Take Out Tuesday--Week 10

Agedashi Tofu (揚げ出し豆腐; あげだしとうふ) is firm, silken soybean curd that has been coated with potato starch and deep fried, so it forms a crispy outer shell. However, when the agedashi tofu is submerged in hot tentsuyu broth, the crisp exterior of the deep fried tofu absorbs the subtle sweet soy broth and the warm tofu becomes extra silky and melt-in-your-mouth soft in this classic Japanese dish.

The broth is usually a flavorful dashi, mirin, and soy sauce mixture. Grated daikon, minced scallion, shredded seaweed, and grated ginger are placed on top as garnishes.

Age (揚げ; あげ) means deep fried, while dashi（出汁; だし）represents a style of Japanese broth and stocks made from kelp (konbu; 昆布) or bonito (katsuobushi; 鰹節).

This dish has been popular since Edo period (1603-1868), as it was featured in a 1782 Japanese all-tofu cookbook called Tofu Hyakuchin (“One hundred Tofu”).

Today, people can find agedashi tofu at izakaya style bars and restaurants. It is also a popular dish to enjoy at home, especially during colder weather.

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Enjoy agedashi tofu take-out from:

• Café Kubo’s [map]

• Izakaya WA: River Oaks [map] or Memorial Dr. [map]

• Nippon Japanese Restaurant [map] (open Wed-Sun)

• Sasaki [map]

• Sushi Jin [map]

• Teppay [map]

• Yakitori Gunso [map]

• Zen Japanese Izakaya [map]

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 9

The Japanese were making desserts for centuries before sugar was even widely available in the country. While many Japanese desserts can be traced back for hundreds of years, modern-day sweets have gained wide-spread popularity. 

As it can be difficult to decide on what to indulge in with so many options, this week's "Take-Out Tuesday" highlights must-try Japanese sweets that are available in Houston.

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Cream Puffs

Originally a French pastry, cream puffs, known as shu-kuri-mu シュークリーム in Japan, are an incredibly popular dessert. The outside is baked so that it develops a slightly crispy crust while the center remains almost hollow. After baking, the shells are stuffed with flavored cream, custard or jelly.

Image by Beard Papa

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Crepes

Another French pastry that grew to be amazingly popular in Japan is the crepe. The thin crepes typically made with rice flour are cooked on round griddles before they are filled with everything from fruit and spreads to ice-cream and even cake!

Image by Eight Turn Crepe

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Matcha Soft Serve

Soft serve or ソフトクリーム is one of the best treats one can indulge in on a hot, humid day in Japan. While every region has its own specialty flavor(s), a favorite everyone can agree on is matcha. While wonderful on its own, this dessert is popular in iced drinks, snow-cones, and crepes.

Image by Matcha Cafe Maiko

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Image by Shun Kitchen

Soufflé Pancakes

Most Americans consider pancakes to be a special breakfast, but in Japan, pancakes are served as desserts. However, these pancakes are not wide and flat. Rather, they are quite tall and jiggly. Soufflé pancakes are popular in Japan for their fluffy texture and wobbly movements when one shakes the plate. Often served with fruit, powdered sugar, and syrup, these pancakes are delicious.

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Enjoy some of our favorite Japanese sweets through carryout or delivery from:

• Beard Papa’s: Katy [map] or Bellaire [map]

• Eight Turn Crepe [map]

• Matcha Café Maiko [map]

• Shun (Every Sunday) [map]

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 8

Soba (蕎麦) is made from buckwheat flour and water, occasionally adding a bit of whole-wheat flour to keep the noodles from falling apart.

Depending on the season, soba is served either chilled with dipping sauce or in hot broth as a noodle soup. Cold soba is served on a bamboo tray called a zaru, thereby giving it the name zaru soba (ざる蕎麦). Zaru soba is served with green onion, seaweed, and wasabi. Hot soba has many variations such as tsukimi (egg), sansei (vegetable) and kamo -nanban (duck).

The tradition of eating soba in noodle form arose in the Edo period (1603-1868). Soba was most readily available in Tokyo street stalls for a casual meal. However, as it was discovered that soba was rich in Vitamin B and could prevent beriberi, soba consumption grew and spread throughout Japan.

Currently, soba noodles can be found everywhere from Japanese "fast food" establishments to expensive specialty restaurants. Markets sell dried noodles and men-tsuyu (instant noodle broth) to make home preparation easy as making soba by hand is an intensely complicated process that artisans spend years studying. The absolute best soba is made in small batches and sold fresh.

Japanese people customarily slurp when they eat soba. This is believed to help cool the noodles down, but it is also a way of showing just how much you are enjoying your meal. 

Get soba to-go or have it delivered to your home from:

• Izakaya Wa (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Kata Robata

• NIPPON Restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Sasaki Japanese Restaurant

• Sushi Jin

• Teppay

• Uchi

• Zen Japanese Izakaya

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 7

Sushi (寿司) is one of the first foods that spring to mind when we think about Japanese cuisine.

This delicacy was one of the first Japanese dishes to be exported to the U.S. after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, and since then, the popularity of sushi has made it a part of the everyday American diet.

For the Japanese, sushi is still considered a special meal. As the character 寿 (ことぶき; kotobuki) is used to represent celebration, Japanese people tend to reserve sushi for special occasions.

Sushi is often ordered for delivery for large gatherings such as birthdays, graduations and important events. Served on big round platters, the appearance of sushi gives any dinner table a festive feel.

The word ‘sushi’ itself refers to any dish made with Japanese rice that has been seasoned with rice vinegar.

And sushi comes in many different forms:

• Nigiri (small molded rice mounds with fish or other ingredients placed on top)

• Chirashi Zushi (seafood spread over sushi rice)

• Gunkan Zushi (seafood in small cups made of sushi rice and seaweed)

• Inari Zushi (sushi rice stuffed inside pockets of seasoned fried tofu)

• Maki Zushi (sushi rolls)

• Temaki Zushi (hand rolls of sushi rice, seafood and more in cones made of seaweed)

Celebrate Children’s Day with sushi! And don’t forgot Mother’s Day is just around the corner!

Get sushi to-go or have it delivered to your home from:

• Cafe Kubo’s Sushi

• Kata Robata

• NIPPON Restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Sasaki Japanese Restaurant

• SHUN (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Sushi Jin

• Teppay

• Uchi

• Zen Japanese Izakaya

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 6

Katsu (かつ orカツ) is a crispy fried cutlet of meat or seafood made with Japanese panko breadcrumbs and then served with Japanese Worcestershire sauce (katsu sauce) and mustard.

The name katsu, which is a shortened form of katsuretsu (カツレツ), which means cutlet. Inspired by the French dish “côtelette de veau” (pan-fried veal cutlet coated in breadcrumbs, katsu is one of many Western foods that, after a little modification, has become a key part of Japanese cuisine.

Its origins are said to date back to the Meiji Era and a Tokyo restaurant that wanted to offer a European-style meat cutlets with a Japanese flair. Now, katsu can be found everywhere from convenience store takeaway bento boxes, to yoshoku (Western-style Japanese food) eateries and katsu specialty restaurants. A highly versatile meal, katsu is served in everything from curry to sandwiches.

While a variety of katsu are available, the most popular type of katsu is made with pork, called tonkatsu (とんかつ). Other options include chicken, minced meat, beef, and seafood.

Today, many Japanese students eat katsu before a major test, exam, or sporting event because the word katsu (かつ; cutlet) is a homonym of katsu (勝つ； to win) and it is believed that eating katsu will bring the students victory.

Get katsu to-go or have it delivered to your home from:

• NIPPON Restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• SHUN + Yakitori Gunso (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Cafe Kubo’s Sushi

• Zen Japanese Izakaya

• Sasaki Japanese Restaurant

• Sushi Jin

• Go Go Curry

• Ramen Tatsuya

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 5

Takoyaki (たこ焼き) is a dish that involves baking chunky pieces of octopus and green onion in batter. Tako (たこ) means octopus and yaki (焼; やき) means baked in Japanese. This is one of Osaka’s quintessential favorites and is also a popular street food snack across Japan.

Like many of Osaka’s favorite dishes, takoyaki uses a wheat flour batter for its base. The practice of using this batter to supplement the people’s diets was common in Japan, especially during food shortages. In places like Osaka, people cooked the batter in pans with spherical depressions to create round snacks called choboyaki.

Around 1935, a choboyaki seller named Endo Tomekichi was experimenting with adding different ingredients to his choboyaki, one of which was octopus. After successfully creating the perfect balance of batter and octopus, he opened a shop called Aizuya Umeda, which still sells takoyaki made with the original recipe today.

Takoyaki’s distinctive spherical shape is created by rotating the batter using a special pan called a takoyaki-ki (たこ焼き器) which has eight or more half circle depressions built in.  Once the pan is heated, it is then filled with minced or diced octopus and batter. Additional fillings usually include crunchy tenkasu tempura scraps, pickled ginger and green onion. The finished takoyaki is then topped with takoyaki sauce (which is very similar to Worcestershire sauce), Japanese mayonnaise, dried aonori seaweed, and bonito flakes. 

Get takoyaki to-go or have it delivered to your home from:

• NIPPON Restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Zen Japanese Izakaya

• JINYA Ramen Bar

• YAKITORI Dining Gunso

• Cafe Kubo’s Sushi

• Yokushi Robata

• Samurai Noodle Houston

• Ramen Bar Ichi

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 4

Karaage (唐揚げ) (pronounced ka-ra-ah-geh) is a Japanese dish that utilizes a specific cooking technique in which various vegetables or proteins—but most often chicken—are deep fried and served piping hot.

The name is said to come from the fact that meats and veggies are fried with a simple coating of flour or starch and not with a batter.

While the exact origins of the dish are under speculation, this style of frying grew in popularity during the 1920s as dividing proteins into smaller portions came to be seen as a way to work around food shortages.

Historically, the term Karaage referred to any ingredient that was coated with flour or starch and then deep fried without being seasoned.

However, some refer to it the fried dish as Tatsutaage (竜田揚げ). To the east of Osaka, there is a river called Tatsutagawa (竜田川), which is famed for the beautiful autumn foliage that surrounds it. When chicken is marinated in soy sauce before being coated in starch and fried, it turns the color of autumn leaves which is how Tastutaage is said to have gotten its name. In modern parlance, the two names are used interchangeably, and while there may be some regional preferences, Karaage is the more commonly used of the two.

The most popular type of karaage is made with chicken. Considered Japanese soul food, chicken karaage can be found anywhere in Japan.  From street-side stalls and convenience stores to bars and restaurants. It can easily be made at home, too, and is a bento lunch box staple!

The process of making karaage involves marinating bite-sized pieces of meat, usually with garlic, ginger and soy sauce,  before lightly coating them with flour or starch and frying them in a light oil. Karaage is often served with a lemon wedge and a side of mayonnaise.

Get karaage to-go or have it delivered to your home from:

• NIPPON Restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Shun Japanese Kitchen (open Wednesday-Sunday)

• Zen Japanese Izakaya

• Genji Japanese Restaurant and Karaoke Bar

• YAKITORI Dining Gunso

• Cafe Kubo’s Sushi

• Pepper Lunch

• Samurai Noodle Houston

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 3

Tempura（ 天ぷら）is a Japanese dish consisting of battered and deep-fried seafood and vegetables with emphasis placed on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

It is said that this style of cooking was introduced to Japan by Portuguese merchants and missionaries living in Nagasaki during the 16th century. In fact, the name "tempura" originates from the Latin word tempora, a term referring to times of fasting during Lent or Ember Days (Britannica).

This dish owes much of its popularity and success to the rise of the yatai food stall culture.  The stalls were originally set up on riversides to ensure access to fresh fish and ample amounts of cold water needed for the batter. 

As such, it became a popular snack that was served between meals. Tokugawa Ieyasu, the first shogun of Japan, reportedly loved it. Some even say, with exaggeration, that he died from eating too much tempura.

The base for tempura batter is a light, low gluten flour mixed with ice-cold water.  The cold water is said to create the crispy crunch that tempura is known for today.  Some chefs also add egg yolk, spices, and baking powder or soda.

The seafood that creates the best tempura is usually shrimp or white fish. Vegetables commonly used include onions, potatoes, sweet potatoes, shiitake mushrooms, kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), green peppers and carrots. A round fritter of mixed vegetables and seafood called kaki-age is another favorite.

The sauces and condiments served with tempura vary depending on the location. For example, in the Kansai region, tempura is served with salt—either plain sea salt or aromatic salts flavored with matcha, sansho pepper, or nori seaweed. Alternatively, in the Kanto region, tempura is served with tentsuyu, a dipping sauce made from dashi broth, mirin, and soy sauce. Tempura can also be served oroshi style with grated daikon radish and ponzu, a citrus and soy-based sauce.

Tempura is also often served on top of udon or soba noodles or in donburi style on top of rice.

Get tempura To-Go or have it delivered to your home from: SHUN (open Wednesday-Sunday), NIPPON restaurant (open Wednesday-Sunday), Zen Japanese Izakaya, Café Kubo’s, Sasaki Japanese Restaurant, and Sushi Jin.

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 2

Yakisoba (焼きそば) is a classic Japanese dish made from noodles stir-fried with vegetables and a protein and flavored with a sauce that is both sweet and savory.

“Yaki” (焼き) in Japanese means grilled and “Soba” (そば) in Japanese means buckwheat.  However, contrary to what you might assume from the name, yakisoba does not contain buckwheat soba noodles. The noodles used in the dish are chukamen made from wheat and are more closely related to ramen noodles.

Typically you will find the noodles tossed with carrots, onions, cabbage and pork. The dish is then topped with beni-shoga (red pickled ginger), aonori (seaweed flakes), and Japanese mayonnaise.

A relatively easy to prepare meal, yakisoba has quickly become a favorite food stall item for school events, festivals, and snack stalls.

Long a popular dish for children owing to yakisoba being sold in dagashi (candy and snack) shops, its international popularity grew from U.S. soldiers stationed in Japan in the 1950s.  These soldiers enjoyed the quick and filling meal found in local mom and pop snack shops.

As it was common practice to serve yakisoba with a side dish of bread, one restaurant suggested that patrons combine the two.  Patrons began piling the noodles into a roll and eating it like a hotdog, giving rise to “Yakisoba-Pan” (焼きそばパン).  The convenient Yakisoba-Pan can now be found in convenience stores and bakeries.

At this time in the Houston area, you can order this tasty dish to-go through Nippon (Wed-Sun), Zen Japanese Izakaya, GENJI, and Café Kubo’s, to name a few.

Let’s continue to support local Japanese restaurants!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Take Out Tuesday--Week 1

Japanese curry (カレー) is usually served with rice, so It is also called  "curry rice" (カレーライス) (kare raisu).  Hugely popular in Japan, it is the stuff of Japanese school lunches and quick weeknight dinners.  It is often the first cooking lesson for Japanese children in their home-economics classes.

Curry Rice is Japanese comfort food at its very best!

Legend has it that curry was first introduced to Japan by a shipwrecked British sailor in the Meiji Era (1868-1912), according to Dr. Merry White, a Boston University anthropology professor whose work explores Japanese food culture.  This was a time that coincided with British colonial rule over India, and the Brits adapted curry for use on the high seas so as to avoid alienating any particular battalion with an adaptation of a regional English dish. 

Considered a Western food because of its British introduction, the Japanese adjusted the flavors to suit their own palate.

The difference between Indian curry and Japanese curry lies in the curry powder. Indian curry requires a mixture of spices, whereas Japanese curry only uses curry powder which rooted from a British recipe.

The usual ingredients in Japanese curry include potatoes, carrots, onions and a choice of pork, chicken, or beef.

The sauce itself is usually made from curry powder, flour, oil, and other spices to create a roux before adding meat and vegetables and simmered to thicken. The typical Japanese curry is not only thicker in texture, but also sweeter and less spicy than its Indian counterpart.

You will often find a dish of curry rice garnished with fukujinzuke, a slightly sweet mix of pickles, or rakkyo, pickled Japanese scallions.

The dish’s popularity has spread to creations beyond curry rice.  Curry can be found with udon noodles, inside bread, and poured over crispy chicken or pork katsu.

In the Houston area, you can experience delicious Japanese curry rice, available for take-out at Nippon, Shun, Izakaya-Wa, Zen Japanese Izakaya, Yakitori Gunso, Go!Go Curry, and Pepper Lunch, to name a few.

Let’s support Japanese restaurants on this #GreatAmericanTakeout day!

—by GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura

Welcome to Take Out Tuesday

Welcome to the start of #TakeOutTuesday!

The restaurant industry is taking a major hit right now as leaders continue to try and slow the spread of COVID-19.

Restaurants, including Japanese restaurants in our community, have been limited to take out and delivery only as their dining rooms are forced to close.

In effort to encourage support of the Japanese restaurants in our area that are working tirelessly to ensure Houston continues to have the finest in traditional and modern Japanese cuisine, we will be taking to the WEB to foster a newfound appreciation for Japanese cooking and culture.

Japanese cuisine (和食, washoku) offers an abundance of gastronomical delights with a boundless variety of regional and seasonal dishes, as well as inventive adaptations.

Get weekly Japanese food recommendations here from GEN-J Facilitator Keiko Tsubokura!