Soba with Dipping Sauce, Sweet Chili Chicken and Salad with Ponzu Sauce

Noodles are definitely an integral part of Japanese culture and something I grew up eating frequently (and not just Top Ramen!). Even as a fourth generation Japanese-American, my mom would make traditional Udon for New Year's with dashi soup stock, kamaboko (fish cake), green onions, nori strips and half a soft-boiled egg for topping. The most well-known Japanese noodles are Ramen (thin-wheat based), Udon (thick white noodle), Somen (also thin and wheat based but often served cold) and Soba (buckwheat noodles served hot or cold). I've decided to use a recipe with the Soba noodles because it's the only one made from buckwheat flower, it's naturally gluten-free and can be served cold. As a busy mom of three, my family rarely gets 'piping hot' anything, so this dish makes me seem as though I got it right and if no one comes to the table after I yell three times that dinner's ready, it's no sweat off my back. I also cheat with this recipe and use ready made sweet chili sauce and Marukan's "Ponzu" sauce for my salad dressing. Quick and easy.

Soba with Dipping Sauce - serves 6

Ingredients:

1 package (16 oz) soba - I love the Explore Asian brand    

2 sheets nori (Japanese seaweed), toasted and crumbled                                                            

Dipping Sauce:                                                                                                                                      

2 cups dashi (fish stock) - you can get this at most Asian markets in an instant package or you can make it from scratch, recipe on the bottom.    

3-4 Tbsp soy sauce 1/2 tsp sugar

Condiments: 2 green onions, chopped grated daikon (Japanese radish)

Directions:

1. Combine sauce ingredients, bring to a boil. Set aside.
2. Boil noodles until tender (about 7-8 minutes) stirring occasionally. Do not overcook.
3. Drain in colander and run cold water over noodles to stop cooking.
4. Divide into 6 bowls, top with nori.
5. Serve with dipping sauce in individual bowls.
6. Green onion or grated daikon may be added to the sauce according to individual taste.

Sweet Chili Chicken - serves 6

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, split in half lengthwise to make thin

6 tbsp sweet chili sauce (available at most markets in the Asian section)

salt and pepper

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp sesame oil

Directions:

1. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the raw chicken.
2. Melt about 1 tbsp butter to a medium sized pan on medium high.
3. Saute the chicken on both sides until just done.
4. Remove chicken from the pan.
5. Add 1 tbsp sesame oil to the pan on high heat.
6. Add 6 tbsp sweet chili sauce until the sauce and oil are combined and are sizzling.
7. Add the chicken to the pan until coated and remove.

Salad with Ponzu Sauce

Ingredients:

Field greens, chopped butter lettuce, any lettuce will do.

Thinly slivered carrots

Chopped purple cabbage for color

Lime juice

Marukan's Ponzu sauce dressing

Directions:

1. Make a bed of lettuce, top with carrots and purple cabbage
2. Squeeze a quarter lime over top add Marukan's Ponzu sauce dressing and toss. 

The versatile Japanese Persimmon or Kaki!

(kaki [柿]) or Japanese Persimmon is a wonderfully sweet fruit that is seasonal in the months of October and November.  The Japanese Fuyu variety, as opposed to other varieties that tend to be very bitter when picked, can be eaten like an apple up through to any stage of ripeness. If you've seen a kaki tree, you may know that kaki are picked at their ripeness when a tree's leaves naturally fall off.  It may seem a litle odd to look at such beautiful vibrant dark orange fruit hanging on a tree that almost looks like it's dying, but that's what makes this beautiful fruit so unique and interesting!

When I was little, I didn't always have the fondest memories of eating kaki because I remember that sometimes they were really bitter and seemed to make my mouth feel like it had been sucked of all moisture. Now I know that this is true - that you can find kaki that are bitter and you can find kaki that are just right.  If you stick to the Fuyu variety that has less tannins, you shouldn't get any bitterness. You're probably seeing kaki in grocery stores now and may not know what to do with it. When buying Fuyu Persimmons, choose ones that are firm with vibrant red-orange color all around. 

Here are some ways to eat and cook kaki...

I like to eat mine like an apple. When they are hard, you can bite right into it or cut it into slices with the peel on.  Or, you can peel it and julienne cut it for use in salads. You can add it to coleslaw to give it a little sweetness or put it in a sandwich to give it a delightful crunch. They can be dried out and you can eat them as a healthy snack or dip them in chocolate.  When they are soft, you can make jams, chutneys, and purees.  I've seen it used in risotto, baked into cookies, used in salsa, even put into latkes.  It is really one of the most versatile fruits - so don't be afraid to try it the next time you are at the grocery store, you won't be disappointed! 

Here are 14 awesome recipes using persimmons from Huffington post and this is my favorite one of the bunch by Dara of Cookin' Canuk:

Spinach Salad with Fuyu Persimmon, Jicama & Avocado with Miso Dressing

4 tsp fresh lime juice

4 tsp water

1 1/2 tbsp white miso (fermented soybean paste)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp salt

1/3 cup plus 2 tbsp olive oil

6 oz. fresh spinach leaves

1 lb (about 1 1/2 large) Fuyu persimmons, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and thinly sliced

1/4 medium-sized jicama, peeled and sliced into matchstick pieces

1 large, ripe avocado, halved, pitted, and thinly sliced

The dressing:

In a blender, combine lime juice, water, white miso, black pepper, and salt. Blend until smooth. With the blender running, slowly pour in olive oil. Stop pouring the olive oil a couple of times throughout this process, with blender running, to insure that the emulsification is forming well. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.

The salad:

Place fresh spinach leaves in a serving bowl. Toss the spinach with a few tablespoons of the miso dressing. Add the persimmon, jicama, and avocado and toss with a 2-3 additional tablespoons of dressing, to taste. Serve.

Makes 4 first-course servings.