A Sydney-sider who loves her city very much, exploring endless possibility of fun the city can offer. Subscribe me for heaps of ideas to make each of your weekend different :)
Published July 16th 2012
Australian's culinary view has been changing since the rise of popular cooking shows such as MasterChef Australia, My Kitchen Rules, Heston's Feast, etc. Our interest towards food has grown so much that we start to subscribe to food blogs, check out the latest reviews of particular restaurant and get excited about newly opened restaurants or cafes in our city. Cooking books have suddenly become popular, not only for ladies, but also for gentlemen.
In addition, our palate has changed. We are more eager to try on different cuisines as some of us may treat food as a form of adventure. We welcome restaurants that provide exotic cuisines in our local areas. Discovering a 'hidden' good eatery has become hobby or even a skill that we are proud of (or maybe it's just me).
As we are more eager to try, our daily home cooking has changed too. Spaghetti Bolognaise is no longer on our menu for 5 days in a week. Instead, we have Japanese Monday, Italian Tuesday, Britain Wednesday, Thai Thursday, French Friday and eating out weekend. What's even more fun, kitchen has become experimenting field. Husbands put up their hands to be included in chef list at home.
In this article, I have picked few popular easy to make Japanese home cooking dishes that will warm your family up during this cold weather. They are healthy, perfect to be served on dinner table and great companion for this winter.
Udon Noodle Soup
This is a versatile meal, where people can make various version of it. It can be cooked into warm or cold meal, stir fried or soupy, vegetarian or meaty. Its smooth and chewy texture is very fulfilling; udon is also very adaptable to different kind of broth: basic chicken soup to curry. However you may want to refrain from combining it with Western blended creamy soup such as pumpkin soup, etc.
Another beauty of it is that we can use any leftover in fridge for companion. Any leftover or staple such as carrots, mushrooms, eggs, green onion, etc. make a beautiful udon noodle soup.
Oyako Don
Oyako Don (or translated as "mother and child rice dish") is another basic home cooking dish that is packed with nutrients. Essentially, it's just cooked warm rice, topped with soft fluffy eggs and cooked chicken pieces. When someone needs an energy boost or simply wants to feel the warmth of their mother, try this dish. It's easy and you can add extra toppings if you would like to make it even more fulfilling.
The key of making this is to have your rice really hot and warm, so that the soft-fluffy eggs will continue cooking on it. Topped with chopped green onions, this meal will ensure you and your family have a warm full belly before going to bed.
Pork Kakuni
Here's a slightly serious recipe great for winter. It's another fulfilling, soft textured and nourishing meal. Since it takes at least a bit of effort in preparation steps, I would suggest everyone to make a big batch in one go. If you have slow cooker or crock pot (as some of you may call it), it will save you heaps of energy and time.
Eat it again the day after as well - it will be tastier as the meat and egg will absorb the sauce even better. When you reheat it, make sure you add a portion of freshly cooked vegetables (such as green beans, lettuce, sliced asparagus or cabbage) and it will complete the meal.
Hope you all like it! Go checking around and pick your favourite side dishes to go along with above meals.
Coming soon: "Winter Comfort Food - Italian Home Cooking"
