Five Seasonal Japanese Treats You Can Make at Home
In need of a treat? We have 10 - and all of them are authentically Japanese. Read on for the ones you’ll want to eat, make and create in the final quarter of the year.
In need of a treat? We have five - and all of them are authentically Japanese. Read on for the ones you’ll want to eat, make and create in the final quarter of the year.
- Mont Blanc
A popular dessert in Japan – particularly at this time of year, when chestnuts are amongst the most-eaten, seasonal ingredients – Mont Blanc (or Monburan) is typically made with meringues. Each bakery makes it slightly differently, says Marc Matsumoto, a former chef who lives in Tokyo with his family.
Via the blog No Recipes, he says: ‘Monburan is a soft layer of cake with a pillowy mound of chestnut cream, all topped with strands of sweet nutty chestnut puree. It's creamy, sweet and earthy with 3 different textures in each bite. Hands down my favourite cake.’
Find a recipe for this deliciously seasonal treat here.
- Tsukimi-dango
September and October are the time for Jugoya – Japan’s Autumn Moon Festival, during which people express gratitude for the harvest.
Referring to the fifteenth day of the eighth month in the old lunar calendar, Jugoya falls on a different date each year. The tradition during the festival? To take rice harvested in autumn, steaming it, making it into a paste and then shaping it into balls. The idea is to create Tsukimi-dango, which translates to dumplings for viewing the moon.
The dumplings are round in shape, like the moon, and are arranged in a group of 15 in connection with the number in Jugoya. Fancy trying to make them too? Mochi Mommy has a recipe we think you’ll like.
3. Ramen
Most people will know what ramen is – a Japanese noodle dish consisting served in a broth and brimming with ingredients like spring onions and boiled egg – but have you made it from scratch? It's perfectly comforting at this time of year, so why not?
If not, may we suggest this recipe for quick and tasty ramen? It’s from the Pinch of Yum site and we think you’ll love it. The only way to eat ramen? With chopsticks, of course – and we have plenty to choose from here on the Made in Japan site.
Plus, don’t forget to check out the book, Supa Ya Ramen, which offers a ‘bold new world of possibilities’ in a recipe collection from the founder of the cult-status restaurant of the same name.
4. Kuri Gohan
What is Kuri Gohan, we hear you ask? It’s a chestnut rice made by adding parboiled chestnuts to the rice cooker when you’re cooking fresh rice. Plus, since chestnut are in season, it’s the perfect time to try this Japanese favourite.
Here’s a recipe we think you’ll like the sound of – give it a go.
5. Toshikoshi-soba
You don’t have to make this authentic Japanese dish on New Year’s Eve but it is a popular one to tuck into on the last day of the year. But what is it? Well, it’s noodles again. Buckwheat noodles, to be specific.
The noodles are long, to represent a long life. They’re easy to cut, too, which signifies the cutting away of misfortune for the year. In a way, they’re thought to be a food that brings good fortune. Find a recipe here and give them a go (there’s a handy YouTube recipe here) as we head into December.
Why not serve the dish, too, from this stunning 'Great Wave' ramen bowl? The perfect addition to your New Year’s table setting.
Will you be trying any of these seasonal dishes out? Happy cooking!
Until next time…