Review: Tampopo Restaurant @ Liang Court - Japanese Ramen with a Beefy Twist!

I apologise for not posting this entry sooner. That's because everytime I visited Tampopo since the start of this month where they have the Beef Soup Stock Ramen/ Udon promotion, I have been too anxiously slurping up my noodles to remember to take photos!

By now you'd know that I'm addicted to Ramen. Tampopo has always been well known for their Black Pig Shabu Shabu Ramen, but from now till 7 Nov 2010 (not much time left!!) they have launched a series of ramen and udon that has a beef bone soup base instead of the conventional Tonkotsu (pork-bone soup) ones.

Being spoilt for choice with ramen joints sprouting everywhere in Singapore, this has been a welcomed (and very pleasantly surprising) change. I have gone to Tampopo for their Rich Beef Udon (below) 3 times this month, and also got Kays to order their Original Beef Ramen so that I could steal some of that too!

Rich Beef Nabe-udon

On arrival, the lovely rich aroma of the beef stock filled the air, somewhat like an oxtail stew. The sheen of the soup came from the glorious beef collagen (good for skin!) and because it's all scalding hot, I quickly spooned over the soup onto the raw egg so that the top portion gets semi-cooked too. The thinly sliced beef is nothing short of expectations, with marbled fats lining the edges and perfectly cooked. You are forced to slurp the soup ever so gently because of the heat, but that's how you would best savour it anyway! It's been a while since I tasted something that made my eyes open wide with glee, and in Kays' words - made me want to 跑沙滩 (translated: run along the beach in slow motion)... Not sure what I mean? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHBMl7KSmc0 

Original Beef Ramen - Shio flavour

Kays' Original Beef Ramen uses a similar soup base, but unlike my claypot version which boils and thickens the soup, it is lighter but just as tasty. This one comes with a couple of slices of pan-fried steak, which is succulent and sweet, and sticks of chewy Konnyaku that we're familiar with in Oden. The ramen series also feature Miso, Kimuchi and Wasabi flavours which I have yet to try. If anyone has any feedback on these, do let me know please! 

Remember, it's till 7 Nov so there's not much time left! Not sure if their other outlets under the Tampopo family (such as Tarafuku @ 313 Somerset) has the same promotion, but I'm sure the Liang Court and Takashimaya branches definitely has it, so hurry! Hopefully enough people love this as much as I do and Tampopo makes this a permanent menu item! *fingers crossed*

9 out of 10

Tampopo Restaurant

177 River Valley Road

#01-23/24 Liang Court Shopping Centre

Tel: +65 6338-3186

Opening Hours: 

Daily 11:30am - 10:30pm

391 Orchard Road

#B2-33 Takashimaya Shopping Centre 

Tel: +65 6235 2318

Opening Hours: 

Daily 11:00am - 10:00pm

Review: Ippudo Tao @ UE Square

This post has been long overdue, but nonetheless... here goes~

Ippudo Tao (the new branch of Ippudo @ Mandarin Gallery) has now been opened for about 2 months at UE Square along Mohammed Sultan, River Valley. I was really excited when they were still renovating a few months before that because we'd no longer have to fight the long queues at their flagship store in Orchard, and still get to taste their gorgeous ramen. I can now officially say that Singapore's best ramen are all within 1km radius of my workplace! Yeah!!

More about Ippudo Tao. This branch is so named because of their tie up with the Japanese Drum performance group Tao. The group doesn't actually perform here, but their live shows are screened at the restaurant.

Menu-wise, while Ippudo @ Mandarin Gallery has only 2 main flavours - Shiro (white) and Aka (Red), Ippudo Tao's range is slightly different. Here, "Shiro" is still on its menu as the main offering - basically the original Hakata-styled milky pork bone soup base (Tonkotsu) paired with white skinny noodles, cooked to the desired firmness.

In addition to the above there is also a new "Aka" which is different from the one at the original branch (see pic below). This Aka consists of a Tonkotsu base with Miso paste, stir-fried minced pork as its toppings, plus it is paired with CURLY, skinny noodles (kinda like instant noodles appearance-wise).

Finally, my personal favourite is the new "Kuro" (black), which like Nantsuttei, is Shiro with Oomph - topped with the Aromatic garlic Mayu (black garlic oil) and is served with yellow thick noodles. After trying all 3 types, I now regularly order the Kuro BUT substitute with the Shiro skinny noodles. The staff usually gets a bit confused and tells me it can't be customised, but they will always do it for you once they get confirmation from the manager. Just my personal preference! :)  

 Aka Tamago Ramen $17 ($15 for just ramen without the half-boiled egg)

Gyoza with "skin"!

Like their first outlet, consistency (especially the tamago done-ness) is still sometimes an issue, but they usually get it right. Also for a few extra dollars, you can turn it into a set lunch that includes a salad, gyoza and a soft drink!

From the time that they've opened, the menu has vastly expanded to include a whole host of izakaya items such as yakitori and kushiage. I'd strongly recommend their fried lotus root chips - a surprisingly light but yummy accompaniment to a happy hour beer (or Coke in my case!).

Business has been brisk, supported by many of my colleagues and the place is also filled in the evenings. Roadside parking is now a challenge again along Mohd Sultan Road, so be warned!

Of course it's in Ah Mak's Ramen Must Try List! *SLURP*

9 out of 10

Ippudo TAO

207 River Valley Road

#01-55/56
UE Square
Singapore 238275

Tel: +65 6887-5315

Opening Hours:

Mondays to Thursdays
11am-3pm
5pm to midnight
(Last order at 10pm)
Fridays to Saturdays
11am to 3pm
5pm to 2am
Sundays
11am to 11pm
(Last order 10pm)

Review: Itacho Sushi - Ah Mak's MUST ORDER list

Hailing from my hometown, this Hong Kong sushi chain is usually a must-do stop when ever I'm back home, although there's almost always a long queue and no less than half an hour's wait!

So imagine my delight when owner Ricky decided to open a branch in ION Orchard! Business has been off to a good start and while its sushi are generally good value, I say... focus on the good stuff!! we'd always order the same stuff over and over - like clockwork we'd sit down, take one of each colourful order sheet and tick our "usuals". These items may not be cheap per se, but compared to other pricier sushi joints, these "premium" items are excellent value in our eyes! So here goes:

1. Fatty Tuna (Otoro) sushi - I like mine with less tendon

2. Negitoro Handroll (Minced fatty tuna with scallions)

3. Cod Liver with Scallop sushi

4. Ikura (Salmon Roe) Chawamushi

5. Foie Gras sushi - pan seared and caramelised with sugar

6. And I always save this for last - Wagyu aburi sushi 

(grilled wagyu beef topped with minced garlic)

The bill works out to be about $30 per pax - where in other fine dining Japanese restaurants would be the price of just 2 pieces of Otoro sushi! However, I noticed that they've raised prices a couple of months ago...

And then a perfect ending to the sushi feast - head down to B4 ION Food Hall's Mei Heong Yuen (味香园) for a nice big bowl of Taiwanese "Snow Ice". It's light, fluffy and milky, just like the ones I love in Taiwan's shilin market! Only thing about this place is that it's TINY and always full! So pray that you'd get a table!

Mango Snow Ice ($5)

8 out of 10
Itacho Sushi


#B2-18 ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn

8 out of 10
Mei Heong Yuen

#B4-34 ION Orchard
2 Orchard Turn

Review: Nantsuttei Ramen @ Parco Millenia Walk

I've been wanting to check out the latest batch of Japanese eateries that have recently opened at Parco Millenia Walk since the start of April, but just never got down to it. Finally, I dragged the family down for yet another Ramen meal today - this time at Nantsuttei which also specialises in Hakata-style tonkotsu ramen. 

We went for a late lunch because we were still a little stuffed from the cookies earlier in the morning. Once we stepped in, we noticed the very homely feel Nantsuttei had, which is a nice change compared to all the other more "posh-looking" ramen joints. At 3pm - this place was still full of customers!

 Mous posing

The other thing I'd noticed was that the guy at the counter (plus a couple of the other kitchen staff) all looked like the cartoon mascot for the shop (sans the over-sized nostrils)!! Hilarious~

 I liked that they have a good sense of humour

We each ordered a different variety of their signature Tonkotsu ramen - Mous chose the Dragon Ramen ($15) (i.e. Ramen with spicy minced pork), I had the Charshu-men ($16) + Ajitsuke Tamago/ Seasoned Egg ($1) and Kays had the "standard" Ramen ($12).

Charshu-men (left), Ramen (right) and Dragon Ramen (top)

The soup may not make a very good visual impression on the get go, because of the layer of black oil that's formed on top, which is really one of the selling points of their ramen - it's a special garlic oil that adds a lovely caramelised aroma to the soup. To that, ask the staff for fresh garlic + garlic press, and you'll further intensify the flavours! Quite heavenly really, just don't do this right before an important meeting or date!... Or convince the others to join you!

Noodles are surreptitiously hidden!

Noodles are straight but not like the "floury" sort at other Hakata Ramen outlets I've been to, and more "Q" which I'm fine with (+). The Charshu is melt-in-your-mouth (+) and the soup is full of oomph (+). However, I'm not a fan of beansprouts so I passed most of it to Kays (-) and the Ajitsuke Tamago came overcooked (-). Given that they've only been open for less than a month, I would give them some time to iron out their operations and will definitely visit again regardless!


Now, the most important part: how good was their ramen relative to the competition? Well, I'm pleased to say, Nantsuttei has officially entered Ah Mak's Must Try List as #3, right after Ippudo, and taking over Ichiban Tei which still has a special place in my heart for many years!

8.5 out of 10

Nantsuttei Ramen
No.P3-06, #03-02 Millenia Walk
9 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039596
Tel: +65 6337 7166 

Review: Shunjuu Izakaya & Sumiyaki @ Robertson Quay

One of the great things about working in the River Valley area (aside from being just outside of the ERP zone) is the proximity to some of the best Japanese restaurants in Singapore. This also means that we tend to overspend on lunches, but since the coffeeshops in the vicinity are overpriced anyway, why not spend that money to sample some fine food instead~.

Last thursday, "555" went for lunch at Shunjuu Izakaya & Sumiyaki. This place serves one of my favourite yakitori along with Kazu Sumiyaki @ Cuppage Plaza and Nan Ban Tei @ Far East Plaza. They have affordable set lunches, and I'd usually order their Assorted Yakitori sets. For set A ($19), you'd get 5 sticks of yakitori (below) along with miso soup and rice topped with minced pork & mushrooms. The meat is always seasoned and grilled to perfection, crispy and lightly charred on the outside, juicy and tender on the inside.

We'd also ordered the BBQ Fugu (Puffer Fish) which was lovely with mayo + ebiko, but I always feel like it's a waste of the ebiko which I'd rather eat on its own. And as always, no meal is complete without a nice cold glass of gassy coke~ *bliss*

Yakitori Lunch Set A - fatty pork, chicken, ribeye with garlic, scallops wrapped in bacon, shitake mushrooms

Yummy rice with minced pork and stewed mushrooms

BBQ Fugu (Puffer Fish) with Mayo + Ebiko (Flying Fish Roe)

Hotate (scallop) wrapped in Seaweed & Bacon - heavenly!!

We take our lunch hour really seriously :D, and I've only recently started to bring my camera out to lunch to capture food shots. The rest of the gang somehow felt compelled to pose for me!

8 out of 10
Shunjuu Izakaya & Sumiyaki
30 Robertson Quay,
#01-15 Riverside View
Singapore 238251
Tel: +65 68873577

Review: Yoshimaru Ramen @ Holland Village

Had a late lunch with S yesterday before picking up baking supplies from Phoon Huat @ Holland Village. I'd been to Yoshimaru Ramen once with Kays & Mous when it first opened in early 2009 and have not been back since. Guess it's just not something top-of-mind whenever I go to HV.

This time 'round I ordered the shabu shabu beef tonkotsu ramen ($14). Yoshimaru serves all its ramen with seasame seeds in a mortar & pestle for customers to grind and sprinkle their own sesame powder, which adds an element of novelty I suppose. I also liked the fact that they served fried garlic bits that further enhances the ramen's aroma. The shabu shabu beef was tasty enough (+), but just didn't feel like it "connected" with the soup base (-). I would try the pork version next time, or just stick to the normal tonkotsu ramen, which also has a mini version. Alternatively you can pick your own toppings to add to the basic tonkotsu char siu ramen from $9 onwards. The thin Hakata-styled noodles was cooked just right (+), and the egg was perfectly semi-runny (+). My only gripe was that the soup was WAY too diluted, so much so that I left the beef to soak longer hoping to infuse the soup with more flavour (-)!

 

Shabu Shabu Beef Tonkotsu Ramen

I would come back again, to try out other items on their menu. I'm especially curious of their mini-burgers (odd, huh).. Oh and they have a fantastic promotion - 20% off their ala carte items during 2pm to 6pm daily (so late lunch worked for me)! 

Not on Ah Mak's Must Try List... until the soup is improved!

7 out of 10 

Yoshimaru Ramen Bar
31 Lorong Liput
Holland Village
Tel: 6463 3132

Review: Daikokuya Japanese Ramen @ Paragon

Kays and I meant to have dinner @ Ippudo but were appalled at the length of the queue. So, now that there's a japanese ramen place in nearly every 2 malls, we decided to give this new place in Paragon a try. Business was brisk and we had to wait about 15 minutes before we got a (rather cramped) table. Their menu is much more extensive than other, well, specialised ramen places. Daikokuya carried all of Sapporo, Tokyo and Kyushu-style ramens just to name a few.  On the other hand, this may also mean that it's not particularly good at any of them...but we have yet to try all so it's a little early to judge.

 

Tonight Kays and I stuck to our usual Kyushu Tonkotsu ramen. I had the mini version (too many lo heis lately) + soft boiled egg , and we also ordered the prawn & avocado salad.

First, the ramen... Soup was ok, more diluted than that in Ippudo and Ramen Santouka (-). Noodles were cooked just right in terms of bite (+), soft boiled egg was indeed a little runny (+) but they must have just taken it out of the fridge because the insides were really cold (-)! Next, the Prawn + Avocado salad came with thousand island dressing so didn't really have much of a Japanese feel, and there was hardly any avocado (-)... 

However, We both finished our noodles in the end, so I would say it's decent quality but not something I would make a special trip to town for (though I am curious about their many types of gyoza!). So this didn't make it to Ah Mak's Ramen Must Try list... yet.

  

 Mini Tonkotsu Ramen + Nitamago

 

Prawn & Avocado Salad (spot the avocado!!)

6 out of 10

Daikokuya Japanese Ramen - Kyushu Tonkotsu Shio ramen

290 Orchard Road
#B1-47 Paragon Shopping Centre, Singapore 238859
Tel: +65 6737 5416

Review: Shabu Hana @ River Valley

This Shabu Shabu place has opened in River Valley (along Mohamed Sultan Road) for some time now and I'd been curious about it every time I walked past over lunch. They are not open for lunch so last friday evening (after being turned away by a packed En) DS & I decided to give this place a try.

 Kurobuta shabu-shabu pork 

The service staff here all wore pretty kimonos, and were trained to be super polite albeit not all of them were Japanese. They were generally well-versed with the menu and did a good job up-selling some items though at one point I thought it was a little over the top.

The menu featured 3 main sections: Shabu-shabu, Suki-Shabu and Yaki-Shabu. For each section, various grades & cuts of wagyu beef and kurobuta pork (or black pig, pictured above - apparently imported from Kagoshima, known to be one of the best sources around). We ordered the original shabu-shabu sets, one with wagyu beef and the other with kurobuta shoulder and loin mix. Both types of meat were decent though I had hoped for richer tasting beef. I personally preferred the fatty pork loin and it went perfectly with the ponzu & sesame dipping sauces. The soup was also very flavourful at the end!

As sides we'd ordered the Grilled Mentaiko and the Grilled Stingray fins, and the latter was probably the highlight of the meal for me - tasted like freshly barbecued cuttlefish!

Overall a great place for chilling out & while it's somewhat pricey ($48 for wagyu, $40 for Kurobuta pork sets), the ambience was fabulous and they also have a weekend set which is cheaper @ $38 so I would return again to try that out! 

  

 Vegetables with Kuzukiri noodles

Grilled Stingray fins (Eihire no aburi)

 

Grilled Mentaiko~

7 out of 10
Shabu Hana

14 Mohamed Sultan Road

#01-01, Singapore 238963

Tel: +65 6235 8216

Review: Feasting in Kyushu - Fukuoka & Nagasaki

Having been to the major cities in Japan, Fukuoka is probably not the top of on everyone's list (where?). This is a real gem - situated in Northen Kyushu and a major transport hub to access other parts of southern Japan, I would strongly recommend this place for those who've seen the likes of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka. There are direct flights daily from Singapore and price-wise, lots cheaper than Tokyo and Hokkaido both in terms of food and accommodation!

Fukuoka airport is centrally located, just a short 15mins train ride away to the city centre. Also from the airport, Hakata JR station, as well as the city Tenjin Bus Centre, one can hop onto connecting buses to travel to Kumamoto, Yufuin, Beppu, Mount Aso and Kurokawa Onsen to name a few. Hakata JR station is also where you can board a Shinkansen (bullet train) to get to Nagasaki, Huis Ten Bosch/ Sasebo & Kagoshima. The JR Northern Kyushu and JR Kyushu passes are a good economic way to hop from city to city on Japan Railway networks. 

Kays & I spent year end there, and we took the opportunity to spend a couple of nights at the beautiful Kurokawa Onsen as well as a day trip to Nagasaki. English signs are everywhere, the only challenge is usually communicating with shop owners. We've managed to get around pretty easily with my limited japanese and sufficient hand gestures.

Some Must Dos/ MUST EATS:
Get yourself to one of the Yatais (Jap-style road-side stalls) - most of the stuff listed can be found there (though it's not that cheap).
The most convenient and popular ones are situated along the Hakata River (near Canal City). Take the underground subway to Nakasu-Kawabata station and walk 5 mins along the river. You'd notice rows of lanterns and brightly lit little stalls. Another supposedly more authentic (and I guess less touristy i.e. english-speaking) bunch of yatais can be found at Nagahana area which unfortunately we didn't manage to visit this time round.

 

Hakata River

1. Kyushu (Tonkotsu) Ramen

You CAN'T visit Kyushu and not taste the ramen! The pork bone broth is extremely flavourful and perfect for a cold winter's day when you're sitting outdoors! Our favourite was the one at the Yatais (stall #3) - simple with just a few thick slices of stewed Char Siu, scallions, roasted sesame and nori (500円).

  

Ramen @ Yatai

Other places to get your ramen fix are at Ichiran and Ippudo - 2 of the most famous chains where you purchase a ramen ticket from a vending machine and then you fill in an order sheet to specifiy exactly how you like your noodles done. We tried out Ichiran this time, but didn't get to try the latter which as since opened 2 branches in Singapore. Noodles at Ichiran were done perfectly (780円), and if one portion is not enough, you can "top up" by asking for Kaedama, meaning an additional portion of noodles. Remember to leave some soup behind otherwise you'll be having the noodles dry!

  

Ramen @ Ichiran (一蘭) 

2. Mentaiko Mentaiko Mentaiko! 

Oh how we love these cod roes. Seen here are grilled ones at one of the yatai stalls, but you can also buy them as souvenirs everywhere!We bought some mentaiko home, and aside from eating it neat, mixed with white rice, I've also used it for Mentaiko Spaghetti since!

  

Grilled Cod Roe (Mentaiko 明太子)

3. Oden

This is japanese's equivalent to our "Yong Tau Foo". Usually consisting of a thick tender chunk of Daikon (white raddish), various types of seasoned fried fishcakes, hard boiled egg, tofu served in a clear broth with mustard.

  

Oden おでん 

4. Yakitori

Guess I don't need to elaborate much - seasoned skewered meats grilled on charcoal... perfect with an Asahi beer! Interestingly, my personal favourites are often the grilled leeks and peppers that usually accompany the meat.

Yakitori 焼きとり (150-200円 per stick)

5. Motsunabe (Cow Offal Stew)

Essentially beef intestines cooked in its own juices and stock. A tad too fatty for my liking but worth a try!

  

Cow Offal Stew (Motsunabe もつ鍋)

6. Gyutan (Ox Tongue)

Grilled with salt, these are super tender and tasty. I wonder if I can replicate this at home?

  

Grilled Ox Tongue (Gyutan ギュタン)

7. On-the-road Bentos

I've always loved the idea of bringing a pretty bento box on board the bullet train and enjoying the sights while savouring each delicately arranged "section" of the bento box. I'd chosen a scallop bento on our Shinkansen ride to Nagasaki this time, accompanied by my favourite milk tea. :)

  

 Bento Box

8. Castella

This is something quite famous in Nagasaki - a type of sponge cake with a brown sugar base. Supposedly well-known because it's one of the first items westerners brought to Japan after the end of the Edo era. This was taken at the Glover House's Jyu-Tei cafe.

  

Sponge Cake (Castella カステラ)

9. Champon

Another popular choice when visiting Nagasaki - Champon is a noodle dish with pork bone broth, served with lots of veggies, fish cake and pork slices. In the menu the english translation was "chop suey" but I'm not sure how close this was to what's found in the US chinese restaurants. Almost every restaurant in Nagasaki's Chinatown served this dish. To be honest I wasn't a huge fan but I guess it's still worth a try. I personally preferred the "Nikuman" or their version of the "Kong Bah Bao" sold along the road side. 

  

 Champon チャンポン

 So there you go! Of course there are also lots of fabulous sushi places which I won't cover here. Next up, Kurokawa Onsen so watch this space!

Ippudo Ramen & Ah Mak's Must Try List

Decided to go for an early lunch today so that we could avoid the long queue for this latest Ramen craze - Ippudo is famous for it's Hakata-style ramen which we unfortunately didn't get to try when we were in Fukuoka last month. Fastest way to get seats - go in twos! We joined the queue but were quickly ushered to our seats because the people in front were all in threes/ fours. :)

Service is still slightly flawed on my 2nd visit, but far better than the last where their order system broke down and our food took a really long time. This time everything came within 10 minutes. I'd decided to try the Akamaru tamago (tonkotsu soup + red miso + seasoned egg) and Kays went for the Shiromaru version which i personally preferred. As sides we've also ordered the Goma-Q (cucumber seasoned with roasted sesame and sesame oil) and nikuman (japanese version of the "kong bah bao" or braised pork bun") to go with our Calpis drinks.

 Akamaru Tamago

 

Shiromaru Tamago

 

Goma-Q

Both ramen were delicious - noodles just "Q" enough, and the flavourful broth was full of oomph. We would have loved it if the noodles were much thinner like those we had at the yatais along the Hakata River which no other ramen shop seems to serve, and the egg was less cooked.

Overall I would definitely come back again (when it's less crowded). I'd rank it as my 2nd favourite ramen place in Singapore (took over Ichiban Tei, and just below Ramen Santouka).

Ah Mak's Ramen must-try list:

1. Ramen Santouka (The Central) - Shio Tonkotsu ramen
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#02-76 The Central
Tel: +65 6224 0668

2. Ippudo Ramen (Mandarin Gallery) - Shiromaru ramen
333A Orchard Road
#04-02/03/04 Mandarin Gallery
Tel: +65 6235 2

Ippudo TAO (UE Square)
207 River Valley Road

 #01-55/56

UE Square

Singapore 238275

Tel: +65 6887-5315

3. Nantsuttei Ramen (Millenia Walk) - Char Siu Ramen
No.P3-06, #03-02 Millenia Walk
9 Raffles Boulevard, Singapore 039596
Tel: +65 6337 7166 

 
4. Ichiban Tei (Robertson Quay) - Tonkotsu ramen or Tori-Karaage ramen
 60 Robertson Quay
#01-04 The Quayside
Tel: +65 6733 3923

5. Menya Shinchan (Robertson Walk) - Shinjiro ramen (ladies-sized portion available)
30 Robertson Quay
#01-05 Riverside View
Tel: +65 6732 0114

6. Marutama Ramen (The Central) - Spicy Marutama Ramen or Aka Ramen
6 Eu Tong Sen Street
#03-90/91 The Central @ Clarke Quay
Tel: +65 6534 8090
*Photos taken with Kay's SE phone... not bad!

Yaki Gyoza (Pan-fried Dumplings)

My first experience cooking this was back in Uni days when Candice & I were sharing an apartment in Melbourne. She taught me how her mom used to make these with tuna instead of pork. I've been using her recipe ever since.

Aside from Katsudon for dinner tonight, I also revisited gyozas with some techniques again inspired by Francis the Dog and made some slight changes to incorporate both recipes.

Kudos to Jack and XQ for helping out and churning out nicely wrapped gyozas in a short time~

This recipe yields 24pcs, but I've made double and the great thing about this is that you can keep the remaining portion in a tupperware lined with kitchen towel, in the freezer and keeps for at least a week. Anytime you wish to eat some, you can either pan fry them straight out of the freezer, or the next time you're cooking instant noodles, throw a couple in the soup together and you'd get 水饺! hehe...

Serves 4-6
Ingredients:
(Yields 24 pcs)

150g Minced Pork
1/2 pc Onion
50g Chives (韭菜), Finely Chopped
50g Cabbage, Finely Chopped
2 cloves Garlic, Grated or Finely Chopped
2 slices Ginger, Grated or Finely Chopped
1 pkt Gyoza wrappings (can be found at Japanese supermarkets or Cold Storage)
1 Egg

- Seasoning -
1 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Oyster Sauce
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper
1 tsp Corn Starch

- For Frying -
50ml Water
1 Tbsp Cooking Oil/ Sesame Oil

- Dipping Sauce -
Soya Sauce
Vinegar
2-3 drops of La Yu (Jap Chili Oil)

Directions:
1. Gently knead minced pork in a mixing bowl. Add in seasoning and stir quickly so that the pork becomes a sticky paste.
2. Add Chives, Onions, Garlic, Ginger and egg to pork and mix well. Leave mixture in fridge for 20mins to set.
3. To wrap Gyozas, lightly dust tray with corn starch. Place approx 3/4 tsp of pork filling into centre of gyoza wrapping. Dip finger in a bowl of water and dap along the entire edge of the wrapping in a circle. Fold wrapping into half and before joining the two sides, fold outer edge into pleats before sticking to the opposite edge. This way the gyozas are able to stand on their own.

4. To cook gyozas, heat a small flat pan on medium. Heat oil/ sesame oil and place gyozas onto pan (for presentation purposes, do so in rows of 6) and pan fry the bottom of the gyozas.
5. Immediately add in water and cover with lid for so that the steam will cook & soften the top of the gyozas. Lift lid when water has almost disappeared.
6. Add a few more drops of oil into pan to allow the sides to crisp.
7. To serve, turn off heat, and with a spatula, scoop out Gyozas, and place onto plate with bottom facing up.
8. Serve with Soya Sauce, Vinegar and La Yu... or Wasabi/ Chili Mayo. Eat up!

Katsu Don with Egg

Inspired by the video link that Jack forwarded me, I wanted to have an attempt at this dish, which I usually go to to get my fix at Romankan - B2 Takashimaya Food Hall - specialising in Japanese Tonkatsu (Fried Pork Chops) & Curry. Their pork chop sandwiches are also incredibly yummy!

Anyway back to the video link - you MUST check it out if you wanna learn more about cooking traditional Japanese dishes! The videos are narrated by this "dog" Francis with a heavy Japanese accent. Quite funny really..

I did make a few changes (sorry can't follow rules very well) - and instead of just marinating with salt and pepper, I marinated the pork chop using my Grandmother's (Mah-Mah) special recipe. The pork itself is much tastier this way! :D

Serves 1
Ingredients:

100g 1cm thick Pork Loin or Ribeye
70g Onion
1 Egg

- Marinade -
1 Tbsp Soya Sauce
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Pepper

- Coating -
Corn Flour
1/4 Egg
2 Tbsp Water
Nama-Panko - Fresh Bread Crumbs
Oil

- Sauce -
50ml Water
1/5 tsp Granulated Dashi
1 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 Tbsp Mirin
1 tsp Sugar

Steamed Rice (preferably Japanese Rice)

Directions:
1. Wash Pork chop and pat dry with kitchen towel. If pork chop is too thick, horizontally slice into two but without cutting all the way through (butterfly). Open up and make incisions around the tougher tendons and tenderize by beating it with a wooden spoon :P. Marinate for 20mins
2.Thinly slice onions and set aside.
3. To prepare coating - layout corn starch in a dish (1), lightly beat 1/4 egg with water (2), and layout nama-panko on a flat tray/dish (3)
4. To coat pork chop, first lightly dust with (1), then dip in (2) and finally, press on breadcrumbs in (3) making sure it is well coated.
5. Heat Oil in a deep pot/ wok on medium. Once it's hot enough (test with small piece of breadcrumb - it's ready if it floats with bubbles) gently place pork chop and fry for approx 2-3 mins depending on thickness. Remove from oil and drain on a sieve and kitchen towel below.
6. Cut pork chop into 1.5inch strips, line neatly on a plate and set aside.
7. Beat 1 egg very lightly and set aside.
8. The next few steps need to happen rather quickly because you don't want the tonkatsu to turn cold. In a small skillet, on medium heat, add in water, sugar, mirin, granulated dashi and soya sauce and stir lightly till dissolved. Add onions, cover with lid and leave to cook for about 1 minute on medium high heat and liquid is reduced slightly.
9. Arrange tonkatsu in the pan over the onions, turn on high heat and quickly pour the beaten egg around and over the tonkatsu. Stir lightly so that the egg mixes with the liquid.
10. Cover with lid and leave to cook for about 15 secs or until the egg mixture starts to set (depends on how runny you like yours to be) and remove from heat.
11. Half-fill bowl with steamed rice and transfer the tonkatsu+egg on top of the rice to serve. Eat up!!

Mentaiko Pasta

It's been a long time since I've had the chance to cook anything proper and since it's a new year I've decided to start something (plus I need something else to keep myself motivated) - I've been documenting tried and tested recipes through the years whether it's passed down by mom or just pure experimentation.

So here's the first one for the year - Mentaiko pasta! I've never failed to order this dish in any restaurant that carried it, one of the earliest ones being Pasta Cafe @ Takashimaya ran by Pokka which has since been refurbished and I think now under a new management. Sadly, while this is still on their menu the standard has taken a nose dive. New kid Pasta de Waraku has it as one of their staple items but I found it a tad too creamy. I've been trying to get by using the instant version sold in most Japanese aisles and that worked too, if I'm feeling like I'm on a budget :D

During our recent trip to Fukuoka we brought home some beautiful mildly spicy Mentaiko from Kyushu and since it can only keep in the fridge for 2 weeks we wasted no time in putting some of that into good use !



Serves 2
Ingredients:
75g Angel Hair Pasta
2 Eggs, Poached
2 Mentaiko sacs
2 slices Bacon, chopped
1/2 Onion, chopped
3 Tbsp white wine
3 Tbsp Chicken stock (I was lazy and diluted some concentrated stock to get this)
2 Tbsp Thickened cream
1 Tbsp Japanese Mayo
1 Tbsp Butter
Nori (Seaweed) Strips


Directions:
1. Cut open Mentaiko sacs and scrape out roe gently using a spoon into a large mixing bowl, add mayo and set aside
2. Brown bacon in a pan (no oil needed, it's fatty enough on its own!). Once Bacon is crispy and golden brown, add in butter, a drizzle of olive oil and stir fry onions together on medium heat till cooked through
3. Add white wine and let it reduce, add in chicken stock and simmer for 5 mins and remove from heat.
4. Stir in thickened cream and transfer entire sauce mixture into mixing bowl. Mix well with mentaiko/mayo.
5. Cook pasta till al dente, drain water and toss pasta in sauce. Serve with poached egg and sprinkle black pepper & nori. Eat up!!