Japanese Ramen in Japan

I love all kinds of noodles but most of all I love a Japanese noodle dish, called Ramen. According to Wikipedia, "Ramen consists of Chinese-style wheat noodles served in a meat- or (occasionally) fish-based broth, often flavoured with soy sauce or miso (a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting rice, barley and /or soybeans), and uses toppings such as sliced pork (called chashu), dried seaweed (nori), kamaboko (Japanese processed seafood product) , green onions and occasionally corn".  There are mainly four flavour categories of Ramen soup; Shio (salt), Tonkotsu (pork bone), Shoyu (soy sauce) and Miso.

I don't usually eat meat but when it comes to Ramen, I ignore that the soup is often meat based and just enjoy the taste (but putting chashu aside!).

In Osaka, Japan you can visit The Instant Ramen Museum (http://www.instantramen-museum.jp/), which is near Ikeda Station on Hankyu-Takarazuka Line.  This was founded by Momofuku Ando who invented the world's first cup-type instant noodle product known as Cup Noodles!  Obviously we had to go there for curiosity.

Inside of the museum, you see history of instant noodles. Apparently as many as about 100 billion servings are consumed annually around the world!!!

You can also create your own Cup Noodles at My Cup Noodle Factory.

First, you decorate your own cup....

You then take it to the noodle factory station to fill the cup with noodles, choose the soup flavour and the ingredients. You have selections of standard soup flavour, seafood flavour, curry flavour and tomato & chilli flavour.

Afterwards, they seal the cups and shrink-wrap them so that you can take home. It was quite fun!

After the museum, we walked back to the train station but on the way we found a Ramen restaurant, so we naturally had to have lunch there.

I think this one was Shoyu ramen with slices of chashu,  boiled egg, spinach, spring onions, etc.

This one was Tonkotsu ramen which has rather rich taste.

We also ordered Onigiri (rise balls with seaweed wrapped around them)

There are so many Ramen restaurants in Japan and they get very busy during lunch time as they are like Japanese equivalent of fast food. Good restaurant always has people cueing patiently to get their seats at the counter.

Inside, people hovering over customers, waiting for their turn. 

This Ramen restaurant in down town Osaka serves 30 different kinds of flavours.
This one is basic Ramen.

Another Ramen restaurant in downtown Osaka. This one is Miso ramen.

And this one is Shoyu ramen.

One day in December 2011 we all went to Kyoto for sightseeing. We did not have time for lunch so by late afternoon we were starving. We found a ramen restaurant off the main street on the way to train station going back to Osaka and went inside for a quick snack.

You get all sorts of toppings - this one with potato croquettes, chashu and egg.

This one with Memma (simmered bamboo shoots).

Basic ramen.

This is Emily, eating her ramen. In Japan you are allowed to make slurping noises when eating noodles.

This is Craig, Emily's boyfriend, eating Curry flavoured ramen.

Many ramen restaurant also serves Gyoza (Japanese pan-fried dumpling, originated from China) and people order this with ramen. Main ingredients are ground pork, cabbage and green leek.

I had a bowl of basic ramen at Kansai International Airport (Osaka, Japan) before flying back to UK!

Well, talking about Ramen really make me feel like eating one so I have just made one for myself! Here is a quick recipe for lazy cook.
I quickly marinated salmon fillet with soy sauce with ginger, wrapped it with foil and oven roasted for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, cut little bit of green and red peppers and onions into strips and fried them for garnish along with spring onion and red chilli while the ramen noodles are prepared.  Unfortunately this is a frozen ramen bought from local Chinese supermarket as you can't get fresh one where I live, however it is still delicious.

What's for Breakfast?

During the week, I don't have time to eat proper breakfast but if I am on holiday, I like to get up early enough to make sure I eat breakfast. I like to find out what locals eat for breakfast.

When I went to Rome, which was my very first trip to Europe, the hotel we stayed had a roof top terrace where you could relax and enjoy breakfast under the lovely morning sunshine, far away from bustle and hustles happening on the streets in Rome.  I was really thrilled to find that a hot chocolate was available for breakfast as till then I never thought such thing was allowed and thought how great to be an Italian being able to enjoy delicious hot chocolate with breakfast croissant every morning.

Then about 6 - 7 years ago we went to Madrid where my husband introduced me to the delight of Spanish breakfast,  Pan con tomato (bread with tomato), which is simply rubbing a garlic clove across the surface of toasted bread and mashing a tomato until the juice and seeds coat it. You then drizzle some olive oil and salt over top.

In Barcelona it is called Pa amb tomaquet (in Catalan language) and it looks and tastes delicious!

We went to "La Boqueria" last October (2011), Barcelona's famous food market on La Rambla, for breakfast. We sat at a counter and ordered Pa amb tomaquet with strong coffee and freshly squeezed orange juice.

Some of airline flight meals are quite good. These are Emirates's breakfast between Glasgow and Osaka flights via Dubai (December 2011 - January 2012).

English breakfast (vegetarian option)

Japanese breakfast - grilled salmon,  egg roll, vegetable, rice and pickles.

We also had some breakfast at Frankie & Benny's, Glasgow Airport before boarding (December 2011).
 I like sitting at window booth, watching flights coming in and out, looking forward to our on-ward journey abroad.

For meat eaters...

And for non meat eaters!

In Japan, you can go to Starbucks if you want, or can go to local Japanese coffee shop to order a "morning set" that usually comes with thick toast, small salad, boiled egg and a cup of coffee.

Or you can eat a typical Japanese breakfast. Grilled salmon, rice, variety of pickles including Umeboshi (pickled plums - shown below in the middle) which is very very sour, and sometime, if you are in Osaka, Korean Kimuchi (spicy cabbage pickles - shown below, orange vegetables in the back, colour comes from chill so you can imagine this is spicy!).   Typical Japanese breakfast can also include "natto" (shown below, behind rice, brown beans with chopped spring onions and soy sauce), which is fermented soybeans, rich source of protein.  This can be however rather an acquired taste because of its strong smell and slippery texture with sticky and gooey strings.

When we went to Las Vegas in year 2006, we had poached eggs with smoked salmon on top of hush brown for breakfast at Luxor Hotel.

However, my favourite breakfast is the one that my husband has made for a Sunday breakfast. He said this is Gordon Ramsey's recipe with toasted soda bread and scrambled egg with little bit of from age frais.  I am hoping that he will make this again for this Sunday after reading my blog! (hint, hint!!!)

Lazy Cook

When I came home from work, I was so hungry and wanted to make something quick. So I made Spaghetti with tomato and tuna for my husband and me.
I bought this blue plate at local market when we went to Bardolino (Lake Garda) in Italy for family holiday about 6 - 7 years ago. It features langoustine, scallop and prawns around the rim of the plate and every time I make this spaghetti, I use this plate reminiscing of wonderful food we had there.
I only bought 2 plates - I wish I bought more.

This is very easy to make and takes less than 20 minutes, so suitable for a lazy cook like me!

The following receipt for the sauce is for 2 - 3 people.  You need:

200 - 240g spaghetti or penne
1 1/2 tbs flat parsley - chopped
1 small - medium sized red chili, de-seeded and finely chopped
1 small clove of garlic, chopped
1 ts fresh ginger, peeled and chopped
400 - 500g  passata (or 1 tin of chopped tomato)
1 - 2 ts capers
black olives - optional
1 tin of tuna steak, drained and flaked
rock salt and pepper
olive oil

While you are boiling the water for spaghetti, you chopped all these ingredients, fry parsley, chill, garlic and ginger with olive oil in a pan for a few minutes.  (This has such a lovely smell!!!) Then tip in passata into the pan and cook for 3 - 5 minutes. You then add tuna, capers and olives into the pan and cook further 5 minutes and then simmer for another 5 minutes or until the spaghetti is ready. Add pinch of rock salt and pepper to the sauce to season.
Make sure you stop cooking the spaghetti just before the point of al dante and toss with the sauce. Divide between 2 - 3 plates and serve.  Keep some sauce to spoon over the individual servings and drizzle a little bit of olive oil.

I wonder what others are eating now for dinner....???

The Intoxicating Tea Room at Saint Judes

This afternoon, my daughters, Emily, Maria and I went to Saint Judes for an afternoon tea.....

We started off with a cup of Rose Prosecco each ...

 and then we each had lovely cocktails.

Left: Sailor Jerry Daiquiri (rum, fresh lime, cinnamon syrup & pressed apple juice)
Middle: French Martini (vodka, chambord & pineapple juice)
Right: Rosie Lea Martini (gin, elderflower liqueur, rose syrup, fresh lemon juice & pressed apple juice)

Maria's Sailor Jerry Daiquiri

 Then comes mini sandwiches, scones and cakes!

Service was great, loved Rose Prosecco, cocktails and mini cakes!

We could do that again!!!!

Ate too much...?

Every Saturday morning we go to Starbucks. I have WHY BOTHER - skinny de-cafe Mocha Latte with cream on top with a newspaper to relax.

We then went to Sarti in Renfrew Street for lovely lunch.
As aperitif, we had focaccia, dipping into chilli oil, garlic, olive oil and balsamic vinegar, olives and blocks of parmesan cheese. Also ordered my favourite bottle of Sicilian wine!!

As starter, we had a crispy salad with roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes and mozzarella cheese! Mozzarella cheese just melted in my mouth!

For main course, my husband and my daughter had pizza each but I opted for oven roasted salmon with  courgettes and onions with salad.

We were tempted to have desserts for the sake of it but resisted that temptation and just had coffee to finish the lovely lunch!  I had cafe machiato in a cup.