Rika's TOKYO CUISINE: Dry Curry with Canned Tuna

Dining with the Chef!

Hello. Welcome to Dining with the Chef.

I'm Rika Yukimasa.

Today, I'd like to show you some quick and easy recipes using ingredients that you probably have in stock in your pantry or fridge.

They come in very handy for days when you're too busy to shop...

or are simply not in the mood to cook an elaborate meal.

Tokyo, an Asian city with the largest metropolitan population in the world, the boundaries between old Japan and futuristic Japan are blurred in this metropolis.

The food here is a fusion of cuisine, not just from around Asia, but around the globe.

In this program, Tokyo-based culinary artist, Rika Yukimasa demonstrates the current trends from her own kitchen near Tokyo Bay.

Our co-host is Patrick Harlan, widely known in Japan as Pakkun.

Rika's Tokyo Cuisine.

Today, an original curry dish that gets a kick from Japanese spices.

Our main dish is an omelet, dry curry, stir-fried rice, seasoned with canned tuna and fragrant spices, topped with a mildly sweet and creamy omelet.

Our second dish is a refreshing chicken salad with a "ponzu" dressing.

You'll love the contrasting textures of crispy vegetables and tender chicken.

A healthy, well-balanced meal of seafood, chicken, and vegetables.

In Japan, curry or curry rice is usually made with roux, which is a combination of flour, fat and different spices.

It's super easy to use and it makes a delicious stew like curry, which goes perfect with rice.

But we also have other options, which is what we're going to introduce today, right?

Yes. It's what we call dry curry, which is made without soup or curry roux.

I'm going to prepare a dish of dry curry rice.

And today, I'm going to keep it simple by using preserved foods that you'll find in most Japanese households and increasingly other parts of the world.

I would call it ultimate survival food.

Let's take a look at the ingredients for the omelet-topped dry curry.

This recipe works best with canned tuna in oil, it's packed with umami.

The combination of fragrant curry and Japanese spices with rich tuna will stimulate your appetite.

So, since it's curry, I imagine that we're going to start by cooking rice.

Oh, not today.

I'm going to show you the way to enjoy rice without having to cook it.

Really? Raw rice?

Well, I'm going to use these rice packets.

- That'll do it.
- Yes.

All you need to do is heat them up in the microwave to enjoy freshly cooked rice.

And these are increasingly available around the world, right?

Yes.

You can buy them online, so they are useful to have it on hands.

Pre-cooked rice packets have a long shelf life.

All you need to enjoy a bowl of fluffy, but chewy rice, is to heat it for several minutes in a microwave or hot water bath to dissolve the starch.

Another type of processed rice, ideal for camping trips, is pre-cooked and dehydrated alpha rice.

You just pour hot or cold water into the bag, and it's ready to eat.

So, it's a handy product to keep in stock.

Now, let's prepare the ingredients for topping the omelet.

- So, let's cut the "negi" first.
- Okay.

Is there a secret?

Well, the easier way is, instead of cutting from here, cutting towards up.

You can just cut in half.

Then cut it.

- Then, what you do is you hold it really tightly.
- Mm-hmm.

Nice.

Does the flavor change from the white part to the green part?

Well, the bottom part is bitter, and the top part tastes kind of milder.

Interesting. Okay.

Okay. So, this is ready.

All right.

And now we move on, and crack the eggs.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and add a pinch of salt, and sugar per egg.

I don't think we add sugar to American scrambled eggs.

Yeah, it doesn't act as a sweetener.

- It acts as, to give a little bit of umami flavor.
- Oh, okay.

So, I'll just mix it.

And I want you to mix it. You put this spring onion.

See? In this way, you can intake not only protein, but also vegetables.

Nice.

- And leeks and spring onions just go great with eggs.
- Yes.

They're so good together. You got to try it.

Are we ready?

- Yes.
- Okay. Then we'll save the cooking for last, right?

Because you want your eggs soft.

So, let's start making the dry curry rice.

Great.

Dry curry, I think usually involves maybe chicken or beef.

Well, that's right.

But today, I'm going to cook a delicious dry curry with canned tuna.

Oh, canned tuna. That's an interesting idea.

My family always had like ten cans just in case.

Canned tuna is a really popular ingredient in Japan.

And there are many types available depending on what kind of species of tuna is used.

Really? Can we use any species today?

- Yes.
- Great.

Canned, skipjack tuna is very popular in Japan and is sold as "light tuna."

It's firm with a mild flavor.

Premium canned tuna is made with albacore tuna.

Because the flesh is light in color, it's also known as "white tuna."

It has a plump texture and is packed with rich umami flavor.

Today, we'll use yellowfin tuna.

It has a tender texture and a mild flavor that goes well with all kinds of dishes, which makes it a very popular type of canned tuna.

- Okay, we're going to start sauteing the tuna first.
- Okay.

Since it is canned in oil, I'm going to just add these.

The tuna is already seasoned.

And if you buy tuna packed in oil, you can make use of the premium oil infused with tuna flavor.

And this is what makes the recipe so flavorful.

Nice.

And then, since the tuna has a little bit of a fishy flavor, we add several types of spices.

Sure.

And the one I recommend is, of course, curry powder.

- Which has many spices already in it.
- Yes.

It has cumin and cardamom and various other spices.

And I'm sure depending on the country you live in, that combination of spices or the amount that's combined must be different.

Right.

So, I'll just put some.

- And since I like spicy food, add some red peppers.
- Okay.

And a bit of...

"Sansho?"

- "Sansho" pepper.
- Nice.

"Sansho" as a little spice, little thing, a little something special.

Smells so good.

And this process makes everything so different.

So even if you're cooking this with ground meat or a ground chicken, you should add the spice together with oil first.

- So it infuses the flavor.
- Okay.

Now, add some "yuzukosho," a condiment made with fermented yuzu zest, chili peppers, and salt, and a dash of aromatic sesame oil.

When fragrant, add the hot rice and saute slowly over low heat to mix well.

And since Japanese short grain rice is kind of stickier than long grain rice, instead of frying and swirling that frying pan, you do things like this

so that you will divide it into smaller pieces.

I see.

- Japanese grain rice, because it is stickier and has more moisture, it's very difficult to swirl.
- Right.

Japan is abundant with water everywhere you go.

We have so much water.

Interesting. Okay.

- Because if you're doing a wok, Chinese wok, you want to have high heat?
- Yes.

- Because it burns the grains of rice as they fly over the flame, right?
- Mm hmm.

- But not Japanese rice.
- Yes.

In a frying pan. Okay.

The gentle heat works better.

Good to know.

- That is already looking so good.
- Yes. So good.

You want to mix fully and sort of dry the surface of the rice.

So now, I'm going to sprinkle some salt.

Interesting.

I've heard that if you add salt a little later, you can use less salt and still get the same impact. Is that right?

Yeah, because it's going to be coated on the surface.

Add the soy sauce and umami-rich oyster sauce, and continue to saute.

And if you don't have oyster sauce, you can add a little bit of sugar instead, with a bit more of soy sauce.

Sure.

Smells great.

Could you use something like fish sauce or...

- Yeah, fish sauce would be great, too.
- Okay.

So mixing soy sauce with other seasonings make the dish flavor get more complexity.

Sure.

- We're getting hungry.
- Smells so good.

Okay, this is almost done.

So, can I just taste a little bit?

- Torture.
- Yeah.

Just in case.

Looks so good.

What's the decision? Is it a win?

It's a win, total win.

From a scale of 1 to 10, I must give ten.

Presentation is very important to Rika.

She's going to use a bowl to plate the dry curry in a stunning way.

And what you do is...

You do it like this, put it in the center, and turn it over.

Nice.

Perfect.

And choosing the plate with blue color.

That goes really well with yellow, because it's the opposite color.

- So let's make the scrambled eggs.
- Great.

With spring onion.

- First, you need to turn the heat to high.
- Okay.

- It's very important that you keep the surface of the frying pan on high heat.
- Okay.

- But at the same time, you don't want to coagulate the eggs right away.
- Okay.

- So, you want to lower the heat soon.
- Okay.

Okay, so once the frying pan is heated, you add sesame oil.

And then from here, you just pour the egg mixture and then use the spatula.

So you take a little bit...

- It will be done within a few seconds.
- All right. I'll watch it.

Heat down to medium heat.

What I'm doing is kind of like...

- Gathering.
- Gathering, yes.

I mean, you don't want to flip it.

Interesting.

And this is already done. You want to keep it a little loosened.

Okay.

And you just cooked the bottom. You didn't flip to cook the top.

Interesting.

Because I think it's more beautiful with yellow color...

- That it is.
- Yes.

And what you do...

Nice.

- Definitely want a non-stick frying pan for that procedure.
- Yes.

- Oh, beautiful.
- Beautiful.

- Can I try it?
- Yes.

All right.

You sort of gather...

"Gather" you said.

I don't want to...

- Because when you make the omelet, you just scramble like...
- Right.

Go in circles. But not with this.

- You have to gather it in the center.
- Okay.

- I think it's almost done.
- So it's almost done?

- Well, turn off the heat and you can cook with the residual heat.
- Oh, okay.

I will do that then.

You have to always have your residual heat technique on your side.

So, everything will turn out great.

- Great.
- Looks pretty good.

Come on, baby.

And then you have to move your right hand.

Great, great.

Okay!

Perfect.

I think if you serve this dish to your kid or family, they'll be surprised.

Next, the chicken salad with "ponzu" dressing.

Here are the ingredients.

The key lies in cooking the chicken so that it's tender and moist.

The combination of chicken and vegetables with a citrus dressing is substantial, but easy on the stomach.

Oh, chicken tenders.

- In Japanese, we say "sasami."
- Right.

- And that's a special portion of meat. A special part of the chicken, right?
- Mm-hmm.

Chicken tenders or tenderloins are long muscle strips located underneath the breast.

So, it's lean meat.

Chicken tenders are located underneath the chicken breast.

They're tender and lean and are high in protein, but low in calories, so they're very popular in Japan.

You can also use breast meat instead.

You need to be careful not to overcook them.

Okay. So what do you recommend?

Well, the best way, to make the most of the delicate and flavorful chicken meat, is to cook slowly over low heat.

- Slightly boiling.
- Yes.

Okay.

And once you know how to boil them properly, you don't want to go back to grilling them.

Great.

Make a slit down the middle of the tenders, so that they cook evenly.

Add a pinch of salt to a pot of boiling water.

This will speed up the firming of the protein on the surface and seal in the umami.

- You place it in the hot water.
- Okay.

- And the heat is still on at this point.
- Yes.

Count, only five.

One, two, three, four, five.

Turn off and then forget about it.

- Haha, really? Just leave it there.
- Yes.

Okay. How long will it take to cook through?

- Usually for about 10 minutes.
- Okay.

While we're waiting for the chicken tenders to cook through, let's prep the vegetables.

That's a beautiful looking long "negi" there.

Cut the "naganegi," long onion, into 6 to 7 centimeter lengths, and make a lengthwise incision, to open and flatten.

Cut along the grain to shred.

Since you're not cutting the fibers, you'll be able to retain the natural sweetness of the vegetable.

Cut a celery stalk, into 5 to 6 centimater lengths, and like the "naganegi," cut along the grain, to shred while retaining the crunchy texture.

On top of that, I also use this leafy part.

In the leaves, they have more vitamins and... vitamin B1.

- Really?
- Yeah.

It's good for your body.

- Do you eat them?
- I eat them for sure.

I love leaves from every vegetables.

And, sometimes they have the exact same flavor, but a little bit sweeter, for example.

But celery leaves, some people throw away.

I think one of the reason is that it's kind of like... it's hard to chew.

Sure.

But if you cut it thinly, then you don't need to chew really hard.

Right.

See? This way, it looks good.

So, what we do?

We still have a couple more minites on the "sasami," on the tenderloins.

What can we do in the meantime?

- Let's make the "ponzu" dressing.
- Okay.

"Ponzu" is a mixture of vinegar and citrus juice, it goes well with just about everything, including salads, grilled fish, and gyoza.

Rika is going to show us an easy way to make it, using sushi vinegar.

"Ponzu" is sometimes sold in a supermarket, but you can actually make it easily.

So, I recommend using sushi vinegar because it already contains umami flavor as well as sweetness and also salty flavor, too.

It's like sesame oil. You should get a bottle and just keep it in your kitchen. It comes with a lot.

And you add the same amount of soy sauce.

And this. You add some kind of citrus, you can add some yuzu, or...

today, I'm adding some lemon juice, same amount.

So this will act as sort of like "ponzu" dressing.

"Pon" is a citrus.

And "Zu" means vinegar.

- So citrus and vinegar dressing.
- Yes.

This way, you can make easy "ponzu." And it tastes pretty yum.

Hmm, very good.

And then, because you want to make a salad, you want to add a little bit of sesame oil.

Mix the shredded celery stalk and "naganegi" with the dressing, but not the celery leaves.

You want to add them right before serving to keep them from getting soggy.

- And I think our tenderloins are just about done.
- Yes.

Okay, let's try cutting the chicken.

Looks wonderful.

"Sasami" chicken breast becomes this beautiful white color when you cook it, which makes other more colorful ingredients just really shine, it's like a nice canvas.

- Beautiful.
- Mm-hmm.

And then you cut.

See? It's completely cooked.

Yes, it is cooked all the way through, but I can tell that it's soft, which is good.

- So sometimes we tear apart by hand.
- Right.

- Tearing the... just tearing down the lines of the meat sinew.
- Yes.

- It's also really easy. Oh, like that.
- Like this.

But for some people, they say it's too hot. For me, I'm used to this.

- And it's fast.
- Yeah.

- But isn't this kind of really moisturous?
- Mm-hmm.

You can tell.

I think the Japanese people tear with hands a lot.

- Gives you lots of rough edges to soak in the flavors, right?
- Exactly.

So now, we mix in the bowl, and it's okay even if it's hot, then this will help cook the "negi."

Oh...

- So, it will soften the flavor.
- Right.

Add the cut chicken and the celery leaves, and gently mix together.

It's really easy to make.

That's true.

And it's really healthy— Now, that you think about it.

You're using tenderloin chicken, which is very low in calorie and fat, and combining almost like, double amount of vegetables.

Sure.

Plate the salad in the shape of a mountain.

Top with fragrant shredded "shiso" leaves, and the salad is ready to serve.

- A little mountain of salad.
- Beautiful. Well done!

"Itadakimasu."

This glistening golden cover to the dry curry is like opening a treasure chest.

I can't believe you made this with canned tuna.

- It's so good.
- Thank you.

Because the Japanese rice is moist, and this has oyster sauce, and it has soy sauce, and it has rice and sugar, which all have umami.

The egg adds that sweetness and a little bit of...

because it's runny, it adds a little extra moisture at the end which counterposes the dryness, too.

- Superb.
- Thank you.

And now for the tenderloins with "shiso" on top, and "negi" and celery.

Oh, looks so good.

- Mmm, that's great!
- Thank you.

With the spicy curry and the light, sort of zingy, zingy, tangy flavor of the "ponzu" -flavored "sasami."

This "sasami—" super tender.

Plus, because we have the celery, we have crunchiness with the tender chicken.

Even one mouthful, this, has different flavors, different textures for you to enjoy.

Homemade "ponzu" with lemon juice, this is really light and refreshing.

Well, if you splash a little bit of olive oil, it gives a completely different taste too.

- So, you know, you can experiment with different seasonings.
- Sure.

- Olive oil would be very good.
- Yes.

I love cooking for my family and friends, but also, I need time for myself.

Making use of canned or pre-cooked foods allows you to cut corners, and cook up delicious meals without having to slave over a hot stove.

When you're simply too busy, or tired to even think of cooking.

- Well put! Simple, quick, and just amazing.
- Thank you.

Thanks for joining us.

We will see you again soon, right here on Dining with the Chef.

Bye bye.

Bye bye.

I am going to get back to the curry.

"Namaste."

All right, let's review today's recipes.

First, the Dry Tuna Curry - Topped with an Omelet.

Chop up the green onion and add to the beaten eggs, along with salt and sugar, then mix.

Saute the canned tuna in oil with curry powder and "sansho."

When aromatic, add the "yuzukosho," and sesame oil and heated rice, and mix together.

Now, stir in the soy sauce and oyster sauce, which act as a hidden seasoning.

Plate the dry curry in the shape of a dome.

Pour the egg liquid into the pan and gather over heat until creamy.

Slide carefully onto the dome and it's done.

Now, for the Chicken Salad with "Ponzu" Dressing.

Make a lengthwise incision and add the tenders to a pot of lightly salted boiling water.

Turn off the heat and allow the tenders to cook in residual heat for about 10 minutes.

Cut the "naganegi," celery leaves and stalks into shreds.

Mix the sushi vinegar with soy sauce and lemon juice to make a quick and easy "ponzu" sauce.

Cut the cooked chicken into bite-size pieces, and toss with vegetables and dressing.

Plate in the shape of a mountain and top with shredded "shiso" leaves.

And, that's it.

Use these shortcuts to make you a genius in the kitchen with these delicious recipes!