Recipes

Strawberry Hojicha Soda

Everyone loves a refreshing yet flavorful soda, right? This time, we added hojicha and made a soda using luxurious homemade strawberry syrup. Its appearance is reminiscent of a cocktail, making it a delicious drink that is also pleasing to the eyes.

Servings: 4-5

Ingredients:

•  200g Fresh Ripe Strawberries

•  150ml Water

• 100-150g Sugar

• 2 tbsp Agave Syrup

• 3 tsp Lemon Juice

• 1 tsp Hojicha Powder

• 1 cup Sparkling Water

Instructions:

1. Place the cut strawberries, sugar, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium high heat, and stir until the sugar dissolves.

2. Reduce heat to low and simmer the strawberry mixture gently for 15 minutes.

3. Remove the sauce pan from the heat and stir in the lemon juice and agave syrup.

4. Add hojicha powder and stir.

5. Let the strawberry mixture cool down to room temperature. (If necessary, refrigerate for 10-15 minutes. )

6. Pour the syrup through a mesh strainer into a glass jar, straining out the solids. Use a spoon or silicone spatula to thoroughly press the liquid from the pulp. (Use the strawberry pulp to make some jam if you would like.)

7. Pour 1 cup of sparkling water into a glass with ice. Add 2-3 tablespoons of strawberry syrup and stir. (If you like it to be sweeter add more strawberry syrup to taste)

Gluten-Free Beni-Imo Cookie Sando

This cookie sandwich is a must-try for cookie lovers, combining beni-imo with gluten-free cookies made with rice flour and butter. The inside of the cookie sandwich is made with a not-too-sweet bean paste and butter, creating a flavor you will never get tired of. The bean paste butter melts smoothly in your mouth and pairs perfectly with beni-imo.

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough

•  60g  Unsalted Butter

•  30g Beet Sugar 

• 1 Egg Yolk

• 100g Rice Flour

•  30g Beni-Imo Powder

Filling

• 100g White Bean Paste

• 40g Unsalted Butter

Instructions:

1. If the unsalted butter is cold, let it come to room temperature to soften.

2. Add the rice flour and beni-imo powder to a bowl and mix with a spatula until the flour and butter are uniformly mixed. Then knead with your hands to combine the dough.

3. Wrap the dough in a plastic wrap and roll it out to about 5mm thick. Let it rest in a refrigerator for 30-40 minutes.

4. Cut out the shapes, place the dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper, and bake in an oven at 320°F (160℃) for about 15-20 minutes.

5. Put the amount of white bean paste you need into a bowl and leave it at room temperature then mix in the unsalted butter. Mix well to taste a smooth texture.
   
   

6. Roll the bean paste butter into cookie-sized balls and sandwich them between the cookies. Remove any excess bean paste with a spatula to make a clean surface and enjoy the beni-imo cookie sando!

Yuzu Miso Chicken

Miso is always delicious, and this time the yuzu flavor makes it doubly tasty! The savory aroma of the miso marinade and the surprisingly tender and juicy texture are amazing! This recipe is super simple! Just cut open the chicken thigh, marinate it with yuzu miso and grill it in a frying pan or on a grill. 

Servings: 1

Ingredients:

Yuzu Miso Chicken

• 200-300g Chicken Thigh

• 5 tbsp Yuzu Miso

• 1 tbsp Soy Sauce

• 2 tsp Maple Syrup

• A pinch of Sesame Seeds

Yuzu Miso

• 150 g White Miso

• 4-5 tsp Yuzu Powder

• 4 tbsp Water

• 3 tbsp Brown Sugar (The best substitute: Maple Syrup or Agave)

• 2 tsp water (for yuzu powder)

Optional Add-ins

• 2-3 pcs Shiso Leaves (for a refreshing flavor)

•  A small amount of Pickled Red Ginger

• Add a splash of lemon as you wish

• Spicy Mayo dip (for a tangy twist)

Instructions:

Yuzu Miso

1. Put all the ingredients except the yuzu powder into a pot and mix lightly. Simmer over low heat for 5-6 minutes.Turn off the heat.

2. Combine the yuzu powder and 2 tsp of water in a small bowl and mix well.

3. Add the yuzu mixture into the No.1 and mix well and it’s ready.

Marinate the Chicken

1. Butterfly the chicken thigh to make the thickness as even as possible.

2. Combine the yuzu miso and maple syrup, then place the butterflied chicken thigh on a baking sheet and rub in the sauce.

3. After thoroughly rubbing the sauce, cover with plastic wrap and let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

Grill the Chicken

1. Take the chicken out, let it come to room temperature and start cooking it skin-side down in a preheated frying pan.

2. Sear both sides over medium heat, then cover and steam-cook over low heat for 5 minutes. It's done when clear juices come out when you insert a toothpick.

Tip
Be careful when grilling, as the miso burns easily! However, an extra charring also adds to the delicious aroma.