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Yurinchi Chicken

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Japanese Fried Chicken
Tanoshiya’s Delicious Yurinchi Chicken!

We recently came back from 3 weeks in Japan. The trip was an experience of a lifetime. I was especially pleased because I had the opportunity to try so many different foods. One of my favorites was Yurinchi Chicken!

What is Yurinchi Chicken?

Yurinchi chicken is the Japanese version of Chinese style fried chicken. It is usually made with chicken thighs with the skin on, coated with flour (or potato starch), then deep fried to a crunchy and crispy golden brown. It is served on a bed of lettuce, with a superb tasting Yurinchi sauce poured over it, and then topped with loads of sliced scallions!

Tanoshiya Izakaya
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Easy and Delicious Gyudon Japanese Beef Bowl

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beef and onions simmering in a sauce
Easy AND Delicious Gyūdon Japanese Beef Bowl

We just returned from a once in a lifetime trip to Japan. We spent 3 weeks there and it was absolutely amazing! In addition to seeing some incredible places, we also had the opportunity to experience many Japanese foods. Some of these meals were in restaurants, but some took place in the AirBnb’s in which we stayed. One of the meals in an AirBnb was particularly memorable – Easy and Delicious Gyudon!

I had wanted to cook a Japanese dish myself when in Japan, and my friend Makoto, of @kyushu.island.cooking on Instagram, came to the rescue!

Simple and Few Ingredients Needed!

This recipe for Gyudon, literally “beef bowl”, is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onion simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with ingredients including sake, soy sauce and mirin. The finishing touch is some pickled ginger on top.

Thin beef, onion, sugar, sake, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, pickled ginger, rice
Ingredients for Gyūdon

This is Makoto’s recipe, and she recommended that I make this dish. She took time to consider what meal may be easy for travelers to create and she steered me to Gyudon.

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I usually cook every night, and eating out is a luxury. We have been eating out quite a bit (love every moment) but I had been itching to get in the kitchen and got to do so last night, thanks to the availability of a kitchenette in our Airbnb and Makoto @kyushu.island.cooking. Making a new Japanese dish in Japan was a dream for me and Makoto came to the rescue when she shared her Gyudon recipe with me. Gyūdon, literally "beef bowl", is a Japanese dish consisting of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onion simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with ingredients including sake, soy sauce and mirin. The finishing touch is some pickled ginger on top. Get Makoto’s recipe for gyudon here: https://japanese-food-cooking.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-to-make-gyudon.html This was DELICIOUS and oh so easy to make! Please follow @kyushu.island.cooking for Japanese food inspiration and take part in Japanese cooking experiences when in Japan! I can’t wait to make this again when we get home to share some with Toby! 😊 🐶 Cheers! Grace #gyudon #japanesebeefbowl #ricebowl #japanesecuisine #japanesefood #easyanddelicious #dinnertonight #inmybowl #yummyyummy #foodpost #foodposts #internationalfood #worldfood

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The ingredients for Easy and Delicious Gyudon are: thinly sliced beef, onion, ginger, sake, mirin, soy sauce, water, sugar, and some brightly colored pickled ginger as a garnish. 🙂 You can buy most of these ingredients in your local Asian grocery, or shop Amazon for pickled ginger, mirin, and soy sauce, as seen below.

pickled ginger
Pickled ginger
mirin
Mirin
Soy sauce
Soy Sauce
Ginger and pickled ginger
Ginger and Pickled Ginger

Easy and Delicious Japanese Recipe!

Prep takes around 5 minutes. Cook time takes around 10 minutes. I used ready made rice that just needed heating up to keep things simple and voila! In around 15 minutes you will have a delicious beef dish served on top of rice (beef rice bowl) that your whole family will adore!

Gyudon on rice topped with pickled ginger in a bowl
Gyudon (Japanese beef bowl) served on top of rice! Absolutely delicious!

Whether traveling or not, you will absolutely love this Gyudon! Deliciously simmered beef in gorgeous spices and served over rice topped with pickled ginger. Enjoy!!!

I didn’t have a Donburi bowl (Japanese rice bowl) to serve this in when I made it, but I think serving this dish in a Donburi bowl (such as the one below) would definitely enhance the experience. 🙂

donburi bowl
Donburi bowl

You want to follow Makoto on Instagram at @kyushu.island.cooking! Please view this link for a trip to her blog! She shares incredible Japanese recipes and also hosts genuine cooking experiences in Kyushu Island!

Find her recipe and link to Makoto’s blog here: https://japanese-food-cooking.blogspot.com/2020/03/how-to-make-gyudon.html

And join us for more food fun by signing up for our email list here. 🙂

You may also enjoy these other incredible Japanese dishes!

Yurinchi Chicken

Yurinchi Chicken

Delicious Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl

Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl
Print Recipe

Easy and Delicious Gyudon Japanese Beef Bowl

Incredible bowl of rice topped with beef and onion simmered in a mildly sweet sauce flavored with ingredients including sake, soy sauce and mirin. The finishing touch is some pickled ginger on top. What more do you need?! 🙂
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time10 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: beef bowl
Servings: 2 servings
Author: Makoto

Ingredients

  • 250 g sliced beef (thin) you should be able to find this at your local Asian market
  • 1/2-3/4 onion sliced thinly
  • 2 in ginger peeled and sliced into thin strips
  • 200 ml water or beef broth
  • 50 ml soy sauce
  • 50 ml sake
  • 50 ml mirin
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • pickled giner for garnish – as much as you want!!

Instructions

  • Slice onion and ginger thinly.
  • Put sliced onion, ginger, sake, water, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce in pan, and put it over middle heat and bring it to boil
  • Add sliced beef, lower the heat, and boil it down for about 10 min.
  • Serve rice in a “Donburi” bowl, put simmered beef over it, and decorate the dish with some pickled ginger

Cheers! 


どうぞお召し上がりください
Dōzo omeshiagarikudasai (enjoy your meal in Japanese!)

Grace

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Spicy Edamame

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Spicy Edamame in a bowl

1,000 Foods to Eat Project

The book 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton lists edamame as one of the foods to eat. She says that the foods she lists in her book are the tastes that every food lover should experience or dream about. I am working my way through these foods, and edamame is food #29 that I am posting about!

Edamame are young soy beans that are harvested before they are ripened or hardened. Spicy Edamame is my favorite way to eat edamame

The first time I discovered edamame was at the cinema. They were offering this on their menu, I ordered, and happily shelled and munched my way through the film! These were salted edamame, and oh so delicious.

But I like SPICE. So I found a recipe for Spicy Edamame, from a Japanese restaurant here in San Antonio, which I tweaked a bit and let me tell you…I was in HEAVEN! These Spicy Edamame are absolutely addictive. They are bathed in a hot chili oil and ginger based sauce…need I say more?

Spicy Edamame in a bowl

I can sit and snack on these all day…and did I happen to mention that edamame is really good for you? Nutritionally sound..you can feel good about enjoying this most delicious and healthy snack, or side!

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Edamame are young soy beans that are harvested before they are ripened or hardened. The first time I discovered edamame was at the cinema. They were offering this on their menu, I ordered, and happily shelled and munched my way through the film! These were salted edamame, and oh so delicious. But I like SPICE. So I found a recipe for Spicy Edamame, from a Japanese restaurant here in San Antonio, which I tweaked a bit and let me tell you…I was in HEAVEN! These Spicy Edamame are absolutely addictive. They are bathed in a hot chili oil and ginger based sauce…need I say more? I can sit and snack on these all day…and did I happen to mention that edamame is really good for you? Nutritionally sound..you can feel good about enjoying this most delicious and healthy snack, or side! DM for the recipe if you are interested. By the way…if you make the ginger based sauce, you'll make more than what is needed for this particular recipe. What do you do with the extra ginger based dipping sauce? Stay tuned!! Cheers!! Grace #edamame #spicyedamame #soybean #healthyanddelicious #healthyandnutritious #spicyfoods #ilovehealthyfood #safoodie #sanantoniofoodie #sanantonioblogger #sabestfoodpics #japanesefood #vegetarian #delishkitchen #frommykitchen #feed52 #foodposts #foodpic #healthyeat #healthyeats #spicyfoods

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Hot Chili Oil and Ginger Sauce!

By the way you’ll make more of the ginger based sauce than what is needed for this particular recipe. So you can use the extra ginger based sauce as a dipping sauce for veggies, or even mixed into some rice!

The ingredients include soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, ginger, green onions, hot chili oil, and garlic. Before I made this I wasn’t very familiar with mirin, but I learned that it is similar to sake. It’s an essential ingredient in Japanese cooking with a lower alcohol content than sake but with a higher sugar content. I used Aji-Mirin by Kikkoman, which you can purchase here on Amazon.

Aji-Mirin

I hope you’ll give this absolutely delicious Spicy Edamame a try.

All credit for this recipe goes to former culinary arts student Anthony Santonastaso!

You may also be interested in these other Asian appetizers!

Japanese Pickled Cucumber

Japanese Pickled Cucumber

Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts

Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts

1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die

Please follow along with me on this quest to try the 1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die, from the book by Mimi Sheraton! Join me in this journey and discover new foods, experiences, and cuisines which I hope will add inspiration, fun, and joy to your life! Visit the 1,000 Foods to Eat Project page to view a list of the foods tried so far.

Edamame is #29 on my list of foods to try. 29 down, 971 to go!

If you’d like to follow along and be a part of the 1,000 Foods Project, please sign up to get the latest recipes and inspiration for you to expand your food comfort zone! It’s an incredible journey, please join me by signing up here. 🙂

Cheers! Grace

Spicy Edamame in a bowl
Print Recipe

Spicy Edamame

This absolutely delicious and spicy edamame is perfect as a side or a snack! You can feel so good about eating this healthy and nutritionally sound food! Enjoy!
Prep Time12 mins
Cook Time7 mins
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Japanese
Keyword: Edamame
Servings: 4 people
Author: Inspired by Sushihana’s Restaurant’s Spicy Edamame created by Anthony Santonastaso

Ingredients

  • 2 cups edamame can use frozen
  • 2 tbsp butter
  • 2 tbsp hot chili oil I used Dynasty brand (Chinese style hot chili oil)

Ginger Sauce

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce I used Kikkoman
  • 2 tbsp mirin I used Aji-Mirin from Kikkoman
  • 2 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 2 ts sugar
  • 2 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1.5" piece ginger peeled and minced
  • 4 green onions sliced
  • 3 cloves garlic minced

Instructions

  • Prepare edamame if frozen. Cook according to package directions and leave aside.
  • Prepare your Ginger Sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar, sugar, oyster sauce, ginger, green onions, and garlic.
  • Heat up the butter in a large pan on med high heat. Add the edamame and continually stir around 3 minutes.
  • Remove from the heat, and stir in the hot chili oil and 3 tbsp of the Ginger Sauce.

Notes

Enjoy this deliciously sweet, salty, and spicy moreish snack!!!  So good you’ll be craving it time and time again!  Please note you will have more than enough of the ginger sauce so you can use the residual as a dipping sauce for veggies or perhaps mixed into rice.  
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Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts

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One of my favorite spicy foods is Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts!

Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts

I honestly do not know when my taste buds turned toward spicy. My belief is that that some people just have a tendency toward highly spiced foods….and my husband and I are of this tendency.

This is a good thing for our marriage! So there is generally no fighting over whether to have spicy food or not. 🙂

Korean bean sprout side dish

Korean spicy bean sprouts can be considered banchan. I almost LOVE the banchan (Korean side dishes) more than I adore the main meal itself!

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I'm on a mission to learn how to make banchan. Banchan are the delicious side dishes that accompany rice served at Korean meals. Many people know about kimchi, but may not know about other types of banchan…of which there are so many! And please believe me when I say they are all so delicious! My most recent banchan recipe is for Korean Spicy Bean Sprouts, or kongnamul muchim. By the way, namul is a type of banchan that refers to "steamed, marinated, or stir-fried vegetables usually seasoned with sesame oil, salt, vinegar, minced garlic, chopped green onions, dried chili peppers, and soy sauce" (source Wikipedia). Bean sprouts are beloved in Korean cuisine, and they are so good for you! If you like spicy foods, I believe you'll love these and will be surprised at how easy this is to create at home! Get the recipe here: https://explorecookeat.com/korean-spicy-bean-sprouts You can also find links on that post to my other banchan recipes including: pa kimchi, Korean zucchini side dish, Korean perilla leaves, bok choy kimchi (this is soooo good!), and quick and easy cucumber kimchi (additional pictures included here on IG after pic 1). I'm thinking hard about my next banchan recipe….what'll it be next?!?! They are all so good and I hope you will try them sometime! Cheers! Grace #koreanfood #koreanfoodlover #koreancuisine #worldfood #safoodie #sanantonioblogger #banchan #koreanbanchan #koreansidedish #spicyfoods #spicyfood #koreanrecipes #vegetablesides #beansprouts #kimchi #sanantoniofoodie #sabestfoodpics

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Delicious Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl

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Katsudon and Rice Bowl

My sister is Japanese, and when I told her I made Japanese Pork Katsudon and Rice Bowl she mentioned that was her favorite. I’m so happy because now I can make Katsudon for her!

I’m going to Tokyo in March 2020 to participate in the marathon. I say “participate” rather than “run” because I’m totally incapable of running the whole thing! I am yearning to learn more about Japanese cuisine to prepare for this trip short term. Long term, I want to be able to impress my sister. 🙂

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Classic Filipino Chicken Adobo

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Filipino Chicken Adobo

I am proud of my international family. I am Korean- American, and my husband is English-Norwegian. One of my sisters is Japanese. And my brothers in law are English, Hispanic, and Filipino.

So Roland, my Filipino brother-in-law, treats us to some amazing Filipino food at some of our family gatherings. Roland is a great cook and I really need to pick his brains more about Filipino food. And I yearn to learn more about this amazing cuisine!

What is Adobo?

I wanted to start off my exploration of Filipino cuisine with the classic Filipino Chicken Adobo. First off, chicken adobo is easy and simple to make, and is one of the most famous Filipino foods.

The word “adobo” comes from the Spanish word adobar which means marinate. Chicken adobo is chicken marinated in a mixture of soy sauce and vinegar.

Filipino Chicken Adobo

The BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo Recipe!

Certainly and thankfully I came across the BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe on my first go! This recipe is from Marvin Gapultos, a Filipino American food blogger. Mr. Gapultos is bringing Filipino cuisine to a worldwide audience. I am grateful to Mr. Gapultos, who writes the blog Burnt Lumpia, for allowing me to publish his recipe in my post!

This chicken adobo recipe is from his book The Adobo Road Cookbook, which you can purchase on Amazon. And I really look forward to discovering more of his delicious Filipino recipes. Therefore I’ll consult The Adobo Road Cookbook, as well as Burnt Lumpia!

You will be amazed at the simplicity of this dish! For instance, there are very few ingredients in this recipe. And it comes together so beautifully. All you need is bone-in skin-on chicken thighs, soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, bay leaves, and peppercorns. That’s it!

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I am so proud of my international family. I am Korean-American, and my husband is English-Norwegian. One of my sisters is Japanese, and my brothers in law are English, Hispanic, and Filipino. At some of our family gatherings, I was treated to Filipino food from my Filipino brother-in-law, Roland. Roland is a great cook! I really need to pick his brains more about Filipino food but I have had a bit of it and enough to know that I like it and want to explore more about it! I'm starting with the classic Filipino Chicken Adobo. Thankfully I came across the BEST Filipino Chicken Adobo recipe on my first go! This recipe is from Marvin Gapultos, the Filipino American food blogger who really brought Filipino cuisine to a worldwide audience. I am grateful to Mr. Gapultos, who writes the blog Burnt Lumpia, for allowing me to publish his recipe in my post! This recipe is from his book The Adobo Road Cookbook, and I’m so looking forward to discovering more of his delicious Filipino recipes both from The Adobo Road Cookbook, as well as Burnt Lumpia! Please follow Mr. Gapultos @burntlumpia! Get the recipe for this most tangy and delicious chicken adobo here: https://explorecookeat.com/classic-filipino-chicken-adobo Cheers! Grace #chickenadobo #filipinofood #eattheworld #internationalcuisine #onmyplate #dinnertonight #filipinocuisine #filipinofoodlove #foodpost #bonappetit #lovetocook #lovetoeat #safoodie #sanantonioblogger #delish #kitchendiary #cooksofinstagram #eeets #feed52 #yumyum #frommykitchen #homemadefood #pinoyfood

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So you must try this amazing recipe soon! In summary, enjoy this taste of the Philippines right in your own home!

Filipino Chicken Adobo
Print Recipe
5 from 1 vote

Classic Chicken Adobo

This amazingly delicious Filipino Chicken Adobo is beautiful in its simplicity! Enjoy this served with plenty of white rice and garnished with green onions!
Prep Time5 mins
Cook Time45 mins
Total Time50 mins
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Filipino
Keyword: Chicken, Chicken Adobo
Author: Marvin Gapultos

Ingredients

  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 1/2 cup white Filipino cane vinegar, or distilled white vinegar
  • 6-8 cloves garlic, smashed with the side of a knife and peeled
  • 1 ts whole black peppercorns
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 chicken thighs, skin-on, bone-in

Instructions

  • Place the soy sauce, vinegar, garlic, black peppercorns, and bay leaves in a large, nonreactive sauté pan, and then nestle the chicken thighs, skin side down, into the pan. Bring the liquid to a boil over high heat, and then cover and simmer over low heat for 20 minutes. Turn the chicken over, and then cover and simmer for another 10 minutes.
    Filipino Chicken Adobo
  • Uncover the pan, and then increase the heat to high and return the sauce to a boil. While occasionally turning and basting the chicken, continue boiling the sauce, uncovered, until it is reduced by half and thickens slightly, 5–7 minutes. Serve with steamed white rice.
  • Variations: While the sauce is reducing, transfer the chicken thighs, skin side up, to a foil-lined sheet pan. Brown the chicken thighs underneath the broiler for 3–5 minutes.
    Use freshly ground black pepper instead of whole peppercorns.
    For a “drier” chicken adobo, you can reduce the sauce until it is almost completely evaporated. The chicken will then begin to fry in its own fat that is still left in the pan. This is how my grandmother finishes her adobo. 
    For a saucier adobo, double the amount of soy sauce and vinegar.
    To make this adobo as an appetizer, use 2 lbs (1 kg) of chicken wings instead of thighs.

Notes

You will absolutely love this adobo!  Garnish with green onions and serve with plenty of white rice for a taste of the Philippines!
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Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi

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Cucumber Kimchi

When life gives you cucumbers, make Quick and Easy Cucumber Kimchi!

A good friend of mine has an incredible green thumb! I am so fortunate to often be on the receiving end of that green thumb. The other day, she kindly brought me some amazing home grown cucumbers, chives, peppers, and perilla (sesame) leaves, which are all perfect for Korean banchan. So I’m so excited to be making some awesome Korean side dishes over the next few days!

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Spicy Thai Chicken With Basil

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Spicy Thai Chicken With Basil

Do you like Thai hot? Then you will LOOOOVE this recipe for Spicy Thai Chicken With Basil!

Thai cuisine is one of my absolute favorite cuisines in the world. The complex flavors and fresh ingredients captivate me. Fortunately, my husband loves Thai as well, but he likes his dishes “Thai hot.”

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Korean Fried Chicken (Yangnyeom Dak)- 1,000 Foods to Eat Project

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Korean Fried Chicken

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Korean Fried Chicken is also known as KFC. I love that! I also love this CRISPY, sweet, spicy, and garlicky fried chicken (Yangnyeom Dak). It’s definitely yummy. 🙂

The typical way it is served in Korea is with cold beer (essential!) and pickled radishes, such as daikon.

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Korean Bok Choy Kimchi

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Korean Bok Choy Kimchi
Korean Bok Choy Kimchi

I loooove Korean banchan. Banchan is actually my favorite part of a Korean meal. Give me banchan, chopsticks, and rice and I am haaapy!! 🙂 Kimchi is a banchan, and one of the best kimchi’s is Bok Choy Kimchi.

Banchan are the side dishes that accompany Korean meals. They are actually an essential part of the meal. If you’ve ever been to a Korean restaurant, you’ll know the feeling of excitement as they bring out various banchan. 🙂

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