Happy Belly's Fried Udon

I have been cooking this udon for years now, it is one of my earliest dish when I started to learn how to cook from my Dad and my Sis. I was only 12 years old then and this is one of my favourite dish as it requires very very minimum steps and ingredients plus it taste really good
; p
Here's the easy peasy recipe:

What You Need

1 packet of udon, rinsed and drained
(try to use those that are made in Japan, they are easier to fry and taste better)
2 small shallots, sliced
1-2 slices of luncheon meat or spam (I like the Japanese luncheon meat from Meidi-ya or Isetan)
2 tbsp of dark soya sauce
Lots of white pepper!

What to Do

1. Pan fry luncheon meat in 2 tbsp of oil until brown, scoop onto a plate
2. Fry shallots in remaining oil till fragant
3. Add udon and stir.
4. Add dark soya sauce and lots of pepper and stir until well mixed
5. Dish out once udon gets dry.
6. Top with luncheon meat. Enjoy!!

Japanese-Style Hamburger with Rice

I have to apologise for the lack of photo for this post, I will explain why. I made these hamburgers or hanbagu (is that how the Japanese called this?) last week based on a recipe from 'The Quick and Easy Japanese Cookbook' by Katsuyo Kobayashi. I bought this book during my transit at Nippon airport and the main reason why I bought this book(beside the fact that the author is an Iron Chef winner) is bcoz of this recipe.

Ok back to why the lack of photos....Hub came home last week announcing that he invited one more colleague home for dinner and they were all very hungry that day....Luckily I made extra portion that day coz I thought I could freeze the seasoned mince for another day.

By the time I finished frying the last batch of patties, the boys were starved and I couldn't possibly have the time to arrange my patties for a good photo shoot....I am sure they will not allow that....Anyway here's the recipe with a bit of modifications....Heh, you know me....

Japanese-Style Hambugers
(modified from The Quick & Easy Japanese Cookbook by Katsuyo Kobayashi)

500grams ground beef
1/2 salt
black pepper to taste
1 onion (modified)
oil for frying onion
1 egg
1/4 milk
1 cup panko
5 tbsp ketchup (modified)
1 tbsp sake (I used mirin)
3 tbsp Worcestershire sauce (modified)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 tbsp sugar (not in recipe)
1 1/2 cup water
1 tbsp butter
1 cup button mushrooms, sliced thinly(not in recipe)
2 carrot, chopped finely (not in recipe)

Method:

1. Season beef with salt and pepper, set aside
2. Chop onion finely and saute in oil until transparent, add in carrots and fry for another 5 mins. Set mixture aside to cool.
3. In a bowl, combine egg, milk and panko. Mix briefly for the panko to soak the liquid
4. Add onion mixture and panko mixture to the beef and mix well
5. Divide the meat mixture into balls (abt golf ball size), flat it a little in the centre
6. Heat up the butter in the saucepan and fry the patties till brown, turn the patties to the other side
7. Add boiling water till it's fill up to half-cover the patties, turn to low heat and cook till the water evaporates
8. To make the sauce, add butter to the same pan after you have finished frying all the patties; saute mushroom, add ketchup,sake, worcestershire sauce, soy sauce and water and bring to a boil. Simmer until slighly thicken and pour sauce over hamburgers.

NOTE: 1. I did not follow the 'cook the patties in water' method as I have too many patties to fry and I simply don't have time wash and dry my saucepan after every batch. So I just flatten the patties more and fry with a saucepan cover to trap the moisture.
2. I added chopped carrots to make it healthier and also sweeter. Oh and mushroom too...
3. I use a small saucepan to make the sauce instead of waiting till all the patties are done.

Verdict: The boys wolfed down all the patties and rice and the only words they say throughout dinner is "Nice, nice". Even T forgot about his dieting that day ; ) I made 8 patties from the above recipe, Hub told me after dinner that he wants 4 patties the next time.....Will definitely make this again and will take a few pictures...

Japanese Soft Shell Crab Curry

I love soft shell crabs, they are so easy to eat and best of all they are deep fried…Happy Belly loves deep fried food….

Hub likes to eat it with Japanese curry gravy so I decided to cook that for him. He wanted to eat it with pasta instead of Japanese rice.

I learnt how to prepare Japanese curry from my Taiwanese girlfriend while in uni, it is easy to prepare and so hassle-free ; )

I have included a step-by-step pictures so that you can try it too….

What you need for soft shell crab:
soft shell crabs
1 packet of any fried chicken pre-mix
or
Japanese kaarage pre-mix (I used this)

Marinade the crabs with the pre-mix for at least 30 mins and deep fry it till golden brown.

What you need for the curry:
3 cubes of the Japanese curry stock
2 tbsp of butter
1 white onion, wedged
2 carrots, cubed
1 potato, cubed
36oml of water

In a non-stick pot, melt the butter and add in the onion. Fry till fragrant, add in carrots, potatoes and the curry stock cubes.

Stir till the cubes have dissolved. Add the water and let it simmer until carrot and potato are soft.

Don't worry, it looked quite diluted at this stage. It will thicken once the carrots and potatoes are soft like this,

It's ready! You can add this gravy to the soft shell crabs or pasta like I did....

I made baby spinach salad to go with the pasta and I made a heart-shaped cheesy wafer to go with it...Hub saw it immediately when he step into the house and he smile at me sheepishly and said,” I am a man, it's a bit too mushy for me....I should be the one doing the heart for you" ahhh... isn't he sweet? *Secretly, I wonder when that day will come ; P*

Anyway, the curry matched the spaghetti very well....will definitely try this again ; )

Hub Loves it.....I am happy then... It was a beary good dinner...