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Noodles

Autumn Food, Blog, Spring Food, Summer Food, Winter Food

Simple Meals Inspired By Shinya Shokudo

16/06/2021 Leave a comment

“When people finish their day and hurry home, my day starts. My diner is open from midnight to seven in the morning. They call it “Midnight Diner”.Tonjiru is all I have on my menu. But I make whatever customers request as long as I have the ingredients for it. That’s my policy. Do I even have customers? More than you would expect.”

If you follow my Instagram you will know I’m a real big fan of Midnight Diner & Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories. Last year I did some recipes inspired by the Netflix series. Although numbered series 1+2 in fact these are the last in the series as they started back in 2009 with MBS called just Midnight Diner. There are three seasons in this plus two films before Netflix took them over. If you don’t know Midnight Diner or “Shinya Shokudo” is a tv series about ordinary people who eat at a diner based around the Golden Gai district in Shinjuku.


The small restaurant opens from 12 midnight until 7am. The only thing on the menu is tonjiru but customers may ask the chef known as “master” for what they want and as long as he has the ingredients he will make it for them. It shows the relationship of the characters with the food they order. The dishes are normally simple Japanese home cooked style meals which may envoke a memory for the customer. This  is a lovely heart warming series and if you love Japan as much as I do it doesn’t matter that most of the food cooked isn’t vegan. This is why I decided to take the first three seasons and choose some of the simple meals you can make plant based.

Season 1 Episode 3 Ochazuke

Three women Miki, Rumi and Kana often frequent the diner and always order Ochazuke with different toppings.
Ochazuke is one of the most simple traditional Japanese meals often eaten to settle your stomach or a quick snack with left over rice.
A one-bowl meal  of steamed rice with green tea poured over (sometimes dashi broth) and an assortment of toppings. Ocha refers to green tea, and zuke means “submerged”. You can use various kinds of green tea such as Genmaicha, Sencha or  Hojicha. Spoon some fresh warm rice into a bowl and add your toppings. I added chopped red shiso leaves, umeboshi plum shredded nori (kizami), a sprinkle of daikon furikake and toasted brown rice. Finishing off with a garnish of a few mizuna leaves . Brew your tea and pour over the rice. Eat straight away so the rice doesn’t go soggy.

Season 1 Episode 4 Potato Salad

I do already have a potato salad recipe on my recipe pages in fact it was probably one of my very first. The Japanese version is a little different to the normal potato salad you might be used to. It’s a kind of mashed potato salad rather than potato chunks. Creamy Japanese mayonnaise is used plus vegetables like carrot and cucumber. In the midnight diner episode “Master” recommends you boil the potato with skin on and peel when they are done this apparently keeps in the flavour. He then mashes the potato with a fork adds slices of cucumber julienned carrot and diced ham (you can use vegan ham if you like). Mix the carrot and cucumber in while the potato is still warm this will help to soften them. Add kewpie mayonnaise ( there is a vegan version it just depends if you can get it where you are) or you could either make my recipe for kewpie which is on the other potato salad recipe or just use vegan mayonnaise.

Season 1 Episode 5 Butter Rice ( An arrogant food critic comes to the midnight diner to find something as simple as butter rice to win his heart and resurrect memories )

I must admit I had never tried this and if you haven’t either I seriously urge you to do so. Use good quality Japanese rice when it’s freshly cooked spoon it into a bowl and top with vegan butter. I use the one by Naturli. When the butter has melted a little adds dash of soy sauce or tamari and that’s it. Simple but so so delicious!

Season 2 Episode 5 Tuna Mayo Rice Bowl or Tuna Salad

This is another donburi (rice bowl) meal. In some of my previous recipes like crab cakes and sushi salad I have used jackfruit. It doesn’t taste of fish but gives you that shredded crabmeat tinned tuna type texture. For this tuna salad I did the same. Just simmer a tin of drained jackfruit in water for about 20 minutes then drain and pull the pieces apart and place in a bowl. Add to this mayonnaise a teaspoon of Dijon mustard, 1/2 a finely diced white onion and a teaspoon of sweet white miso. Mix all together and top on to freshly made rice. I also added a little sliced pickled myoga ginger on top for colour and extra flavour. You could add some diced green onion if you like. This works just as well as a sandwich filling or on a warm jack potato.

Season 2 Episode 7 Hakusaizuke (pickled napa cabbage) or Asazuke

I always make sure I have some kind of tsukemono (Japanese pickles) with my meals . This one is so easy using just salt and no vinegar. I thought it would taste salty but it didn’t it was super sweet. Slice a napa cabbage (Chinese cabbage ) in half length ways and then do the same again so you get four slices. Wash and leave to dry. Add your slices to a bowl and add salt. Rub the salt into the cabbage. You can also add some shredded kombu kelp slices of red chilli pepper and some lemon zest if you fancy. Place a plate over the bowl so it sits just inside, then pile on more plates for a weight or what ever you want to use. Leave in a cool dark place. Then next day give them a massage and cover again. After three days they should be ready. Slice and serve. The rest will keep a few days in a container in the fridge.

Season 3 Episode 5 Harusame Salad

Harusame are dried Hokkaido potato starch noodles which were originally made from mung beans.

Harusame kanji characters are 春spring and 雨 rain. I thought being the rainy season at the moment in japan it was a nice one to make . This simple recipe has a few ingredients julienned cucumbers and carrots (which are first salted left for ten minutes after rubbing in the salt then rinsed ) wakame seaweed that’s been soaked in warm water then sliced and vegan ham with a awase-zu dressing. In midnight diner master adds shredded omelette so for colour I just added some sliced yellow bell pepper. It’s a perfect salad for summer. The noodles take only a few minutes to cook (see packets or cooking instructions) drain and rinse in cold water to remove the starch. Add to a bowl with your other ingredients then pour over your Awase-zu Kyoto style dressing 3 tablespoons of brown rice vinegar, 2 1/2 tablespoons of soy sauce or tamari, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 2 tablespoons of mirin, pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of sesame oil and 1 tablespoon of Yuzu juice if you like. I like to add the Yuzu it gives the dressing a lovely citrus flavour that’s great for a summer salad.  You can also use this as a vinaigrette if you just add some olive oil instead of sesame oil with salt and pepper.


I hope this will inspire you to make some of these simple home cooked style meals for yourself, you may also like my post on Natsukashii & Ofukuro no aji ( a taste of home ). If you haven’t already watched Midnight Diner & Midnight Diner Tokyo Stories I can definitely recommend it.

Blog, Summer Food

Morioka Reimen

15/05/2021 Leave a comment

Morioka is the capital of Iwate prefecture in rural northeastern Tohoku. Morioka is in fact famous for three kinds of noodle dishes. Jajamen a thin udon noodle dish with a topping of minced pork, onion,shiitake,mushrooms, ginger,black ground sesame,miso,sesame oil and green onion. I made a vegan version of this dish by using soy mince instead. Add this on top of cooked udon.

Finish with cucumber, chopped green onion and chilli oil. Mix together before eating.

There is also Wanko soba, served in tiny bowls with various condiments. There is even a National Wanko soba  competition to see how many bowls of soba you  can eat in one sitting. Each time you finish a bowl more will be quickly served to you until you say stop. The record is 380 bowls in 10 mins ! You can also try this yourself in some of the restaurants, have you ever done this ?
The last of the famous Morioka noodles is Reimen. This noodle dish is perfect for a hot summers day as it’s served chilled. The dish combines spicy and refreshing. It is made with a tare sauce broth and sides of cucumber and kimchi. It normally comes with a boiled egg on top. Why not use my vegan egg recipe to add to this and make it look even more authentic. It  also surprisingly comes with a refreshing slice of melon or pear, which is what makes this dish so different.
To make the tare add to a pan 1/2 cup of vegetable broth, 1/4 cup mirin, 1/4 cup soy sauce, two tablespoons of sake, 1 teaspoon of brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of brown rice vinegar, 1 inch grated ginger, 1 chopped green onion. Bring everything to a simmer and reduce to 1/2 cup. Strain and store in the fridge.
Use 2 part stock to one tare to make your broth.

Add cooked Ramen noodles and your toppings of kimchi, vegan egg, cucumber and fruit. I used pieces of pear. Have you ever visited Morioka and tried any of these famous noodle dishes for yourself?

 

 

Autumn Food, Blog, Winter Food

Wide Noodles With Hokkaidō Pumpkin Sauce

24/11/2019 Leave a comment

Hokkaidō pumpkin, also known as red kuri squash. Kuri means chestnut in Japanese and this pumpkin has a chestnut taste and texture. In the UK we call it onion squash I guess more because of it’s shape than it’s taste.


I decided to use this pumpkin to make a sauce to go with some wide noodles that I had bought. They are brown rice noodles by Clearspring but you could easily use tagliatelle.


First I made the sauce, I used half a pumpkin, scoop out the seeds and chop into chunks and slice off the skin.
Finely dice 1/2 an onion and sauté in a little coconut or olive oil until tender.

Add the pumpkin to the pan with the onions and add enough water to cover and bring to a simmer. Then add half a stock cube and stir in to dissolve. Cover the pan and leave on a simmer until the pumpkin is tender and falls apart.

Then add a teaspoon of white miso paste and dissolve it in. Stir in about a one – two tablespoons of soy cream and two tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Use a hand blender to blend the sauce until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste.

The noodles I used did not require cooking you just soak them for 30 minutes in boiling water. Either do this or cook your desired pasta or noodles. When they are ready stir in your sauce.

This simple sauce is so tasty you could also use this with more of a fusilli pasta and bake it like a mac and cheese if you wish with some grated vegan cheese on top.

I also added some blanched broccoli, chopped parsley and a scatter of chilli flakes, and served it with salad, for a filling comforting meal.

Autumn Food, Blog

Vegan Nikujaga ( meat & potatoes )

30/10/2019 Leave a comment

Niku Jaga, is a home style cooked dish made from beef and potatoes. Niku is meat in Japanese and Jaga is short for jagaimo which means potato. The meat and potatoes are stewed in a soy sauce broth with mirin and sugar with onion, carrot and green beans or snow peas. Konnyaku ( konjac ) noodles known as Shirataki  which means white waterfall and refers to how the noodles look are also added as part of this meal. They are thin translucent noodles made from the konjac yam and have almost zero calories made up of water and fiber. Don’t be put off by the smell when you open them just drain the liquid and wash the noodles well under cold water then blanch for a few minutes in boiling water this will get rid of the fishy smell. Drain and leave while you prepare the rest of the items you need.

You will need dashi not the kind made from bonito flakes but a vegan dashi made with a piece of kombu soaked in water over night. Around 2-3 cups.

For the meat substitute I have chosen gorgeous maitake mushrooms. They have a meaty texture and  give the soup the most amazing flavour .

Then you will need potato ( I used taro and normal potato ) peel and cut into large wedges use what is called the mentori technique by rounding off any sharp corners. This will stop the potatoes from bumping into each other and breaking up. Put the potatoes in some cold water to remove the starch while you peel and chop one large carrot into rolling wedges. Cut one small white onion into large wedges. Then heat some toasted sesame oil in a large pan and add your onions and maitake, if your maitake come in large clusters just break them up into smaller pieces. Sauté the onion and maitake until the onion is tender then place on top ( do not mix in ) your potato, carrot and Shirataki group them together so all the carrots together all the potato together etc and make sure they are flat Then mix into your dashi 4 tsps of mirin 4 tbsps tamari or soy sauce and 1 tbsp of sugar . Pour this over your vegetables until they are covered. Place a otoshibuta on top this can be in the form of a smaller lid that sits inside your pan or you can use foil with a hole. This will stop the vegetables moving while they simmer but help the flavour . Simmer until tender then leave to stand so the flavours really soak in. Heat to serve adding your snow peas or green beans. I can’t tell you how delicious this was and I can recommend having a chunk of nice rustic bread with it to soak up that lovely broth. Perfect for a cold day it’s hearty, comforting and filling and the maitake are rich in vitamin D which is great for the winter months .

Autumn Food, Blog

Houtou (Hōtō) ほうとう

09/11/2018 Leave a comment

It has been a typical autumn day today. The wind has nearly blown all the leaves off the cherry tree. The seasons go by so fast. No sooner am I enjoying the beautiful Sakura blossom than it quickly falls to make way for bright green summer leaves which then turn all to soon yellow and orange. Today they have nearly all dropped to reveal the dark naked branches.

I wanted to make a cosy autumn dish so I chose Hōtō . A comforting miso noodle soup originating from Yamanashi in Japan. This is normally made with large flat udon style noodles but without making some or having any in my store cupboard I decided to use a gluten-free alternative made by Clearspring, brown rice wide noodles. They worked a treat.

I first simmered a selection of winter vegetables daikon,carrot,parsnip,brussels sprouts,napa cabbage,kabocha,maitake and kale,with enough water to cover and a drop lid or otoshibuta. Add leafy greens at the end of simmering the vegetables.

When the vegetables are tender and you have added your greens mix one tablespoon each of Hatcho miso and white miso paste in a bowl with a little cooking liquid to dissolve,then add to your pot . The hatcho miso gives the soup a nice earthy rich flavour .

Soak your rice noodles for 10 mins in a bowl of hot water to soften and then add them to the gently simmering pot for a further 10 mins.

Or if you are using fresh udon add them directly to the pot.

Now cosy up on a dark autumn evening and enjoy.

Blog, Summer Food

Soba Noodles With Crunchy Vegetables & a Spicy Peanut & Miso Dip

12/06/2017 Leave a comment

Noodles and stir fried veggies always make a quick meal. So are great to make in the week when you don’t have much time to cook.
First make your dip,in a bowl mix together one tablespoon of peanut butter a teaspoon each of mirin,brown rice vinegar,maple syrup,miso and tamari add 1/4 teaspoon each of hot chilli pepper and paprika and a tablespoon of water. (If you prefer it more citrus you could add lime instead)

Cook your soba noodles as the packet instructs drain and rinse I keep mine in a sieve with a bowl of cold water under until I’m ready to stirfry them.

Chop up your veggies I used a mix of bell peppers,snow peas,sliced shiitake mushrooms and shimeji mushrooms,sliced asparagus,chopped komatsuna,asparagus,broccoli,carrot and bean sprouts.
(You can use what ever veggies you want)
Add a little toasted sesame oil into a hot pan and throw in your veggies and stirfry them quickly then drain your noodles well and throw them in and make sure you stir the veggies in well . If you do not want to add more oil and you find the noodles sticking just add a little water.
Throw in some crunchy tamari roasted soy beans last minute before plating .
I like to dip my noodles but if you prefer you can mix in the sauce when your stirfrying.

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Somen Inari

09/06/2017 Leave a comment

Somen are very thin noodles and I always think these delicate noodles are at their best served cold.
Instead of stuffing my Inari pouches with rice I decided to stuff them with somen noodles and add a light no oil dressing .
The dressing was really simple just yuzu juice,mirin and brown rice vinegar.
This makes a really refreshing summer dish
Why not give it a try.

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Sakura soba noodles

24/04/2017 Leave a comment

I wanted to use the last of my Sakura soba noodles as it’s cherry blossom season .
I chose to make a simple kitsune soba.
Kitsune means fox in Japanese and it is said that the fox spirits are very fond of fried tofu so hence the name kitsune soba as I added aburaage to my soba noodles. The broth was just a simple tamari and mirin.
I added a few toppings of carrot flowers,furikake,sesame seeds,diced green onion and komatsuna.
It makes a really satisfying meal so quick and easy .
Now I’m off to watch ghost in the shell.
狐そば
さくらおはぎ

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Udon Hot Pot

12/04/2017 Leave a comment

A lovely udon hot pot to night in a miso broth with vegetables and tofu . Also a few onigiri with hijiki.

うどんと野菜と豆腐と味噌汁鍋物.
おにぎりとひじき

Blog, Winter Food

Tomato Ramen

12/01/2017 Leave a comment

Nothing better than a  hot comforting bowl of tomato ramen for dinner to night on a cold night and so simple to make .

All I use is a tomato soup . ( I like to use an organic one from Abel & Cole ) be careful when buying tomato soups check the ingredients as many contain milk.

cook your ramen and soup in separate pans choose your choice of topping here you can see I used sweet corn,bean sprouts,chopped onion and  (bok choy,pak choi ) .

Add your soup to the bowl and top with ramen and vegetables

super easy .
トマトラーメンのホットボウル

Blog, Winter Food

New Years Eve Soba

31/12/2016 Leave a comment

It’s nearly New Years in Japan and to celebrate I’m having for lunch a hot bowl of soba noodles which is a traditional New Year’s Eve meal called toshikoshi soba.
Meaning end of old year and beginning of the next.
The noodles symbolise the bridge from the old to the new year and bring long life, strength and good fortune.
I made this really simple with a tamari and mirin soup stock some lovely soba noodles I bought in Kyoto and topped it with chopped green onion,aburaage and a little fresh yuzu peel .
Eating this meal took me back to the lovely setting at kiyo mizu in Kyoto where I had simple soba noodles.
I want to wish everyone in Japan a happy new year and health and good fortune .
年越し蕎麦
明けましておめでとうございます??????

Blog, Winter Food

Hoto “Houtou” thick noodle soup

29/11/2016 Leave a comment

Hoto or Houtou is a miso soup with thick flat noodles which is a speciality of Yamanashi prefecture Japan.

It can made made in a pan or donabe pot .

To make the noodles you will need

160g of all purpose flour

70 mil of tepid water

salt

Put your flour in a bowl with a pinch of salt add your water little by little until you get a dough. Knead well and spread out your dough to a few mm thickness on a flour surface or parchment paper.  Cut out long thick noodles .

In a large pot / pan add your vegetables I used

daikon,carrot,kabocha,taro,shiitake add enough water to cover and simmer vegetables until tender.

Then add any leafy greens like cabbage or komatsuna .

ladel a little of the liquid and add a heap teaspoon of your choice of miso a miso with a nice earthy flavour is good like barley or brown rice or a Hatcho miso.  Dissolve the miso and add it to your pot of vegetables

Finally if needed add a little more hot water and add your noodles . I found that it’s good to lay your noodles on the top of your vegetables and pop on a lid to steam them for 5 mins .

If you have made this in a donabe pot you can simply eat it straight from the pot or ladle out into bowls .

This nabe miso hot pot dish makes a great winter warmer.

 

Blog, Summer Food

Cold summer noodles With miso

21/08/2016 Leave a comment

A bed of cold noodles is a perfect meal to beat the hot humid heat in Japan’s summer . Weather you living in Japan or not if it’s a hot summers day this might be a good dish to try and make .

First make a sauce from simple miso and water just add a a heaped teaspoon of miso ( you can use any miso you like )
to a half a cup of not quite boiled water in a jug stir well making sure the miso is dissolved and put this in the fridge to chill . I like to make this in the morning and leave all  day.

Then make your noodles as instructions I used udon but you could use any noodles you like.  When cooked run them under cold water . Add them to a bowl and pour over some of your miso broth ( if you like add a few ice cubes to make it extra cold) .  Then add your topping I like to use cooling vegetables like cucumber and tomato maybe some sweetcorn and top with sliced avocado and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.