Susie Donald - Japanese homestyle cooking : quick & delicious favorites

Basic Dashi Soup Stock (Bonito Flake Stock) 4-in (10-cm) square piece konbu (dried kelp), wiped clean 4 cups (1 liter) water cup (60 ml) cold water 2 cups (40 g) bonito flakes Cut the konbu into 4 uniform strips. Place in a saucepan with the water and cook over medium heat. Just before it boils, remove from the heat and discard the konbu . Add the cold water and bonito flakes. Bring to a boil, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. When the bonito flakes have sunk to the bottom, strain the liquid and discard the flakes.

Store in a sealed jar in the fridge and use as needed. Yields 4 cups (1 liter) Preparation time: 5 mins Cooking time: 20 mins

Chawan Mushi (Steamed Egg Custard) 8 oz (250 g) chicken breast, cubed 1 tablespoon sak 1 teaspoon soy sauce 2 cups (125 g) spinach, rinsed 8 medium shrimp 4 large fresh shiitake mushrooms 1 small carrot, peeled and thinly sliced, each slice quartered Zest of lemon, finely grated, to garnish DASHI CUSTARD cups (625 ml) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 1 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 2 cups (625 ml) boiling water 1 tablespoon sak 1 teaspoon soy sauce 1 teaspoon salt 4 large eggs Marinate the chicken in the sak and soy sauce for 10 minutes. Drain and set aside. Blanch and chop the spinach. Peel and devein the shrimp, leaving the tails intact. Discard the stems of the shiitake mushrooms and quarter the caps.

To make the Dashi Custard, heat the dashi stock with the sak, soy sauce and salt until the salt is dissolved. Remove from the heat. In a large bowl, combine the eggs without beating. Stir in the dashi mixture in a slow, steady stream and strain the egg mixture through a fine sieve. Evenly distribute the chicken, shrimp and vegetables into 4 small heatproof bowls. Pour the Dashi Custard over the contents, leaving a inch (2 cm) gap at the top of each bowl.

Cover the bowl with a foil or lid. Heat some water in a large saucepan with a steamer rack and place the custard cups on the rack. Cover the steamer partially with a lid to allow the steam to escape. Steam over medium to high heat for 1 minute, then reduce heat to low and steam for another 15 minutes, until a knife comes out clean when inserted in the custard. Remove the custard cups from the steamer, garnish with the lemon zest, and serve immediately. Serves Preparation time: 15 mins Cooking time: 15 mins

Classic Miso Soup with Vegetables 1 cup (125 g) daikon, peeled and sliced 4 cups (1 liter) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water 3 tablespoons miso 8 green beans, cut into lengths 1 teaspoon soy sauce (optional) Slice the daikon lengthwise into quarters, then into 1/8-in (3-mm) slices as shown below.

Place the daikon and dashi stock in a saucepan over medium heat and cook until the daikon softens, about 2 minutes. Place the miso in a small bowl and ladle some of the hot dashi stock over it. Stir with a wooden spoon until the miso is dissolved, and pour the dissolved miso into the soup. Stir in the beans and soy sauce, then bring the soup to a boil and immediately remove from the heat. Ladle the soup into 4 bowls and serve. Cut the green beans into lengths. Stir the miso and dashi stock with a wooden spoon until the miso is well dissolved. Stir in the beans and soy sauce, then bring to a boil and remove from the heat.

Clear Soup with Shrimp 4 cups (1 liter) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water 8 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact 2 okra (ladies fingers), cut into thin slices 1 teaspoon soy sauce Zest of lemon, finely grated, to garnish Warm the dashi stock in a saucepan and adjust seasoning with salt, if required.
Clear Soup with Shrimp 4 cups (1 liter) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water 8 medium shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails intact 2 okra (ladies fingers), cut into thin slices 1 teaspoon soy sauce Zest of lemon, finely grated, to garnish Warm the dashi stock in a saucepan and adjust seasoning with salt, if required.

Bring to a boil over medium heat and add the shrimp. Reduce the heat and simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the shrimp turns pink. Add the okra and soy sauce and remove from the heat. Place 2 shrimp in each serving bowl and ladle the soup over them. Garnish with the lemon zest and serve. Serves Preparation time: 15 mins Cooking time: 5 mins

Clear Soup with Scallops and Asparagus 4 cups (1 liter) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water Zest of lemon, finely grated 1 teaspoon salt 4 asparagus spears, tough ends discarded 8 fresh scallops, cleaned with muscle removed 1 teaspoon soy sauce Place the dashi stock, half of the lemon zest and salt in a saucepan and bring almost to a boil, then reduce the heat immediately.

Remove the zest with a sieve and discard. Cut the asparagus spears in half and add to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Add the scallops and soy sauce, stir, and simmer over low heat for another minute until the asparagus and scallops are done. Remove from the heat. Serve in 4 individual serving bowls and garnish with the remaining lemon zest.

Serves Preparation time: 10 mins Cooking time: 4 mins

Miso Soup with Tofu and Bamboo Shoots 4 cups (1 liter) Basic Dashi Soup Stock (page ) or 2 teaspoons instant dashi granules dissolved in 4 cups (1 liter) boiling water 1 cup (100 g) fresh or canned bamboo shoots, cut into matchsticks 6 oz (175 g) soft tofu, cubed 3 tablespoons miso Place the dashi stock and bamboo shoots in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 1 minute, then add the tofu. Place the miso in a small bowl and ladle some of the hot dashi stock over it. Stir with a wooden spoon until the miso is well dissolved. Pour the dissolved miso into the saucepan. Increase the heat and bring the soup to almost a boil, then remove from the heat.