanese

Goya Champuru

In Japan, bitter melon is referred to as “goya”.  Goya Champuru is a popular stir-fry dish hailing from the islands of Okinawa, combining thinly sliced goya with ham (or spam traditionally!), firm tofu, egg and a variety of other vegetables depending on the cook.  This version is my husband Chris’s favorite and is the closestContinue reading “Goya Champuru”

Fried Eggplant with Perilla & Ponzu

Perilla is a unique herb and goes best with co-ingredients which allow its flavors to shine through. In the case of vegetables, I love pairing perilla with eggplant. In addition to the stark contrast of flavors, there is also a beautiful marriage of textures. When fried, the eggplant takes on both a crispiness and aContinue reading “Fried Eggplant with Perilla & Ponzu”

Yakisoba

A festival and street food favorite, some of my best memories in Japan are the hot summer festival (matsuri) nights spent at my local temple in Shin Koenji. Lanterns lit and glowing, swarms of neighborhood locals in yukata (unlined summer kimono) and me shoveling Yakisoba-freshly made at one of the many food stalls at theContinue reading “Yakisoba”

Shungiku Goma-ae

I absolutely love chrysanthemum greens, or Shungiku in Japanese, but they can be a bit overly vegetal tasting for some people which is understanding. My husband Chris says its like eating soap, so I can imagine it’s quite similar to how some people feel about cilantro. Still, you’re missing out! Shungiku goes great in soups,Continue reading “Shungiku Goma-ae”

White Stew or Gung Gung’s “a la King”

4/22/20 Note: if you are a Radical Family Farms CSA member, scroll down to the end to see how I used their mustard greens and Chinese celery for this. Hello hello hellooooo. I got request yesterday from a follower friend on Instagram for a recipe for the much beloved Japanese White Stew, also known asContinue reading “White Stew or Gung Gung’s “a la King””

Kamatama Udon

This is a short recipe for something quick, healthy, delicious and incredibly flexible in terms of ingredients. The only thing you absolutely need…is to get over your fear of raw eggs. Kamatama Udon is a warm [not hot] noodle dish which uses a raw egg as it’s sauce in combination with a drizzle of somethingContinue reading “Kamatama Udon”