FeliceMadeThis

Japanese Corn Potage (Corn Soup)

Felice Takamatsu — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 07:56:13 +0000

Japanese corn soup, also known as corn potage, is a popular comfort food in Japan. The soup is an example of yōshoku, Western-style dishes adopted into the Japanese culinary canon. Many Japanese people have a nostalgic feeling evoking childhood memories of corn potage because it is often included on children’s menus. Corn potage is so popular that it can be found sold in vending machines.

This is a really simple recipe and I hope you give this a try. I highly recommend enjoying the soup with some fresh homemade bread. Yum!

Japanese Corn Potage (Corn Soup)

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

Half of a medium onion, diced
2 Tablespoons, unsalted butter (vegan option: vegetable oil)
2 Tablespoons all purpose flour
1.5 cups water
2 cup corn kernels (fresh, frozen, or canned)
1 cup of milk (vegan option: soy milk)
Salt, to taste
Optional toppings: Olive oil, fresh or dried parsley, fresh cracked black pepper

Directions

Heat up a sauce pan over medium heat, add 2 Tablespoons butter and diced onion. Cook until soft and translucent.
Add 2 Tablespoons all purpose flour and cook until flour has turned a light golden brown.
Add 1.5 cups water and mix to combine with onions and flour. Bring to simmer until it thickens, takes about 5 minutes.
Add in corn kernels, mix and let simmer for 10 minutes.
Turn the heat off blend the mixture using either a immersion blender or regular blender.
Add in 1 cup of milk, mix to combine.
Taste soup and add salt to your liking.
At this point you can serve the soup as is. I call this the “chunky” version.
For the “smooth” version: pour soup mixture through a fine mesh strainer.
Serve soup topped with the classic dried parsley. Other options – olive oil, fresh cracked black pepper, fresh parsley.

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Filipino Beef Tapa

Felice Takamatsu — Sat, 22 Jun 2024 21:50:19 +0000

This is a recipe for a popular Filipino breakfast meat typically served with garlic fried rice and fried eggs.

Filipino Beef Tapa

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Breakfast, Lunch, DinnerCuisine: FilipinoDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

0.5 pound sliced beef (flank, NY strip, ribeye, skirt), cut about a quarter inch thick
1.5 Tablespoons soy sauce
1.5 Tablespoons vinegar
0.5 Tablespoon sugar
2 Tablespoons garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon neutral oil (plus more for cooking)
Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
Pinch of salt

Directions

Combine 1.5 Tbsp soy sauce and vinegar, 0.5 Tbsp sugar, 2 Tbsps garlic, 1 Tbsp neutral oil, and salt and pepper in a medium bowl.
Next, add in the thinly sliced beef into the bowl and combine with the marinade. Cover and marinate in the fridge for at least 12 hours (up to 24 hours).
When ready to cook, heat up a cast iron pan over medium high heat and add in about a tablespoon of neutral oil.
Once the oil is shimmering, add in the beef in a single layer and cook until golden brown on one side then flip over to cook the other side – about 2 minutes per side. You can do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan.
Serve hot with garlic rice, a fried egg, and some spicy vinegar for dipping.

The post Filipino Beef Tapa appeared first on FeliceMadeThis.

Butter Shoyu Tuna Spaghetti

Felice Takamatsu — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 23:52:24 +0000

Here is a spaghetti recipe using Japanese flavors. One of my all time favorite meals that I make weekly.

Butter Shoyu Tuna Spaghetti

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

1 can tuna (yellowtail or albacore) in oil
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
½ cup mushrooms (i.e., cremini, shimeji, shiitake, etc.), cleaned and sliced/torn into bite-sized pieces
2 ounces of dry spaghetti noodles
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 Tbsp soy sauce
Fresh cracked black pepper
Seasoned nori seaweed snacks, thinly sliced

Directions

Cook Pasta: Bring a pot of water to boil and add salt. Boil the pasta for 2 minutes less than what the package directions say.
In a separate frying pan over medium heat, add olive oil and garlic. Cook until garlic is fragrant and starting to soften.
Add in the mushrooms and sauté until mushrooms have browned. At this point, add more olive oil if needed.
When the pasta is almost done and the mushrooms have browned, melt the butter into the mushrooms.
Add the soy sauce and a scoop of the starchy pasta water. Mix this vigorously to emulsify the butter with the liquids.
Add in the tuna, just enough to heat through.
Transfer the pasta to the pan and toss to coat evenly with the sauce. Continue adding the pasta water as it gets absorbed until the pasta is cooked to your liking and is coated in a thin layer of the creamy sauce.
Garnish with nori (seaweed) and serve immediately.

Recipe Video

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Yakisoba

Felice Takamatsu — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:51:49 +0000

Yakisoba, which translates to “fried noodle”, is a Japanese noodle stir-fried dish.

Yakisoba

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, Dinner, BreakfastCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

3 servings of yakisoba noodles (usually comes in a 3 pack)
1/2 small onion, sliced
1/4 cabbage, chopped
2 green onions, chopped
1/2 pound of thin sliced pork belly
Yakisoba Sauce
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
4 tsp oyster sauce
4 tsp ketchup
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp sugar

Directions

In a small bowl combine the 2 tsp sugar, 2 tsp soy sauce, 4 tsp ketchup, 4 tsp oyster sauce, and 1/4 cup of worcestershire sauce. Mix to combine.
Set sauce aside and prep your vegetables: onions, cabbage, and green onions. You can use any vegetables you have on hand.
Cut thin sliced pork belly into 1 inch pieces.
Prep noodles by loosening them up in a colander under running warm water
Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat. Add in pork belly and cook until browned and fat has rendered.
Add onions and cabbage and cook until they have softened a bit but is still tender.
Add noodles, sauce and green onions. Mix until the sauce is evenly distributed and all ingredients are well distributed.
To serve top with aonori (seaweed flakes) and benishoga (red pickled ginger).

Recipe Video

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Toshikoshi Soba

Felice Takamatsu — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 05:18:24 +0000

Japanese noodle bowl dish eaten on New Year’s Eve. Eating this dish before midnight is supposed to bring long life and prosperity in the year ahead.

Toshikoshi Soba

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: JapaneseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

3 cups dashi
1 Tbsp sake
2 Tbsp mirin
2 Tbsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp salt
1 bunch soba noodles
1 green onion, thinly sliced
Optional: kamaboko, wakame, togarashi

Directions

For the broth: In a small sauce pan, combine: 3 cups dashi, 1 Tbsp sake, 2 Tbsp mirin, 2 Tbsp soy sauce, and 1/4 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer and let simmer for about 5 minutes. Then cover pot and set aside.
For the noodles: In another pot, bring 3 cups of water to a rolling boil. Once boiling, add in soba noodles and cook according to package directions.
Once time is done, drain noodles and rinse to remove the extra starch.
Combine noodles and broth in a bowl and top with toppings.

Recipe Video

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Caldereta

Felice Takamatsu — Tue, 22 Aug 2023 03:09:30 +0000

Caldereta is essentially Filipino Beef Stew. And of course you eat it with rice.

Caldereta

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: FIlipinoDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

hours

Ingredients

2 pounds beef chuck, cut into large chunks
1 onion, chopped
4-6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2-3 bay leaves
8 oz can tomato sauce
4 tablespoons tomato paste
4.25 oz can liver spread (alternate: use peanut butter)
2 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1/2 cup pickles, chopped into bite size pieces
4 oz pitted green olives
Neutral oil (i.e. canola or vegetable)
Kosher salt and fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 red pepper flakes (optional)

Directions

Heat a heavy bottom pot over medium high heat, coat the bottom of the pan with oil.
Season beef with salt and pepper. Add beef into pot, leaving room between pieces. Sear for about 2 minutes per side until browned on all sides. Note: work in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pan. Once seared on all sides, remove beef and set aside.
Add red bell pepper to pot and lightly blister. Remove and set aside.
Add in potatoes and sear until browned on all sides. Remove and set aside.

(If you have an air fryer you can air fry the potatoes as well @ 400° F for about 20 minutes, tossing half way through.)
Add in a tablespoon of oil into the pot and add onions and garlic. Cook until soft.
Add in tomato paste and cook until it becomes a brick red color. If using, add in red pepper flakes. Add beef back into the pot.
Add tomato sauce, equal amount of water, 2-3 bay leaves, 2 tablespoon sugar, 1 tablespoon fish sauce. Mix to combine and bring to a boil.
Lower heat to medium, cover pot and let simmer for 1.5 – 2 hours until beef is fork tender. As it is simmering, check periodically and skim fat as it rises to the top.
Once beef is tender, add in potatoes, red bell peppers, pickles, green olives, and liver spread. Stir everything together and cook for another 5 minutes.
Serve with fresh white rice.

Notes

Caldereta makes great left overs and tastes even better the next day.

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Chamorro Red Rice (Instant Pot Recipe)

Felice Takamatsu — Sat, 15 Jul 2023 18:51:26 +0000

This is my version of an important part of any fiesta plate on Guam.

Chamorro Red Rice (Instant Pot)

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Chamorro, GuamanianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

You can scale the recipe up or down depending on how many servings you need. The basic ratio is: equal amounts of bacon slices, water, and uncooked rice (i.e. 1 slice of bacon and 1 cup of water for every cup of uncooked rice)

Ingredients

1 medium onion, diced
1 Tablespoon neutral oil (i.e. canola or vegetable)
5 slices of bacon, chopped (you can omit the bacon if you choose to make this vegetarian)
5 cups medium grain rice, rinsed
1 Tablespoon annatto powder (if using Mama Sita’s Annatto Powder – use the whole package 10g)
1 Tablespoon garlic powder
4 teaspoons Kosher salt
5 cups of water

Directions

Set Instant Pot to saute heat oil and cook bacon until crispy.
Add onions and saute until softened.
Add garlic powder and annatto powder.
Add the rice and mix everything.
Add water and salt, stir to combine.
Place the Instant Pot lid on, seal and set to Rice mode (12 minute cook time is the default).
Once the timer goes off, release the steam and carefully open the lid. Mix up rice and stir to combine.
Serve with Finadene and Chamorro BBQ!

The post Chamorro Red Rice (Instant Pot Recipe) appeared first on FeliceMadeThis.

Baked Mac and Cheese

Felice Takamatsu — Wed, 21 Jun 2023 23:51:08 +0000

Who doesn’t love noodles and cheese?!

Baked Mac and Cheese

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Here is an easy mac and cheese recipe. The original recipe is Joanna Gaines’ recipe which I added my own modifications to.

Ingredients

Kosher salt
16 ounces fusilli corti bucati, cavatappi, or elbow macaroni
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
8 ounces processed cheese, such as Velveeta or cream cheese, cut into 1-inch cubes
8 ounces Trader Joe’s Cheddar & Gruyère Mèlange (or just Gruyère) cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
8 ounces white or yellow Cheddar cheese, grated (about 2 cups)
1 1/2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Cook the macaroni until al dente according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly and transfer to a large bowl.
Meanwhile, position a rack in the top third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a small saucepan, combine the cream, milk, and butter and heat over medium-low heat until warm and the butter is melted. Pour over the pasta. Add the Velveeta or cream cheese, 1 1/2 cups of Gruyère cheese, 1 1/2 cups Cheddar cheese, mustard, nutmeg, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon salt and stir until well combined.
Pour the pasta into a baking dish and spread evenly. Top with the remaining Gruyère and Cheddar cheese. Bake until the cheese is melted, about 25 minutes.
Remove the baked mac and cheese from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.

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Filipino Toyomansi Pork Chops

Felice Takamatsu — Tue, 23 May 2023 02:39:29 +0000

Toyomansi is a classic Filipino condiment made of soy sauce (toyo) and calamansi (mansi). This marinade is delicious and the chops can be cooked stove top, on the grill, in the oven, or in the air fryer.

Filipino Toyomansi Pork Chops

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: FilipinoDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Marination time

1-4

hours

Toyomansi Pork Chops are Filipino-style pork marinated in soy sauce, calamansi juice, and garlic. I like using bone-in pork chops as they are more flavorful.

Ingredients

6 center loin cut, bone-in, ½-inch thick pork chops
½ cup toyomansi soy sauce
4 cloves of garlic, minced
¼ teaspoon black pepper

Directions

Rinse the pork chops and pat dry. Season with pepper to taste.
In a bowl, combine soy sauce, calamansi juice, garlic, and black pepper.
Add pork chops, massaging marinade onto meat. Cover with with plastic wrap (or transfer into a resealable bag). Marinate in refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.
Stove-top: Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat, heat oil until hot but not smoking.
Grill/Oven/Air Fryer: Pre-heat to 360°F.
Drain pork chops well and pat dry, discarding marinade.
Stove-top: Add to hot oil in a single layer and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes or until nicely seared. Turn to the other side and continue to cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until nicely seared and a thermometer in the center reads 145ºF. Remove from pan and let rest for about 2 to 3 minutes before slicing.
Grill/Oven/Air Fryer: Layer pork chops in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching. Cook pork chops for 8-12 minutes, flipping the pork chops over halfway though the cooking time, until they are golden brown and at least 145ºF in the center of the thickest part (use an instant-read meat thermometer to check internal temperature).
Let rest for about 2 to 3 minutes before slicing.

The post Filipino Toyomansi Pork Chops appeared first on FeliceMadeThis.

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry

Felice Takamatsu — Sun, 07 May 2023 08:49:13 +0000

Beef & Broccoli Stir-Fry is one of my favorite dishes. This is an updated version of a recipe I posted back in 2021 (I have deleted the old version). This new version is still an easy one but includes some extra ingredients and steps to help you get the most tender and delicious beef. This is a must try!

Beef Broccoli/Broccoli Beef

Recipe by Felice TakamatsuCourse: Lunch, DinnerCuisine: Asian American, ChineseDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Ingredients

12 oz flank steak, sliced against the grain
1 lb broccoli, cut into florets
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece ginger, minced
1/2 small onion, sliced
1 green onion stem, sliced
4 oz button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 carrot, thinly sliced
4 Tbsp canola oil
1 tsp sesame oil
Beef Marinade
1 tsp baking soda
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 Tbsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp cooking wine
1 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp white pepper
Sauce
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
1 tsp light soy sauce
1 tsp dark soy sauce
1 tsp sugar
1 Tbsp cooking wine
1 tsp corn starch
1 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp white pepper

Directions

Slice the beef thinly against the grain. Rinse the meat in room temperature water, massage to “wash” it. Drain and set in colander to continue draining while you prepare the marinade.
For the marinade: In medium bowl, add baking soda (1 tsp), oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), soy sauce (1 Tbsp), cooking wine (1 Tbsp), cornstarch (1 Tbsp), water (2 Tbsp), sugar (1 tsp), and white pepper (1/4 tsp). Mix everything together until fully incorporated.
Mix beef into the marinade and massage until well combined. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, cut broccoli and other vegetables.
In another small bowl, combine all the sauce ingredients: oyster sauce (1 Tbsp), light soy sauce (1 tsp), dark soy sauce (1 tsp), sugar (1 tsp), cooking wine (1 Tbsp), cornstarch (1 tsp), water (1 Tbsp), and white pepper (1/4 tsp). Set aside.
Add 3 cups of water to a large sauce pan and bring to a boil. Add a couple pinches of salt. Add in broccoli and boil for about 2 minutes. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
Add 1 tablespoon of canola oil to marinated beef and mix
Heat up the wok over medium high heat and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add beef in and sear until browned on both sides. About 5 minutes. Remove beef from wok and set aside.
Next, stir-fry all the aromatics: garlic, ginger, onions, and carrots adding the remaining tablespoon of canola oil if needed. Cook for 1-2 minutes.
Then add in the mushrooms and broccoli and stir-fry for about 3 minutes.
Add the sauce, then add beef back into the wok and stir-fry everything together for about 2-3 minutes.
Turn off heat and add in sesame oil. Serve and enjoy with steamed rice!

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