How To Make Sushi with the Team!

Here at Bowl of Ramen, we like to be informative. We hope you find this "How to Make Sushi" Video, made by the team, extremely informative. We take no responsibility if your sushi tastes terrible or if you get food poisoning. The extra ingredients you choose to use may contribute to this.

Love,
The Bowl of Ramen Team.

 Ps. Hemi looks great in pink hey.

SNACK FOOD: POCKY CHOCOLATE STICKS

It is crazy some of the things you can find to eat from Japan, but "Pocky Chocolate Sticks" are surprisingly normal and awesome! They are made by "Glico" and are very simple and very yummy. Probably one of my favourite snacks so far. 

They come in a big red packet like this and they cost $7.50 from Madam Hoo's Asian Grocery. Pretty decent I think:

Big red packet :) 

What I loved is that they are super duper snack friendly as they come in little 'take-to-lunch' packs like so:

Cute little packets full of yumminess!

Now as I said earlier these are so simple yet so yummy. All they are are thin sort of bread/biscuit sticks and 3/4 of it are covered in a light coat of chocolate. There are 7 in the little snack-packs and they are just so easy to eat and are not too sweet, which is good as a lunch or morning tea food. 

I really liked the packaging of this one too. As I said already, the snack-packs are so handy. I actually took them to work with me yesterday. and the colour red makes it stand out, plus it looks more professional than the other food I have tried recently. I feel like I could take these with me and not get the "why are you eating kids food" look on the bus. 

I don't really know what else to add about these. They are just so yummy and so simple. That's really all there is too it! And I discovered that they come in both vanilla and strawberry flavours too. Professional, simple, scrumptious, light and easy. This is a 5/5 snack for me! 


[All photos used in the snack food posts are original photographs]

Fish? Dessert?

Have you ever gone fishing?

I have, plenty of times.....some of the times, I caught multiple, and the other times....nothing.

You're probably wondering "where is he getting at with fishing?!" but I'll just leave you to that thought for now ;D

Anyway, while we're on the topic of fish (hehehehe) I thought we can talk about a different type of fish

Taiyaki - kind of like the Dorayaki, in that it is made by pancake batter (or waffle batter, depending on who makes it), is a Japanese-shaped cake with a filling inside. The most common filling is red bean paste but there are varieties which include; custard, chocolate, and cheese.


These cakes are pretty well-known, even if you're not that much in the loop for Asian food or anything, you'd have probably seen it because it's just....everywhere, and in lots of different varieties.


Taiyaki, which literally means "baked sea bream", is often....eaten as snacks, as opposed to a dessert served in restaurants. BUT! I've seen some restaurants have it in their dessert menus, in which they combine it with usually black sesame seed or green tea ice cream (or both!).

These cakes are usually sold and served in food stands near the supermarkets in Japan, they're pretty convenient due to how quick they're made and how cheap they are on the go.

Not only do these taste good, but if you've ever seen how the people make it, they're actually quite interesting to watch - just standing there looking at how these taiyakis are made, along with the smell of the freshly made taiyakis.......<-----just imagining it again makes me crave for some now.....(that or I'm just hungry...but we'll just stick to the first thought)

Here are some photos of people making it:

Putting the filling....

And....the finished product!

This is also something to consider when going to Japan ;D, you also might just think that you've already tried it in your hometown (when I say this, I meant non-Asian countries, or countries other than Japan or Korea...or countries close to them, since they seem to have people selling these cakes fresh) but TRY THESE FRESH FROM THE GRILL! It will blow your mind ;D.

That'll be all for now ;)

Just FOOD for THOUGHT
(^see what I did thar eheehehehe)

Best Ramen: Ryo's Noodles

Tucked away in Crows Nest not too far away from the city, Ryo's delicious pork-based broth's and fine textured noodles seem to attract people from over the bridge and beyond. The establishment is tiny, but that doesn't stop diners lining up to get amongst the ramen action.

It is debatable whether Ryo's really does beat the masses of Ramen joints in Haymarket and the one reason people keep coming back is that you actually get a very decent bang for your buck. If you are new to the Ramen scene, take the excursion out here with about $20 in hand, and you won't be let down. Just make sure to get their around midday as the kitchens close around 3PM - and ask for less salt if you feel inclined.

Technology & food!

Japan has drastically changed the food industry with its innovative ideas and forward thinking technology. On a trip to Kyoto, I personally encountered this creative aspect of japanese culture. Albeit, it was initially confusing and confronting, however after the initial shock, it was a genuinely good experience.

Upon walking into the a restaurant, we were confronted by this large machine which read "Order Here" at the top.

Original photo

The system was efficient and user friendly, the prices clearly stated under each dish and were displayed with helpful photographs of the dishes available. This had made ordering incredibly easy and efficient, as orders were immediately transmitted to a screen in the kitchen with no fuss of mistaken orders, or language barriers. There was a surprising variety of main dishes all listed down this machine. And incredible innovation with was a great novelty experience which could work in general practice in restaurants everywhere.

Overall it was an exciting experience in Japan, and this technology could potentially change the way main dishes are served if it catches on.

Japanese Main Dishes - Rice Dishes

Sushi
Sushi is an iconic Japanese dish that has been popular around the world for a long time. It's small portions allow you to get a taste of a multitude of different flavours without overwhelming you with volume. Sushi is a delicious, fresh and light meal that comes in various forms.

The  most popular is the Nigirizushi, where the topping is generally raw/cooked fish  over a vine guard  When served fresh, it is soft, tender, and absolutely delicious. Usually served with soy sauce and wasabi for that zesty kick.

Image sourced from: http://www.eat-japan.com/images/stories/sushi_perfect/types/image_nigirizushi.jpg

Next is the also equally popular Makizushi, which refers to sushi that is made by rolling the filling (often salmon, cucumber, avocado), vineguard rice in toasted seaweed. The result is a convenient, easy and delicious meal.

Image sourced from: http://www.fareshare.net/images/maki-zushi.jpg

The Gunkanmaki variety of sushi that is iconically made with topping surrounded by a thin strip of nori (seaweed) which prevents the topping from slipping off. These toppings often include the likes of fish roe as a popular selection in Japan and around the world, and is likened to a "battleship" due to it's unique shape.

Image sourced from: http://madeinjapan.uol.com.br/imgmat/2006/02/01_sushi_gunkan_maki.jpg

Image sourced from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmvdjobGVtwlRgpkox49StD2AUaWir-NrEuxb3k8mFUMmb1On_D4Fiex63eM7spwnuVDMQRmsVbJPpXYoJHCHePJE6TLFZ1EJVvZjEDxeUaMGMo9hp-TMlyvRwNt-djWuo3BOa9QQf3g/s1600/sushi.jpg

Donburi
Donburi is basically a delicious combination of a soft bed of rice, and tender and crispy toppings. It is characterised by the unique use of egg over the rice, giving a soft texture to the rice. Toppings often include Karaage chicken, which is a specially fried chicken in japanese batter producing the most sensational crisp skin and tender chicken pieces.

Image sourced from: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/2057157150_175ed375e5.jpg

Kare Raisu


This dish is a personal favourite of mine, fusing a unique thick japanese curry with perfectly cooked rice. The curry is obviously the main attraction, coming in varying degrees of spice (though, the spicier the better for me!) with subtle undertones of the sweet meats and a crunch of potato. An all-round delicious dish that is different to any curry you have experienced!

Image sourced from: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwgzpTx6BdE/Sljhf2-t_PI/AAAAAAAAAqg/2WHNrEO_OU0/s400/kare3.jpg

SNACK FOOD: ANIMAL MATE BISCUITS

So the last thing I tasted was the chocolate lollipop. Today I am taking a different approach and going with some sorta creepy looking biscuits. They are called "Animal Mate Biscuits" and  are made by "Takara". 

Animal Mate Biscuits - all the biscuits have a picture of an animal on them!

They are described on the packet to be:

1. a vegetarian biscuit (I thought most biscuits were vegetarian?)

2. "providing the nutrition you need and the fun you want"

These biscuits are all different shapes, come with animal pictures on the front of them and have a cute packet. They come in a fairly big packet though and I definitely would not get through it in one go. I guess they may be designed to share or to keep in the cupboard as prolonged snack food. 

Upon tasting these meat free biscuits i wasn't that wowed. They are very bland, dry and not that exciting in anyway. Though they do have a decent after taste. And now that I am sitting here and thinking about it, I do want to eat some more of them. 

I guess I would compare them to miniature arrowroot biscuits. They taste very similar and have almost the same texture. I also got these ones from Madam Hoo's in Castle Towers, but these were a bit more expensive at $3.90 for the bag, which still isn't too bad.

To summarise, I am not against these at all, but I was a bit let down. The animals on the biscuits are kind of cute and the packaging keeps the cuteness going. They aren't amazing in taste, but they don't taste terrible. I've eaten about 6 now and I am actually enjoying them. Though they are quite bland and leave you wanting a drink. Milk might go really well with these. They could also be an awesome lunch box snack for kids, and the animals are fun for children as well. Im not so sure about the nutritional side of this snack, as it is all in japanese, but I will give them a 2.5/5 overall. 

Japanese Desserts - Dorayaki!

Yes, I think it's time for another post....

What to write about this time?

I think about my childhood when I think about this next dessert - Dorayaki.

Dorayaki, as you can see, looks like 2 ordinary pancakes on top of each other, but there is something in between the 2 pancakes. The Dorayaki is now usually filled with red bean paste (though not originally) in the middle. The two pancake 'patties' are made from castella.

Why Dorayaki, you ask? Basically because I grew up watching Doraemon, in case you don't know, Doraemon is a Japanese anime (initially a manga/comic, like other animes) about a robot cat from the future made by Nobita's great great grandson, Sewashi (ironically scared of mice because of bad experiences before Doraemon went back to the past to help this boy called Nobita).

Anyway, that's pretty much the background on Doraemon, but one thing that remained quite consistent in the episodes of the anime was that Doraemon loves to eat the Dorayaki. After reading some of the manga and watching some of the episodes of the anime, it made me somewhat crave for the cake - and yes, I have tried it before (though not the authentic ones...but it was close? I think I'd have to go to Japan to actually taste the REAL deal) and it was quite nice.

So here it is, the history behind this ordinary-looking cake.

The Dorayaki originally had only one layer and the current shape that it has now was invented in 1914.

Legend has it, that the first Dorayaki was made when a samurai (something to do with military nobility) named Benkei forgot his gong (dora in Japanese) when he left a farmer's house in which he was hiding. And so the farmer used the gong to fry the pancakes, thus the name, Dorayaki.

Now I don't know how accurate this legend is...(considering that it IS a legend) but it was quite interestingly funny in a way to tell how this cake came about =D.

Here are more pictures of the cake;

Doesn't it look appetising?

I'm really drooling as I type this post....

If you guys ever do go to Japan, consider trying these while you're there!

Anyway, that's it for now

Until next time! ;D

SNACK FOOD: PEKO POKO CHOCOLATE POP

I am probably not the best person to discuss Japanese food, as I am the least Japanese person you will find. I enjoy many kinds of food, my favourite being Thai food, but I had never really experienced the world of japanese snack food until now.

To be completely honest, it was really hard to actually find Japanese snack food in Australia. But I didn't give up, because it seemed silly to discuss a food without actually eating and experiencing it!

So first up on my list was these cute little things:

Inside the packet - super cute!

These are called "Peko Poko Chocolate Pop" and they are made by a company called "Fujiya". They were too cute to resist plus it was only $1.10 Not only are they lollipops, but they are made out of chocolate. They smelt quite strange though. Much sweeter than chocolate should smell. It's kinda like the chocolate money smell, but it was still very tantalising. There are also 2 in a packet meaning more for me…or sharing with a friend.

My favourite part about these were the surprise flavour of the pink chocolate. It was strawberry flavoured and I loved it. The white chocolate was obviously white chocolate flavour, but it was still a good combo of flavours. The whole thing was super sweet and wasn't the same sort of 'traditional' chocolate flavour you would find in Australia. It tasted much more like a lolly than a chocolate. The texture was the same as normal chocolate, yet less creamy. 

Outside the packet - still super cute!

Overall I really enjoyed this snack. It looked adorable, there was plenty to go around, they tasted pretty great, though very sweet, and they were pretty cheap too! I do recommend these for those who like chocolate, have a super sweet tooth and love cuteness. I'm gonna give it a 4.5/5. The only reason it lost half a mark was due to the fact that it wasn't super satisfying in terms of hunger. You could not just eat this as a snack by itself. You would have to pair it with some chips or biscuits, or something a bit more substantial. 

I bought this from an Asian grocery store in Castle Hill, NSW called Madam Hoo's in the Castle Towers Shopping Centre. This place did not stock a whole heap of Japanese Snacks, but had the most out of all the places I went. Thats all for now on these cute-pops!

SAM.

Best Fine Dining: Tetsuya's

What needs to be said about this place? It is listed as one of the top 50 places in the whole entire world to eat - so you know they mean business. This is not for the faint of heart (or more accurately, a fat wallet), as their delicious eleven course degustation menu will set you back a hefty $210 AUD. The food is unable to be described in such a condensed blog post, so a more in depth review will surely be in store for you when we are able to fund a trip to this culinary mecca.

Japanese Main Dishes - Ramen

Japan has been a hub of innovation and creativity, excelling in many areas and particularly renown for it's excellent variety and quality of food. Japan's culture, history, environment and progress has moulded the culinary experience we see today.

RAMEN

Assumedly, the most well-known main dish from Japan is the mouth-watering Ramen. Ramen is basically a Japanese noodle (made from wheat) served with a variety if different delicious soup bases, toppings and meats.

These are the soups that are served as a crucial part of this infamously delectable  dish:

Shio ("salt") Ramen - This amazing soup is generally made from plenty of salt, chicken, vegetables, fish and seaweed. Pork bones may be used also, however are not boiled to preserve a beautiful light texture and clear appearance. This type of ramen is often served with thinly sliced pork, pickled plums, baby bamboo shoots and number of other condiments.

Image Sourced from: http://www.ramenramenramen.net/wp-images/asameshi_maeda_honten_ramen_4.JPG

Tonkotsu ("pork bone") Ramen - This tantalising soup is a combination of pork bones, and occasionally chicken bones and pig trotters. It infuses a brilliant mixture of ginger, garlic, onions, and the pork bones with hours of boiling to produce a distinctive rich, creamy textured soup.

Image Sourced from: http://norecipes.com/blog/2009/12/30/tonkotsu-ramen-recipe/

Shōyu ("soy sauce") Ramen - A unique flavour of this shoyu ramen derives from the use of chicken/beef stock and soy sauce. This creates an incredible mixture of a tangy, savoury taste whilst maintaining a light consistency. It's characteristic dark, glossy soup is both aesthetically appealing, and a scrumptious delight.

Image sourced from: http://http.cdnlayer.com/smoola/00/00/86/bc5f5781fa6c9cb1_m.jpg

Miso Ramen  - This next delicious number is relatively new to the Ramen arena. It uses oily chicken or fish broth to create a rich creamy texture that slides smoothly. It infuses the unique ingredient of miso (grounded fermented beans) to create a distinctive, nutty flavour. A personal favourite of the Miso soup base is the spicy variety, where one gets to enjoy a slight spark of spiciness without it over powering the sultry smooth flavour of the chicken broth and miso.

Image sourced from: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_II8xB8Ke_u4/S8PI3jIDV8I/AAAAAAAALys/NYm1Uiu1CU4/s800/Miso+Ramen.jpg

These various soup types form the signature dish of Ramen that is known and enjoyed world-wide today. Other more creative variations have also emerged over time such as the "curry ramen"and "spicy ramen", and are equally enticing to your taste buds. Each offer a distinctive flavour and a unique experience, all individually delicious.

Other Japanese noodle dishes include

Soba 

This is a native Japanese style noodle that is made from buckwheat and/or wheat flour. It has a smooth and soft texture and made into thin strands that hold subtle flavours. Soba can be eaten hot or cold, but is popularly eaten cold with a dipping sauce "soba tsuyu" when the heat in Japan heightens. It is also often regarded as a healthier option of noodle without compromising on it's great taste.

Image sourced from: http://int.kateigaho.com/jan04/images/tokyo-soba.jpg

Udon 

Udon is made from wheat flour and is versatile in it's uses as it is made both hot and cold. It is relatively thicker than the soba noodle, and also has a distinct flavour. It's slippery texture and thick size produces an exquisite overall experience.

Best Sushi: Musashi

There are a few specialty Sushi restaurants in Sydney that will make world-class rolls, but most would not frequent these wallet burning places more than on the odd occasion (wedding proposal perhaps?). So we decided the winner of this category would be another place where all us normal/hip people can turn up often and experience awesome. Musashi seems to come out on top due to its buzzing popularity, so booking is essential. Their Deluxe Sashimi set is $22, which is pretty cheap for sushi of this calibre. Located right next to the Capitol Theatre, you are gonna find it pretty hard not to give this place a try next time you are city bound.

Japanese Desserts - Dango

So....what would be the first thing that comes to mind when it comes to Japanese Desserts?

To be honest....I don't really have anything in mind when it comes to Japanese desserts....really, it's like my mind completely blank...

I think it's because I've never really ordered anything from the dessert menu whenever I go to a Japanese restaurant.

Also, I think I'm more of a 'savoury' kind of guy than the 'sweet-tooth' kind...

You might be thinking....so what gives? Why am I talking (or going to be) about desserts if I'm not much of a dessert guy?

Well, here is one dessert I'd like to post about;

The post today, I'd like to start with (as the title says) Dango - basically dumplings made from rice flour, it is related to mochi (which is Japanese rice cake made from glutinous rice) and often served with green tea.

They're usually served on a skewer, like....

There are different varieties of Dango- since it's served all year round, dango varies in its name, shape, seasonings and are served in different seasons

Here are the different types: 


Bocchan Dango: Dango that has three colors. One is colored by red beans, the second by eggs, and the third by green tea.

(Bocchan Dango)

Chadango: Green-tea flavoured Dango.

(Chadango)

 Chichi Dango: Slightly-sweet light treats usually eaten as a dessert.

Denpun Dango: Variety of dango from Hokkaido made from potato flour and baked with sweet boiled beans.

Goma Dango: Dango with sesame seeds. Can be both sweet and salty.

Hanami Dango: Also has three colors, Hanami dango is traditionally made during Sakura-viewing season. Hence the name Hanami (Hanami means "flower viewing"; hana meaning "flower", and mi meaning "to see"). Now I don't have a picture of this...since it's practically the same as the Bocchan Dango





Kibi Dango: Dango made with millet flour.

 (Kibi Dango)

 
Kuri Dango: Dango coated in chestnut paste.

 

(Kuri Dango)

Mitarashi Dango: Covered with a syrup made from shouyu (soy sauce), sugar and starch.

(Mitarashi Dango)

Sasa Dango: Dango that is produced and eaten primarily in Niigata Prefecture. Sasa dango has two varieties: "Onna Dango" and "Otoko Dango." Onna Dango (literally "Female Dango") is filled with anko, while the otoko dango (literally "Male Dango") is filled with kinpira. The dango is wrapped in leaves of sasa for the purpose of preservation.

(Sasa Dango/Sasadango)

So after you've had a read of the stuff I posted here....I think I haven't really answered the question I had at the top of this post. Besides the fact that this is part of an assignment, I think when it comes to food (regardless of sweet or savoury) it's like every guy's best friend...if anything, it'd be "The way to a man's heart is his stomach" if you've heard of the saying before. 


So yes! even though I have said that I'm not much of a dessert guy, I'm still a guy..and a guy loves his food ;D


And to this post, here you have it, the dango.


That's all folks, stay tuned for more later ;D

Where To Eat?

Here at Bowl Of Ramen, we want to know so that you can know what we know about what you know what we know you to know about where to eat - starting in big time Sydney and eventually moving out to Melbourne and beyond.

We love Japanese food, but I think it is fair game to say that if you have stumbled upon our humble blog, you love it as well.

So if you have any major recommendations itching under your skin that you need to get out- we are here for you! So drop us a line on twitter at @BowlOfRamenMQ.

Design - Logo's, Colour's and Ideas.

We want this blog to be as pleasing to the eye as japanese food is pleasing to the taste buds. So far we have had a look at a few layout ideas, but I thought I would draw up some rough ideas of a logo incorporating different colour, texts and our blog name "Bowl of Ramen". I also liked the sound of the tag "...a taste of Japan".

These are the simple and rough ideas I came up with: 

1. More professional and exciting

2. A lot rougher. I'm not a big fan of this but I did it anyway.

3. Simple, using red as the main colour. Inspired by the Japanese flag

4. I think this is my favourite as it is a bit fun and colourful.

When we as a group make a decision we'll let you know! Feel free to give us an opinion!

Sam ^.^

Blog Design

As you may see, this blog is/will be about Japanese food. We will be having posts about Japanese food and others relating to it (or what makes up the whole thing). Here are some things we have come up with in terms of topics and names for the group.

So, we as a group (Bowl Of Ramen) have come up with the design for the blog!

With much discussion, here is what we had thought of:

This image we have here, was the first design that we've come up with.
Design made by Joyce =D

As you can see, the design here is very simple, so we thought we might add a little spice to it all and maybe put in a bit more detail into the design.

After MORE discussion...here it is folks! This is the final product of our discussion and the final design for our blog.
Design made by Sam =D

Well that's how it is with the design for now.

Stay tuned for more updates ;D

Test Post

TEST!!!!