International student Rina shares a taste of Japan

On the menu at dinner with Rina and Lizzie was teriyaki chicken, miso soup and potato salad. I was able to supply some ingredients from my pantry, such as mirin and cooking sake.

Miso soup is a traditional Japanese soup that starts with a dashi stock and is flavoured with miso paste. Optional ingredients, such as tofu, green onions and mushrooms, can be added.

Dashi is an umami-rich stock made from dried seaweed and dried fish. Miso is a paste made from soybeans, salt and koji rice. These ingredients are available from your supermarket or Asian grocer. Miso soup is very nutritious and aids digestion.

Miso soup

• 400ml water
• 100g spinach
• 100g silken tofu
• 2 teaspoons miso
• 1 teaspoon dashi powder

Method

Bring the water and dashi to a boil. Add the miso and stir thoroughly. Add the spinach and tofu and serve immediately.

Teriyaki chicken

• 300g chicken thighs
• 1 green capsicum, sliced
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sweet sake (mirin)
• 2 tablespoons cooking sake
• Vegetable oil

Method

Sprinkle salt and pepper on chicken. Heat the oil in a frying pan, fry the meat and remove from pan. Add capsicum and fry until soft. Return chicken to pan and add soy, mirin and cooking sake.

Potato salad

• 3 potatoes, skin on and cubed
• 1 small carrot, sliced thinly and cut in quarters
• Half cucumber, sliced thinly
• 1 teaspoon rice wine vinegar
• Salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoons mayonnaise, such as kewpie

Method

Boil the potatoes in salted water until tender. Drain and evaporate the moisture and crush with rice wine vinegar, leaving some lumps. Put cucumber and carrot in a bowl, sprinkle with salt and massage for 5 minutes and drain off any moisture. Add to potatoes and gently mash with mayonnaise.