Other than typical soy sauce and in some cases, wasabi, Japanese cuisine is generally naturally gluten-free.  One of the things I love about Japanese style cooking is that it is fresh, always includes ample vegetables and is simply cooked without a lot of sauces.  This ‘unadorned’ style lets the individual flavors of ingredients come to the forefront instead of being minimized with bolder flavorings.  It is also why Japanese cuisine is generally a healthy, low fat meal choice.

This month we bring you three great Japanese style recipes that we hope you enjoy as much as we do.  Pork Cutlet Donburi was always one of my favorites when ordering at Japanese restaurants prior to being diagnosed with Celiac disease.  I recently created the recipe below to 5 star reviews from my husband, (who can still order it in a restaurant).  I added a few different touches to the versions from my memory like using shelled soy beans instead of the usual, peas.

Japanese Style Fried Shrimp is superb and if you’re like me, it will be hard not to continue eating these wonderful ly crunchy shrimp for an entrée instead of just a few for an appetizer!  

Sukiyaki is an all time favorite one-bowl meal.   The meat and vegetables are cooked quickly without stirring the ingredients together resulting in the preservation of the integrity and taste of each delicious ingredient.

Pork Cutlet Donburi

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• Steamed white rice for serving
• 4 boneless pork chops
• Kosher salt and fresh ground pepper
• 3 Tablespoons gluten-free flour mix
• 5 eggs
• 3 Tablespoons fine corn meal
• Vegetable oil for frying
• 1 cup water
• 6 Tablespoons gf soy sauce
• 4 Tablespoons sugar
• 4 Tablespoons mirin
• 1 package frozen shelled soy beans
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1/2 onion, sliced

Directions:

Pound pork chops with a mallet until about 1/4" thin; sprinkle with salt and pepper on both sides.  Beat 1 egg in a shallow plate and add corn meal to another plate.  Dust the chops with gf flour then dip in the beaten egg, then coat with the corn meal.

Heat about 1" vegetable oil in wok or heavy skillet over high heat.  Fry chops until light brown, about 4 minutes per side.  Drain on paper towels and cut into 1" strips.  In a small bowl, mix together water, soy sauce, sugar and mirin.  Add 1/4 of the broth mixture to a separate skillet and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to a simmer and add the carrot slices, soy beans and onions and let cook for 1 minute.  Add pork and cook for another minute.  Scramble the remaining eggs and add to the skillet and stir.  Place a serving of rice into each individual bowl and top with pork, vegetable and egg mixture.  Add more sauce if desired.  Serve immediately.

Japanese Style Fried Shrimp

Serves 6 as an appetizer

Ingredients:

• 4 ounces saifon (dried soy flour noodles)
• 18 large shrimp, peeled, deveined, tails intact and scored on the underside to prevent curling
• 1/3 cup gf flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 egg whites
• Vegetable or canola oil for frying
• Gf soy sauce for dipping

Directions:

Saifon noodles are very stiff. To cut them into 1/4 inch pieces, place in a food processor and pulse until chopped into small pieces. Transfer to a plate or shallow bowl.   In a plastic bag, combine flour and salt, mixing well.  Beat egg whites in a medium bowl just until foamy.  Dip shrimp into flour mixture until coated; then dip into egg white and then into noodles, coating on all sides. 

Heat oil in a wok or deep skillet to 325 degrees F. Add shrimp in batches and fry until opaque. Transfer to paper towels. Serve immediately with gf soy sauce for dipping.

Sukiyaki

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds top sirloin or any tender beef, sliced thin across grain
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1 bunch green onions sliced into 1" pieces
• 1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 pound fresh spinach, sliced into strips
• 4 stalks Chinese cabbage, sliced into strips
• 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil

For sauce:

• 1/2 cup gf soy sauce
  
• 1/2 cup mirin
  
• 1/2 cup water
  
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Combine ingredients for sauce and set aside. 

Place oil in large, heavy skillet over high heat. Put 1/3 of meat in center of hot pan.   Pour 2/3 of sauce over meat. Add 2/3 of the assorted vegetables around meat. Do not mix meat and vegetables together.  Turn over ingredients gently while cooking. Cook no longer than 10 to 15 minutes.

Serve meat and vegetables from pan to plates and replenish pan with remaining meat and vegetables, add more sauce as required. Serve with rice.

Tips

This recipe only takes 15 minutes to cook, so make a pot of white rice before you begin.

- Chef Jessica

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