Soba

Soba is one of the Japanese noodles made from buckwheat flour.
It is served either chilled with a dipping sauce, or in hot soy-based broth. Chilled soba (cold soba) is very popular during the summer and Soba in hot broth is popular during the winter.

Chilled soba is often served on a sieve-like bamboo tray called a Zaru like the picture above, sometimes garnished with bits of dried seaweed, with a dipping sauce known as soba tsuyu on the side. Wasabi and leeks are often added into the tsuyu.

Japanese-style curry - Japansk curry

Have you heard of Japanese-style curry?

Curries are very popular dishes in Japan.

Japanese-styled curries are thicker than curries found in other cuisines and served with Japanese rice

Curries vary from hot to mild. They contain many kinds of spices and vegetables and fruit essences.

A wide variety of vegetables and meats or seafood are used to make Japanese curry. 

They are balanced diet and healthy as well!

The easiest way to cook Japanese-styled curries is to use Japanese instant curry roux.

Cherry blossom vewing - Hanami

Cherry blossom viewing - Hanami in Japanaese- is very popular in Japan. People have a small party under cherry blossom trees with their friends and families. They bring some foods and drinks or have BBQ during the day or night. At very popular spots for Hanami, you may find it difficult to have a space, especially  Friday nights or weekends since some people reserve a spot before the party is held.

The blossom forecast is announced each year by the weather bureuau. So you can know the best spots and timing for enjoy Hanami.  

                                                      from japan wikipedia

                                                                                         

However, this year is a bit different since parties are being called off due to earthquake and tsunami occured March 11. There is a mode of self-restraint.

Cherry blossom - Sakura

Sakura means cherry blossom in Japanese.
It is one of my most favorite flowers.

Cherry blossom is somehow special for Japanese, which is not only its beauty but also feels the excitement about the beginning of a new year.
Since Japanese school year starts in April and newly graduated poeple starts working in April.
The entrace ceremony of a shcool is often held at fully open cherry blossom season.
The high school I went to has an ally of cherry blossoms leading from the gate to the shool buildings. I remeber that the enterance ceremony day was at the peak of cherry blossoms. They were so beautiful.  The cherry blossom welcomed new students this year as well as they did to me.

Shogayaki - Ingefära fläsk

The first Japanese food is Syoga-yaki. Syoga means ginger, and yaki means fry. Syoga-yaki is simple but is very popular dish for lunch or dinner in Japan.                                   

                             

Ingredients for 2 serving

• 250g  thinly sliced pork      
• 140g  onion                      
• 15cc   grated fresh ginger    
• 30cc   soy sauce                         
• 15cc   mirin  (if not, honey is fine)                    
• 30cc   sake (if not, white wine is fine)               
• 15cc   vegetable oil            

1. Slice pork and onione very thinly.

 

2. Mix sliced pork, sliced onion, grated ginger, soy sauce, mirin
    (or honey) and sake (or white wine) in a bowl.

3. Heat vegetable oil in a frypan or a wok pan.
    When it is  hot,add ingredients  of 2

4.  Lower heat and cover a lid. Stir them sometimes until pork is cooked.

5. After pork is cooked, remove the lid and heat until liquid goes away.

In Japan, Syogayaki is normally served with hot Japanese rice separatly, but placeing shoga-yaki on top of hot rice is also very good. It is called Shoga-yaki Donburi.(Donburi means a bowl)

Hey, Hajimemashite

 "Hajimemashite" betyder trävligt att träffas på japanska.

I would like to write about Japanese food and what is happening in Japan

I have been living in Stockholm for a few years.

Since I moved to Stockholm from Tokyo, I have been trying to cook Japanese food using ingredients that I can easily access to in Sweden.