Japanese-Inspired Romantic Recipes

Are you looking for Valentine's Day recipe ideas to impress your loved one? To help make this occasion extra delicious and with a Japanese theme, get ready to indulge in a number of romantic recipes ideas for Japanese cuisine enthusiasts. Here are 3 Japanese-inspired romantic recipes! 

Spicy Ramen

If your loved one is a fan of noodles then this gorgeous spicy ramen dish will have them begging for more! But don’t worry about the word ‘spicy’ - you can completely control the heat by adjusting the amount of sriracha sauce you add in! You can use any protein or veggies you have on hand for a scrumptious clean-out-the-fridge or last-minute meal - because this dish is all about the SAUCE!

To make this spicy ramen even faster, whisk up your sauce a couple of hours before dinner, and prep all of your veggies ahead of time - this way, your valentine’s dinner will be ready in just 10 minutes!

Ingredients:

• 3 nests of egg noodles
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 pound lean ground pork or any other meat of your choice
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 3 garlic cloves minced
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 2 carrots cut into matchsticks
• 1 red or yellow bell pepper chopped into 1/2” pieces
• 2 cups thinly sliced cabbage 

Sauce:

• 1 cup chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 2 tablespoons Japanese rice wine or Shaoxing wine
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon sweet chilii sauce
• 1-2 tablespoons sriracha hot chilli sauce
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch

Method:

1. Cook your noodles according to the packet instructions in boiling water! It's recommended about 3 mins max. Put one cup of noodle water aside. To keep the noodles from sticking, rinse them with cold water and toss with a sprinkle of sesame oil.
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and also set to one side.
3. In a large wok or pan heat up 1 tablespoon sesame oil over a medium to high heat. Add the ground pork/chicken, onions, salt, and pepper. When the meat is nearly done, add the carrots, bell peppers, garlic, and ginger and sauté for another 2 minutes.
4. Bring to a simmer after adding the sauce. Simmer for a further 30 seconds before adding the noodles and tossing to coat evenly. Toss in the cabbage and peanuts to mix. Heat for one minute, or until the noodles are al dente and the cabbage has softened. If necessary, add more reserved water to get the required consistency.
5. Season to taste with more sriracha, salt, and pepper, if preferred. Serve with green onions as a garnish. 

Why not serve your spicy ramen dish in these authentic ramen bowls for a truly authentic dining experience?

Sake-Steamed Clams

Another great idea is to serve Izakaya-style (Japanese bar) cuisine for your Valentine's Day dinner. Instead of a traditional meal, offer a few small plates of delectable and entertaining appetisers like these Japanese Sake-Steamed Clams.

Ingredients:

• Clams
• 2 Tbsp ginger
• 2 Tbsp Sake
• ¼ Tsp fresh red chilli
• Handful of green onion

Method:

1. Clean the clams (this is really important otherwise you will get the sandy grains in your mouth).
2. Steam the clams in sake, ginger, and chilli, until the clams open. If any of the clams don’t open, discard them!
3. Garnish with green onion and enjoy!

Mixed Salad With Sweet Miso Dressing

If you don’t fancy going out but cooking is the last thing on your agenda, you can always prepare dinner at home using a combination of take-out and simple homemade dishes. Consider a sushi, sake combo with a mixed salad and a homemade sweet miso dressing! Start by getting a sushi platter from your favourite sushi joint and creating a miso soup and spring mix salad. To make it look even more authentic, you can serve some delicious sushi on these beautiful sushi plates.

With so many ways to toss a salad together, using seasonal vegetables and minimal prep is always a great idea.

To make the sweet miso dressing you’ll need:

• 3 Tbsp liquid Miso
• ½ Tbsp rice vinegar
• ½ Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• Handful of toasted sesame seeds

For the fresh salad, you’ll need;

• Big bunch of spinach/rocket/lettuce
• 8-10 Green beans
• 1 avocado, thinly sliced
• 4-6 baby radish, thinly sliced
• 2 Heirloom tomatoes
• Handful of mint leaves

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients.
2. Rinse and thoroughly dry the spring greens. In a large mixing bowl, combine the salad, avocado, radish, heirloom tomatoes, mint leaves, and radish sprouts.
3. Drizzle the dressing over the salad and gently stir. Serve immediately.

This is a great spring salad that is bursting with colours and flavours. You can even add another dimension to it by adding tofu or any other of your favourite ingredient for a protein kick!

Whether you're celebrating Valentine's with your significant other, your parents, your children, or just yourself, you can't go wrong with great food. Hope your Valentine's Day is filled with lots of love!