Katsuo (bonito) is one of the most important fish on the Japanese menu. Dried and fermented it becomes katsuobushi, one of the main ingredients in dashi stock, the foundation of Japanese cooking.

But katsuo (bonito) is also eaten in many other ways: as tsukudani, preserved by cooking in a sweet-salty sauce; as shiokara, cured in salt; coated in flour and deep-fried; and, of course, raw or almost raw.

Katsuo (bonito) has two seasons – spring (haru) and fall (aki). The spring bonito is more lean and has a clear flavor.

It is a great addition to salad. Katsuo (bonito) is traditionally served with ponzu instead of soy sauce and wasabi.

May is a great time for Hatsu-gatsuo (first bonito of season), especially in the Tokyo region, and preferably as tataki, sashimi or sushi.

Grated raw garlic goes a lot better with uncooked katsuo than the usual grated wasabi, as do chopped green onions, grated ginger and shredded shiso leaves and myōga ginger.

It is a great pleasure to taste the season’s foods as soon as it cherishes the seasonal taste while feeling the seasons.

Thank you.

At traditional Japanese restaurant, Soup and Sashimi (sliced fish) is the most difficult part of the cooking, and these are main dishes as well even these look simple.

Therefore, Sashimi and Soup are always cooked by the chief chef in the restaurants.

Soup and Sashimi use the seasonal ingredients and complete the world in a dish. It is possible to say Sashimi and Soup are the most emphasized dishes of the unison “Wa”.

And customers feel the philosophy of the season by ingredients, taste, flavors, and sights.

This is the reason that the Soup and Sashimi are the most difficult to cook.

On the other hand, Soup is the easiest and most popular Japanese daily dish at home.

Japanese usually have soup every day, and soup is easy to cook in a short time.

Even children learn how to cook the Miso (soy bean paste) Soup at primary school, and they study the basic knowledge of the cooking through it.

Japanese soup matches for most of all the ingredients, and it is low calorie and healthy diet in addition.

The following is all purpose liquid type seasoning DonDon Series Shiro Tsuyu which is concentrated soup stock “Dashi”

Product Name : DonDon Series Shiro Tsuyu 1L

Ingredients :
White soy sauce(wheat, soybean, salt), Dried bonito, Dried mackerel, Dried sardine, Dried bonito extract, Dried sardine extract, Sugar, Salt, Mirin(rice, malted rice), Hakkochomiryo(rice, malted rice, salt), Sake, Hydrolyzed fish protein, Amino acid(sodium glutamate), Shusei(ethyl alcohol)

Expiration : 1year from manufacturing date

Produced by FUTABA Co., Ltd.

See you later.

Bamboo shoots or bamboo sprouts are the edible shoots (new bamboo culms that come out of the ground) of many bamboo species including Bambusa vulgaris and Phyllostachys edulis.

In certain parts of Japan, shoots from the giant timber bamboo Bambusa oldhamii is harvested in spring or early summer.

They are sold in various processed shapes, and are available in fresh, dried, and canned versions.

Young shoots from this species are highly sought after due to its crisp texture and sweet taste.

Older shoots, however, have an acrid flavor and should be sliced thin and boiled in a large volume of water several times.

The sliced bamboo is edible after boiling.

Pickled bamboo, used as a condiment, may also be made from the pith of the young shoots.

Cooked rice mixed with bamboo shoots

You can often find fresh bamboo shoots in Asian food stores, but they’re not easy to prepare as they’re protected by many layers of overlapping, brown husk covered in fine, sharp hairs

Shoots canned in water are an excellent substitute for fresh shoots and have the advantage of being ready prepared and perfectly safe to eat.

Look for whole canned shoots, if possible, in preference to pre-sliced.

Ingredients__2 servings

DonDon series Katsuo Tsuyu・・・30ml

Rice・・・2cup

Water・・・until “2cup” mark of rice cooker

Fried tofu・・・50g

Chicken Thigh・・・50g

Canned bamboo shoots・・・50g

Click here for details!

https://www.nextytrading.com/

How to Cook

①    Cut chicken thigh in a bite size and soak in DonDon Katsuo Tsuyu for 5-10 minutes.

②    Divide foodstuff into small clusters.

③    Wash rice and set in a rice cooker with water.

④    Add ① with all the sauce, ② into rice cooker, stir roughly and start cooking.

⑤    When rice is cooked, stir rice gently to mix ingredients evenly.

Thank you.

In Japan, Pagrus major is known as madai and is prized both for its flavor and for its traditional use as an auspicious food often served at New Year’s and festive occasions such as weddings.

Tai is watery, clean, delicate sweet aroma.

It has pretty traslucent and light color meat. The meat has sweet and fibery texture.

It might has a note such as lime, herbs on meat.
It means “celebration fish”, “king of white fish”, or “congratulations”.

One of the luxury fish in Japan.

Literally translated, “mede-tai” in Japanese means “wanting of admiration” or “auspicious” and
“celebratory” – and is often served (usually salt-grilled) at celebratory feasts from New Year to weddings, and even the birth of a child.

Tai were also once presented to the Shoguns and later the Emperor as gifts of respect.

Tai season begins in the winter time, but doesn’t reach its peak until the first week of April. The fish is then called sakura-dai (cherry blossom sea bream) and fetches high prices at market.

You can easily cook “Tai fish”

素材調味だし 鯛
Sozai chomi dashi Tai

Click here for details!

https://www.nextytrading.com/

Thank you.

Japanese cuisine is called “Wa-Shoku” in Japanese.

“Wa” means peaceful and round, and “Shoku” means eating. So that Japanese cuisine makes a peaceful and family-like atmosphere.

“Wa” has another meaning “Unison”, Japanese cuisine concentrates to the unification of all ingredients. This balance of the ingredients creates the unison of the delicate taste and healthy diet.

It is one of the reasons that Japan became the first longevity in the world.

Over more Japanese cuisine is called the healthiest food in the world these days.

Japanese Soup Stock “Dashi”

Japanese soup stock “Dashi” is the most important ingredients for “Wa-Shoku”.

It is made by Dried Fish, Kelp, Seafood, Shitake Mushroom, and the other ingredients.

Especially Dried Bonito and Kelp are basic stock. It is used for almost all Japanese dishes.

The following is a liquid seasoning Kappo Dashi which is concentrated soup stock “Dashi”.
Product Name： DonDon Series Kappo Dashi 1L

Ingredients ：
Light-colored soy sauce,Dried bonito, Salt,Sugar,
Mirin,Sake,Dried sardine, Hydrolyzed fish-
protein,Dried bonito extract, Hakkochomiryo,
White soy sauce, Kombu (Dried seaweed),
Driedmackerel, Shiitake mushroom,Amino-
acid (sodium Glutamate),Shusei(ethyl alcohol),
Acidulant

Expiration  ： 1year from manufacturing date

Produced by   FUTABA Co., Ltd.

See you later.

Tofu, also known as bean curd, is a food made by coagulating soy milk and then pressing the resulting curds into soft white blocks.

It is a component in East Asian and Southeast Asian cuisines.

It originated in China, and the process is quite similar to how cheese is made.

Rumor has it that a Chinese cook discovered tofu more than 2,000 years ago by accidentally mixing a batch of fresh soy milk with nigari.

Nigari is what remains when salt is extracted from seawater. It is a mineral-rich coagulant used to help tofu solidify and keep its form.

Tofu has a low calorie count and relatively large amounts of protein.

Tofu can be soft, firm, or extra firm. Tofu has a subtle flavor and can be used in savory and sweet dishes. It is often seasoned or marinated to suit the dish.

Delicious dish using tofu

Yudofu

You can easily cook using this product.

Dondon series

katsuo tsuyu　　　 Kiridashi Konbu

Click here for details!

https://www.nextytrading.com/
Ingredients__4 servings

Kiridashi Konbu           1 piece

Water　　　　　　　　1000cc

Tofu (Soy Bean curd)　 2 cakes

【Dipping Sauce】

DonDon series Katsuo Tsuyu　40cc

Hot Water                                  120cc

＜How to Cook＞

1. Put 1000ml water and Kiridashi Konbu in an earthen pot.

2. After Konbu is soaked and become large, add tofu cut into sixth.

3. Heat up the pot.

4. When tofu is heated and start moving slightly, serve tofu in individual small bowl with dipping sauce.

Healthy and tasty!

From ancient times, Japan has formed an excellent food culture.

The combination of rice, soup and 3 side dishes (1 main dish and 2 side dishes) is called as “Ichi-ju San-sai”.

It is a traditional meal style rooted in Japanese dining table.

You can take carbohydrates as an energy source with rice, moisture with soup, and other nutrition in good balance with side dishes.

Also, by serving one person at a time you can understand the amount to eat and you can prevent too much eating.

In a nutritionally balanced diet, many nutrients will mix in the stomach.

As a result, you can expect synergistic effects such as better digestion and absorption, and discharge of excess fat, sugar, salt.

As a popular menu, main dishes are an animal protein like boiled fish or grilled fish.  Side dishes are such as simmered seasonal vegetables or salad.

Side dishes served in another small plate are tofu, cooked beans, pickled dish and so on.

Taking a nutritionally balanced diet is very important for health promotion.

See you. Good luck!

Hina-Matsuri is an event to pray for the healthy growth of girls on March 3 every year.Families with girls display dolls for Hina Matsuri called Hina-Ningyo.

Hina-Ningyo

It was believed that dolls would protect people from sickness or ill-fortune.

Today, at the Hina Matsuri, we eat traditional dishes such as scattered sushi (chirashi-sushi),cherrystone clam soup, sweet white sake(shirozake) and rise cake cubes (hina-arare) .

The following is a recipe of cherrystone clam soup using a liquid seasoning Kappo Dashi.

Product Name： DonDon Series Kappo Dashi 1L
Ingredients ： Light-colored soy sauce, Dried bonito,

Salt, Sugar, Mirin, Sake, Dried-

sardine, Hydrolyzed fish protein,
Dried bonito extract, Hakkochomiryo,
White soy sauce, Kombu

(Dried seaweed),Dried mackerel,

Shiitake mushroom,
Amino acid (sodium Glutamate),
Shusei(ethyl alcohol), Acidulant
Expiration  ： 1year from manufacturing date
Produced by   FUTABA Co., Ltd.

＜Ingredients__4 servingss＞
water・・・・・・・・・・ 800ml
Kappo Dashi・・・・・・・40ml
Cherrystone clam・・・・ 8 pieces
Fragrant grass ・・・・・  As you like

○ Let the clams spit the sand out for about 20 minutes.
○ Mix the water and the Kappo Dashi, and cook till its boiled. Then, add the clams.
○ When the clams are opened, turn off the heat.
○ Place the clams and fragrant grass in a serving bowl, and pour the soup carefully.

See you later.

Sukiyaki (すき焼き) is a Japanese dish that is prepared and served in the nabemono (Japanese hot pot) style.

It consists of meat (usually thinly sliced beef) which is slowly cooked or simmered at the table, alongside vegetables and other ingredients, in a shallow iron pot in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin. The ingredients are usually dipped in a small bowl of raw, beaten eggs after being cooked in the pot, and then eaten.

Generally sukiyaki is a winter dish and it is commonly found at bōnenkai, Japanese year-end parties.

I will teach you how to make delicious Sukiyaki.

You can easily cook using this product.

Dondon series katsuo tsuyu

Click here for details!

https://www.nextytrading.com/

＜Ingredients＿4 servings＞

SAUCE (warisita)

DonDon series Katsuo Tsuyu・・・・・10 oz

Mirin (sweet cooking sake)・・・・・・・10 oz

Thin sliced beef・・・・・・・・・・・ 20 oz

Beef lard・・・・・・・・・・・・・・Adequate

Shirataki ・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 5 oz

Winter mushrooms (enokidake)・・・・・5 oz

Leeks・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・ 2

Yaki-tofu (grilled tofu)・・・・・・・・・1 Block

Eggs・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・・4

＜How to cook＞

①   Put 10 oz DonDon series Katsuo Tsuyu and 10 oz Mirin in a pot, place over high heat, bring it to boiling.

②   Cut the yaki-tofu into bite size, the leeks diagonally, parboil shirataki, and cut into bite size. Remove the stem tip of the enokidake.

③   Heat a Sukiyaki pan (shallow iron pan), and melt a beef fat.

④   Grill some beef in the pan, add some ① and coat the beef with it.

⑤   Add ② and grill. Dip the beef and ingredients in a beaten egg to eat.

TIPS

After enjoy the Sukiyaki, add rice, some water, and warishita sauce in the pan to make a Beef Ojiya (beef risotto ).

Healthy and tasty!

Miso soup (misoshiru) is a traditional Japanese soup consisting of a stock called “dashi” into which softened miso paste is mixed.
Many ingredients are added depending on regional and seasonal recipes, and personal preference.

The choice of miso paste for the miso soup defines a great deal of its character and flavor.
Miso pastes (a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting soybeans with salt and the fungus Aspergillus oryzae, known in Japanese as kōjikin, and sometimes rice, barley, or other ingredients) can be categorized into red (akamiso), white (shiromiso), or mixed (awase).
There are many variations within these themes, including regional variations, such as Shinshū miso or Sendai miso.

If you use Futaba’s dashi pack “Hongatsuo dashi pack”  (bonito soup stock pack) you can easily prepare delicious miso soup.

Hongatsuo dashi pack

Click here for details!
https://www.nextytrading.com/
＜How to cook＞

①  Drop a pouch of Hongatsuo dashi pack into boiling water.

Cook for 5 minuets over medium heat.

②  Remove the pack with ladle gently.

Golden soup of bonito soup stock

Recommended recipe for miso soup

Pork and vegetable miso soup【Tonjiru】

Ingredients_4 servings

Hongatsuo dashi pack soup 【bonito soup stock】  800ml
miso                              40g
white giant radish     100g
carrot                            50g
onion                             50g
pork                             100g

＜How to cook＞

①  Cut white giant radish, carrot, onion, and pork in a bite size.

②  Cook vegetables in 800ml  Hongatsuo dashi pack soup on the medium heat.

③  Add pork when the vegetables are cooked, cook until the pork is tender.

④  Place the strainer in the soup pot, add miso gradually into the soup while softening with some stock and dissolving.

Healthy and tasty!

What is EHO-MAKI?

EHO-MAKI is a thick sushi roll, and believed to bring good luck if eaten while facing the year’s good luck direction. The day is called SETSUBUN which is the beginning of spring in Japan, and in 2017 is February 3rd.

The custom originally started in the Kansai area. Now, it came to be eaten on a nationwide scale in Japan..

EHO-MAKI has seven ingredients such as cucumber, shiitake mushrooms, seasoned omelet, teriyaki eel, sweet fish flakes (Denbu) and dried gourd(kanpyo).

It is the length of 8-10cm on the average. But don’t cut when eating.

You have to eat all in one go while facing silently toward the year’s good luck direction with your eyes closed.

This year’s good luck direction is North – North – West.

May you be happy!

See you later.