Since I created various Fruit Sandwich, I have so many leftover bread crusts in my kitchen. So, I would like to introduce some ideas of how to cook with bread crusts.
IDEA 1, Homemade croutons and snack
It’s really easy and simple. You can just cut the bread crusts into small pieces and toast them on the frying pan. I don’t add oil. Just stir occasionally until it gets brown color. Done! How about adding to the soup or salad ? (I made a potato soup for my children and they liked it!) It might be fun to add seasonings to eat like a snack. For example, I would experiment with butter, soy sauce, aonori (seaweed), curry powder for savory flavors. And for sweet flavors, I might choose Honey, cinnamon, Sugar, maple syrup, cacao powder etc.
IDEA 2: Toppings for ice cream
After making the homemade croutons, how about using them as a topping for ice cream? I made homemade matcha ice cream and sprinkled one for chocolate syrup, choco chip and croutons, and the other for kinako (dried soy bean powder), Kuromitsu (brown sugar syrup) and croutons. The crunchy and crispy texture of croutons is really unique and also go well with matcha ice cream.
IDEA 3: Homemade rusk
This time, you can enjoy bread crusts as a rusk. Place bread crusts separately on a parchment paper and microwave 1 min. Then, coat with melted butter and microwave again until it gets crispy. At last, sprinkle sugar over it. Done!
IDEA 4: Daigaku Pan(?)
This is Daigaku Imo inspired sweets. Daigaku means “university” and Imo means “potato” in general. But I used bread (pan) crusts for this recipe. To make this, you can bust toast the bread crusts with using frying pan until brown color and caramelize with honey, soy sauce and black sesame same as making Daigaku Imo.
Japanese sweet and sour fruit sandwich are called fruit sando (フルーツサンド). Put your favorite fruit and a little hard whipped cream between the breads and you’re done! This time, I will make a fruit sandwich using strawberry, banana and kiwi. This recipe is recommended not only for breakfast, but also for picnics and snacks. Why don’t you start your day with this sandwich? Read More
Happy Valentine’s Day! Did you know that Japan celebrates Valentine’s Day with the opposite approach from overseas? I remember when I was young, my friends, including myself, were throbbing and squirming as Valentine’s Day approached.
In modern times, there is something called “giri choco” (義理チョコ) that gives chocolate to bosses and friends. Others seem to buy themselves high quality chocolates as a reward. My case…I made tofu donuts with my son Kengo and tasted together with my hubby and Sui-chan.
Menu:
– Miso soup with wakame seaweed, fried tofu and cabbage [Recipe]
– Yaki Onigiri [Recipe]
– Tuna Mayo Onigiri [Recipe]
– Kimpira gobo [Recipe]
– Stir-fry bean sprouts and green pepper
– Japanese omelette [Original] [W/ Mayonnaise]
– Yogurt with blueberry jam and marmalade jam
It’s still cold here in Tokyo. We don’t have snows but my hometown (northern part of Japan) snows a lot every winter. February 3rd is normally the day of Setsubun. Setsubun refers to the day before the beginning of each season. (the first days of spring, summer, fall and winter). The literal meaning of the word Setsubun is “seasonal division”. Out of all the 4 Setsubun days, Risshun (the first day of spring) is the most special day.
To celebrate this special day, my family and I visited the Japanese restaurant and had the huge Ebi-Furai (fried shrimps) that we have never seen this in life! The shrimp itself was big and also it’s coated with lots of panko (bread crumbs). So, super crispy outside and fluffy inside. I use small to medium size shrimps in my recipe video but if you are interested in how to make the Ebi Furai (Japanese fried shrimp) & Japanese version Tartar sauce, please check here!
Yaki Onigiri（焼きおにぎり）is not so famous among worldwide but this is one of hidden popular onigiri in Japan. In this recipe, I will show you how to make two types of grilled rice balls. One is to place a white rice ball on the net grill and grill it while dipping it in soy sauce (the traditional style), and the other is to pre-season it with soy sauce, dried bonito flakes, mirin, etc. and place it on the net grill or pan and grill it to your desired hardness (the modern style).
Kanbutsu (dried products, 乾物)are key staples of Japanese pantry. All have a long shelf life, most are natural and without preservatives; and they can be simply reconstituted in water before use.
Seaweed:
Aonori (青のり): Green laver, often sprinkled on Okonomiyaki and Yakisoba.
Aosa (あおさ): Sea lettuce, good in soups
Hijiki (ひじき): A black sea vegetable rich in minerals and protein
Kaiso (海藻): Generic term for sea vegetables, often added to salads
Kanten (寒天): Aga-agar made from tengusa, a sea vegetabl, and used as a gelatin
Kombu (昆布): Kelp, essential ingredients in dashi soup broth
Nori (海苔/のり): Seaweed, often used for sushi
Wakame (わかめ): A sea vegetable often used in miso soup and salads
Seafood:
Katsuobushi (かつおぶし): Dried bonito flakes
Niboshi (煮干し): Small dried sardines
Sakura ebi (桜えび): Dried sakura shrimp
Sesame seeds:
Goma (ごま): Sesame seeds
Irigoma (炒りごま): Roasted sesame seeds
Kurogoma (黒ごま): Black sesame seeds
Shirogoma (白ごま): White sesame seeds
Surigoma (すりごま): Crushed sesame seeds
Wheat gluten:
Fu (麩): Wheat gluten
Kuruma-fu(車麩): Car wheel shape wheat gluten
Vegetable:
Hoshi shiitake (干し椎茸): Dried shiitake mushrooms
Hoshi warabi (干しわらび): Dried bracken, a type of mountain vegetable (Sansai)
Hoshi zenmai (干しぜんまい): Dried royal fern, a type of mountain vegetable (Sansai)
Kanpyo (かんぴょう): Dried gourd strips
Kikurage (きくらげ): Dried wood-ear mushroom
Kinako (きなこ): Dried soybean powder, a popular ingredient in confections
Kiriboshi daikon (切り干し大根): Dried strips of daikon
Kuzuko (葛粉): Starch made from the kudzu plant, used as a thickening agent, also referred to simply as Kuzu
Beans:
Mame (豆): Generic term for beans
Azuki (小豆): Small red beans, often used in confections (wagashi)
Daizu (大豆): Soybeans
Kintoki (金時): Kidney beans
Kuromame (黒豆): Black beans
Koya dofu (高野豆腐): Freeze-dried tofu
Noodles:
Menrui (麺類): Generic term for noodles
Soba (そば): Buckwheat flour noodles
Somen (そうめん): Thin wheat noodles
Udon (うどん): Thicker wheat noodles
Harusame (はるさめ): Thin noodles made from bean starch (or potato starch)
Memo :
1. Are you looking for Japanese cookbooks and kitchenwares etc? Visit YJC store on Amazon!
2. Would you like to cook many more recipes? Download Free recipe app from here! “Recipe by YJC”
In Tokyo, it snowed for the first time this year. It was only a few hours, but the kids were very excited about the snow. Sui-chan may not have known what was happening. It rarely snows in Tokyo, so I hope it will fall again! 東京では、今年最初の雪が降りました。ほんの数時間でしたが、子供たちは雪に大興奮。すいちゃんは何が起こっているのかわかっていなかったかもしれません。東京で雪が降ることは滅多にないので、また降るといいなぁ！
