Japanese-no fish

That's right the little american girls got together to make Japanese food. Tamika who was quite adamant about telling us she can't eat fish was not very happy. Of course her experience with Japanese food was limited to the millions of sushi bars scattered throughout the Bay Area. I must say though that with this in mind, Vena put together a terrific menu with items everyone vowed to put in their repetoire. I think the cucumbers were my favorite-so freshing to the palate this one was a twist I'll definitely be using again. But I'm going to start with dessert...cause why not!


Green Tea Pound Cake
It's a tasty variation of basic pound cake. If you like green tea flavor, try this recipe.
Ingredients:
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
Preparation:
Cream butter in a bowl. Add sugar in the butter and mix well. Gradually add beaten eggs and stir well. Sift flour, baking powder, and green tea powder together and add the flour to the egg mixture. Pour the batter into a buttered loaf pan. Bake in preheated 340 degrees F oven for about 30-40 minutes.
*Makes 4 servings

Imokenpi is deep-fried and sugar-coated sweet potatoes. It's a really crunchy and delicious snack.
Satsumaimo Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients:
• 2 satsumaimo, about 1 lb
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp water
• 1 tsp ginger juice
Preparation:
Peel satsumaimo potatoes and slice into 1/4 inch thick rounds. Further, cut them into 1/4 inch thick strips. Soak in water for five minutes. Drain and dry with paper towels. Heat oil for deep-frying in a deep pot to 340 degrees F. Deep-fry satsumaimo strips for about 6-8 minutes, or until softened. Drain on paper towels. Reheat the oil to 375 degrees F, and add satsumaimo strips back into the oil. Fry until crispy. Drain on paper towels. Heat water, sugar, and ginger juice in a large skillet on medium heat until thickened. Add deep-fried satsumaimo in the skillet and mix well. Spread on wax paper and let them cool.


Soba with Toasted Sesame Sauce


Ingredients
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds
• 8 ounces dried soba noodles
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 tablespoon white sugar
• 2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
• 5 green onions, chopped
• 3 cups broccoli florets
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. Pour the sesame seeds onto a rimmed baking sheet. Toast the seeds in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until they are a rich brown around the edges.
3. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook them for 5 to 6 minutes, or until they are just tender. Drain them, rinse them well with cold water, and drain them again.
4. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, garlic, sesame oil and green onions. Add the noodles, and the toasted sesame seeds. Toss well, then stir in the broccoli. Let the dish sit for 30 minutes at room temperature before serving.


Yakitori DonIngredients


• 1 (3 pound) whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 1/4 cup mirin (Japanese sweet wine)
• 2 tablespoons cooking oil
Directions
1. Rinse chicken, and pat dry. In a glass baking dish or bowl, stir together the ginger, garlic, sugar, soy sauce, sake and mirin. Place the chicken into the mixture to marinate. Refrigerate, covered for several hours, or overnight.
2. Heat oil in a large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken pieces into the pan skin-side down, reserving marinade. Cook until light brown, then flip and brown the other side. Drain off grease, and pour the marinade into the pan. Cover, and reduce heat to low, and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the lid and continue cooking, shaking the skillet occasionally, until marinade is evaporated. Serve hot with rice or noodles

Sunomono

Ingredients
• 2 large cucumbers, peeled
• 1/3 cup rice vinegar
• 4 teaspoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
Directions
1. Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise and scoop out any large seeds. Slice crosswise into very thin slices.
2. In a small bowl combine vinegar, sugar, salt and ginger. Mix well. Place cucumbers inside of the bowl, stir so that cucumbers are coated with the mixture. Refrigerate the bowl of cucumbers for at least 1 hour before serving.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 27 Total Fat: 0.2g Cholesterol: 0mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database
 

Miso SoupDashi is a basic stock used in Japanese cooking which is made by boiling dried kelp (seaweed) and dried bonito (fish). Instant dashi granules are sold in conveniently-sized jars or packets and vary in strength. Add more dashi to your soup if you want a stronger stock. You can use yellow, white or red miso paste for this soup. Yellow miso is sweet and creamy, red miso is stronger and saltier."
Ingredients
• 2 teaspoons dashi granules
• 4 cups water
• 3 tablespoons miso paste
• 1 (8 ounce) package silken tofu, diced
• 2 green onions, sliced diagonally into 1/2 inch pieces
Directions
1. In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine dashi granules and water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium, and whisk in the miso paste. Stir in tofu. Separate the layers of the green onions, and add them to the soup. Simmer gently for 2 to 3 minutes before serving.