La Fuji Mama

May 16

2013

Shoyu Koji Shrimp Macaroni Gratin

in Japanese, Main Course, Mushrooms, Rice & Noodles, Seafood

Shrimp Macaroni Gratin

I’ve talked about yoshoku (a dish that is a Japanese take on a Western dish) before, and the Japanese gratin is a great example of this. Gratin originated in French cuisine and is any dish that is topped with cheese or breadcrumbs, mixed with bits of butter, then heated in an oven or under the broiler to form a golden crispy crust on top. The most common Japanese gratin is one made with macaroni, chicken and vegetables in a white sauce with cheese on top, though my favorite is made with shrimp instead of chicken. I recently whipped up a batch, but used my new favorite secret weapon: shoyu koji. [Read More…]

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May 14

2013

Japanese Braised Pork Belly (Buta no Kakuni)

in Japanese, Japanese Kitchen Basics, Main Course, Meat

Japanese Braised Pork Belly

Buta no kakuni, Japanese braised pork belly, is one of those dishes that makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Tender, juicy chunks of pork belly that have been braised until tender and glazed in a braising liquid made from dashi (Japanese sea stock), mirin, sugar, and soy sauce. [Read More…]

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Jam Sessions

When I was in the fourth grade, my family moved into a new house across town. The house had a steep slope that started at the far edge of the backyard and dropped down to another street. Dirt trails switched back and forth across the hill, making it possible to reach different sections of the [...]

We have had a full week at the Fuji house, including multiple trips to Home Depot, a garden, Disneyland, a visit with Noah’s Ark, and an unfortunate Kindergarten classroom incident: 1. Last Friday we finally got going on this year’s garden. After a family trip to Home Depot, the Fujilings and I spent time in our [...]

A couple of months ago my mom and I ran a 5k in Irvine. This was the first 5k I had run in almost 12 years, and my mom’s first ever 5k. Needless to say, we were a bit proud of ourselves. We celebrated afterwards with a visit to my favorite bakery, 85°C Bakery Cafe. [...]

A fried egg, with a perfectly runny yolk, is one of my favorite comfort foods. I personally think that adding a fried egg to a dish means doubling your pleasure.

Who knew that I would taste the best lemonade I’d ever tasted in the middle of a strawberry field in Oxnard, California? Random, I know, but those tend to be the best discoveries! The Fuji family was invited by the California Strawberry Commission (CSC) on an “I Heart CA Strawberries” Blogger Field Trip with a [...]

This past week has been an odd one, but I did have an amazing weekend, which is what I want to share some little bites from! 1. Last weekend I attended Big Traveling Potluck, a conference organized by Pam Anderson and Maggy of Three Many Cooks, and Erika of The Ivory Hut. The conference was [...]

Miss Piggy once said, “After all the trouble you go to, you get about as much actual “food” out of eating an artichoke as you would from licking 30 or 40 postage stamps.” Growing up I always looked forward to the days when my mom came home from the store with a bag of artichokes. [...]

With Mother’s Day quickly approaching, I wanted to share a savory yogurt parfait that is so simple that even your kids could whip it up. (Just think breakfast in bed for mom!) The parfait will leave you feeling refreshed and ready to face the day.

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