Stuffed with sweet cream cheese and dunked in a custardy butter sauce, Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread is more decadent than the original.

Leave it to the Korean street food scene to dream up this creation.  This bread is garlicky and buttery like you’d expect from a normal garlic bread.  But it’s also sweet and cheesy.  It’s crunchy on the outside and soft and custardy on the inside.  It’s basically a cross between traditional garlic bread and a sweet cheese danish. 

The sweet, buttery, garlicky flavors all work so well together, that it’s no wonder that this bread has taken the internet by storm. 

What is Korean cream cheese garlic bread?

Korean cream cheese garlic bread is a version of garlic bread that’s stuffed with a sweet cream cheese filling, dunked in a custard of butter, half and half and garlic, and then baked. 

The bread has become a popular street food item in Korea, and has started to trend on the internet globally as well.

How is Korean cream cheese garlic bread different from regular garlic bread?

There are two main differences between the Korean version and the original. 

The first and most obvious difference is that the Korean version is filled with a sweet cream cheese. 

The second difference is in the type of butter used.  Regular garlic bread uses a mixture of butter, garlic, and some Italian spices like oregano or parsley. 

The Korean version uses a butter sauce that more closely resembles a custard.  This mixture contains butter and garlic in addition to eggs, half and half, and sugar.  The mixture is gently cooked over the stove to thicken it into a custard. 

Because of the cream cheese filling and the sweet custardy butter, the Korean version is richer and more decadent than regular garlic bread. 

Ingredients for Korean cream cheese garlic bread

Bread.  This recipe uses two premade, white bread rolls.  Each roll is about 6 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall.  Sure, you could bake your own bread.  But using premade rolls gets you to your garlicky, buttery, cheesy goal quicker.

Cream cheese filling

Cream cheese, sugar, half and half.  Whisk cream cheese with sugar and half and half to make a sweet filling for the bread.  This recipe uses three tablespoons of sugar to six ounces of cream cheese, resulting in a truly sweet filling.

Butter sauce

Butter.  A full stick of butter (½ cup) is melted down as the base of the sauce to dunk your bread in.  Healthy, this recipe is not.  But it sure tastes great.

Garlic.  Two full tablespoons of minced garlic goes into the butter sauce, making sure that this bread has a strong enough garlic flavor.

Half and half.  Dairy is mixed with the butter to create a velvety sauce.

Egg.  The egg is a key ingredient to this recipe because it gives the sauce its custardy texture.  By gently cooking the egg with the other ingredients, the sauce will thicken up and start to get the texture of a loose custard.

Parsley.  The parsley gives the bread a bit of subtle fresh flavor and some color.  Since it’s so subtle, feel free to skip it.

Sugar.  Sugar gives the sauce a sweetness which contrasts so well against the butter and garlic.

For topping

Parmesan cheese.  Shave an ounce of parmesan cheese on top of the bread before baking it to add some umami and to give it a nice crunch on top.

How to make Korean cream cheese garlic bread

To make this recipe, you’ll stuff the bread with a sweet cream cheese filling, dunk it in a butter sauce, and then bake it.

Make the cream cheese filling

Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature.  You can also microwave it for 10-20 seconds to speed up the process.  Once softened, whisk the cream cheese with the sugar and half and half until it’s smooth and no lumps remain.

Slice the bread

First you’ll slice the bread so that you can fill it with the cream cheese filling.  Make four slices about two-thirds of the way through the bread, resulting in eight pieces or sections.  The most important part of this step is to not cut all the way through the bread.  Just cut partly through it.

Stuff the bread

Now that you’ve sliced the bread, you’ll stuff it with the cream cheese filling.  First add the cream cheese to a pastry bag or to a ziploc bag.  If using a ziploc bag, cut off the corner of the bag.

Now pipe the cream cheese directly into each cut you made.  And then pipe more cheese directly into the center of the bread.

Make the butter sauce

You’ll be gently cooking the sauce in a bowl that’s sitting over a pot of boiling water, using a method that’s called a double boiler.  I know, I know.  It sounds challenging and unnecessary, but it’s actually really easy.  It’s also needed to get the butter sauce to the right consistency since it gently cooks the egg and fully incorporates it into the sauce without scrambling it.

To cook the sauce, put two to three inches of water in a large pot and bring it to a simmer on your stovetop.  

Now place a heatproof metal or glass bowl directly on top of the pot.  

While the water’s still simmering, add all of the sauce ingredients to the bowl.  Now cook them, stirring constantly, for about five minutes until all the butter is melted and the sauce thickens.  Remove the bowl from the stove.  

Dunk the bread and top with cheese

Now dunk the bread directly into the sauce.  Use a spoon to pour the sauce all over every surface of the bread.  Try to get the sauce inside all of the cuts you’ve made by repeatedly spooning butter on top of the bread.

Place the sauced bread on a parchment-lined sheet tray.  Shave an ounce of parmesan on top of the bread (half an ounce per loaf).

Bake

Now bake the bread at 400° for 15-18 minutes.  Rotate the tray halfway through baking to ensure even browning.

Tips for making Korean cream cheese garlic bread

Slicing the bread correctly and gently cooking the sauce are key.

1. Don’t cut all the way through the bread

When you make slices in the bread, make sure that you don’t cut all the way through.  Make four even slices in your bread that go two-thirds through the bread.

2. Don’t skip the double boil method for making the sauce 

Double boiling is a method of cooking that stresses heating the ingredients gently.  It’s used for sauces like hollandaise, for melting chocolate, and to create custard.    

To double boil something, bring water in a pot to a gentle simmer.  Then place a heatproof bowl on top of that pot, without touching the water.  Add the ingredients to the top bowl and stir.  

The steam from the simmering water will come into contact with the top bowl and gently cook your ingredients.  This guide gives more information on how easy it is to double boil.

Double boiling can seem intimidating or like it’s not worth the effort.  When I developed this recipe I considered cooking the sauce directly on the stovetop, or even microwaving it, to make the recipe easier and more accessible.

But in the end I chose the double boil method because I really wanted the sauce to achieve a true custardy texture.  

Double boiling is important for the custardy texture because you do not want to overheat the egg.  Cooking the egg too quickly could overheat the yolk and break the emulsion that needs to happen for this sauce.

Once you’ve tried double boiling, you’ll see that it’s actually super easy and also fun to do.  So I encourage you to give it a try to see for yourself how this method improves the texture of your sauce.

What to serve with Korean cream cheese garlic bread

Korean street food.  For a night of Korean street food, try this bread with rose tteokbokki, the Korean rice cakes cooked in a spicy, creamy gochujang sauce.

Print

Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread

Stuffed with sweet cream cheese and dunked in a custardy butter sauce, Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread is more decadent than the original.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Korean

Keyword Bread, Cream cheese

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour

Servings 6 people

Equipment

• Heatproof metal or glass bowl for double boiling

Ingredients

• 2 small round loaves white bread about 6 inches in diameter and 3 inches tall
• 1 oz parmesan cheese shaved

For the cream cheese filling

• 6 oz cream cheese softened to room temperature
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ⅛ cup half and half

For the butter sauce

• ½ cup butter unsalted
• 2 tbsp garlic minced
• ¼ cup half and half
• 1 tbsp parsley minced
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 egg

For garnish

• parsley minced, for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 400°.

Make the cream cheese filling

• Let the cream cheese soften to room temperature.  You can also microwave it for 10-20 seconds to speed up the process. 
• Once softened, whisk the cream cheese with the sugar and half and half until it’s smooth and no lumps remain.
  

Slice the bread

• Make four slices about two-thirds of the way through both loaves of bread, resulting in eight pieces or sections per loaf. 

  The most important part of this step is to not cut all the way through the bread.  Just cut partly through it.
  

Stuff the bread

• Add the cream cheese to a pastry bag or to a ziploc bag.  If using a ziploc bag, cut a small slit in the bottom corner of the bag.
  
• First pipe the cream cheese directly into each cut you made.  And then pipe more cheese directly into the center of the bread. Repeat for the second loaf.
  

Make the butter sauce

• Set up a double boiler. Put two to three inches of water in a large pot and bring it to a simmer on your stovetop over medium-low heat.
• Now place a heatproof metal or glass bowl directly on top of the pot of simmering water. This bowl should not directly touch the simmering water.
• While the water’s still simmering, add all of the sauce ingredients (butter, ¼ cup half and half, minced garlic, parsley, 1 tablespoon sugar, and egg) to the bowl. 
  
• Cook the ingredients, stirring constantly, for about five minutes until all the butter is melted and the sauce thickens.  Remove the bowl from the stove.
  

Dunk the bread and top with cheese

• Dunk the bread directly into the bowl with the sauce. 

  Use a spoon to pour the sauce all over every surface of the bread.  Try to get the sauce inside all of the cuts you’ve made by repeatedly spooning butter on top of the bread.
  
• Place the sauced bread on a parchment-lined sheet tray.  Shave an ounce of parmesan on top of the bread (half an ounce per loaf).
  

Bake

• Bake the bread at 400° for 15-18 minutes until the bread is browned.  Rotate the tray halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
  
• Remove the bread from the sheet tray and place on a serving plate. Top with fresh parsley for garnish.

The post Korean Cream Cheese Garlic Bread appeared first on Eats All Day.

Gochujang is an indispensable part of the Korean pantry and is used throughout Korean cooking to flavor soups, marinate meats, and more.

If you aren’t familiar with gochujang, you’re in the right place.  Read on to learn more about this superstar of the Korean pantry and how you can incorporate it into your cooking.

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a Korean condiment made of crushed red chili flakes (Korean gochugaru), fermented soybeans, glutinous rice, and salt.  Sometimes additional sweeteners are added.

It’s an absolutely essential part of the Korean pantry. It’s key to making so many Korean dishes. From army stew, to tteokbokki, to bibimbap, and more, the spicy Korean paste is always there. 

The word gochujang is derived from gochu, or chili, and jang, or paste or sauce made from soybeans.  

Gochujang is just one of many types of jangs used in Korean cooking.  The term jang broadly refers to sauces or pastes that are made from fermented soybeans.  Gochujang, in addition to doenjang (fermented soybean paste) and ganjang (soy sauce) make up the three most essential jangs of Korean cooking.

There are other jangs, such as eojang (fish sauce), ssamjang (a dipping sauce), and more. 

Jangs in general have been made and used in Korea for centuries.  The gochujang variety first appeared in Korea in the 16th or 17th century soon after the time chili peppers were introduced to the country. 

Traditionally, the spicy paste was made at home by a years-long process of fermenting the ingredients in earthenware jars called jangdoks.  

Today, gochujang is made by factories and the vast majority of Koreans simply purchase it at grocery stores. 

Sunchang County in North Jeolla is the most well-known region for the paste. Its version is regarded as being the highest quality. There’s even an annual festival, Sunchang Gochujang Festival, held there to celebrate this ingredient.

What does gochujang taste like?

Gochujang has a deep flavor brimming with umami. It’s also sweet, spicy, funky, and a bit pungent.  The flavor is difficult to describe. It’s unique and hard to compare to anything else. 

The flavors of umami and funkiness are achieved through the fermenting process and by the soybeans. 

The sweetness comes from the starch of glutinous rice that develops during the fermentation process. 

And the spiciness comes from the chili flakes (or gochugaru). 

Is gochujang spicy?

Spice levels vary depending on the specific gochujang you find.  Some are mild and others can be quite spicy. 

The amount of spiciness is often indicated on the package, with small fire icons showing the level of spiciness of that particular version of the paste. 

Gochujang vs Gochugaru

To many not familiar with Korean cuisine, gochujang and gochugaru might seem to be the same thing.  This confusion is likely because both ingredients start with the word gochu, which means chili pepper in Korean. 

But they’re actually quite different ingredients and can’t be used interchangeably. 

Gochujang is the fermented paste of soybeans, chili, and glutinous rice. On the other hand, gochugaru is simply red chili peppers that have been ground into chili flakes. 

Gochugaru is one of the ingredients used to make gochujang. 

How to use gochujang

This spicy paste has many uses in Korean cooking. It can be used as a base for stews and soups, as a marinade for meat, and in sauces.  It’s also becoming more popular in the West and can be used to flavor typically Western recipes.

Bases for stews and soups

The spicy condiment is often used as a base for soups and stews.  It’s usually mixed with other ingredients and added directly into the stock. It’s a quick and powerful way to get great complexity in a broth.

In Korean Army Stew, it’s mixed with dashi to create a spicy broth:

1

Korean Army Stew with Spam and Cheese

Korean Army Stew is the Korean-American classic that combines a rich & spicy broth with salty spam, sour kimchi, earthy mushrooms, bouncy noodles, chewy rice cakes, and more.

Check out this recipe

In Rose Tteokbokki, it’s mixed with cream, milk, and dashi:

2

Rose Tteokbokki without Fish Cakes

Korea meets Italy in this uber-creamy, smoky, spicy and cheesy Rose Tteokbokki without Fish Cakes recipe.

Check out this recipe

Marinades for meat

Gochujang as a marinade adds foundational layers of depth to the meat before it’s cooked.

Gochujang is a key ingredient for marinating the beef in bulgogi:

3

Korean Beef Bulgogi

Korean Beef Bulgogi – A super easy recipe for Korean BBQ beef with the most flavorful marinade! The thin slices of meat cook quickly, and it’s so tender!!!

Check out this recipe from damndelicious.net

It’s also used to marinate barbecued pork ribs:

4

Korean BBQ Pork Ribs

Tender, moist and flavorful Korean marinated BBQ pork ribs! Choose from two different marinades –sweet and savory or spicy.

Check out this recipe from koreanbapsang.com

Sauces

Gochujang is used as a sauce and can be eaten without being cooked.

In bibimbap, plain gochujang is added right on top of the rest of the ingredients:

5

Bibimbap (Mixed rice with vegetables)

It’s made of a bowl of rice, sautéed and seasoned vegetables (namul: 나물), a bit of hot pepper paste (gochujang: 고추장), and usually a bit of seasoned raw beef, too (yukhoe: 육회). Bibim (비빔) translates as…

Check out this recipe from maangchi.com

It’s one of the key ingredients to ssamjang, a sauce that’s used to dip meat for Korean barbecue:

6

Ssamjang Recipe (Korean Dipping Sauce)

Easy homemade ssamjang recipe! Today I want to share one of the most popular Korean sauce – Sssamjang recipe. Ssamjang (쌈장) is best known as a Korean bbq dipping sauce. It has mildly spicy and salty flavor with nutty fragrant. And, most importantly it compliments well Korean pork belly bbq (Samgyeo…

Check out this recipe from mykoreankitchen.com

The paste can also be used to create a spicy mayo, like on these kimchi fries:

7

Loaded Kimchi Fries (Vegetarian)

Crispy fries loaded with kimchi, cheese, spicy mayo and a smattering of fresh herbs and lime might just be the ultimate party food.

Check out this recipe

To flavor Western recipes

Adding it to tuna salad is surprisingly tasty:

8

Gochujang Tuna Salad

Gochujang tuna salad takes your average tuna salad and makes it special with the addition of sweet, spicy and complex Korean gochujang.

Check out this recipe

It’s also great on vegetables, like roasted butternut squash:

9

Gochujang-and-Sesame-Roasted Winter Squash

This would work with any other winter squash—acorn and delicata don’t even have to be peeled.

Check out this recipe from bonappetit.com

Gochujang substitutes

Since the spicy paste has such a unique taste, it’s really difficult to find a good substitute.

A mixture of Japanese miso paste and gochugaru might be the closest approximation you can find.  Miso, like gochujang, is made from fermented soybeans. So both has a similar flavor profile of umami and funkiness.

To make this substitute, mix one cup of miso paste with a half cup of gochugaru.  If you don’t have gochugaru, you can add a few dashes of cayenne pepper and sweet paprika to the miso paste.  Taste for spiciness and add more cayenne as needed.

How long does it last?

If stored properly in the refrigerator and sealed, it lasts for a long time.  Like two years long. 

Do I need to refrigerate it?

Yes, you should refrigerate it once open to maintain its freshness.

Can I freeze it?

Yes, you can freeze it.  Though when stored in the refrigerator, it lasts for up to two years. Beacuse of its long shelf life in the fridge, freezing shouldn’t be necessary.

Where to buy gochujang?

The Korean paste is becoming popular in the United States. Many local grocery stores carry it in the Asian ingredient section.  

If your local grocery store doesn’t carry it, you’ll be able to find it at Korean, Chinese, or Japanese markets.  

And if you don’t have access to any of these markets, Amazon also sells it.

The post What is gochujang and why you need some now appeared first on Eats All Day.

Breaded in panko and deep fried, this tender menchi katsu recipe uses a combination of beef and pork and is super crunchy on the outside.

Menchi katsu is very similar to Japanese hambagu, also known as hamburger steak.  Both recipes use a mixture of beef, pork and other ingredients that are formed into round cutlets.

The difference with menchi katsu is that it’s then breaded and deep fried.  

So menchi katsu is essentially a breaded and deep fried burger.  And what could be better than that?

What is menchi katsu?

Menchi katsu is a Japanese dish consisting of ground beef and pork cutlets that have been breaded and deep-fried. 

Besides meat, the cutlets typically contain eggs, panko, and flavorings like nutmeg, ketchup, and worcestershire sauce. 

The meat cutlets are breaded in a three step process. First they’re dipped in flour, then in eggs, and then in crispy panko.

Menchi katsu, like all other katsus, is a yōshoku (Western-inspired Japanese food) recipe.  For other classic yōshoku recipes, check out this Spaghetti Napolitan, this creamy Corn Soup, or this Omurice recipe. 

The word “menchi” comes from the English word “mince” in a reference to the minced meat used to form the cutlets.  And the word “katsu” comes from the English word “cutlet”. 

Ingredients in menchi katsu

Oil.  A neutral oil such as canola is used for deep frying the cutlets. 

Mixture for the meat cutlets

Ground beef.  Beef gives the katsu a strong, hamburger-like flavor. 

Ground pork.  This recipe uses a mixture of half pork and half beef.  The pork helps keep the katsu super moist. 

Onion.  Onion is sautéed before being added to the patties.  It adds depth to the katsu. 

Butter.  We’ll sauté the onion in butter to make the dish even more rich and give it a luxurious feel. 

Panko.  Panko is added to the meat mixture.  It helps prevent the katsus from becoming dry by absorbing some of the juice from the meat and keeping it inside the cutlet during the deep frying process. 

Milk. Two tablespoons of milk is used to rehydrate the panko before it’s mixed in with the rest of the ingredients. 

Egg.  Egg is used to bind the meat together. 

Ketchup.  Ketchup is mixed in with the meat to add a bit of sweetness and umami to the mix. 

Worcestershire sauce.  Worcestershire is added to the meat mixture to bring more depth and a bit of funkiness to the katsu. 

Nutmeg.  Really betraying its western roots, a bit of nutmeg adds a tiny bit of warmth to the flavor profile. 

Salt & black pepper.  Adequately seasoning the meat mixture before frying it is important.  Use one full teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of ground black pepper. 

Breading

Flour – Egg – Panko.  A three step breading of flour, egg, and then panko creates a shattering crunch on the outside of the katsus.  Good quality Japanese panko will really make a difference in achieving a great crunch. 

Why do you use a mixture of ground beef and pork?

Ground pork typically has a higher fat content than ground beef.  The higher fat content in the pork helps to prevent the katsu from drying out white it’s deep frying, keeping it super moist.

What kind of panko do I need?

Many American brands of panko aren’t actually panko and are more similar to traditional breadcrumbs.  These American brands won’t give you the crunch you’re looking for in a katsu.

If you can find a Japanese brand of panko, it’s definitely worth it.  Seek out Japanese brands of panko have jagged pieces of breadcrumbs that aren’t uniform in shape.  They’ll look a bit more spiky and irregular than other types of breadcrumbs.

How to make menchi katsu

Prep onions and panko

1. Prepare the onions. Chop the onions and sauté them in butter on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until starting to brown.  Then remove the onions from the pan and let them cool to room temperature. 
2. Prepare the panko. Soak the panko bread crumbs in milk for a few minutes.

Make the katsu cutlets

1. Mix the ingredients.  In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, onions, panko in milk, egg, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, salt, and black pepper.  Mix the ingredients with your hand very thoroughly until fully combined.  Separate the meat into six equal-sized portions.  
2. Form the cutlets.  First oil your hands with about a half tablespoon of oil to prevent the mixture from sticking to your hands while you make the cutlets.  Take a single portion of the meat in one of your hands and gently toss it to your other hand.  And then toss it back to your first hand, and then the other.  Repeat this process about 15-20 times until you form an oval-shaped cutlet.  Now place the cutlet on a plate that’s been lined with slightly oiled parchment paper.  Repeat for the other five cutlets.  This process removes air bubbles from the meat to prevent the katsus from breaking apart while deep frying.  Rest the cutlets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that they meld together.

Bread the cutlet & deep fry

1. Bread the cutlets.  Once the cutlets have finished resting, begin the breading process.  Place the flour in one plate, the beaten egg in a medium bowl, and the panko in another plate.  Dip each cutlet in the flour first and coat the outside of the cutlet with the flour.  Tap off the excess flour.  Now dip the cutlet in the egg and let the excess egg drain off.  Finally, dip the cutlet in the panko.  Gently press the panko into the cutlet and get a good amount of the breadcrumbs to stick.  Don’t worry if you break or crush some of the panko while you’re pressing it into the cutlet.  Repeat for all cutlets.

1.  Deep fry the katsu.  Heat 3 inches of oil in a pan to 350°.  Once the oil is hot, place the cutlets in the oil and fry for three minutes on each side, for a total of six minutes.  Fry the cutlets in batches so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.  When the katsu are finished frying, place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain some of the oil.  Let them rest for 3-5 minutes and then enjoy.

How to reheat menchi katsu

Remove the menchi katsu from the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature. 

Now bake the katsu for 10-15 minutes at 400°.  The katsu won’t be quite as crispy as when they’re fresh, but the oven is still your best bet to maintain some crunch.

What to serve with menchi katsu

Cabbage salad.  A simple salad of thinly sliced cabbage is an absolute must for any katsu.  The fresh, crisp cabbage balances out the heaviness of the fried katsu really well.  It also helps aid the digestion process of the oily katsu.  

Top the cabbage with Kewpie mayo or sesame dressing and some kernels of corn, if you have them.

Japanese-style potato salad.  Potato salad is another classic side dish for katsu.  Try out this super creamy recipe with carrots and cucumbers.

Tonkatsu sauce, mayonnaise, karashi for dipping.  Dip the katsu in either (or a combination of) tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayo, or karashi (Japanese mustard).

Print

Menchi Katsu

Breaded in panko and deep fried, this tender menchi katsu recipe uses a combination of beef and pork and is super crunchy on the outside.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Beef, Katsu, Panko, Pork

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes minutes

Rest in fridge time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6 cutlets

Ingredients

• neutral oil such as canola, for deep frying

For the cutlets

• ½ onion minced
• 1½ tbsp butter unsalted
• ½ lb ground beef
• ½ lb ground pork
• ¼ cup panko
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp ketchup
• 1 tsp worcestershire
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ tsp ground black pepper

For the breading

• ¾ cup flour
• 2 eggs beaten
• 1½ cup panko

For serving

• tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayo, and/or karashi for dipping the katsu

Instructions

Make the cutlets

• Heat the butter in a saute pan on medium heat. Once the butter is hot, add the onions, and cook them for 3-5 minutes until just starting to brown, stirring frequently. Once the onions are finished, remove them from the heat and let them come to room temperature.
  
• Add ¼ cup panko and 2 tbsp milk to a small bowl and mix thoroughly. Let the panko sit for five minutes to absorb the milk.
• Add the cooked onions, the soaked panko, the beef, pork, one egg, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, nutmeg, salt, and black pepper to a medium bowl.
  
• Mix thoroughly with your hands until the mixture becomes sticky and turns to a lighter pink color.
  
• Now form the cutlets. First oil your hands with about ½ tbsp of oil to prevent the mixture from sticking and separate the mixture into six equal portions.
• Take a single portion of the meat in one of your hands and gently toss it to your other hand.  And then toss it back to your first hand, and then the other.  Repeat this process about 15-20 times until you form an oval-shaped cutlet.  Now place the cutlet on a plate that’s been lined with slightly oiled parchment paper.  Repeat for the other five cutlets. 

  This process removes air bubbles from the meat to prevent the katsus from breaking apart while deep frying.  Rest the cutlets in the refrigerator for 30 minutes so that they meld together.
  

Bread the cutlets and deep fry them

• Once the cutlets have finished resting, begin the breading process.  Place the flour in one plate, the beaten eggs in a medium bowl, and the panko in another plate. 

  Dip each cutlet in the flour first and coat the outside of the cutlet with the flour.  Tap off the excess flour. 

  Now dip the cutlet in the egg and let the excess egg drain off. 

  Finally, dip the cutlet in the panko.  Gently press the panko into the cutlet and get a good amount of the breadcrumbs to stick.  Don’t worry if you break or crush some of the panko while you’re pressing it into the cutlet.  Repeat for all cutlets.
  
• Heat 3 inches of oil in a pan to 350°.
• Once the oil is hot, place the cutlets in the oil and fry for three minutes on each side, for a total of six minutes. You should fry the cutlets in batches of 2 to 3 at a time.

  When the katsu are finished frying, place them on a paper towel-lined plate to drain some of the oil.  Let them rest for 3-5 minutes.
  

Serve

• Serve the menchi katsu while they're still hot with tonkatsu sauce, Kewpie mayo, and/or karashi mustard for dipping.

The post Menchi Katsu appeared first on Eats All Day.

This super simple recipe takes just a few minutes to make.  You’ll just chop some ingredients, mix everything together, and you’re done.

Kamaboko dip is perfect for parties and potlucks.  If you want to mix it up for your next get-together and have something unique, try out this kamaboko dip. 

What is kamaboko dip?

Kamaboko dip is a Hawaiian appetizer of Japanese origin containing chopped kamaboko, cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, water chestnuts, scallions, and dashi powder.

Kamaboko dip is popular throughout Hawaii.  It often makes an appearance at parties or potlucks.  

Grocery stores such as Foodland and Costco also carry premade versions of the dip.

The flavor is fresh, creamy, and just slightly seafoody. There’s also a nice subtle crunch to the dip from the minced water chestnuts and sliced scallions. 

Ingredients in kamaboko dip

Kamaboko.  The Japanese steamed fish cake is the primary ingredient in this dip.  Its flavor is fresh tasting and just slightly seafoody. 

Cream cheese.  Cream cheese is essential to this recipe.  It gives the dip a rich flavor and helps to hold all the ingredients together.

Mayonnaise.  A good amount of mayonnaise adds some tang to the dip.  Use either the Best Foods or Hellman’s brand in this recipe, as they’re traditional in Hawaii.

Heavy cream.  Just a tablespoon of heavy cream helps to loosen the mayonnaise and cream cheese a bit, and makes it easier to stir all the ingredients together. 

Water chestnuts.  Water chestnuts have a very subtle taste and are more important for adding a crunch to the dip.

Scallion.  Sliced scallions give the dip an oniony bite and add some more crunchy texture.

Dahi powder.  Dashi powder adds a punch of umami and more depth to the dip.

How to make kamaboko dip

1. Soften and mix.  Let the cream cheese come to room temperature so that it softens and is easy to mix with the other ingredients.  Once softened, whisk the cream cheese with the mayonnaise and heavy cream until fully combined and smooth.
2. Chop.  Finely mince the kamaboko and water chestnuts.  You want to cut the kamaboko into really tiny pieces so that it mixes well with the other ingredients.  Slice the scallions into thin rings.
3. Mix.  Add all ingredients (minced kamaboko, cream cheese, mayonnaise, water chestnuts, scallions, heavy cream, and dashi powder) to a large bowl and mix until combined.
4. Chill.  Place the dip in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
5. Serve.  Ritz crackers are the classic way to serve kamaboko dip.  

Substitutes for kamaboko

If you can’t find kamaboko, you can make this recipe with minced imitation crab instead.  It won’t be a kamaboko dip any longer, but the imitation crabmeat is a good approximation for kamaboko.

I’m not afraid to admit that I’m personally a huge fan of imitation crab meat.  I know, I know.  It’s not really crab.  But I love its fresh taste that’s just slightly seafoody.  And it goes so well with creamy ingredients like mayo and cream cheese.  If you also love imitation crab, you should try out this sushi bake.

How to serve kamaboko dip

It’s best to dip Ritz crackers into your kamaboko dip.  They’re the classic way that Hawaiians eat kamaboko dip.  The buttery flavor of the crackers fits really well with the creamy dip.

You can also serve the dip with other crackers, with chips, or with vegetable crudités such as celery, carrots and tomatoes. 

How long does kamaboko dip last?

Once prepared, kamaboko dip lasts three to four days in the fridge.  

By the second day, the dip will begin to dry out a bit and won’t have the same creaminess as it did on the first day.  But it’s still enjoyable and tastes great. 

What is kamaboko?

Kamaboko is a Japanese ingredient consisting of pureed whitefish that have been formed into a semi-cylindrical cake and then steamed until fully cooked.  

Kamaboko’s flavor is subtle.  It’s fresh tasting and only slightly “seafoody”.  The texture is firm, but slightly spongy.

The fish cakes are eaten chilled or hot and are added to various dishes like soups, rice, or noodles.  They can also be sliced and enjoyed plain with soy sauce and wasabi. 

Kamaboko is ubiquitous in Japan with many different uses. 

Outside of Japan, it’s widely available in Hawaii and used in dishes such as saimin, kamaboko puffs, and this kamaboko dip.  Even McDonald’s in Hawaii includes kamaboko on their menu as part of their saimin. 

What is kamaboko made of?

Kamaboko is made of various types of pureed whitefish and includes some additives for flavor and preservation.

The type of whitefish used varies, and can include chicken grunt, golden threadfin bream, lizardfish, Japanese gissu, shark, Alaskan pollock, and more.

What does kamaboko mean?

Kamaboko is a Japanese word, and there’s no direct translation to English.  It can be roughly translated to steamed fish paste or fish loaf.

Where can I buy kamaboko?

In Hawaii, kamaboko is available at almost any grocery store.  

Outside of Hawaii, many Asian grocery stores sell it.  Your best bet for finding Kamaboko would be in a Japanese or Korean grocery store.

How long does kamaboko last?

Once thawed and in the refrigerator, kamaboko lasts about 2-3 weeks if it’s vacuum-sealed and unopened.

Once the package is open, it’s best to consume the kamaboko in 2-3 days.

If the kamaboko smells sour or becomes sticky, you should throw it away.

How to thaw kamaboko

To thaw kamaboko, simply remove it from the freezer and place it in the refrigerator the night before you use it.  You can leave the package unopened while thawing.

If you are in a rush to thaw it, you can set it on the counter until thawed.

Can you refreeze kamaboko?

Once thawed, it’s best not to refreeze kamaboko as it would affect the texture.

Do I need to cook kamaboko?

Kamaboko is already fully cooked and can be consumed right out of the package.  A popular way of eating kamaboko is to simply slice it and serve with soy and wasabi.

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Simple Kamaboko Dip

Kamaboko dip is Hawaii’s classic potluck dish that combines Japanese fish cake with cream cheese, mayonnaise, and water chestnuts.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Hawaiian

Keyword Cream cheese, Kamaboko

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Rest in fridge time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 6 servings

Ingredients

• 6 oz kamaboko
• ⅓ cup cream cheese softened to room temperature
• ⅓ cup mayonnaise preferably Best Food or Hellman's brand
• 1 tbsp heavy cream
• ⅓ cup water chestnuts roughly chopped
• ⅓ cup scallion sliced into thin rounds
• ¼ tsp dashi powder

Instructions

• Remove the cream cheese from the fridge and let it come to room temperature. To speed up the process, microwave it for 20-30 seconds.
• Add the cream cheese, mayonnaise, and heavy cream to a medium bowl and whisk together until smooth.
  
• Finely mince the kamaboko, roughly chop the water chestnuts, and slice the scallions into thin rounds
• Add all ingredients (kamaboko, cream cheese, mayonnaise, heavy cream, water chestnuts, scallions, and dashi powder) to a medium bowl.
  
• Mix until combined.
  
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
• Once chilled, enjoy with Ritz crackers. You can also serve the dip with other crackers, with chips, or with vegetable crudités such as celery, carrots and tomatoes.

The post Simple Kamaboko Dip appeared first on Eats All Day.

Shio kombu is a secret weapon in the Japanese pantry.  Not only does it taste great, but it can also be used as the ONLY picking agent necessary to pickle vegetables. 

Yes, you heard that right.  To make this pickle, you’ll just combine cabbage and shio kombu in a bag, massage, and let it rest for 25 minutes.  No other ingredients are needed as pickling agents.  No vinegar, no sugar, no salt. Just shio kombu. 

This recipe is optionally topped with crushed nori seaweed snacks to add some more texture and flavor, but feel free to skip the nori if you want to make this recipe even easier than it already is. 

What is Japanese pickled cabbage with shio kombu?

Japanese pickled cabbage with shio kombu is a simple quick pickle consisting of chopped green cabbage and shio kombu.  Shio kombu is mixed with the cabbage and the saltiness of the shio kombu pickles the cabbage.

Optionally, the pickles can be topped with crushed nori or other toppings, such as shiso, yuzu peel, or bonito flakes.

These pickles are a type of asazuke, which is a Japanese method for pickling vegetables that’s characterized by a quick and short pickling time.  Since the vegetables aren’t pickled for too long, they maintain a fresh flavor and crunchy texture. Besides cabbage, other vegetables such as cucumbers, daikon, or celery are often prepared using the asazuke method.

Ingredients

Cabbage.  Run-of-the-mill green cabbage takes on the umami flavors of shio kombu and remains crisp through the pickling process.

Shio kombu.  This Japanese super ingredient is all you need to make pickles.  As you massage the shio kombu into the cabbage, it begins to pickle the cabbage and release moisture.

Nori seaweed snacks.  The cabbage pickles are topped with crushed nori seaweed snacks to add even more umami and a different texture.  This is an optional ingredient, but really adds to the final pickle and makes them feel special.

What is shio kombu?

Shio kombu is a Japanese ingredient that consists of kelp cooked in soy sauce and other ingredients, and then dried to concentrate its flavor.  After the drying process, shio kombu is usually cut into thin strips.  In Japanese, shio means salted and kombu means kelp.

Its flavor is intense.  It’s salty, sweet, and has a deep quality of umami that you get from the dried and concentrated seaweed.  Shio kombu has a bit of an ocean taste to it, but isn’t quite as briny as normal kombu.  A lot of the briny taste is lost during the drying process and replaced with a deeper, more umami flavor.

What else can I use shio kombu for?

Since shio kombu has such an intense flavor, it’s often used as an ingredient in plain dishes to add a pop of flavor.  

For example, onigiri are often rolled in shio kombu to add more flavor.  Ochazuke (white rice soaked in tea) is also often topped with shio kombu.  Or shio kombu is simply sprinkled over plain white rice.  

Another use for shio kombu is to make quick pickles, or asazuke.  When using shio kombu to make pickles, you don’t need any other pickling agents.  There’s no vinegar, no salt, and no sugar necessary.  The saltiness of the shio kombu is all that’s needed to pickle the vegetable.

Where can I buy shio kombu?

Shio kombu is starting to become a bit more popular in the US, but it still might be difficult to find.  Japanese grocery stores will definitely carry it, and some generally Asian grocery stores may also have it.  

For the most convenience, you can find shio kombu on Amazon.

How to make quick pickled cabbage with shio kombu

Using shio kombu to make quick pickled cabbage couldn’t be easier.

First cut 100 grams of cabbage into irregular 1-inch pieces.  This should yield about 1½ to 2 cups of cabbage.

Next add the cabbage to a ziploc bag, along with 1 heaping tablespoon of shio kombu.  Zip the bag closed, but leave a good amount of air in the bag.  

Shake the bag to distribute the shio kombu across all of the cabbage and start to massage the shio kombu into the cabbage.  Continue shaking and massaging for three to five minutes.  As you massage the cabbage, the shio kombu will start to become moist and some liquid will begin to release from the cabbage.  The cabbage will also begin to darken a bit and take on some brown color.  Once you see moisture and the cabbage starts to darken, you’re finished with this step.

Now remove the air from the ziploc bag and reseal the bag with the cabbage still inside.  Put the cabbage in the refrigerator for around 30 minutes to finish the pickling process.  After this time, the pickles are finished and you’re ready to enjoy them.

How does the shio kombu pickle the cabbage?

Vegetables are often pickled in some combination of salt, vinegar or sugar. This recipe instead uses just shio kombu. 

Shio kombu works to pickle the cabbage because the kombu contains a high amount of salt. As you rub the shio kombu into the cabbage, the salt mixes against the cabbage and begins the pickling process.

Pickled cabbage variations

Japanese quick pickles are super casual and flexible, so feel free to experiment with ingredients and try different flavors.  Here are some ideas to add to your pickles.

Herbs.  Add thinly sliced shiso, parsley or basil after the pickling process as a garnish.

Citrus.  Top the pickles with thinly sliced yuzu peel, finely chopped orange segments, or a spritz of fresh grapefruit juice.

Bonito flakes.  Add the smoked and fermented fish flakes on top of the pickles for a pop of even more umami.

Aromatics.  Top the pickles with julienned, matchstick size ginger.  Or top with scallions sliced into rings.

Spicy.  Add yuzu kosho into the ziploc bag at the same time as the shio kombu, and let the spicy citrus flavors marinate into the cabbage.  Or top the finished pickles with a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi.

What to serve with Japanese pickled cabbage with shio kombu

A side of pickles is such an easy way to make any meal feel special.  These pickles are really versatile and can be eaten with just about anything.  But they go especially well with other Japanese dishes.  

Try them with something spicy, like this ebi chili (shrimp in a spicy sauce), or with a spaghetti, like this mentaiko pasta with salty cod roe.

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Japanese Pickled Cabbage with Shio Kombu

Ready in just thirty minutes, this pickle combines cabbage with shio kombu, the salted and dried Japanese kelp.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Cabbage, Pickle

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Rest in fridge time 25 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 100 g green cabbage or about 1½-2 cups chopped
• 1 heaping tbsp shio kombu
• 2 small nori seaweed snacks crumbled

Instructions

• Chop the cabbage into irregular 1-inch pieces.
  
• Add the cabbage and the shio kombu to a ziploc bag. Zip the bag closed, but leave a good amount of air in the bag. 
  
• Shake the bag to distribute the shio kombu across all of the cabbage and massage the cabbage.  Continue shaking and massaging for three to five minutes. 

  Once the cabbage begins to release some moisture and starts to darken in color, you're finished with this step.
  
• Remove excess air from the ziploc bag, but keep the cabbage in the bag. Store the cabbage in the fridge for 25 minutes.
• To serve, place the cabbage on a serving plate and top with crumbled nori.

The post Japanese Pickled Cabbage with Shio Kombu appeared first on Eats All Day.

Like so many other local Hawaiian dishes, meat jun is packed with a ton of flavor.  The beef is marinated in a sweet, salty mixture of soy, sesame oil, sugar, and other ingredients.  And since the beef is thinly sliced, the marinade really digs into the meat giving it a deep flavor.

It’s fried in a flour and egg batter that protects the beef from drying out and keeps it super moist.

Finally, to add even more flavor, it’s served with a sweet, spicy dipping sauce that perfectly compliments the crispy, oily meat.

Be sure to serve meat jun with white rice to soak up some of the extra dipping sauce!

What is meat jun?

Meat jun is a Hawaiian dish that consists of thinly-sliced beef marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, sesame oil, sugar, and mirin, breaded in a batter of flour and eggs, and then pan-fried.

Meat jun is often served with a spicy dipping sauce of soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, gochugaru, garlic and scallion.

You’ll find meat jun across Hawaii and it’s often part of plate lunches.

Where does meat jun originate from?

Meat jun is a fusion dish that originates from Korea.  It’s based on Korean jeon, fritters that are made with meat, vegetables, or fish dredged in a flour and egg batter, and then fried.

There are many different types of Korean jeon, such as cabbage, kimchi, seafood and more.  Here are some of the different variations:

Cabbage jeon

Napa cabbage leaves are lightly battered and fried in this recipe.

Kimchi jeon

The main ingredient in this jeon is kimchi.

Seafood (shrimp, clams, and squid) jeon

This recipe batters and fries a mix of seafood into pancakes.

Meat jun is Hawaii’s take on Korean jeon and it’s unique to the islands.  It first appeared in Hawaii in the 1970s, when a restaurant named Kim Chee #1 in Kaneohe, Oahu added it to its menu.

Since then, meat jun has become widespread on the Hawaiian islands and is often one of the components of plate lunches, served with rice, mac salad and kimchi.

How to make local style meat jun

Meat jun is a simple dish that comes together in three steps.  

First, you marinate the thinly-sliced beef in a soy-based marinade for one hour. 

Second, you batter the meat by first dredging it in flour and then coating it in an egg wash. 

And third, you pan-fry the meat in oil for 1-2 minutes on each side.

You can also make an optional dipping sauce that comes together in just a few minutes.

Meat jun marinade

The marinade consists of soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, minced garlic and minced scallion.

To make the marinade, first finely mince two cloves of garlic and one full scallion (both the green and white parts).

Add the minced garlic and scallion along with ¼ cup soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon mirin, and 2 teaspoons sugar.  Stir the marinade until the sugar dissolves.

Now add the meat to the marinade and massage the meat to ensure that the sauce begins to permeate the meat.

Place the meat in the fridge for one hour to allow the flavors to soak into the meat.

How to make meat jun batter

Meat jun uses a simple batter containing only two ingredients: flour and scrambled eggs.  

The meat is battered in two steps.

To start, place the flour on a plate and the eggs in a bowl.

First, dredge the meat in the flour.  Coat all sections of the meat with a thin layer of flour.  Then shake off the meat to remove all the excess flour.  You only need a very thin layer of flour to remain on the meat.  The flour layer helps the eggs stick to the meat.

Second, dredge the meat in the scrambled eggs.  Place the beef in the eggs and coat all portions of the meat with egg.  Once fully coated, lift the meat out of the eggs and let the excess eggs run off of the meat.  You only need a thin layer of eggs and don’t want too much remaining on the meat.

Place the battered meat on a separate plate, and repeat the dredging process for the other slices.

How to make meat jun dipping sauce

There are typically two types of meat jun dipping sauces.  The first is a soy-based sauce and the second is a red gochujang-based sauce.

This recipe uses the soy-based dipping sauce consisting of soy, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, minced scallion, and gochugaru (the spicy Korean chili flakes).

The red gochujang-based dipping sauce includes some of the same ingredients as the soy-based sauce, with the addition of gochujang.

What kind of meat do I need?

Meat jun uses thinly sliced beef.  The specific cut of beef that you use can be flexible.  You’ll find recipes that use ribeye, sirloin, cross rib, filet minion, and others.

It’s important that the meat is sliced thinly, but not too thinly.  The ideal thickness is about ⅛ of an inch.  This thickness allows the marinade to fully penetrate the meat, giving it a super savory and salty flavor.  

If the meat is any thinner than ⅛ of an inch, it could be difficult to batter and fry and will likely fall apart during the process.

How to reheat leftovers

It’s best to serve meat jun while it’s fresh, and can become soggy if left out for too long.

However, you can store leftovers in the fridge for 2-3 days and reheat them.  For the best results, follow the process below to reheat the meat jun.

1. Remove the meat jun from the fridge and let it warm up to room temperature. 
2. Add 1-2 tablespoons of oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat and fry the meat jun for around 30 seconds on each side, for a total of one minute.

This frying process will help to crisp up the outsides of the meat jun.

What to serve with meat jun

Meat jun is usually part of a Hawaiian plate lunch with two scoops of white rice and one scoop of Hawaiian mac salad.  

Other Korean inspired sides like kimchi, cucumber salad, or moochae (spicy Korean radish salad) go well with meat jun.

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Meat Jun – Local Hawaiian Style

Hawaiian-style meat jun is a revelation in flavor, with tender marinated beef coated in a simple batter and then quickly fried

Course Main Course

Cuisine Hawaiian

Keyword Beef, Fried

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Marinate in fridge 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 45 minutes minutes

Servings 4 people

Ingredients

• ½ lb ribeye beef thinly sliced to ⅛"
• neutral oil such as canola, for frying

For the marinade

• ¼ cup soy sauce
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 2 tsp sugar
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 scallion minced

For the batter

• ¾ cup flour
• 2 eggs scrambled

For the dipping sauce

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 clove garlic minced
• 1 scallion sliced
• 1 tsp gochugaru

For serving

• 1 scallion sliced, for garnish

Instructions

Marinate the meat

• Add all ingredients for the marinade (soy sauce, sesame oil, mirin, sugar, minced garlic, and minced scallion) to a medium bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
• Place the meat and marinade into a shallow rectangular container and massage the marinade into all nooks of the meat.
  
• Cover the meat with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for one hour to marinate.

Make the dipping sauce

• While the meat is marinating, make the dipping sauce. Add all ingredients (soy, rice wine vinegar, sesame oil, sugar, minced garlic, sliced scallion, and gochugaru) to a small bowl and stir until the sugar is dissolved.

Batter the meat

• Once the meat is finished marinating, prepare the ingredients for battering. Place the flour in a plate and the eggs in a bowl.
• First coat the meat in a thin layer of flour. Shake off the excess flour.
• Then coat the meat in eggs. Let the excess egg drain off the meat and place the battered meat on a clean plate. Repeat the process for all slices of meat.
  

Fry the meat

• Add ½ inch of neutral oil to a frying pan and heat over medium-high heat.
• Once the oil is hot, fry the meat slices one at a time. Fry for 1-2 minutes on each side, for a total of 2-4 minutes. When the meat is finished, place it on a paper-towel lined plate to absorb the excess oil.
  

Serve

• Serve the meat jun right away with the dipping sauce and more scallions on top for garnish.

The post Meat Jun – Local Hawaiian Style appeared first on Eats All Day.

Ebi Chili is all about the flavorful sauce.  This sauce is fragrant from the ginger and garlic.  It’s spicy from the Sichuanese doubanjiang.  The ketchup takes the sauce over the top by adding layers of umami and sweetness. 

And the best thing about this recipe is that it’s a quick, weeknight friendly meal that’s ready in just 20 minutes.

What is Ebi Chili

Ebi Chili is a Chinese-style Japanese dish of crispy pan-fried shrimp in a spicy sauce of ginger, garlic, doubanjiang, ketchup, and other seasonings.   

The sauce’s flavor is fragrant and slightly spicy.  Since ketchup is a primary ingredient, the sauce has a sweet and acidic tomato flavor.

Ebi Chili is a traditional chuka (Japanese-Chinese) recipe.  Chuka cuisine is Japan’s version of Chinese food, adapted by Chinese restaurants in Japan to match the Japanese palette.

Ebi Chili is based on a Sichuanese shrimp recipe. It was first created in the 1950s by Chen Kenmin, an emigrant from Sichuan, who’s regarded as the grandfather of Sichuan cuisine in Japan.  He introduced the dish in his Yokohama-based restaurant, Shisen Hanten. 

Ingredients

Shrimp.  Tender shrimp are marinated in a mixture of sake and cornstarch, and then lightly pan-fried until crisp.

Ginger.  A healthy amount of ginger gives the dish a strong fragrance.

Garlic.  We’ll use two whole cloves of garlic, giving the sauce a strong garlicky kick.

Scallion.  Scallions are fried along with the ginger and garlic to give the sauce an oniony kick.

Ketchup.  Ketchup is the primary ingredient of the sauce, giving it a sweet, acidic taste of tomato.

Doubanjiang.  The fermented chili bean paste from Sichuan gives the sauce spiciness and depth.

Sugar.  Sugar works to tame the heat and round out the flavor with some sweetness.

Sesame oil.  Sesame oil gives the sauce a nutty fragrance.

Chicken broth.  A half cup of chicken broth gives the sauce more volume.

Sake.  Sake has two uses.  First, for marinating the shrimp to enhance their flavor and to allow the other ingredients to work their way into the shrimp.  Second, we’ll add it directly to the sauce for some additional sweetness and umami.

Cornstarch.  We’ll use cornstarch in three ways.  First, we’ll use it along with water to wash the shrimp and firm up their texture. Second, it’s used in the marinade to coat the shrimp and help them crisp up when fried.  And third, we’ll add it at the end of the stir frying process to thicken up the sauce.

What is doubanjiang?

Doubanjiang is a Chinese condiment from Sichuan province made of fermented broad beans, chilis, soybeans, salt, and flour.  Doubanjiang goes by other names such as toban-djan, tobanjiang, or others.

It has a complex flavor profile that’s entirely unique.  It’s spicy, slightly sweet, and has a very strong depth of umami.  

This ingredient is an absolutely essential part of the Sichuanese pantry, and perhaps the one most important ingredient in Sichuan cooking.  It’s what makes Sichuanese food taste Sichuanese.

An important thing to realize about doubanjiang is that there are different levels of quality that highly affect its taste. 

A cheap, lower quality doubanjiang won’t taste great and it won’t impact your meal too much.  But a higher quality doubanjiang is a thing of beauty.  The best doubanjiang comes from Pixian, China.  Pixian doubanjiang is a geographical indication protected product, just like Champagne is protected in Champagne, France.

It’s really worth seeking out a high quality doubanjiang and spending a bit more money on it.  I promise that the high quality stuff will make a huge difference in your recipes, including in this Ebi Chili. 

Ketchup in Japanese food

Ebi Chili, like many other Japanese recipes, uses ketchup. 

While ketchup has a bit of a stigma in the West and is seen as just a low quality condiment used to dip your fries, it’s considered a legitimate ingredient in Japan. 

Many Japanese recipes incorporate ketchup, and especially recipes from yōshoku cuisine (Western-inspired Japanese food).  Spaghetti Napolitan is an example of a Japanese-style pasta that uses a ketchup sauce.  Other classics like omurice, tonkatsu sauce, and more also use ketchup.

How to make Ebi Chili

1. Prepare the shrimp.  Remove the tails from the shrimp and devein them if necessary.  Next rub the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and then rinse them under cool water to remove all of the cornstarch.  This washing process helps improve the texture of the shrimp, firming them up.
2. Marinate the shrimp.  Marinate the shrimp for 10 minutes in a mixture of salt, white pepper, sake, and cornstarch.
3. Fry the shrimp.  Heat oil in a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side (for a total of 2-4 minutes) until the outsides of the shrimp begin to brown and crisp. Once finished, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside.  The insides of the shrimp do not need to be fully cooked through at this point. 
4. Make the stir fry.  Clean the same wok or pan, return it to medium-high heat, and add fresh oil.  Once the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned.  Lower the heat to medium and add the ketchup and doubanjiang.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the ketchup and doubanjiang become fragrant.  Add the chicken broth, sake, and sugar, and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.  Now add the shrimp and the green parts of the scallions, and simmer until the shrimp cook through, about 1-2 minutes. Now add the cornstarch slurry and stir.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Now add the sesame oil, stir, and remove from the heat.
5. Serve. Once finished, place the shrimp and sauce on a serving plate and serve. 

Tips for making the shrimp

Measure and set aside all the ingredients before you start cooking.  Stir frying moves really quickly.  You’ll need to add a few ingredients, stir them for a minute, and some more ingredients, stir again, and then add some more, and so on.  The cooking process will run much more smoothly if you have all the ingredients measured out and set aside before cooking them.

Wash the shrimp with cornstarch.  This step is important because it helps to firm up the shrimp and give them a great texture.  It takes just a minute of time but does make a difference.  You might have noticed that shrimp in Chinese restaurants sometimes have a different, firmer texture than you’re used to.  This firmer texture that they’re able to achieve is due to the washing process.

What to serve with Ebi Chili

Serve Ebi Chili with white rice to soak up the extra sauce and a side vegetable or two, such as these sweet and salty Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes. 

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Ebi Chili – Shrimp in Spicy Sauce

A fragrant sauce with ginger, garlic, ketchup and spicy doubanjiang coats crispy pan-fried shrimp in this Ebi Chili recipe.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Doubanjiang, Ketchup, Shrimp

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 12-15 shrimp shells and tails removed, deveined
• 1 tbsp cornstarch for washing the shrimp

For the marinade

• ¼ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp white pepper
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

For the cornstarch slurry

• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp water

For the stir fry

• 2 tbsp neutral oil such as canola
• 1 inch piece ginger skin removed, minced
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 scallion minced, white and green parts separated
• 3 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp doubanjiang
• ½ cup chicken broth
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

Prepare the shrimp

• Remove the tails from the shrimp and devein them if necessary.
• Next wash the shrimp. Rub the shrimp in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch and then rinse them under cool water to remove all of the cornstarch.

  Washing the shrimp in cornstarch helps improve their texture and firm them up.

Marinate the shrimp

• Mix all ingredients for the marinade (salt, white pepper, sake, and cornstarch) in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp and massage the marinade into the shrimp. Set the shrimp aside, in the fridge, for 10 minutes to marinate.
  

Fry the shrimp

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or frying pan on medium-high heat. 
• Once the oil is hot, add the shrimp to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes on each side (for a total of 2-4 minutes) until the outsides of the shrimp are browned and crisp.
  
• Once finished, remove the shrimp from the pan and set aside. 

  The insides of the shrimp do not need to be fully cooked through at this point.

Make the cornstarch slurry

• Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water and set aside.

Make the stir fry

• Clean the same wok or pan, return it to medium-high heat, and add 1 tablespoon of fresh oil. 
• Once the oil is hot, add the ginger, garlic, and white parts of the scallion and cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until lightly browned. 
  
• Lower the heat to medium and add the ketchup and doubanjiang.  Cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the ketchup and doubanjiang become fragrant.
  
• Add the chicken broth, sake, and sugar, and simmer for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.
  
• Add the partially-cooked shrimp and the green parts of the scallions, and simmer until the shrimp are cooked through, about 1-2 minutes. 
  
• The cornstarch slurry may have separated, so use a spoon to stir it again. Then add the cornstarch slurry to the pan and stir.  Cook for 1-2 minutes until the sauce is thickened, stirring constantly.
  
• Add the sesame oil and stir. Remove the pan from the heat.

Serve

• Once finished, place the shrimp and sauce on a serving plate and enjoy.

The post Ebi Chili – Shrimp in Spicy Sauce appeared first on Eats All Day.

Tuna salad can seem a bit boring.  Honestly, I don’t personally eat it too often.

But the addition of one simple ingredient – gochujang – really transforms the classic sandwich spread into something more complex, more spicy, and all around more tasty.

What is gochujang tuna salad?

Gochujang tuna salad is similar to classic tuna salad, but with the addition of Korean gochujang paste. 

The ingredients include gochujang, canned tuna, kewpie mayo, scallions, celery and optionally some shichimi togarashi sprinkled on top.

The gochujang adds complexity in flavor to otherwise bland tuna salad. Its flavor is sweet, spicy, a bit pungent, and dripping with umami.  It really transforms tuna salad into something with a lot more flavor. 

The tuna salad can be served like any ordinary tuna salad: on sandwiches, on crackers or flatbread, or with vegetables. 

What is gochujang?

Gochujang is a Korean condiment made of fermented soybeans, red chili, glutinous rice, and salt.

It has a complex flavor profile of deep sweetness, spiciness, a bit of pungency, and a ton of umami.  The flavor is really unique and difficult to compare to any other ingredient.  There’s not a good substitute. 

The spiciness of gochujang can vary, with some being super spicy and others not spicy at all.  There’s often an indication of the spiciness level on the package of the gochujang. 

Gochujang is an absolutely essential staple in Korean cooking.  It gives so many Korean dishes their unmistakable Korean taste. 

It has many different uses such as a marinade for meat, to flavor stews (such as Korean Army Stew) or as a base for sauces (like in the creamy, cheesy Rose Tteokbokki), or as a dipping or topping sauce (for example in bibimbap). 

If you want to cook Korean food, you’ll definitely need a tub of gochujang.  Luckily it’s now pretty popular in the US and you can likely find it in the Asian section of your grocery store.  If not, Amazon also sells it. 

Gochujang paste vs gochujang sauce

When a recipe calls for “gochujang”, it refers to gochujang paste rather than gochujang sauce. The paste is what’s used in cooking and contains only the core ingredients of gochujang.  The paste is sold in small, usually red tubs.  This recipe for tuna salad uses the paste.

Gochujang sauce, on the other hand, is a diluted version of gochujang that’s mixed with other ingredients.  It can be used tableside as a dipping sauce and is generally sold in squeeze bottles. 

How to make gochujang tuna salad

1. Prepare the vegetables.  Slice the scallion into thin rounds and mince the celery into small pieces. 
2. Mix the ingredients.  Add the vegetables along with the canned tuna, gochujang, mayo,  and salt and pepper to a medium bowl. Mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined, with few chunks of tuna remaining.

1. Serve. Enjoy the tuna salad in a sandwich, with crackers, or with vegetables. 

Ingredients

Gochujang.  The Korean fermented paste adds amazing flavors of sweetness, spiciness and umami to classic tuna salad.  Gochujang is now popular in the United States and most grocery stores sell it.  Amazon also carries it.

Canned tuna.  Can’t have tuna salad without the tuna. 

Kewpie mayo.  I love Kewpie mayo because it has more tanginess and deeper umami than North American mayonnaise.  It uses only egg yolks, rather than whole eggs, giving the mayonnaise a much richer flavor.  It’s an iconic Japanese ingredient and definitely worth seeking out!  But if you can’t find Kewpie, you can easily use a North American mayo such as Hellmann’s in this recipe. 

Scallions. Finely sliced scallions add a bit of peppery bite to the salad. 

Celery. Finely minced celery provides crunch and some freshness. 

Shichimi togarashi. A sprinkle of the Japanese spice mix gives the final tuna salad some extra heat.  This ingredient is completely optional, so feel free to skip it if you don’t have it. 

Salt and pepper.  For seasoning.

How to serve gochujang tuna salad

There are a few ways to serve this salad. 

As a sandwich.  Wrap the tuna between two slices of bread and add lettuce, tomatoes, onions and pickles. 

With crackers or flat bread.  Top some carbs with the tuna salad and eat. 

As a dip with vegetables.  Use celery and carrot sticks to scoop up the tuna. 

Wrapped in nori seaweed snacks with rice.  Wrap some tuna salad and a bit of rice in nori seaweed snacks for a quick take on sushi.  Sushi rolls made with canned tuna and nori are actually quite popular in Japan and can be found at almost any konbini (Japanese-style convenience stores such as 7-11).  This combination would be similar to those rolls. 

Or better yet, as a gochujang tuna melt!  Spread room temperature butter on two slices or bread.  Place the tuna between the two slices, with the buttered sides of the bread on the outside of the sandwich.  Add some cheese inside the bread.  Now add more butter to a nonstick pan on low heat and cook the sandwich on both sides until browned and crisp. 

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Gochujang Tuna Salad

Gochujang tuna salad takes your average tuna salad and makes it special with the addition of sweet, spicy and complex Korean gochujang.

Course Main Course

Cuisine Korean

Keyword Gochujang, Kewpie Mayo, tuna

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 2 people

Ingredients

• 2 5-oz cans water-packed tuna drained of water
• 1 tbsp gochujang
• ⅓ cup Kewpie mayo or substitute any other mayo
• 2 scallions
• ½ large stick celery
• ½ tsp kosher salt
• ¼ tsp pepper
• pinch shichimi togarashi for sprinkling on top, optional

Instructions

Prepare the vegetables

• Slice the scallion into thin rounds.
• Mince the celery into small pieces.

Mix the ingredients

• Add all of the ingredients except the shichimi togarashi to a medium bowl.
  
• Mix thoroughly with a spoon until well combined, with few chunks of tuna remaining.

Garnish and serve

• Place the tuna salad in a serving bowl and garnish with shichimi togarashi.
• Enjoy the tuna salad in a sandwich, on top of crackers, or as a dip with vegetables and pieces of nori.

The post Gochujang Tuna Salad appeared first on Eats All Day.

This is a hamburger like you haven’t had before. The juicy beef and pork hamburger steaks are pan fried until crisp and then doused in a sweet, spicy, citrusy ponzu sauce with a ton of flavor. 

They’re topped off with oroshi, a Japanese condiment of grated daikon, giving the final dish a nice peppery bite. 

This dish is hearty and filling. But it’s also surprisingly refreshing because of the bright, citrusy ponzu sauce. 

What is wafu hambagu?

Wafu hambagu is a Japanese-style hamburger steak made from ground beef and pork and topped with daikon oroshi and ponzu sauce.

It’s a typical yōshoku (Japanese-style western food) dish popular throughout Japan.  For other classic yōshoku recipes, check out this Spaghetti Napolitan or this creamy Corn Soup. 

The ground beef and pork are mixed with panko, eggs, onions, garlic and other seasonings like worcestershire, sesame oil and nutmeg.  The meat is made into hamburger size steaks and then pan-fried until crisped on the outside.  A ponzu sauce is added to the burgers while they cook, letting the meat soak up the sweet and spicy flavors of the sauce. 

To finish the dish, the hambagu is topped with daikon oroshi, a simple condiment of grated daikon.

Wafu hambagu is typically served with a green salad and sometimes other roasted vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or green beans.

What does wafu mean?

“Wafu” means Japanese-style and it often refers to “wafu” salad dressing.  There are all different kinds of wafu dressings, but they all use some combination of traditionally Japanese ingredients such as soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame or ponzu.  

Since this recipe has a ponzu sauce resembling wafu dressing and is often served with a side of green salad, it’s referred to as “wafu hambagu”.

How to make wafu hambagu

Prepare the onions & panko

1. Prepare the onions.  Chop the onions and sauté them in butter on medium heat for 3-5 minutes until lightly browned.  Once finished, set them aside and let them cool to room temperature. 
2. Prepare the panko. Soak the panko bread crumbs in milk for a few minutes.

Make the hambagu steaks

1. Mix the ingredients.  In a medium bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, onions, panko in milk, egg, sesame oil, worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and salt.  Mix and knead the ingredients very thoroughly until fully combined.  Separate the meat into four equal-sized portions.  
2. Form the hambagu steaks.  First oil your hands with about a half tablespoon of oil so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands while forming the steaks. To form the hambagu steaks, take one portion of the meat in one of your hands.  Now gently, but firmly, toss it to your other hand.  And then toss it back to your first hand.  And now toss it again.  Toss the meat from hand-to-hand about 15-20 times until you form an oval-shaped steak.  Repeat for the other three steaks.  This process removes air bubbles from the meat to prevent the steaks from cracking into pieces while cooking.  Place the hambagu steaks on a parchment paper lined plate and let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Make the oroshi

1. Make the oroshi.  Meanwhile, as the hambagu steaks are resting in the fridge, make the oroshi.  Peel the daikon and grate it with a fine cheese grater.  In Japan they use special graters to get the perfect texture.  I didn’t have one, so I just used a normal cheese grater and it turned out great.  Once grated, squeeze out the liquid from the daikon and set the oroshi aside.

Make the ponzu sauce

1. Make the ponzu sauce.  Combine the ponzu, sugar, and yuzu kosho in a small bowl.  Mix thoroughly until the sugar and yuzu kosho dissolve.

Cook the hambagu

1. Cook the hambagu.  Once the hamburger steaks are done resting, heat oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan.  Once the oil is hot, gently place the hamburger steaks in the pan.  Use your thumb to make an indentation in the middle of each steak.  Cook for four minutes until browned.  Flip the hambagus, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for five minutes.  Now remove the cover and add the ponzu sauce.  Cook for two more minutes, spooning the ponzu sauce over the steaks while they cook.  When fully cooked, remove the hamburger steaks from the pan.  Continue to cook the sauce for 1-2 minutes to slightly reduce it.  Remove from the heat once reduced.
2. Top with oroshi and ponzu sauce.  Place the hamburger steaks on a serving plate and top each with 2-3 tablespoons of the daikon oroshi.  Pour the ponzu sauce over the hamburger steaks.  
3. Serve. Enjoy wafu hambagu with a side of green salad and roasted vegetables.  Use the ponzu sauce for dressing for the salad.

Tips for making wafu hambagu

1. Use beef and pork. American burgers usually use just beef. But Japanese hambagu uses a combination of beef and pork, which adds flavor and keeps the steaks juicy. 
2. Remove trapped air from the hamburger steaks.  When forming the steaks, make sure to remove all the air bubbles from them. To do this, gently but firmly toss each steak from one hand to your other hand 15-20 times until the steaks are formed and all air bubbles are removed. 
3. Indent the center of each hambagu when cooking. When you place the hamburger steaks in the sauté pan to cook them, use your thumb to gently make an indentation of about a half inch in the center of each steak. When the steaks are cooking, the centers will rise, and this indentation will keep them flat and from turning into round balls. 

How to make daikon oroshi

Daikon oroshi is a super simple Japanese condiment of peppery shredded radish.  It’s used to give bite to various Japanese dishes such as grilled meats, fish and this wafu hambagu.

To make oroshi, peel the daikon and grate it.  Once grated, use a cheesecloth or your hands to squeeze out most of the liquid.  And that’s it, your oroshi is done.

What if I don’t have a Japanese grater (oroshigane)

In Japan, a special grater called oroshigane is used to grate the daikon.  I didn’t have an oroshigane, and so I just used the finest cheese grater that I had.  The texture was slightly different than oroshi made with an oroshigane but the taste was exactly the same.

How to serve wafu hambagu

Serve wafu hambagu with a side of green salad and roasted vegetables such as potatoes, carrots, or green beans.  Use the ponzu sauce as a dressing for the salad.  Enjoy with a glass of red wine such as cabernet.

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Wafu Hambagu with Oroshi

Japan takes on the hamburger with this juicy Wafu Hambagu topped with grated daikon and a sweet, spicy ponzu sauce. 

Course Main Course

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Beef, Hamburger Steak, Oroshi, Pork

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Rest in fridge time 30 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4 servings

Ingredients

For the hambagu

• ½ onion chopped
• 1½ tbsp butter
• ½ lb ground beef
• ½ lb ground pork
• ¼ cup panko
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp worcestershire sauce
• ¼ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1½ tbsp neutral oil such as canola

For the ponzu sauce

• ½ cup ponzu
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp yuzu kosho

For the oroshi

• 4 inch piece of daikon skin peeled with a vegetable peeler

Instructions

Prepare the onions and panko

• Heat the butter in a large sauté pan on medium heat. Once hot, add the onions and cook them for 3-5 minutes, stirring frequently, until lightly browned.  Once finished, set them aside and let them cool to room temperature.
  
• Soak the panko bread crumbs in milk for a few minutes.

Make the hambagu steaks

• In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients for the hambagu (the ground beef, pork, cooked onions, panko in milk, egg, sesame oil, worcestershire sauce, minced garlic, black pepper, and salt.
  
• Mix and knead the ingredients very thoroughly until fully combined.
  
• Separate the mixture into four equal-sized portions.
• To form the hamburger steaks, first oil your hands with about a half tablespoon of oil so that the mixture doesn’t stick to your hands while forming the steaks. Take one portion of the meat in one of your hands.  Now gently, but firmly, toss it to your other hand.  And then toss it back to your first hand.  And now toss it again.  Toss the meat from hand-to-hand about 15-20 times until you form an oval-shaped steak.  Repeat for the other three steaks. 

  This process removes air bubbles from the meat to prevent the steaks from cracking into pieces while cooking.
• Place the hambagu steaks on a parchment paper lined plate and let them rest in the fridge for 30 minutes.
  

Make the oroshi

• Meanwhile, as the hambagu steaks are resting in the fridge, make the oroshi. Grate the daikon with a fine cheese grater.  In Japan they use special graters to get the perfect texture.  I didn’t have one, so I just used a normal cheese grater and it turned out great. 
  
• Once grated, squeeze out the liquid from the daikon and set the oroshi aside. You can use your hands to squeeze out the liquid or a cheesecloth.
  

Make the ponzu sauce

• Combine the ponzu, sugar, and yuzu kosho in a small bowl.  Mix thoroughly until the sugar and yuzu kosho dissolve.

Cook the hambagu

• Once the hamburger steaks are done resting, heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan. 
• Once the oil is hot, gently place the hamburger steaks in the pan.  Use your thumb to make an indentation of about ½ inch deep in the middle of each steak. 
  
• Cook for four minutes until browned. Do not move or disturb the steaks so that they form a nice crust.
• Flip the hamburger steaks, cover the pan with a lid, and cook for five minutes. 
• Now remove the cover and add the ponzu sauce directly on top of the steaks.  Cook for two more minutes, spooning the sauce over the steaks while they cook. 
• When fully cooked, remove the hamburger steaks from the pan. 
• Continue to cook the sauce for 1-2 minutes to slightly reduce it.  Remove from the heat once reduced.

Serve

• Place the wafu hambagu on a serving plate and top each hambagu with 2-3 tablespoons of the daikon oroshi.  Pour the ponzu sauce over the hamburger steaks. 
  
• Serve with a side of green salad and roasted vegetables.  Use the ponzu sauce for dressing for the salad.

The post Wafu Hambagu with Oroshi appeared first on Eats All Day.

The sweet sauce is brushed on top of roasted Japanese sweet potatoes and then broiled in the oven, resulting in a caramelized crust on top of the fluffy, fork tender sweet potatoes. It’s a really nice combination of textures. 

And even though these potatoes are a side dish, they’re so packed with flavor that they can easily be eaten with some rice as a main course. 

What are Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes?

Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes are a side dish of Japanese sweet potatoes topped with a sweet miso butter glaze.

This recipe uses Japanese sweet potatoes, the sweeter, fluffier alternative to the regular orange variety.  Although you could easily substitute orange sweet potatoes in this recipe if that’s all you can find.

The potatoes are first roasted in the oven without the sauce.  After they’re done roasting, the potatoes are topped with the miso butter sauce and then broiled to caramelize the sauce.

Although this dish is simple to make, it packs a ton of flavor.

How are Japanese sweet potatoes different?

Japanese sweet potatoes have purple skin and an off-white flesh that turns a darker shade of yellow once cooked.

The Japanese variety of sweet potato is much sweeter than other orange flesh sweet potatoes or yams typically found in the US.  The flavor has a nutty quality that’s reminiscent of chestnuts. Since it’s so sweet, it’s used often to make desserts like this traditional sweet potato dessert.  

Their texture is a bit more dry and starchier than orange sweet potatoes.  The consistency is actually more similar to white Russet baking potatoes than orange sweet potatoes.  This means that your Japanese sweet potatoes will be a bit fluffier and lighter-feeling than the orange ones.

Japanese sweet potatoes are becoming more and more available in the US.  Whole Foods carries them and so does Trader Joe’s (under the name “Murasaki sweet potato”).  

If you can’t find the Japanese variety, the orange sweet potatoes can be used for a substitute in certain cases, such as in this recipe. 

Ingredients

Japanese sweet potatoes.  These uber sweet, fluffy potatoes pair perfectly with the sweet and salty miso glaze.

Miso.  Miso is the base for the sauce, providing complex flavors of umami, saltiness, funkiness and some sweetness. I prefer red miso in this recipe because it has a deep, strong flavor that stands up to the sweetness. Though any other kind of miso, such as a milder white, would work fine.

Sake.  Sake is the secret ingredient to so many Japanese recipes, enhancing the overall flavor of the dish and adding some umami and sweetness.  

Mirin.  Mirin is often used with sake in Japanese sauces, and we’ll use it here.  It adds more subtle sweetness to the sauce and compliments the sake.

Sugar.  A bit of sugar provides even more sweetness.

Butter.  Butter rounds out the sauce, providing richness and creaminess.

Scallions.  A pop of scallions garnish the dish, giving it some oniony bite.

Sesame seeds.  Sesame seeds also garnish the dish, providing just a bit of nuttiness that compliments the sweet potatoes.

Can I substitute orange sweet potatoes for the Japanese ones?

The orange-fleshed sweet potatoes or yams that are more accessible in the US can easily be used as a substitute in this recipe. 

The potatoes won’t be as sweet and their texture won’t be as fluffy, but they’ll still taste great. 

What kind of miso should I use?

Red miso is preferable for this recipe, since it has a deep, rich flavor that stands up to the sweetness of the sauce and the potatoes.

Though you can use any kind of miso paste, such as the milder white miso, and the potatoes will still taste great. They’ll just have a less strong miso flavor.

How to make Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes

1. Bake the potatoes.  Slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and rub two tablespoons of a neutral oil on both sides of the potatoes.  Place the potatoes on a foil-lined sheet tray, cut side down, and bake at 350° for 30-35 minutes.
2. Make the sauce.  While the potatoes are roasting, mix the miso paste, sake, mirin and sugar in a small bowl until combined.  Cook the sauce in a small saucepan over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring very frequently to prevent scorching.  Next add the butter, and continue cooking for 3 more minutes, stirring frequently.
3. Glaze and broil the potatoes.  Once the potatoes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and turn your oven’s broiler to high heat.  Flip the potatoes over on the sheet pan so that they’re cut side up.  Use a pastry brush to apply the sauce on top of the potato flesh.  Now broil them in the oven for 1-3 minutes until the glaze is beginning to caramelize.  Check the potatoes frequently to avoid burning them.

Tips for making Kyoto style sweet potatoes

1. Cut the potatoes in even halves.  When you slice the potatoes lengthwise, make sure that they’re cut right down the middle into two equal portions.  This ensures that both sides of the potato require the same amount of time for roasting and they’ll all be finished at the same time.
2. Stir the sauce very often while cooking.  Since this sauce has a high sugar content, it can burn very quickly.  So while you’re cooking it on the stove top, make sure to stir it very frequently.  And while you’re stirring it, ensure that you scrape the sauce from the bottom of the pan so that it doesn’t burn. 
3. Keep a close eye while broiling.  The broiling process caramelizes the sauce on top of the potatoes, bringing out the sweetness and giving the potatoes a nice, lightly crispy crust.  But since the sauce has such a high sugar content, it can burn very quickly.  So keep a very close eye on your potatoes when you do the broiling.  Depending on the strength of your oven’s broiler, it could take only one minute to caramelize and could begin burning right after that.

What to serve Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes

These sweet potatoes are a pretty versatile side dish that can be served with many different types of main courses.

They would obviously go great with other Japanese-inspired dishes (like this sushi bake), but are flexible enough to be served with other types of foods like Korean or even American food.

Since the potatoes are so sweet, they would go extremely well with something spicy and acidic, like these loaded kimchi fries topped with spicy mayo, jalapenos, and fresh lime.

And since these potatoes are so good, I’ve eaten them as a main course with rice on the side.

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Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes

If sweet and salty is your thing, then these Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes glazed in a sweet miso butter sauce are sure to hit the spot. 

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Keyword Miso, Sweet Potato

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 40 minutes minutes

Total Time 45 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

• 2 Japanese sweet potatoes or substitute regular orange sweet potatoes
• 2 tbsp neutral oil such as canola
• 3 tbsp miso preferably red miso, but any miso will do
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp butter unsalted
• 2-3 scallions sliced into rings, for garnish
• 1-2 tbsp sesame seeds for garnish

Instructions

Prepare the sweet potatoes

• Preheat your oven to 350°.
• Rub all sides of the sweet potatoes (flesh and skin) with 2 tbsp of the neutral oil.
  
• Place the potatoes flesh side down on an aluminum-lined sheet tray and roast in the oven for 30-35 minutes until the flesh is fully cooked and is easily pierced with a fork.

Make the miso butter sauce

• While the potatoes are roasting, mix the miso, sake, mirin, and granulated sugar in a small bowl until combined.
• Add the sauce to a small saucepan and cook on the stove over medium-low heat for five minutes, stirring very frequently. Make sure that you scrape the bottom of the pan often to move the sauce around and prevent scorching.
• Add the butter to the sauce and cook for an additional three minutes, stirring very frequently.

Broil the potatoes and serve

• Once the potatoes are finished baking, remove them from the oven and turn your oven’s broiler to high heat.
• Flip the potatoes over on the sheet pan so that they’re cut side up and use a pastry brush to apply the sauce on top of the potato flesh. 
  
• Broil the potatoes in the oven for 1-3 minutes until the glaze is beginning to caramelize.  Check the potatoes frequently to avoid burning them.
• Once the potatoes are done broiling, place them on a serving plate and garnish them with the sliced scallions and sesame seeds, and serve.

The post Kyoto Style Sweet Potatoes appeared first on Eats All Day.