WE CAN MAKE SUSHI!

HELLO EVERYONE :]
It's us again!
Did you miss us?
I BET YOU DID!

... But, have no fear! ANNA, ELENA, MARY & MITCH ARE HERE, back and better than ever!

WE MADE SUSHI GUYS!

:D



ENJOY!

Mochi ice cream: The best desert!!

The history of ice cream would be no history without mochi ice cream. Mochi ice cream is a tasty, light ice cream surrounded by a layer of rice dough (made from sticky rice). It is an international favorite!

Mochi ice cream is a small, round dessert ball consisting of a soft, pounded sticky rice cake (mochi) on the outside and an ice cream filling on the inside. It is then dusted with corn starch. They are usually sold in packs of six and can be quite expensive. There are many flavors to choose from, but the most popular are green tea (matcha), vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and red bean (azuki).

More recently, a modification of the mochi has been introduced. Instead of using ice cream, gelato has replaced it as the new filling. The term coined for it is “Mochilato”. They are richer in flavor and creamier in texture. These can be found at restaurants with its namesake, located around Southern California.

Here is how to make this delicious and famous ice cream. Enjoy!

Instructions

1.        

o    1

Soften the ice cream, scoop into 10 round balls, and refreeze until hard.

o    2

Combine glutinous rice flour and water in a glass bowl. Mix well to paste, then add sugar and vanilla, mix until dissolved.

o    3

Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes. It will be half cooked. Remove and stir well while it's hot.

o    4

Cover and return to microwave for 30 seconds. Stir well.

o    5

Place plastic wrap over a cutting board. Dust generously with corn flour (this is a must).

o    6

Wait for dough to cool. Place onto board and divide into 10 pieces.

o    7

Flatten dough with your palm. Wrap each piece of dough around an ice cream ball and refreeze in an airtight container.

Simple and very easy, it will only take minutes. 

Until next time and stay tuned for more exciting new posts on Japanese foods 

Source
Mochi Ice Cream Recipe

Exchange in Japan; What to eat? Part II

Last year, my friend Tim came back after two months of living in Japan. He had an awesome time there!
Today, Tim is gave me an insight as to what type of food he ate on a day-to-day basis in Japan!

Everyone say hello to my friend Tim! He is currently studying a Masters in Teaching at UNSW, but first did International Studies majoring in Japanese at Macquarie!

Tim said:

"um

there was cafeteria food

but i went to conbini a lot

onigiri i ate a lot of actually, if i had to pick something"

Thank you for that Tim! Sounds unique!

How to use chopsticks!

This is an essential when eating Japanese food.
It might be difficult at first but all you need is practice :)

Instructions

1.        

o    1

Hold one chopstick between your thumb and middle finger. Position the chopstick so that it lies at the base of your thumb (on the joint) and at the lower joint of the middle finger. This chopstick shouldn't touch the forefinger.

o    2

Place the other chopstick between your thumb and forefinger. The side of the chopstick should rest against the tip of your thumb; the top of the chopstick should rest against the pad of your forefinger.

o    3

Be sure the tips of the chopsticks are parallel.

o    4

Keep the first chopstick stationary as you practice moving the second chopstick toward the stationary one.

o    5

Use this technique to position the chopsticks around a piece of food.

o    6

Hold the food firmly as you lift it toward your mouth.

practice makes perfect 

until next time :D

Source: How to use chopsticks 

Ken from Kanto!

Hey guys!
As i have mentioned previously, Japan is a long and slim country meaning that there are different cultures varying from each region.

My good friend Ken is from the Kanto region, he is from Tokyo, and if you look closely, he is from the region with number 13 in the above map.

SAY HELLO TO MY FRIEND KEN!

Doesn't he just look too happy? HAHA.

Anyway, today Ken has given me various insights on what is good food in Japan!

Everyone, excited?
I know I am!

Ken's Top 5 Favourite Japanese food:

1. Sushi

2. Yakiniku

3. Monjayaki

4. Yakitori

5. Tempura

What Ken says Top 5 Famous Food in Tokyo is:

1. Monjayaki 

2. Natto

3. Tokyo Banana

4. Hato Sabure

5. Taiyaki

Top 5 Japanese food Ken Loves to Make:

1. Omurice

2. Udon

3. Tonkatsu

4. Hamburg

. 

5. Nikujaga

Thank You Ken for giving us a wonderful insight about Japanese food!

Source: Map
Images 

McDonalds in Japan...

I guess its nearly impossible to be in a country without at least 1 Mc Donalds fast food outlet. Behind America which has nearly 13 thousand restaurants, Japan has 3.5 thousand McDonalds restaurants. Like most multinational companies that rise in various Asian countries, McDonalds has modified their menu to cater for the Asian palate. So how has the major fastfood chain changed its menu you ask? Well here it is:

Breakfast Menu

As you can see there are various extra items on the menu in Japan. One extra special item that is missing on this menu is the megamuffin, you can say its like a Sausage and Egg McMuffin on steroids.

Mega Muffin

Lunch & Dinner Menu

Like the breakfast menu, the lunch and dinner menu also has lots of significant differences. Such as the Mac Pork, Juicy Chicken Akatougarashi, Teriyaki Mac Burger, Shrimp Fillet-o and the humongous, Mega Mac.

So different it needs to be pointed out:

Bacon & Potato Pie

Croquette Burger

Shaka Shaka Chicken

Ahh, isn't the Japanese McDonalds Menu totally interesting? I wonder if this menu would ever work in Australia? hmm

Source:Mc Donalds Japan

EASY TAKOYAKI RECIPE!!!

yum yum for my tum tum
one of my all time favorite Japanese foods
enjoy!

WHAT IS TAKOYAKI EXACTLY?

Takoyaki*, or たこ焼き, is a very popular Japanese snack food . To put it simply, takoyaki is a battered, pan-grilled, octopus dumpling. 

TAKOYAKI INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES

-Takoyakiki (Takoyaki pan)
-Takoyaki probes
-Takoyaki batter
-Chopped Tako (Octopus)
-Pickled Ginger (Benishoga)
-Negi (Green Onions)
-Ebi (Dried Shrimp)
-Tenkasu (Tempura Scraps)
-Katsuobushi (Fish Shavings)
-Okonomiyaki Sauce

Takoyaki in Ten Easy Steps

Step 1. Oil your takoyaki pan
Step 2. Add takoyaki batter- Using a ladle, pour takoyaki batter into each of the takoyaki pan wells.
Step 3. Add tako (octopus) to each well.
Step 4. Add benishoga (pickled ginger) to each well.
Step 5. Add negi (green onions) to each well.
Step 6. Add dried shrimp (ebi) to each well.
Step 7. Add tenkasu (tempura scraps) to each takoyaki well.
Step 8. Add another layer of takoyaki batter- You can be generous with the batter this time. Even if the wells overflow with batter, it’s okay.
Step 9. Do a bit of takoyaki surgery- Use the takoyaki probes to “section off” wells, and shape the takoyaki into their characteristic spherical shape.
Step 10. Keep turning the takoyaki until the dumplings are golden brown.

Optional
Add okonomiyaki sauce to really bring out the takoyaki’s flavor. You can garnish the takoyaki with katsuobushi, かつお節, fish shavings.

Source: Takoyaki Recipe

Exchange in Japan; What to eat?

Recently, my friend Yolanda came back after a semester of living in Japan. She had such a good time there!
Today, Yolanda is gave me an insight as to what type of food she ate on a day-to-day basis in Japan!

Everyone say hello to my friend Yolanda! She is currently studying a Bachelor of International Studies in Japanese at Macquarie!

Yolanda said:

"we had things like hamburger, pizza, miso, sushi/sashimi, hmmm

and when we had international food we week we had things like meat loaf and some other dishes"

Thank you for that Yolanda! Sounds Delicious!

Fake Food

Who would of known plastic can make your mouth water?

Restaurant display case (1)

If you've ever visited a Japanese restaurant either in Japan or in Australia there is a large possibility that you've seen plates and bowls of food in glass displays near the entrance of these premises and just wanted to eat them all up. FYI they're plastic. Too real right?

They even have plastic displays of simple sandwiches (2)

These fake food displays are usually made of plastic and should depict exactly how food would look like when served to you. I've heard in some cases, if you receive food that doesn't look exactly like the display, it is taken back and you are given a new plate/bowl of food that looks exactly the same, but of course real.
As restaurants' dishes vary in size and image, plastic food displays are in most cases custom made for each restaurant. Its so crazy how they can make it look so real. Apparently some manufacturers cook the plastic pieces in the actual sauces and such to make it look even more real. More and more asian countries are now also using this technique to lure customers into their restaurants which has thus caused the increase popularity in the plastic-food making craft.
Its crazy how real these displays look. But remember they're fake. hahaha :)

(1)|(2)

A Japanese food adventure in the heart of Sydney!

My friends and I often savour Japanese food from different places whenever in Sydney, but who can blame us? Japanese food is just too tantalising for our taste buds, I'm sure the vast majority of you guys would have to agree!

Here are a few images to show you guys the delicious Japanese food I have had lately!

Berry Sparkling Japanese Jelly Alcohol, Perfect and Sweet!

Japanese-Styled Chicken Meatballs with Miso Soup!

Nabe; Hotpot with friends at Daruma in Sydney!

Teriyaki Chicken Ramen! 

Mochi, Black Sesame Ice Cream and Green Tea Pudding

Green Tea Ice cream and Green Tea; Perfect!

Pepper lunch! Japanese-Styled Sizzling Chicken Curry with egg! Yummy!

Tempura, Crocodile Karaage, Okonomiyaki and Agedashi Tofu

Japanese Sake, Taiyaki, Green Tea & Vanilla Ice Cream with Mochi!

With Friends at Mappen!

Udon with Chicken Tempura

Green Tea and Red Bean Sundae at Mizuya!

GUYS! If you are yet to try Japanese food, now is the time to start!

It is amazing!

Kiiko from Kansai!

Hello everyone;
I don't know if most of you guys are aware but Japan being a slim and long country separated into different islands means that a vast majority of the country have different cultures from each area.

My good friend Kiiko is from the Kansai region, she is from Osaka, and if you look closely, she is from the region with number 27 in the above map.

SAY HELLO TO MY FRIEND KIIKO!

Isn't she cute?

Anyway, today Kiiko has given me various insights on what is good food in Japan!
Everyone, excited?
I know I am!

Kiiko's Top 5 Favourite Japanese food:

1. Sushi

2. Sashimi

3. Takoyaki

4. Doria

5. Ramen

What Kiiko says Top 5 Famous Food in Osaka is:

1. Takoyaki

 

2. Okonomiyaki

3. Kushikatsu

4. Yakisoba

5. 551Butaman

Top 5 Japanese food Kiiko Loves to Make:

1. Nikujaga

2. Japanese Curry

3. Shogayaki

4. Oyakodon

5. Takoyaki

                              Thank You Kiiko for giving us a wonderful insight about Japanese food!

Source: Map
Food