Off day: ひとりごはん

Today I didn't cook from a magazine, because it was too difficult to find any that are low-residue. But, then I realized I could have rice and fish, and maybe some clear soup (miso is out). Actually, Japanese food is fairly low-residue. Not to say that fruits and vegetables aren't a big part of the diet, but maybe it's just more likely to have a bowl of rice, a bowl of soup, a protein dish, and a veggie dish all separately instead of a one-pot meal that really relies on garlic, onions, and other things for flavor. Indeed, while none of my other magazine recipes fit the bill, I found several dishes in ちゃんと食べたいひとりごはん that were either fiber-free or at least easily adaptable.

I used to love cooking from this book when I was in Japan.

The title roughly translates into something like "I want to eat something legit: meals for one." It has an introduction that explains about how to shop and use your freezer etc. to minimize waste, and it's full of meal ideas for one or two servings that are real meals (and suggestions for repurposing leftovers). Chapters include: "I just want to eat something right away," "I want to eat a lot of vegetables," "I really want to eat some meat or fish," "Feel-good Japanese food,""Snacks for when you want to drink just a little bit,""Weekend classics ," and "Cooking for guests." It's got a lot of the Japanese standards like gyudon, yakiudon, nabeyaki udon, tonjiru, pork shougayaki, goya chanpuru, nikujaga, karaage, hamburg steak, saba misoyaki, chikuzenni. And also some surprises like paella. 

Anyway, it's a very sweet book, with a picture of the author who is an adorable lady who looks like your mother (if you were Japanese) who just wishes you (who moved out and is in your twenties and haven't married yet) would have some miso soup and grilled fish at home instead of eating ramen or yoshinoya every night.

And the pictures are very beautiful too. I never learned the word for it (if there is one), but there is definitely this specific Japanese fashion style that is all about wearing neutral colors, soft fabrics, etc. and this book goes with that aesthetic.

Today I made:

• Teriyaki salmon
• Egg-drop soup
• White rice

The salmon looks a little singed, doesn't it? This is because I skipped the step where you pat it dry from the marinade before putting it in the pan. So, the sauce (1/2 Tbs each mirin, sake, and soy sauce) immediately burnt. Then later you add 2 tsp soy sauce and 1 tsp sugar, which you let caramelize a bit. Again, I wasn't fast enough so it immediately charred. Still tasted good, though. The soup is just 1 c dashi broth with 1 tsp sake, 1/2 tsp soy sauce, and then 2/3 tsp cornstarch (melted into 1.5 tsp cold water) gets drizzled in. (Actually, it calls for 片栗粉, which is potato starch I guess, but it seemed to work just subbing cornstarch exactly). Then, a beaten egg gets drizzled in.

This would have been a good low-residue meal too! Yummm... I'll save it for next time :)