Season of figs

Figs are in season here in Japan, which means we’re snapping at the heels of Autumn. It’s already becoming much darker at night, and the rice is almost ready for harvest, which means soon I’ll be driving home to the smell of burning rice fields. Some people hate the smell, but I utterly adore it.

With Autumn also comes a glutton of seasonal vegetables…pumpkins, mushrooms, figs, chestnuts and sweet potatoes. I’m much more likely to cook meals in Autumn, so hopefully that will result in more updates on here. Summer is just too hot to cook, so I largely existed off of salads and cold noodles. On a recent trip to the supermarket I spotted some ripe figs in the ‘locally grown produce’ section. Figs are largely used in desserts, but can easily loan themselves to savoury dishes. Tonight’s meal was a twist on a dish I have already posted on here.

Teriyaki Fig, Chicken and Broccoli

Serves 1

The meal above was approx. 470 calories (served with 135g of brown rice)

Ingredients

150g chicken fillets (deboned, deskinned)

50g of broccoli

30g of fresh fig, sliced

50ml of cooking sake

30ml of mirin

15ml of soy sauce

Instructions

1. Heat up a frying pan and lightly oil (using a paper towel to wipe up any excess oil!)

2. Place chicken in the pan and lightly brown on both sides (will take about 1-2 minutes depending on heat of pan. There should only be a very light brown shade on your chicken. You do not want to dry it out).

3. While chicken is browning place your broccoli and fig slices in the pan to warm. (I placed my fig slices on the side of the frypan so they didn’t burn or overcook).

4. Pour over the sake and cover with a lid. The sake may spit a bit so just be warned!

5. Reduce heat and leave to cook for about 3-4 minutes.

6. Take off the lid and pour over the mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for a few minutes, making sure to turn the chicken and broccoli and spoon the sauce over the top once or twice so the flavours gets all over.

7. Take out the chicken, broccoli and fig slices. Let the sauce reduce down for about a minute or two. You don’t want it too thick otherwise it will stick to the pan. If it looks like it might be too thick then add a little extra sake or water to help thin it out.

8. Once the sauce is to a suitable viscosity for your preference put the chicken, figs and broccoli back in and coat with the sauce.

10. Serve over rice and enjoy.

いただきます

Teriyaki glazed salmon…

Teriyaki is easily one of the most recognisable and favourite Japanese flavours overseas, particularly in New Zealand. The vast majority of people get their first taste of Japanese food through teriyaki chicken. Believe it or not…it’s actually pretty hard to find ‘teriyaki’ sauce for sale in Japan. If your supermarket has an import section then you might be lucky enough to find a bottle of Hawaiian teriyaki sauce…but generally it’s an elusive item. Sometimes nothing beats the thick mollases-like texture of proper teriyaki sauce, which gives a deliciously sweet and velvety taste to whatever is it graces.

Teriyaki sauce is actually incredibly easy to make. For a really simple teriyaki sauce you just need the following three ingredients: soy sauce, cooking sake and mirin. If you’re interested in cooking Japanese food I highly suggest you pick up a bottle of cooking sake and mirin from the supermarket. They’re relatively cheap and will last you a long time since you only need a little in your recipes. Both cooking sake and mirin can normally be found in the soy sauce and vinegar section, often on the bottom shelves (they’re usually in large plastic bottles). Mirin is much sweeter and is syrupy, while sake is dry and more fluid. Teriyaki sauce lends itself to chicken, fish and vegetables best. Red meat, such as beef and lamb, can be a bit too heavy and rich for the already decadent sauce.

Yet again…a quick simple meal that will take you all of 15 minutes to prepare!

Teriyaki glazed Salmon

Serves 1

The meal above was approx. 450 calories.

Ingredients

1 salmon fillet (about 100g. Make sure you do not buy the salted/vinegared salmon)

50ml of cooking sake

30ml of mirin

15ml of soy sauce

Sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare your salmon. I sliced my fillet into two evenly sized pieces. Rinse under a cold tap and pat dry with paper towels. Remove any bones by pulling them out either with tweezers or your fingers.

2. Heat up a frying pan and lightly oil (using a paper towel to wipe up any excess oil!)

3. Put your salmon in, skin-side down, and let cook for about 1-2 minutes on a medium heat

4. Turn over salmon and leave for about 1 minute (no more).

5. Pour over the sake and cover with a lid. The sake may spit a bit so just be warned!

6. Reduce heat and leave to cook for about 4-5 minutes.

7. Take off the lid and pour over the mirin and soy sauce. Simmer for a few minutes, making sure to turn the fish and spoon the sauce over the top once or twice so the flavours gets all over.

8. Take out the salmon, add sesame seeds to the pan and then let the sauce reduce down for about a minute or two. You don’t want it too thick otherwise it will stick to the pan. If it looks like it might be too thick then add a little extra sake or water to help thin it out.

9. Once the sauce is to a suitable viscosity for your preference put the salmon in and coat with the sauce.

10. Serve!

いただきます

Tip: If you’re using chicken be sure to brown your chicken before step 5.

I served mine on a bed of about 135g of  brown rice that I had defrosted (yes I freeze my rice! More information on that cost-saving and time-saving trick soon!) with some salted ribbons of cucumber on top.