THE LIVE COOKING MENU

• Dashi - Kombu & Bonito Stock
• Okonomiyaki - Japanese Pancake
• Gohan - Cooking Japanese Rice 
• Kyuri Tsukemono - Cucumber Quick Pickle 
• Teriyaki - Glazed Chicken Skewers

Ingredients

Dashi - Kombu & Bonito Stock

• 2L water
• 20g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 10g kombu (kelp)
• 10g shiitake mushrooms (optional)

 Katsuo Dashi Option

• 500ml water
• 10g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Substitute Options

• bonito flakes - dried anchovies, smokey bacon
• shiitake mushrooms - dried porcini
• instant dashi powder (hondashi) can be used as a substitute

Okonomiyaki - Japanese Pancake

• 1 rasher bacon (50g), sliced into large chunks
• 1 tsp vegetable oil
• 50g cabbage, diced
• 30g flour 
• 50ml dashi stock* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 egg
• 1 TBL pickled ginger (beni shoga), or 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 TBL rice bubbles (optional)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Optional Toppings

• beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
• katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• sliced spring onion
• Japanese (kewpie) mayonnaise 
• okonomi sauce (Japanese BBQ sauce)
• ao noriko (seaweed powder)
• fried egg
• sliced nori (seaweed paper) 

Substitute Options

• bacon - omit for a vegetarian version, or substitute squid, prawn, pork belly, chicken or octopus
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• cabbage - any other shredded vegetable eg carrot, zucchini, bok choy
• flour - gluten free flour 
• dashi stock - water, chicken or vegetable stock
• pickled ginger (beni shoga) - 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• rice bubbles (optional)
• baking powder - bicarb soda
• all toppings are optional and interchangeable with what's available

Gohan - Cooking Japanese Rice 

• 600g Japanese short-grain rice (Koshihikari) 
• 750ml cold water, plus extra as needed

Kyuri Tsukemono - Cucumber Quick Pickle 

• 1 Lebanese cucumber
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 

Substitute Options

• Lebanese cucumber - kirby or continental cucumbers
• rice wine vinegar - white, white wine, cider, malt or black vinegar

Teriyaki - Glazed Chicken Skewers

• 300g chicken thigh, largely diced 
• 3-4 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons
• 4-6 bamboo skewers
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil (if pan-frying)
• 90ml soy sauce 
• 60ml mirin 
• 60ml sake 
• 1 TBL raw sugar

For Serving (Optional)

• cooked Japanese rice
• cucumber pickle* (recipe in previous lesson)

Substitute Options

• chicken thigh - chicken breast, salmon
• spring onions can be omitted
• vegetable oil - any neutral oil
• soy sauce - tamari
• mirin - half the amount of honey, agave or sugar syrup
• sake - Chinese rice wine, dry sherry, soju
• raw sugar - any other sugar

Dashi - Kombu & Bonito Stock

Dashi forms one of the culinary cornerstones of Japanese cooking and it’s made with just three ingredients: water, kombu (dried kelp), and bonito (fish) flakes. The resulting clear broth has a slightly smoky aroma and tastes like the essence of the sea. Alternatively, you can also make a simple stock using just bonito flakes called katsuo dashi.

Makes - 2L

Active time - 10 minutes

Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients 

• 2L water
• 20g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 10g kombu (kelp)
• 10g shiitake mushrooms (optional)

Method

1. Add the water to a large pot and bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, add the katsuobushi and steep for 10 minutes.
2. Strain the hot liquid through fine mesh sieve into another vessel. To the strained liquid, add the kombu and shiitake mushrooms (if using) and steep for a further 45 minutes.
3. Remove the kombu and shiitake before using the dashi in your chosen recipe. Don't ever boil this stock to reheat or it will turn bitter.

Katsuo Dashi

Makes - 500ml

Total time - 15 minutes

Ingredients 

• 500ml water
• 10g katsuobushi (bonito flakes)

Method

1. Add the water to a saucepan and bring to the boil.
2. Turn off the heat, add the katsuobushi and steep for 10 minutes.
3. Strain the liquid through fine-mesh sieve and use in your chosen Japanese recipe.

Okonomiyaki - Japanese Pancake

Okonomiyaki is a savoury pancake, famous in the Osaka and Hiroshima regions of Japan. Loaded with vegetables and topped with ingredients of your choice, it's an extremely versatile dish! That's how it gets the name - “okonomi” means what you like, “yaki” means grilled. Dashi stock can be substituted with chicken or vegetable stock.

Makes - 1 Pancake

Total time - 30 minutes

Active Time - 30 minutes

Ingredients 

• 1 rasher bacon (50g), sliced into large chunks
• 1 tsp vegetable oil

Batter

• 50g cabbage, diced
• 30g flour 
• 50ml dashi stock* (recipe in previous lesson)
• 1 egg
• 1 TBL pickled ginger (beni shoga), or 1 tsp freshly grated ginger
• 2 TBL rice bubbles (optional)
• ¼ tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt

Optional Toppings

• beni shoga (red pickled ginger)
• katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• sliced spring onion
• Japanese (kewpie) mayonnaise 
• okonomi sauce (Japanese BBQ sauce)
• ao noriko (seaweed powder)
• fried egg
• sliced nori (seaweed paper) 

Method  

1. Gently combine all the batter ingredients together in a bowl, being careful not to over mix. 
2. Heat a small frypan over medium-low heat and add the vegetable oil. Fry the bacon for 30 seconds a side, ensuring not to overcook as it will continue to darken after the batter is added.
3. Pour the batter over the sizzling bacon and create a circular shape 12-14cm in diameter. As the pancake cooks, use a spatula to push the edges in towards the centre, creating an even thickness.
4. Continue to cook the okonomiyaki for 2-3 minutes on low until it feels firm enough to flip without breaking. The underneath surface should be an even golden brown.
5. Using a spatula, carefully flip the pancake over and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. To check the batter is cooked through, a knife or chopstick inserted into the centre should come out clean. Cook for longer if necessary. 
6. Slide the okonomiyaki onto a serving plate and garnish with as many toppings as you like.

Gohan - Cooking Japanese Rice

Japanese rice is a short-grain variety that is a bit stickier and plumper than other East Asian rices such as Jasmine. It’s always important to wash and drain your rice a few times before cooking, to get rid of the excess starch. This recipe uses a stove-top absorption method, but you are welcome to use a rice cooker.

Serves - 6-8

Active time - 20 minutes

Total time - 1 hour

Ingredients

• 600g Japanese short-grain rice (Koshihikari) 
• 750ml cold water, plus extra as needed

Method 

1. Place the rice in a large bowl and fill it 3/4 full with cold water. Over the sink, mix the rice with your hands to wash away the excess starch (the water should turn cloudy). Carefully pour the cloudy water out into the sink and refill the bowl with more water. Repeat the rinsing and draining process of the rice three times. 
2. Fill the bowl a final time, enough so the rice is submerged by 5cm of cold water. Allow the rice to soak for 20-30 minutes and strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Try to shake as much water out of the rice as possible. 
3. Add the drained rice to a large heavy-bottomed pot, along with the 750ml of water.
4. Place the pot over medium heat and when it reaches a simmer, give the rice a quick stir, ensuring the grains haven't stuck to to base. Put on a fitting lid, turn the heat down to as low as possible and cook the rice for 13-14 minutes.
5. Turn off the heat and stand the rice (covered) for 12-15 minutes. Fluff the cooked grains with a fork or spatula before serving. 

Kyuri Tsukemono - Cucumber Quick Pickle

This extremely simple but delicious pickle is a light and refreshing counterpoint to any grilled or fried Japanese dish. We like to serve it alongside our teriyaki chicken recipe.

Serves - 2 

Active Time - 5 minutes 

Total Time - 20 minutes 

Ingredients 

• 1 Lebanese cucumber
• 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp sesame seeds
• 1 tsp sugar 
• ½ tsp salt 

Method 

1. Using a vegetable peeler, remove 4 long strips of skin off of the cucumber lengthways, creating a striped effect. Discard the peel. 
2. Cut the semi-peeled cucumber on a diagonal into small wedges. Each time you make a slice, rotate it a little to produce a similar shape.
3. Add the prepared cucumber with the remaining ingredients into a bowl and combine well.
4. Allow the pickle to marinate for at least 10 minutes before serving. 

Teriyaki - Glazed Chicken Skewers

Chicken Teriyaki is a beloved dish of grilled, skewered chicken, glazed in a rich and dark sauce. This version is lighter and less sweet, which allows the chicken to shine its true colours.

Serves - 2

Active time - 1 hour

Total time - 2 hours or overnight 

Ingredients

• 300g chicken thigh, largely diced 
• 3-4 spring onions, sliced into 3cm batons
• 4-6 bamboo skewers
• 1-2 tsp vegetable oil (if pan-frying)

Teriyaki Sauce

• 90ml soy sauce 
• 60ml mirin 
• 60ml sake 
• 1 TBL raw sugar

For Serving (Optional)

• cooked Japanese rice
• cucumber pickle* (recipe in previous lesson)

Method 

1. Soak 4-6 bamboo skewers in water for 1-2 hours prior to grilling, or overnight.
2. Drain the skewers and thread 4 pieces of diced chicken and 3 spring onion batons onto each. Alternate the ingredients, starting with chicken followed by spring onion. The end piece on each skewer should be chicken. 
3. To make the glaze, combine all the teriyaki sauce ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir continuously until all the sugar has dissolved. Continue to simmer for a further 5 minutes or until the liquid has reduced by a third. Set aside.
4. Grill or pan fry the chicken skewers using one of the methods below.
5. Serve with optional Japanese rice and cucumber pickles.

To Grill

1. Prepare a charcoal grill or BBQ to a medium high heat.
2. Grill the skewers for 3-4 minutes a side, turning every so often. During the cooking process, occasionally brush the chicken with the teriyaki sauce so they are evenly coated. Do this until the glaze begins to caramelise and the chicken is cooked through.

To Pan Fry

1. Heat a heavy-bottomed frypan over medium-high heat and add in 1-2 tsp of vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, fry the chicken skewers for 1-2 minutes each side to caramelise.
2. Pour 1 TBL of teriyaki sauce per skewer into the pan and turn the heat down to low. Simmer the chicken until cooked through and reduce the sauce to a sticky glaze-like consistency.