You’ve tried southern fried chicken, Korean fried chicken… but Japanese fried chicken? If you haven’t, this is your sign. Christi Nortier chatted to Rebecca Aziz and MinChan Kim, owners of How’s Your Oni? restaurant, to hear about their taste of karaage in Japan, how to make it and which Japanese dishes a curious foodie should try next. 

Hold up – first of all, what’s behind the restaurant’s name? 

Rebecca: Oni is short for onigiri, which is a rice ball with various fillings inside and wrapped in nori. It’s what we started out making and selling from home. The name is a play on “How’s your aunty?”. Now, we make a variety of Japanese dishes: Takoyaki, okonomyaki, miso soup, tempura, udon and at least 10 kinds of onigiri. When we recently travelled to Japan, we went over with one empty suitcase and came back with four full ones filled with ingredients to make this menu. 

Minchan: We always bring back special ingredients to use in the restaurant, like this cool soy sauce that only comes from one region of Japan and isn’t even sold outside of the town. 

 

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Was a Japanese restaurant always part of the plan? 

MinChan: I grew up in South Korea and my favourite childhood foods are takoyaki and samgak-gimbap, which is very simillar to onigiri. I started waitering in restaurants when I was 16, so there was an idea there. When Rebecca and I were travelling in Japan, we saw everyone eating onigiri and we felt that it was just something that Cape Town was missing. 

Back to karaage – what is it? 

MinChan: It’s crispy, juicy, very tender deep-fried chicken thighs. It’s usually served as is, kind of like a side, definitely with some lemon and maybe a chilli lime mayo. A lot of people eat it with rice or on top of cabbage. Another way to serve it is with a Japanese curry, which is not as spicy as other curries and is a little sweeter and fruitier.  

 

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What makes karaage different to Korean fried chicken and chicken katsu? 

MinChan: Karaage is very similar to Korean fried chicken, but the differences are in the marinades and the serving sauces. Korea and Japan are very close together, so they share a lot of their cuisine. Katsu is also Japanese but is a chicken cutlet, usually breast, that’s breaded with panko and then deep-fried.  

How do I make karaage at home? 

MinChan: This is how I’d recommend you do it: 

1. Preferably use boneless chicken thighs but definitely keep the skin on.  
2. The thighs are marinated in soy sauce, ginger, garlic, sesame oil and sake (we don’t us that, keeping our halal customers in mind).  
3. You let it sit like that for a bit, coat it in egg white and then you dip it into your flour mixture, which is a ratio of flour and corn flour or potato starch.  
4. To create flakes, add a few drops of water or dashi water (a Japanese broth) to the flour mixture before coating. Those flakes get extra crispy once they’re fried.  
5. An important thing for karaage is triple frying. You fry it for about 40 seconds, let it rest for 30 seconds and repeat twice more. 

 

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Japan has so much to offer travellers. Is it a good choice for foodies? 

Rebecca: Absolutely! There are so many restaurants to choose from and everything’s good. We’d have three meals a day and in between go to the convenience stores and get onigiri. They’ve also got great desserts. If you can go – definitely do it!  

What’s next for How’s Your Oni? 

Rebecca: We’re doing a pop up on Kloof Street this summer focused on bento boxes and matcha takeaways. We actually just got back from a trip to Japan which was just to study good matcha and bring it back here.  

 

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Words by: Christi Nortier

Photographs: Supplied 

The post Ask the expert: Fried chicken, Japanese style  appeared first on MyKitchen.

This International Sushi Day (18 June), embrace the meditative art of sushi-making. With patience and practice, you’ll soon be creating beautiful, delicious rolls that rival your favourite restaurant’s offerings. 

1. Perfect your sushi rice 

The foundation of exceptional sushi lies in perfectly prepared rice. Use short-grain Japanese rice and rinse it thoroughly until the water runs clear. Cook with a 1:1 ratio of rice to water, then season with a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar and salt to taste while the rice is still warm. The rice should be glossy, sticky and at room temperature when you’re ready to roll. 

@feedmi Replying to @Dee how to make sushi rice INGREDIENTS (4 cups cooked): 1 cup sushi rice, uncooked 1 cup water 2 tbs rice vinegar ¼ tsp sugar ¼ tsp salt PS. recipes for everything shown are in my profile ⊹ sushi hand roll ⊹ ponzu salmon poke ⊹ salmon sushi bake #sushirice #easyrecipes #ricerecipe #howtocookrice #howto #sushi #rice ♬ love song (hesitations) (sped up) – Lofuu & Shiloh Dynasty & dprk

2. Invest in quality ingredients 

Fresh, high-quality ingredients make all the difference. Invest in sushi-grade fish, which is extra fresh (preferably from a reputable fishmonger). If you’re hesitant about raw fish, start with cooked options like tinned tuna, shrimp tempura, crab or even vegetarian fillings like cucumber, avocado and pickled vegetables. 

@hannamelea24 TUNA SUSHI ROLLS Japanese Sushi with a touch of Korean rice rolls. Not a traditional Sushi, but I guarantee that this is so delectable.   Hope you can try it too. Ingredients: 3 cups cooked rice 2 tbsp knorr liquid seasoning 2 tbsp sesame oil 2 cans tuna (180 g) 4 tbsp japanese mayo 1 medium sized carrot 1 medium sized cucumber 4 nori sheet Sesame seeds Dipping sauce: 4 tbsp soysauce 1 tsp chili paste 2 tbsp sesame oil sesame seeds #SushiRolls #TunaSushi #CannedTunaSushi #RiceRolls #TunaSushiRolls #TunaRiceRolls #Homemade #Homecook #TiktokFood #Instafood #InstaGood #FbReelFood #RecipeOfTheDay #ViralVideo #PinoyVersion #TrendingReels #Foodie #MealPrep #Food #Yummy #fypシ゚viralシ  #adsonreelsmonetization  #reelsmonetizationfacebook  #adsonreels #trendingreels #fypシ ♬ original sound – hannamelea24 – CookWithHanna

3. Master the rolling technique 

Use a bamboo sushi mat (makisu) covered with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. Spread rice evenly on nori seaweed, leaving a small border at the top. Place fillings in a line about one-third from the bottom edge. Roll firmly but gently, using the mat to guide and compress the roll. Use a sharp knife to slice the sushi. 

@thegoldenbalance How to Roll Sushi Show love to the gram #food #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner #favoriterecipe #sushi ♬ SALSA JAM NO.1 – Jaycee Mante

4. Keep everything moist 

Sushi-making is all about moisture control. Keep a bowl of water nearby to wet your hands when handling rice, preventing it from sticking to your fingers. Cover prepared rolls with a damp towel while you work on others to prevent the nori from becoming tough.  

@teochewdaily HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE SUSHI FROM SCRATCH #lifehacks #food #sushi #rice #fyp #foryoupage #diy ♬ Food – Densky9

5. Practice portion control 

Less is often more when it comes to sushi fillings. Overstuffing makes rolling difficult and can cause the nori to tear. Start with small amounts of filling and gradually increase as you become more comfortable with the rolling process. 

@yuma_sushi California Supreme Lachs Roll #salmon #sushi #sushilover #fyp ♬ original sound – Yuma Sushi

Image: Pexels 

The post How to make your own sushi at home  appeared first on MyKitchen.

Tsukune is flavourful Japanese meatball skewers served at yakitori stands, in bento boxes and at izakayas (a type of Japanese bar). We’ve added some Cape Malay flair to bring it closer to home. 

Spicy chicken Tsukane 

Makes about 12-14 

Ingredients

1 onion, grated 
4-6 chicken breast fillets, cut into chunks 
Salt and milled pepper 
2cm knob ginger, grated 
3 cloves garlic, grated 
1 Tbsp miso paste 
1 Tbsp chicken masala powder 
2 Tbsp cornflour 
1 egg yolk   

For the glaze  

2 Tbsp soy sauce 
2 Tbsp mirin (optional) 
1 1/2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp cornflour  

For serving  

Lime or lemon wedges 
Fresh coriander 
Mint and coriander dipping sauce 

Method

1. Wrap the onion in a muslin cloth or dish towel and squeeze out the liquid. Set aside. 2. Pulse chicken chunks in a food processor and blitz to create chicken mince. Season and set aside. 
2. Combine remaining ingredients, onion and chicken in a bowl. 
3. Coat hands in oil and shape the chicken mince into 12-14 medium-sized oval meatballs. 
4. Thread two meatballs onto a metal or bamboo skewer and cook over medium-hot coals (or a hibachi) for 10-12 minutes until charred on both sides and cooked through. 6. Combine glaze ingredients and microwave until slightly thickened (or do it over the coals). 
5. Brush over chicken as soon as it comes off the coals. Set aside and keep warm. 
6. Top chicken Tsukune with coriander and serve lemon or lime wedges and dipping sauce on the side. 

Recipe & styling: Gail Damon

Photography: Zhann Solomons

The post Spicy chicken Tsukane recipe appeared first on MyKitchen.

Have you tried miso paste? If not you definitely should! And we have the perfect recipe for you to use it in, Asian miso and green veg soup with noodles!

SERVES 4 // COOK TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp oil
½ onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 tbsp grated ginger
1 ½ tbsp miso paste
1 tbsp soy sauce
5 cups chicken stock
1 cup chopped broccoli
2 cups brown mushrooms, sliced
1 cup mung bean sprouts
1 cup Swiss chard, torn
To serve
½ cup fresh coriander
¼ cup spring onion, chopped
1 tsp chilli flakes
150 g rice noodles

METHOD
1. Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add onion and fry for 5 minutes or until soft. Add garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute.
2. Dissolve miso paste in soy sauce and chicken stock, then add to the pot. Bring to the boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 min.
3. Add the broccoli and mushrooms and simmer for a further 10 minutes, until broccoli is tender.
4. Remove from the heat and stir in the sprouts and Swiss chard.
5. Cook noodles according to packet instructions. Drain and divide between bowls.
6. Pour broth over the noodles and top with coriander, spring onion and chilli flakes.

Top tip: Miso paste is a traditional Japanese seasoning made from soy beans. If you can’t find it in your local shop, it’s easily available at most Asian stores.

Recipes & styling: Kate Turner
Photography: Samantha Pinto

We love making these whenever we have leftover stir-fry. Our crispy Asian dumplings are a bite-sized taste surprise that you will go back for again and again.

The post Asian miso and green veg soup with noodles appeared first on MyKitchen.

For a healthy and sustainable meal, these Japanese angelfish poke bowls tick all the right boxes! You can prepare the fish over the braai and assemble the bowl together, all in no time.

SERVES 4 // COOKING TIME 30 min

INGREDIENTS
For the rice
2 cups sushi rice
3 cups water
3 tbsp rice-wine vinegar
For the fish
2 angelfish fillets, cubed
2 tbsp vegetable oil
For the dressing
¼ cup soy sauce
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp mayonnaise
1 tbsp sesame oil
To serve
1 avocado, sliced
Handful coriander
Handful baby spinach
2 carrots, ribboned
6 baby cucumbers, ribboned
Sesame seeds, to sprinkle
1 lime, wedges

METHOD
For the rice
1. Heat a potjie over medium coals and cook the rice according to packet instructions. Stir through the vinegar and set aside.
For the fish
1. Rub the angelfish with oil and season well.
2. Heat a braai pan over hot coals. Flash-fry the fish for 3 min per side.
For the dressing
1. Combine all the ingredients and pour over the fish. Set aside.
To serve
1. Divide the rice between bowls and top with sliced avo, coriander, spinach, carrots and baby cucumber. Add fish and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Pop a lime wedge on the side and serve.

Recipe & styling: Amerae Vercueil
Photography: Samantha Pinto // HMimages.co.za

The post Japanese angelfish poke bowls, on the braai! appeared first on MyKitchen.

I chose to indulge in Umi’s new seasonal menu on a crisp winter’s evening. It was immediately warmed up by the sensational waiter, who set the tone for the evening. At first glance, the winter menu is delectable and well rounded. The combination of fresh Japanese elements and intense winter flavours is balanced out impeccably.

By Chiara Turilli

The 3-course menu is an absolute treat and also moderate in price. The vibrancy of the restaurant and smooth music allowed the bottle of Pinot Noir to flow effortlessly. I tasted an array of dishes from the menu, and here are some of the highlights.

TO START

The succulent octopus carpaccio was dolloped with velvety garlic aioli, fragrant paprika and elegant wafers of toasted ciabatta. Octopus can be a difficult seafood to handle and get right, but this dish had a soft texture (no rubberiness!) with a delicate seafood flavour.

THE MAIN AFFAIR

The impeccably char-grilled hake was surrounded by a popping cucumber and coconut sambal. The dish was accompanied by velvety bonito mash (bonito flakes are thin wisps of dried smoked tuna). This was the hero dish for me, a seemingly fresh dish that warmed my soul. 

SWEET ENDINGS

Because of my deep Italian roots, my expectations weighed heavily on the panna cotta. To my delight, Umi’s lemongrass-scented panna cotta did indeed have that vital wobble, indicating a perfect texture. The mango and candied-chilli components brightened the dish and added a complexity in texture against the dreamy, creamy panna cotta. We finished our meal with a short order of liquid gold, a ristretto.

This meal met every one of my expectations. The contemporary Japanese nuances perfectly intertwined with the food and decor really made my evening there linger in my mind long after it was over.

THE DETAILS

When: Every day, 8 AM – 11 PM
Where: 201, The Promenade, Victoria Rd, Camps Bay, Cape Town, 8040
Reservations: 021 437 1802
Website: umirestaurant.co.za

The post Our food editor reviews Umi’s winter menu appeared first on MyKitchen.