It's already almost two years passed from my visit to Japan but I still remember the taste of this delicious asparagus salad.... It's spring time now and the local asparagus are just starting to appear in the groceries but I cannot wait to try this salad once again!
INGREDIENTS:
Servings: 2-3
500g asparagus
1.5 tbs light soy sauce
1.5 tbs mirin
1/2 tbs rice vinegar
2 tbs sesame oil
1tbs sesame seeds
1. Peel the asparagus: using the vegetable peeler, peel the lower half of the spears, the hard part till the part that starts being flexible if you bend the asparagus.
2. Cut the upper one third of the asparagus spears.
3. Cut the lower part into halves and boil for 5 minutes in hot water without salt.
4. Add the upper parts of the spears and boil for 3-4 minutes more.
Note: This is done in order not to overcook the points.
5. Drain the asparagus very carefully.
6. In a small bowl mix Mirin, soy sauce, rice vinegar and 1tbs sesame oil.
7. Toast the sesame seeds in a pan with no oil till they are coloured a bit.
8. Season boiled asparagus with the sauce and let the asparagus cool down.
9. Serve the salad with some more sesame oil and sesame seeds on top.
Itadakimasu !!!
Udon is a type of thick Japanese noodles that are usually sold fresh in vacuum packs. They may be prepared as a soup or stir fried with meat and vegetables.
I prepared udon according to this recipe many times and it always came out with a great taste. Even my husband, who is Italian, likes this kind of noodle...
INGREDIENTS:
Servings: 2
1 pack (100g) Udon noodles
1 zucchini
1 carrot
1/2 leek
100g beef
1 handful soy sprouts
1 garlic clove
1 tbs grated fresh ginger
Seasoning:
1 tbs flour
1 tbs Mirin
1 tbs rice vinegar
some drops of fish sauce
2-3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs sesame oil
oil
Note: Don't get dispirited !!! The ingredients' list looks really long, but you need just half an hour to prepare this dish!
Note: The seasonings are the typical asian ones, so if you like this kind of cuisine I suggest to find the right ingredients. You can easily find them in the Asian food groceries.
1. Cut the meat into sticks 0.5cm thick.
2. Season the meat first with flour, then with Mirin, rice vinegar, some drops of fish sauce, 1 tbs of sesame oil and 1 tbs of soy sauce. Mix well and keep aside for marinating while you are preparing the other ingredients for cooking.
3. Cut carrot and zucchini into thin sticks, it is easily done with a Mandolina grater.
4. Cut leek into thin rounds.
5. Grate some ginger.
6. Clean and squeeze a garlic clove.
7. Soak Udon noodles in hot water for 2-3 minutes and drain well. Or precook as per the package instuctions.
8. In a wok pan heat up some vegetable oil (I use the olive oil).
Note: How to cook/stir fry in the wok pan:
- heat the oil well, till it is about to fume,
- use chop sticks or, as I do, tongs to stir,
- constantly stir the food,
- use high heat.
9. Add carrot first, then after 3-4 minutes add zucchini, stir well. Cook for 3-4 more minutes.
10. Add squeezed garlic and ginger. Stir!!
11. Add soy sprouts and after you stir it well add marinated meat with it's sauce and leek.
12. Cook stirring till the meat changes it's colour.
13. Add Udon noodles, 1-2 tbs of soy sauce and 1 tbs of sesame oil, stir and switch off the heat.
14. Serve the dish with some leek cut into very thin rounds to decorate.
Itadakimasu!!!
Enjoy your meal!!!
