Dinner 晩御飯

 

Tonight I cooked my first meal in my apartment. 

It's been a hectic two days of starting work, getting business cards made, getting furniture delivered, acquiring groceries, and generally settling into life. I've been eating from the convenience store, something that I would not consider in any other country, but which is pretty acceptable and relatively healthy here. Of course, I'm concerned about chemicals and processed additives, and generally prefer to cook my own food, so it felt really good to be in the kitchen.

I started simple with a Tuna Rice Bowl- white rice, egg, tuna, soy sauce, and mirin stir fried together and then topped with Japanese mayo and cut nori. I cheated and bought the hijiki side dish prepared from the market. This simple rice bowl is a staple in our house in the US, and makes a great lunch. Plus, it's a nice base to which a variety of vegetables can be added.

 

 

Tuna Rice Bowl how to:

For one person, I generally make 1 cup of rice, which gives me a meal plus leftovers. This amount also works to make a portion for myself and one for my small kiddo. The dish highlights rice, so it really needs to be a quality sushi rice.

Once the rice is completed (in a rice cooker), heat a small amount of vegetable oil in a skillet or wok pan.

Crack one egg into the pan and add a dash of mirin. Scramble for a brief second and add a can of tuna (preferably flake, no salt, packed in water). I often make this dish without the tuna as well.

Before the egg sets, add the cooked rice and a few dashes of soy sauce to taste. Turn the heat off and mix everything together.

Serve with the topping of your choice- I like plain nori, but any furikake will do, and there are a variety readily found at any Japanese market, or you could make it yourself (here). I also like Japanese mayo (kewpie!), as it provides a bit of tang, and helps to keep everything together.