Craving Japanese food? These authentic recipes bring the flavors of Tokyo to your kitchen. From Fluffy Japanese Pancakes and Tempura Shrimp to Karaage and Sukiyaki Hot Pot, these traditional Japanese dishes are easy, delicious, and perfect to try at home.

Fluffy Japanese Pancakes

Do you want to try some Japanese-style pancakes? Then try this simple recipe for the fluffiest Japanese pancakes that go well with a variety of dips and sauces.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces self-rising flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons golden caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil
• ⅔ cup milk
• 1 dash vanilla extract
• Oil spray for cooking
• Maple syrup, ice cream, crisp bacon, berries

Directions

1. Mix flour with baking powder and sugar in a bowl.
2. Make a well at the center of this mixture. Add oil and eggs to the center and mix gradually while adding milk.
3. Stir in vanilla and mix until smooth.
4. Set a pan over low heat and set 1-2 crumpet rings in the pan.
5. Spray them with oil and pour the batter into the rings.
6. Cover the pan’s lid and cook for 10 minutes on low heat.
7. Flip the pancakes and cook for 2 minutes
8. Serve.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 182, fat 3 g, carbs 29 g, Protein 7 g, sodium 51 mg

 

 

Tempura Shrimp

Tempura is a crispy Japanese appetizer, that can be enjoyed before different entrees. Besides shrimps, you can try eggplants or other veggies.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Tempura Batter

• 1 large egg
• ⅓ cup ice water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

Tempura Sauce

• ¾ cup dashi
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons mirin
• 2 teaspoons sugar

Tempura

• 4 shrimp
• Vegetable oil, for frying

To Serve

• 2 inches daikon radish

Directions

1. Mix sugar, mirin, soy sauce, and dashi in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Remove from the heat and allow it to cool.
3. Add oil to a deep fry pan and heat it to 350⁰F (177⁰C).
4. Beat egg with ice water in a bowl and spread flour in a shallow bowl.
5. Coat the shrimp with the flour, dip the shrimp in egg mixture then coat again with flour.
6. Deep fry the coated shrimp in hot water until golden brown.
7. Transfer to a plate lined with a paper towel, with a slotted spoon.
8. Serve warm with prepared sauce.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 184, fat 1 g, carbs 30 g, Protein 10 g, sodium 813 mg

 

 

Karaage

If you haven’t had chicken Karaage before, you should do so because they are unrivaled in taste and texture.

Serves 2 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 28 ounces boneless and skinless chicken thighs, cut into ½ inch cubes
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sake (Japanese rice wine)
• 2 teaspoons mirin
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 small pieces fresh ginger, grated
• Vegetable oil, for deep frying
• ½ cup corn flour
• Shredded green cabbage, to serve
• Halved cherry tomatoes to serve

Directions

1. Season the chicken with black pepper and salt in a bowl.
2. Stir in ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and sake, then mix well to coat the meat.
3. Cover the chicken and marinate for 15 minutes
4. Remove the chicken from the marinade.
5. Add oil to a saucepan and place it over medium-high heat.
6. Dust the chicken with corn flour and sear the pieces in the hot oil for 5 minutes per side or until golden brown.
7. Transfer the chicken to a plate using a slotted spoon.
8. Serve with shredded cabbage and cherry tomatoes.
9. Enjoy.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 217, fat 6 g, carbs 3 g, sugar 2 g, Protein 33g, sodium 1667  mg

 

 

Pork Gyozas

Japanese pork gyozas are one of the most delectable appetizers to sample. You can play around with the fillings and serve them with a variety of sauces.

Serves 12 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 12 minutes

Ingredients

• 5 ounces minced pork
• 1 cup cabbage, shredded
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 3 small pieces fresh ginger, peeled, grated
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 30 gyoza wrappers
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Dipping Sauce

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar

Directions

1. Mix minced pork with garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, green onion, and cabbage in a bowl.
2. Place one wrap on a working surface and add 2 teaspoons of the minced mixture at the center of the wrap.
3. Wet the edges of the wrapper and fold it to seal in the filling.
4. Pinch the edges to seal and repeat the same steps with the remaining wrappers and filling.
5. Prepare and heat oil in a pan for frying the gyozas for 2 minutes per side.
6. Add ½ cup water to the pan and cover. Cook for 5 minutes.
7. Prepare the dipping sauce by mixing sauce and rice wine vinegar in a bowl.
8. Serve the gyozas with the sauce.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 274, fat 3 g, carbs 51 g, Protein 8 g, sodium 482  mg

 

 

Thick Sushi Roll (Futomaki)

One of the most popular sushi to make with nori sheets, sushi rice, shrimp, crab, and a variety of vegetables.

Serves 2-3 | Prep. time 30 minutes | Cooling time 30 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes (for sushi rice)

Ingredients

• 3 sheets nori
• 15-20 large shrimp, cooked
• 3 pieces imitation crab sticks, halved lengthwise
• ⅓ cup carrot, finely grated
• 1 small Japanese cucumber, cut into strips
• 1 avocado, pitted, peeled, cut into strips
• 2 leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
• 4 cups cooked sushi rice, seasoned with sushi vinegar
• Soy sauce for serving
• Wasabi for serving
• Sushi ginger for serving

Directions

1. As you will make 3 rolls, divide all the ingredients into 3.
2. Spread the nori sheets on a bamboo sushi mat placed on a working surface.
3. Divide the rice on top of the sheets, leaving half an inch on the sides.
4. Arrange 5-6 shrimp in a row about 2-inch from the close edge over the rice, add a row of crab sticks, then a row of shredded lettuce. On top of the shrimp, place slices of avocado and shredded, stacked like logs of wood. Roll the nori sheets by rolling the bamboo sheet as tightly as you can.
5. Cut each roll into 8 slices.
6. Serve with soy sauce, wasabi, and sushi ginger or gari.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 252, fat 7 g, carbs 35 g, Protein 12 g, sodium 689 mg

 

 

Yakisoba Fried Noodles

You can now prepare flavorful Japanese fried noodles at home in no time and serve them to guests for a special lunch.

Serves 2 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 15 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 portion yakisoba noodles
• 2 tablespoons yakisoba sauce
• 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
• 2 ounces pork, sliced
• ½ onion, chopped
• ⅛ white cabbage, chopped
• ¼ green pepper, chopped
• 1 small carrot, chopped
• Aonori powdered seaweed
• Pickled shredded ginger
• Dried bonito flakes (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the noodles as per the package instructions.
2. Sauté pork slices in a cooking pan until brown.
3. Then stir in vegetables and sauté until soft.
4. Add noodles, Yakisoba sauce, mayonnaise, and mix well, then garnish with seaweed, ginger, and bonito flakes.
5. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 265, fat 26 g, carbs 22 g, Protein 11 g, sodium 13 mg

 

 

Sukiyaki Hot Pot

It is tempting to combine noodles, cabbage, beef, and mushrooms in one pot. This hot pot is a complete dish with all the nutrients that you need.

Serves 4 | Prep. time 10 minutes | Cooking time 7 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup sukiyaki sauce
• 3½ ounces shirataki noodles
• 1 package tofu, diced
• 11 ounces Japanese rice
• 10½ ounces sukiyaki beef, diced
• 1 pack enoki mushrooms, diced
• 6 rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 spring onion, chopped
• ½ Chinese cabbage, shredded
• 4 hard-boiled eggs, peeled and cut in half

Directions

1. Sauté beef with oil in a cooking pan until golden brown.
2. Stir in sauce, tofu, mushrooms, and cabbage, then cook for 5-7 minutes
3. Divide rice into the serving bowls and top each with beef-tofu mixture and eggs.
4. Serve warm.

Nutrition per serving

Calories 375, fat 15 g, carbs 12 g, Protein 19 g, sodium 335 mg

 

 

 

***These recipes and more are found in Sarah Spencer’s A Taste of Japan: Traditional Japanese Cooking Made Easy with Authentic Japanese Recipes. To get your copy, click on the cover below or click here.

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