Watercress has that crunch and sharpness that is very distinctive that seems to divide people into those that really like the bite and those who find it too bitter. By adding a warm soupy dressing seems to compliment the flavors so I hope you give this a try if you are in the group …
In Asian cooking we use many different types of clear noodles. In English, if one hears vermicelli you automatically think of Italian pasta, but in Asia there are two types of common vermicelli used in cooking. One is a made out of rice and the other is made from mung beans. In Japan, the rice …
Recently, there has been a surge in the number of people who are gluten intolerant. In fact, my sister-in-law’s husband became allergic to gluten a few years ago. While having dinner one night, he had a sudden allergic reaction and had to be rushed to the hospital. At the time they were completely baffled and …
As with any classic recipe there are many different versions of the same dish. Here on Asian Lifestyle Design, I previously posted my recipe for Chicken Teriyaki Wings! Please check this one out too, the difference is in the garlic. This teriyaki recipe was given to me by Fumiko and she broke it down so …
Normally, I really enjoy cooking but once in a while when I have too much going on in other areas of my life, it really starts to take a back seat and I don’t give enough time to prepare and think about our meals. When you have many mouths to feed, this isn’t the best …
Last week during qi gong class, Dr. Wang, an acupuncturist and herbalist, gave a discussion on eyes. Over the last five years or so, there has been a noticeable deterioration of my eyesight. This is probably due to age, as well as the more frequent use of staring at a monitor. Our lifestyles today have …
Pickles are essential to an Asian meal. Many of us often bring over a jar of homemade pickles to friends and family when we visit one another because we know it will be appreciated and consumed quickly. Recently, my Japanese girlfriends visited and we shared a few recipes with each other. We all enjoy cooking …
In Japan, pork is more commonly used than beef. It may be due to its more affordable price and also the milder flavor seems to suit the palate. A popular everyday dish is Shogayaki, which is thinly sliced pork with a ginger soy sauce. It’s simple, quick, flavorful and goes well with rice, plus there …
Have you ever bit into fruit that was so dry and tasteless, that you ended up not eating it? Buying good fruit is not always easy but hope these three tips can help. I know only 3 sounds so little but I found that in this day and age of information overload, sometimes too many …
Similar to the classic oil and vinegar recipe in the West, Asians have incorporated soy sauce into their salad dressings which have become very popular. If you go to the Asian supermarket in the states, there are a variety of Asian style dressings but sometimes I find them just a bit too sweet. With just …
The earthquake in Japan has made me realize what my feng shui master keeps reiterating: man cannot control nature, instead we must learn to work with nature. Also, it has become evident how we are so reliant on electrical power and oil. Our lifestyles take so much for granted, that it’s really a wake up …
What do you eat when you have the flu? Is it the standard chicken soup and soda crackers, which is always so comforting? Do you make sure you have lots of liquids that include hot lemon and honey tea? These always do wonders for me, but being Asian, sometimes I crave Asian flavors when sick. …
Savory mochi, or rice cake, in Japan is limited to crispy rice snacks such as arare or osembei, or can be enjoyed in soup or simply broiled/fried with soy sauce, as in my isobeyaki recipe I posted here a few weeks ago. However, my Chinese girlfriend taught me a completely new dish that uses the …
Japanese curry is different from Indian curry because it’s something I would call, semi-homemade, not made from scratch. The “curry” is packaged into cubes of curry blocks that’s just added to your pot of meat, vegetables and water; similar to an instant sauce. There are Japanese and Korean food companies that make a variety of …
mmmmm . . . Mochi …Plain white mochi is a Japanese New Year staple. Mochi is simply steamed glutinous rice that is pound into a very sticky paste and shaped into circular or rectangular shapes. Although mochi can be sweetened and enjoyed as a dessert as well, during the new year festivities, it’s usually left …
Sometimes we need comfort food. For me, this is so simple yet satisfying to eat over a bowl of rice. Stewed pork in shoyu can be considered either Japanese or Chinese, but who cares if it just tastes good! Right? The ingredients are easy to get anywhere because there is nothing fancy in it. If …
