I am learning how to cook more variety of Japanese meal within 30 minutes. This is because my husband’s working hours are long but I still hope he is able to eat home cooked meal (just cooked) once he got home from work.
Japanese food are different from Chinese food. Some side dishes can be made earlier and kept in fridge because they are served cold.
Firstly, always cook the rice first. My rice cooker take an hour but you can cook to get instant rice where you can microwave it. Taste the same.
Now, to the Japanese side dishes.
One of them I learnt to cook recently is Japanese spinach with sesame sauce（ほうれん草の胡麻和え）, instant way. Just need to cook Japanese Spinach and put the pre-made sauce.
The trick to keep Japanese spinach crunchy is
1. Only put in Japanese Spinach when the water is boiling hot
2. Run Japanese spinach under cold water
3. Put ice with Japanese Spinach until it’s cold
4. Drain all the water with kitchen tissue (try to dry them as much as possible)
Only then you put the pre-made sauce and mixed well. Put them in the fridge. I usually do it in the afternoon so my husband can eat it at night.
Instant Miso Soup (bought from City Super)
Just need to pour boiling water and it’s ready.
Tofu hamburger
This takes more time but it is pretty easy. Mash the tofu and pour in the pre-made mixed (includes shredded dried carrot & lotus roots)
Mould them into round shapes
Pan-fried
My meal
I can never cook Chinese food that quickly unless it is fried rice. I will try to explore more because there is so much to learn.
I personally love the Japanese spinach because it has a refreshing taste. Tofu hamburger is tasty. I just realised I had no meat in my meal. Guess it is suitable for vegetarians too.
Till then…
Jessica Tamaki 