Food Trip Friday--Okonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki at Gaja

This is a request recipe of a friend of mine, Sreisaat. Okonomiyaki is literally means "add what you like" and described as a Japanese pancake but it doesn't taste like pancake. It is traditionally eaten at restaurant equipped with teppan ( iron griddle) and is served with a pancake -like batter and the customer will cook the okonomiyaki by themselves using a short metal spatula. It is so easy to make and of course you can make them right at home-- you can find most of the ingredients at your favorite asian supermarket. Making okonomiyaki is convenient if you have the Okonomiyaki flour in hand and cook them on a electric hotplate but if not, you can still make it from scratch using your frying pan.

Okonomiyaki at home

Okonomiyaki--3 to 4 servings

Batter:
150 g cup All Purpose Flour ( or Okonomiyaki flour )
1 Egg, medium size
170 ml Water or dashi soup stock

Fillings:
300g Cabbage, thinly sliced or diced
2 stalks Green Onion, chopped
1/4 cupTenkasu ( tempura flakes )
Pork or Beef ( thinly sliced, shabu-shabu style)
Negi ( leeks )
Chikuwa
Optional:
Bacon strips
Raw shrimp
50ml Yamaimo--you can leave without yamaimo on your batter if you can't find one(yamaimo helps bind the batter )
Directions:
1: Mix together the batter and ingredients evenly but do not over mix. Be sure to let some "air" go into the ingredients.
2: Add oil to your flat frying pan and pour the mixture making into a circle, on medium heat, cook until a bit brown
3: Flip the dough using two spatulas to turn over then cover and lower the heat. Do not press down to it.
4: When both sides of the okonomiyaki are cooked, spread some okonomiyaki sauce ( you can replace it with Worcestershire sauce or any strong flavored sauce will do ) with a brush, Kewpie mayonnaise--in a zigzig form, top with bonito flakes and sprinkle with ao-nori( small flakes green seaweed ).
5: Serve hot.

Notes:Okonomiyaki takes longer to cook than you might expect and the finished product doesn't hold together nearly as well as a pancake.

For Food trippers join us here. Chibugan na!!! \(^0^)/

Mommy Moments

Mommy Moments theme for today is to post any theme that hasn't been covered yet and here's how I enjoy my motherhood--- My Mommy Moments!!

I love my life, my husband and my kids. I enjoy being with them and I want to stop the time that I don't want my kids to grow up---but Wakaba and Haruka keep on growing too fast, too soon and I can't stop it.Their smile is contagious and it brightens my day.I love all the hugs, the kisses and the I love you, Mom---it just melts my heart! I cherished the moments we had at the kitchen-- the mess that they have made just to help me, the never ending talks...Their singing voice echoed at the bathroom brings beautiful music to my ears. It breaks my heart seeing them cry but I have to be firm if they make mistakes... They are such a sweetheart--- we love to set their Dad off and pretty soon we are all laughing about it ^_^ I think of how much joy they have brought into my life. I love being a mother and I'm looking forward to the years that we will all share together in the future.




With all my love....

You don't really understand human nature unless you know why a child on a merry-go-round will wave at his parents everytime around-- and why his parents will always wave back.
-----William D. Tameus-----




Share your Mommy Moments and stories-- join us here. We' d love to hear from you! ^_^

Couple' s Corner--Jealousy Arises When..

Yochan ( hubby )aint a jealous type of guy but there is one incident that happened to us the time when I was still working as an entertainer here in Japan and Jealousy Arises When......


Summer time...Fukushima Waraji Festival ( Festival of Huge Straw Sandals, a summer festival and an evening of dance parades)--- I wanted to spend the night with Yochan during the festival and decided to call to him knowing that he has an early work next day and the night festival started an hour ago and it'll take him another hour from his place to mine plus the traffic that he will get because of the said event and was glad when he finally made it to come over... We enjoyed half of the event when a guest of mine approached me and made some chit chats for minutes and when I turned my back, he wasn't there....I tried to look for him but it was too crowded and it's time to get back for work and so I sent a message to him. No replies for a day and so I called but his cellphone is off...weeks has past and I'm beginning to get worried... I'm sure he's not jealoused over some guest at the club because he knows that I'm only doing my work...a month has passed and I received a message to meet him at our fave dating spot. I was into tears when he told me that he understand my work but during that time, it was different, he told me...we were on our private date and not" inside " the club...it was the first time I saw him acting like that.I was afraid of losing him and told him that I was sorry and make up( ang hirap palang pagalitin tong sakang na to lol!) ...



Now that we're married, I sometimes would tease him like of that COSMO's Naked Centerefolds of some " yummy " hunks there to see if he gets jealoused if he sees me " mouth watering" of those sexiest-ever hunks---but he would say " I would throw to this guy some clothes to cover his skin " after pointing a trunk hunk swimmer Simon Burnett's shoot at a lake in Arizona for Cosmo standing with a shrub covering ONLY his privates. Ain't it Yummy?But he won't give in!!LOL!!\(^0^)/


For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up to Mommy Liza' s fun meme HERE:

Pixel Bug Weekend

Wakaba's school in Kindergarten just held a fund raising with the help of the PTA and some volunteer Moms was a success!! I guess you have already known that I was quite busy during the last few months because of some preparations at the bazaar. Unlike last year, this years bazaar at Wakaba' s school was a mini because of the spreading H1N1. Last year, we had a lot of gourmets for sale such as curry rice, pop corn, etc. and we have planned the same this year but we cancelled them before the big day because of the spreading virus. Only a few guests were invited and we asked them to wear a face mask for protection and sprayed some rubbing alcohol before entering the school. The PTA and some volunteer Moms made some handmade crafts to be sold at the event and I guess some of you have seen the result of the ECO-CRAFT BASKET that I made for the bazaar and we also made some other handmade crafts aside from the baskets. I' m not good at crafts but was thankful to be able to experience such doing stuffs like that. The proceeds will be used for improving the school and last year was a new swing was added.
Volunteer Moms at the counter--cashier and wrapping goodies in-charge
Handicrafts

The school have some Outdoor games, art sessions and tables for all
How about making colorful stitches over your plain and dull towels?
Homemade cakes and cookies
Handmade Eco-craft basket
Mascot clips/pinches
Are tempted with these one? They're made of felt cloth turned into a yummy display!!
A lot of buyers!! Most of the craft displays were sold after an hour!!
The school Principal/Director giving roasted sweet potatoes to all participating Moms
Yours truly! It was F-U-N!!^_^


Happy Monday and enjoy your week ahead!! For more Pixel Bug Weekenders, head up here

Food Trip Friday---Shidax Karaoke Foodies

Karaoke fun at Shidax will delight you with its foods and drinks and the private room for hire at Shidax is really cheap---they have party room for large group and for special events, and of course the kids room which I am very thankful of. They have varieties of foodies there from plate menus, kids menus, noodles, appetizers, to desserts and cheap beverages called the nomihodai (all you can drink menu) while you enjoy having fun singing and swaying your booties there. We had our karaoke lunch at Shidax and here's the foodies...

Omu rice ( omellet rice with demi glaze sauce)

Seafood Macaroni Gratin


French Fries--all time favorite!

For Food trippers join us here. Chibugan na!!! \(^0^)/

Mommy Moments

I' d like to share a little bit of talent of my kids who loves to sing and here's some of Wakaba' s video singing Gokujou!! Mecha Mote Iinchou the newest craze anime song in Japan and Haruka making a dance singit during our Karaoke fun at Shidax. They both love to imitate their fave anime character!!


(please turn off my music at my sidebar to hear the music.Thanks)



Share your Mommy Moments and stories-- join us here. We' d love to hear from you! ^_^

Couple's Corner--Kiss and Make Up

My husband and I sometimes fight over little things caused by yours truly but I'm blessed for having a husband like him who has a long patience in me in whatever moods that I have. Well, I guess he's getting used of me sulking here and there during on our first year of marriage. I have experienced running away from the house after an arguement and stayed at the nearest park to cool down. It was a winter, snowing and I'M FREEZING COLD and FOR MY SAKE I went back at home after 30 minutes. He was laughing at me and he said " Welcome back! I knew that you'll be back again within minutes!" GGggrrr!!

Even after those lil fights that we had, the room was heated, a hot bath tub is full and ready to warm me up and it overwhelms me that I cried for his love for me...

Next time, I'll make sure that it'll be a summer if we're having a fight! LOL!!\(^0^)/

For more talks at Couple' s Corner, head up to Mommy Liza' s fun meme HERE: