Though we eat snacks between our meals, we sometimes show more interest in them.
Yes! We can't deny that people of all ages, from children to the elderly, get excited when hearing about snacks.
But have you ever tried our Japanese Snacks?
I think, as a snacks lover, you should give a try to our mouth-watering snacks, which are famous for the vast assortment of flavor variations followed by traditional, regional, and seasonal ingredients.
Don't think you will always have to look for restaurants or Japanese cuisines to get them!
You can make it at home as well.
And in this article, I will share some easy to make Japanese snacks that you can offer to your kids, family, friends & sudden guests at home.
14 Easy to Make Japanese Snacks Recipes
Starting from some pan-fried dumplings to barbequed Japanese rice cakes, I am putting some easy snacks recipes that are very appealing due to their unique flavor & texture.
So, let's move to the snack attack!!
Daigaku Imo: Candied Sweet Potatoes
Making candied sweet potatoes may seem like an intimidating endeavor, but in fact, it's a simple and delicious snack that you can make right in your own kitchen. All you need to get started is some Japanese sweet potatoes, sugar and some oil for frying.
Step 1: To begin your candied sweet potato adventure, you'll want to start by cutting your potatoes into larger, bite-size pieces. You can keep the skins on if you want to keep the bold flavor of the potatoes or peel the skins off if you want to keep the candied potatoes more mellow in taste.
Step 2: When you've cut your potatoes, heat some oil in a pan over medium heat before adding in your sweet potatoes. Allow the potatoes to fry until they become a lightly golden brown color.
Step 3: Once the potatoes are lightly golden, reduce the heat to low and add in your preferred sweetener. You can use regular white granulated sugar or even a variation of brown sugar if desired.
Step 4: Give the mixture a stir to evenly coat the potatoes and allow the syrup to heat and caramelize, which should take around 10 minutes. Make sure to stir the potatoes so that all sides become fully coated in syrup.
Step 5: When the potatoes are fully caramelized, raise the heat back to medium before sprinkling some black sesame seeds on top and stirring them in.
Be careful when adding the sesame seeds and stirring as they tend to be quite delicate and can burn easily.
Allow the mixture to cook for another few minutes until the potatoes become crispy on the outside.
Once you are happy with the texture of your candied sweet potatoes, take them off the heat and move them to a plate to cool.
These snacks are delicious just as they are but you can also add a little extra flavor with some honey and a squeeze of lemon juice if desired. Enjoy your delicious and fragrant snack!
Gyoza
Gyoza is a kind of famous Japanese dumplings filled with flavorful meat & vegetable stuffing.
The key to making them in a perfect way lies in the way of their preparation.
To get the signature outer layer, they have to be pan-fried first. Then, to ensure the completeness of cooking, they are covered & steamed.
The finest way to enjoy Gyoza is picking it with a chopstick, dipping in the sauce & stuffing it in your mouth.
Let's see the procedure of making this delicious snack.
| Approximate Time: 45-50 minutes. |
| Serving: 15 people (Around 45 pieces). |
Ingredients:
Filling-
- 1 and 1/2 cups green cabbage, very nicely chopped
- 1 teaspoon of salt, separated
- 1 cup garlic chives, finely chopped
- 1 lb / 500g ground pork (mince) (fattier preferred)
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 teaspoon of ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch/cornflour
- 2 teaspoon of soy sauce
For preparing Gyoza dumpling-
- 1 teaspoon of cornflour - for tray
- 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil or any other cooking oil
- 40 - 45 round wonton (Gyoza) wrappers
Dipping Sauce-
- Soy Sauce
- Rice wine vinegar
- Chili oil
Steps:
For Making the filling & dumplings-
1. Take a small bowl & combine the chopped cabbage with ½ teaspoon of salt in it, then keep aside for 20 minutes to allow the cabbages to wilt a bit.
2. Then, take the remaining filling ingredients (including the rest 1/2 teaspoon of salt) in a large bowl.
3. Squeeze out all the excess water from the cabbage and add to the large bowl.
4. Now mix the filling by hand.
5. Sift 1 teaspoon of cornstarch/cornflour on a baking tray.
6. Place 1 gyoza wrapper on your palm. To seal the gyoza wrapper, dip your finger in water and run it around the edge of half of it.
To cook:
1. In a large skillet (having a lid), heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium to high heat.
2. Set Gyoza as much as you can put in a row, slightly congesting each other. Cook until lightly golden, then pour 1/3 cup of water around the Gyoza & cover the skillet with a lid.
3. Cook until the complete evaporation of water. This step may take 3-4 minutes.
4. Now transfer them onto a plate using an egg flip, keeping the golden side up.
5. Finally, serve with dipping sauce.
Dipping sauce processing-
Serve each ingredient of dipping sauce so your guests can mix according to taste. But if you want to make it by yourself then use approximately equal quantities of soy sauce and vinegar, along with a generous splash of chile oil.
Special Note:
You can refrigerate leftover Gyozas for up to 3 days or freeze for up to a month in an airtight container.
Now you have a complete & clear guideline for making Gyoza to serve your favorite people.
You can also watch the below video:
Age Okaki
If you have only three common ingredients in your hand- mochi rice cakes, salt, and oil- you can make a simple snack named Age Okaki.
It is a crunchy treat that you can dress up with various seasonings.
In case you don't know how to make mochi rice cakes, follow the video given below-
Now, I am gonna add the recipe for the savory snack Age Okaki.
| Approximate Time: 20 minutes. |
| Serving: 4 people. |
Ingredients:
- 2 dried mochi cakes
- 3 cups canola oil or vegetable oil for frying
- Sea salt, to taste
Steps:
1. At first, cut the dried mochi cakes into ⅛-inch thick slices.
2. Take the canola oil in a frying pan and heat it, keeping the temperature medium approximately up to 350 degrees F.
3. Cook a few mochi slices in the oil for about 1 minute, rotating them frequently, until they turn golden brown on both sides.
4. Remove the fried mochi from the oil with tongs and place them on a paper towel-lined dish. Season them with salt right away.
5. Continue the process with the remaining mochi slices, frying a few at a time.
6. Serve instantly, or refrigerate them for up to 3 days in an airtight container (such as a plastic bag).
Special Note:
Don't delay seasoning the Okakis with salt. Once the oils are soaked, they won't be adequately seasoned.
For better understanding, you can watch:
Onigiri
Now I will talk about a healthy snack made with rice, our staple food.
Onigiri is a Japanese rice ball stuffed with a variety of fillings and flavors, which makes an ideal quick snack.
Personally, I love tinned tuna & salted salmon with the perfect complementation of bonita flakes as the stuffing.
I think you should serve this nutritious snack to your toddler more often as they need it more.
Don't worry about the recipe. I am attaching it here.
| Approximate Time: 20 minutes. |
| Serving: 6 balls. |
Ingredients:
Fillings for preparing Onigiri-
- 1 seeded umeboshi pickled plum
- 2 tablespoons of bonito flakes
- 1/2 teaspoon of soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon of mirin
- 95 g tinned tuna
- 1.5 tablespoons of Japanese mayonnaise
- 1 piece salted salmon
Other necessary ingredients:
- 1.5cup/310g of uncooked rice
- 1 nori seaweed sheets
Steps:
1. At first, Cook the rice.
2. To cool down the cooked rice, place it in a separate bowl.
3. Make all of the fillings ahead of time and set them aside. For this dish, I used umeboshi (pickled plum), okaka (bonito flakes moistened with soya sauce), salted salmon and tuna as filling.
Follow the below steps for preparing the fillings:
4. For Umeboshi, deseed the plums and cut the meat into three pieces.
5. Now, to make the Okaka, take a small mixing bowl & combine the bonito flakes, soy sauce, and mirin.
6. Drain the brine or olive oil from the tinned tuna, take the salted salmon, then combine them with 1 tablespoon of mayonnaise.
Getting back to the preparation of the dish:
7. Cut the seaweed sheets (nori) into small pieces .
8. After that, cover a rice dish with cling wrap then make a hole in the center of the cling wrap with 1/6 cup cooked rice (3/4 cup or 120g).
9. Place about one teaspoon of umeboshi (or any other filling) in the center of the rice, then cover with the rice around.
10. Right after, skim the cling wrap around the rice and squeeze and mold the rice into a triangular shape by using hands.
11. Now, remove the cling wrap and place a nori sheet on the bottom of the rice triangle. Set aside.
12. Follow the same processes as before to utilize the remaining rice with the other fillings you prepared.
Special Note:
You may buy nori that is already cut to the size of a standard Onigiri from big departmental stores.
Sometimes the snack comes out so tasty that it takes place in the lunch bento box.
I hope you will definitely try it.
You can watch the video too.
Spicy Edamame
A finger-licking snack in 5 minutes!
No, I am not kidding.
I'm talking about spicy edamame, a quick-to-prepare healthful snack that really packs a punch, being vegetarian, vegan, plant-based, dairy-free, and gluten-free all in a row!
Wait! If you want more details about gluten-free foods in Japan, read this article.
Follow my recipe below & trust me, this is gonna be your favorite kitchen experiment!
| Approximate time: 5 minutes. |
| Serving: 4. |
Ingredients:
- 1 pound frozen edamame in pods (in the shell)
- ½ tablespoon of toasted sesame oil
- ¾ teaspoon of kosher or fine sea salt
- 1 small garlic clove
- ~1 teaspoon of chili garlic sauce according to taste
- 2 tablespoons of sambal oeleck (a chili sauce or paste prepared from a combination of chili peppers and some more ingredients such as shrimp paste, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, palm sugar, and lime juice)
- Optional garnish: toasted sesame seeds
Steps:
1. Take water in a big saucepan and bring it to boil. Then add the edamame & 1 teaspoon of kosher salt. Boil the edamame for 4-5 minutes until it turns bright green & becomes tender, then drain.
2. Transfer edamame to a bowl and sprinkle with kosher sea salt according to taste.
3. Now, take another pot & heat the sesame oil in it.
4. Add garlic & sambal oeleck, then gently saute until it gets tendered & the aroma spreads.
5. Pour over edamame & toss soberly until everything is evenly coated.
Would you like your edamame to be extra spicy? It's time to play!
6. To taste, add more sambal oeleck. To kick things up a notch, throw in some Sriracha chili sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne pepper.
Special Note:
Get your hands on it while it's hot!
Harumaki
Do your children tend to go to restaurants more often?
Then it's time to show the magic of your hand & stop them by making one of our luscious snack Harumaki ( Japanese Spring rolls).
In Japan, spring rolls are savory fillings wrapped in a flour-based pastry sheet and deep-fried till the crispy and golden brown outer shell appears.
They are very simple to prepare and can be filled with leftovers or meat and veggie slices.
That's why Harumaki can be served as an appetizer, a side dish, or a warming snack on their own.
I am sharing the easiest recipe of the snack that I always follow.
| Approximate Time: 55 minutes. |
| Serving: 10 Spring Rolls. |
Ingredients:
For filling-
- 150 gm - ground pork
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of mirin
- 2 teaspoon of potato starch
- ⅛ teaspoon of white pepper
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 10 gm - ginger (1/4-inch knob, minced)
- 75 gm - scallions stems (2-3 stems minced)
- 175 grams - cabbage (3-4 leaves, shredded)
- 50 grams - carrots (1/3 carrot, julienned)
- 50 grams - shiitake (2 large mushrooms, chopped)
- 100 grams - bamboo (1 small can, julienned)
- 1 cup - of chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon of potato starch
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- Salt (to taste, I used 1/4 teaspoon)
For the preparation of Harumaki-
- 10 spring roll wrappers
- 1 tablespoon of flour
- 1 tablespoon of water
Steps:
1. Combine the ground pork with the soy sauce, mirin, 2 tablespoons potato starch, and white pepper until the consistency is achieved.
2. Mix the chicken stock, 1 tablespoon potato starch, and sesame oil in a separate dish.
3. In a big frying pan, heat the oil to medium-high. Saute the oil, ginger, and scallion stems for two minutes until fragrance is spread.
4. Then, stir-fry the remaining veggies in the pan until they're entirely done (it might take about 3 minutes).
5. Push the vegetables to the sides of the pan to make space in the center. Now add the pork and break it up with a spatula into small crumbs. Stir-fry the ground meat and veggies together until the pork is almost cooked.
6. Pour the chicken stock mixture into the pan after stirring it. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir until the pork is thoroughly cooked. Taste it and season with salt as required (I used 1/4 teaspoon).
7. Before you can stuff the Harumaki, the fillings must chill, which you may speed up by spreading the mixture in a metal pan and floating it in a cold water bath.
8. While the fillings cool down, combine the flour and water to produce a smooth "glue" for sealing the rolls tight. Separate the wrapper sheets and cover them with a moist cloth to prevent them from drying out and becoming brittle.
9. Once the fillings cool down to room temperature, I recommend dividing it into 10 even pieces with a utensil like a bench scraper or chopstick.
10. To build the Harumaki, start by placing a wrapper with a corner facing you. Fill one section of the lower half of the wrapper with filling.
11. Roll the nearest corner up and over the filling, then keep rolling until you reach the halfway point.
12. Bring the two flaps on either side of the filling inside.
13. Apply some flour glue to the top edges of the wrapper and finish rolling the Harumaki loosely. While rolling, I usually place the tips of two fingers into each end.
14. Use three sheets of paper towels to line a bowl or a wide cup. This will be used to drain the spring rolls in an upright posture. Therefore it should be deep enough to retain the rolls upright while still being broad enough to prevent overcrowding.
15. Heat 1.5 inches of oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan to 360 degrees F (180 degrees C) and cook the rolls in batches. Because they will float, keep rolling them over to ensure equal browning. Transfer the rolls to the prepared dish when the wrapper is crisp and drain for a minute before serving.
16. Be careful when eating them since the middle will be quite hot.
Special Note:
**Check the temperature of the oil on a frequent basis; if it is too low, your Harumaki will get overly greasy.
**You can preserve the Harumakis for 2-3 days.
**Wrap the rolls in plastic wrap and store them in an airtight container in the fridge to keep the wrapper moist and prevent them from sticking together.
I have attached the video here-
Teba Shio
What is your go-to snack for the evening or a party by you?
Well, I will share mine.
Japanese salted chicken wings (called Teba Shio), an insanely easy-to-cook snack, is what I am talking about.
After having the recipe, I am sure you're gonna give it a try.
Here is the detail below.
| Approximate time: 25 minutes. |
| Serving: 4. |
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 1 cup sake
- Salt ( according to taste)
- Ground black pepper ( according to taste)
- Lemon wedges (optional)
Steps:
1. Soak the chicken wings in sake for about 10 minutes in a medium bowl (flip them once to make sure they all get soaked fully).
2. Preheat the oven to 500-550° F and turn on the broiler.
3. Using a paper towel, pat each wing dry. Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.
4. Season each wing with salt and pepper on both sides. Place the wings on the rack with the skin side down.
5. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the wings have turned a golden brown hue (be careful not to burn it). Cook for another 4-5 minutes on the skin side until the skin crisps up and browns well (again, be careful not to burn it).
6. Serve with lemon wedges on the side.
Special Note:
Keep the leftovers in an airtight box and store them for up to 4 days in the refrigerator and in the freezer for a month.
You can see the video here –
Chicken Yakitori
Had your partner thrown a sudden snack party at your home without asking you?
I know it's a puzzling moment when you can't decide how to treat your guest, especially within a short time.
Well, Our Japanese "Chicken Yakitori, "a simple grilled meal served on skewers, can be your savior.
Apart from the sweet & savory taste, you can make this drooling snack within half an hour.
So, let's see how easily you can prepare this for an evening party!
| Approximate time: 27 minutes. |
| Serving: 8 skewers. |
Ingredients:
- ⅔ cup soy sauce
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoon of mirin rice wine
- 2 tablespoon of rice vinegar
- ⅔ cup light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of ginger, minced
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 5 teaspoon of cornstarch
- 2 pounds chicken thighs, boneless, skinless, cut into 1" by 1 ¼" pieces
- 8 bamboo skewers, or metal skewers
- Kosher salt, as needed for seasoning
- Black pepper, as needed for seasoning
- 2 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of sesame seeds
Steps:
1. Combine soy sauce, water, mirin, rice vinegar, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, and cornstarch in a medium-sized saucepan.
2. Bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently for 1 minute until the sauce is slightly thickened.
3. Pour 1 cup of the sauce into a bowl to use as a basting sauce for the chicken.
4. Thread the sliced chicken pieces onto soaked wooden skewers, and keep them for 30 minutes. Season both sides with salt and pepper.
5. Drizzle a little bit of oil on both sides of the skewers to prevent sticking while grilling.
6. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Clean and grease the grill grates with a paper towel coated in oil.
7. Add the skewers to the hot grill and cook for 4 minutes. Turn the pan over and baste the sauce on the cooked side. Again cook for 4 minutes.
8. Turn the skewer over, baste with sauce, and cook for 2 minutes covered.
9. Flip the skewer over, baste, and cook for another 2 minutes, covered.
10. Repeat the flipping, basting, and covering cooking process two more times for a total cooking duration of 16 minutes.
11. Drizzle sesame seeds over the chicken yakitori skewers. Serve immediately with more sauce on the side.
Special Note:
**You can substitute brown sugar with honey.
**Remember to baste frequently for the best flavor!
Hiyayakko
Wanna know about a quick summertime snack?
Hiyayakko (Chilled Tofu) is one of the simplest recipes you'll ever come across, yet it adds depth of taste with a variety of toppings.
It is basically an excellent vegetarian dish.
If you wanna enjoy this traditional Japanese snack with your family & friends at home, follow my recipe below.
| Approximate time: 10 minutes. |
| Serving: 1. |
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon of white sugar
- ½ teaspoon of dashi granules
- ½ teaspoon of water
- ¼ (12 ounces) package silken Tofu
- 1 ½ teaspoon of grated fresh ginger root
- ¼ teaspoon of thinly sliced green onion
- 1 pinch bonito shavings (dry fish flakes)
- 1 pinch toasted sesame seeds
Steps:
1. Whisk the soy sauce, dashi granules, sugar, and water together in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves.
2. Top the Tofu with ginger, green onion, and bonito shavings on a small platter.
3. Drizzle the soy sauce over the top and top with sesame seeds.
Special Note:
**The remaining Tofu may be stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to a day.
**If you make a lot of this soy-dashi dressing (Tsuyu), it will last for approximately a week in the refrigerator. It may be used to make boiling spinach, salad, steamed fish, boiled chicken, and other dishes.
I think you can't wait to make this sweet, salty, tangy & spicy snack at home.
However, I am attaching a video of the recipe for your convenience.
Agedashi Tofu
Another quick and easy snack is Agedshi Tofu (Japanese fried Tofu), a famous Japanese appetizer.
As Tofu is a high-protein food, you can consider it as a healthy snack.
Tofu cubes are crispily fried and served with a delicious sauce and chopped green onion.
Here is the full recipe in detail.
| Approximate time: 30 minutes. |
| Serving: 4. |
Ingredients:
- 1 (10.5 ounces) package firm silken Tofu
- 2 cups water
- 2 tablespoon of light soy sauce
- 2 tablespoon of mirin
- 1 teaspoon of dashi granules
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour, or as needed
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 2 green onions, chopped
Steps:
1. Place the tofu block between two sheets of paper towels. Place a plate on top and add a 3- to 5-pound weight. Drain and discard the accumulated liquid after pressing the Tofu for 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, combine water, soy sauce, mirin, and dashi in a saucepan. Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Set the pan aside after removing it from the heat.
3. Now, remove the weight, plate & paper towels. Cut the Tofu into 3/4 -inch chunks.
4. Place the flour in a bowl & lightly coat the Tofu with it.
5. In a heavy pan, heat the oil and cook the tofu for about 4 to 6 minutes until it turns golden brown. Fry in batches to avoid overcrowding on the pan.
6. Place the fried Tofu in a serving dish and cover with the sauce. Sprinkle green onions on the top.
Special Note:
**This Agedashi tofu is meant to be eaten right away. The broth can be preserved later, but once the tofu is fried, it won't be possible to store.
**Make sure to heat the oil properly to ensure perfect deep frying.
So, hurry up with your kitchen suit & prepare this tasteful healthy snack as a yummy evening treat.
Tempura
I think a major throwback will be exciting!
Japanese are fantasized about snacks from the Edo era.
Tempura is such a snack famous from the Edo period & we, the Japanese, still enjoy eating this crunchy meal.
This ancient dish is a combination of sweet seafood and vegetables covered with light crisp batter.
The detailed procedure of the recipe is given below.
| Approximate time: 15 minutes. |
| Serving: 2. |
Ingredients:
For Batter-
- 100 gm cake flour
- 5 gm baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 200 ml cold water
For the preparation of Tempura-
- 4 Tail Shrimp
- 4 Cloves Shiitake Mushroom
- 1 Sweet Potato
- 2 Sticks Asparagus
Steps:
1. Peel prawn shells after washing & removing prawn head, leaving only tail shells intact.
2. Wash & cut sweet potatoes into thin slices.
3. Then wash and cut asparagus into half sticks.
4. Combine the ingredients necessary for the batter in a mixing bowl & stir thoroughly for a perfect texture. (Having a lot of lumps in the mixture is just fine.)
5. Heat a frypan with cooking oil to 375°F, then dip the main tempura ingredients in the batter.
6. Now, deep fry them until the golden brown color comes & the ingredients start to float.
7. Place fried fish and veggies on a kitchen towel to absorb extra oil.
8. Transfer Tempura into a plate or basket and fill the saucer with your favorite sauce.
You can also watch this video!
Tsukune
Are you a meatball lover?
Then I will suggest a snack that you must try at home.
A juicy, tender, and full of flavored snacks, Tsukune is a Japanese meatball, most often made from seasoned chicken mince.
You can grill the meatballs on a skewer or fry them separately in a pan if you're feeling a little lazy.
I think right now you are eager to know about this easy authentic snack recipe.
So, here you go with the easy one.
| Approximate time: 45 minutes. |
| Serving: 4. |
Ingredients:
- 1½ pounds ground chicken thighs
- ½ teaspoon of toasted sesame oil
- 1½ teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 scallions minced
- 1 medium shallot minced
- 1 dried shiitake mushroom
- 1 tablespoon of avocado oil
- 40ml / 1.4oz mirin
- ⅓ cup all-purpose stir-fry sauce
- 2 tablespoon of toasted sesame seeds optional
- ½ tablespoon of sugar
Steps:
1. Combine the ground chicken, salt, sesame oil, scallions, and shallot in a large mixing bowl.
2. Grate the dried shiitake mushrooms into the meatball mixture with a microplane.
3. Knead the mixture completely using your hands. The final texture should have a sticky, tacky feel.
4. Fry a little patty & taste it for seasoning. Adjust with additional salt if necessary.
5. Refrigerate the meatball mixture for at least an hour or up to a day. It will be easier to roll out your meatballs if you chill the mixture first, but prepare them straight away if you don't have time.
6. Turn on the broiler and set the oven rack 6 inches away from the heating source. Then brush a rimmed baking sheet or a broiler pan with avocado oil while the oven is heating up.
7. Now, use a scoop to form 24 meatballs and roll them into identical size balls with your hands. (The meatballs will not stick to your hands if you use avocado oil!) Arrange the chicken meatballs on the oiled baking sheet in an even layer.
8. Broil the meatballs for 2 minutes, and brush them with All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce. Turn the tray around 180 degrees.
9. Continue to endure the procedure two more times until the meatballs have been cooked for a total of 8 minutes (not including basting time) and have been basted three times with the sauce.
10. When the tops of the meatballs are browned and cooked through, they're done. Ensure that they do not burn or become overcooked. (A final interior temperature of 165°F is recommended.)
11. Top with toasted sesame seeds if desired, but serve immediately!
Special Note:
**The meatballs may take more or less time to cook, depending on how hot your broiler is. Simply keep an eye on them and use a meat thermometer to double-check that they are cooked through.
**You can prepare the meatballs up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator.
Watch the below video for more detail:
Nasu Dengaku
Who doesn't love something different to try?
If you wanna impress your homies or guests with your cooking stunts, I am adding a unique Japanese snack idea that you are definitely gonna cook.
Nasu dengaku is a savory Japanese dish made with grilled or roasted eggplant and a salty-sweet miso sauce over it. "Nasu" means eggplant in Japanese, while "dengaku" means "to glaze with miso."
To lose in a flavor kingdom, let's see the recipe first!
| Approximate time: 25 minutes. |
| Serving: 2. |
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoon of mirin
- 2 tablespoon of sake
- 1/4 cup mild red or white miso
- 2 tablespoon of sugar
- 4 Japanese or Chinese eggplants, stemmed, split in half lengthwise (about 1 1/2 pounds)
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds
- 1/3 cup sliced scallions
Steps:
1. Take a small bowl, whisk mirin, sake, miso, and sugar together until smooth paste forms, then set it aside.
2. Apply vegetable oil to all surfaces of the eggplants. Preheat a grill pan or a gas or charcoal grill to high temperatures. Grill eggplant cut-side down for 1 and 1/2 minutes, or until charred grill marks emerge.
3. Cook for another 1.5 minutes until checkered hash marks appear.
4. Flip and continue cooking for about 4 minutes longer until it becomes nearly tendered.
5. Transfer eggplant to a large plate and allow to cool slightly.
6. Preheat the broiler to high heat with a rack 6 inches from the heating source. Apply a thin layer of miso glaze on the sliced surface of each eggplant. Place on a rimmed baking sheet or foil-lined broiler pan, face up. Broil for 4 minutes or until totally cooked, and the glaze starts to caramelize.
7. Serve on a serving dish with sesame seeds and scallions sprinkled on top.
Special Note:
**Soak the eggplants in water properly to avoid bitterness.
**Serve immediately to get the most out of the flavor.
I have attached a video for you!
That's all I had in my basket to share with you today!
Conclusion
I think now you have adequate options to fill your serving table with easy to make Japanese snacks.
Don't forget to capture instagrammable photos of your cooking & show your social media friends how you can bring restaurants to your home!
