Japan GP 2019: Japanese Bar Bites
For our first Japanese GP after coming back from our trip last year, it was so hard to decide what to make. The food is so delicious and always fresh and flavorful. Ramen, Udon, Sushi, Yakitori… it is so hard to choose. But we settled on what we were surprised by which was the Japanese bar culture and food. We made Karaage, Sesame Green Beans, Fried Smelt, and Garlic Edamame, and of course had an assortment of our favorite beers we can get locally. This beer list included the best named beer of all time: Wednesday Cat. YoHo Brewing’s Suiyoubi no Neko (Wednesday Cat) is described as “A Belgian Style White Ale made for hump day.” The beer label reads “Fluffy and refreshing… let this cat help you get through the rest of your week.”
Yona Yona Beer Works (YoHo Brewing) was our first stop when we arrived in Tokyo after over 24 hours of travel. We promptly ordered our beers and fell asleep in the booth. But we quickly came around when our food and beers arrived. It was so much fun to try thier other beers we can’t get in the States, and we were in JAPAN!
The bar scene in Japan, I found, is almost always more about the food than it is about the beer (or cocktails). Yakitori Alley, Izakayas, and even breweries all served great bar snacks and one of our favorites was karaage, perfect bites of garlicky, gingery, fried chicken. Other favorites (besides yakitori of course) were fried smelt, ginger pork, a variety of veggies, and gyoza. Here I share a couple recipes for some of the ones I have enjoyed making at home. Next year I hope to venture into yakitori territory!
Karaage Chicken
From Everyday Harumi: Simple Japanese Food for Family and Friends by Harumi Kurihara
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp ginger, grated
1 clove garlic, grated
1 ¼ lb boneless chicken thighs with skin on
salt, to season
½ cup potato starch or corn starch
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
sunflower or vegetable oil – for deep-frying
lemon or lime, shichimi togarishi or chili pepper, mayonnaise – to serve
1. Combine grated garlic and ginger with soy sauce, mix together. Leave for half a day to produce a deep flavor.
2. Cut the chicken in small, bite-sized pieces. Completely cover with the ginger and garlic soy sauce mixture and marinate for 5-10 minutes, then season with salt.
3. Combine the potato starch and flour, completely coat each piece of chicken, then deep fry in very hot oil (356°).
4. When the chicken is golden in color, cooked through, and very crispy, remove from the oil and drain on a rack or on a paper towel-lined plate.
5. Put each piece of chicken on a small wooden skewer and serve with lemon, shichimi togarishi, and mayonnaise.
Green Beans with Sesame Dressing
From Everyday Harumi: Simple Japanese Food for Family and Friends by Harumi Kurihara
2 cups green beans
1/3 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 Tbsp superfine sugar, or less to taste
½ Tbsp mirin
½ - 1 Tbsp soy sauce
salt, to season
1. Prepare the green beans, lightly cook in a pan of boiling water with a little salt, then drain and rinse under cold running water, and pat dry.
2. To make sesame dressing: Put the sesame seeds into a mortar. Grind the seeds until they are almost a paste then add sugar, mirin, and soy sauce and mix well. Add a little salt if needed.
3. Mix the sesame dressing in with the green beans and serve.
Note: The paste can also be made in a food processor, but be careful not to over-process.
Garlic Edamame
1 lb edamame pods, frozen
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
½ tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cloves garlic, diced
salt, to taste
1. Cook frozen edamame in the pods in salted boiling water until tender, about 5 minutes; drain and set aside.
2. Heat oil, red pepper flakes and garlic in a skillet over medium heat, 1 to 2 minutes, being careful not to burn the garlic.
3. Stir in the edamame and salt, until edamame are heated through.