With the growing popularity of Japanese foods like sushi, teppanyaki, and sukiyaki, serving Japanese cuisine at home is now an exciting thing and is sure to impress dinner guests.
After World War II, Japanese food had a difficult road ahead of it to enter the mainstream Western diet. My grandparents still have bitter memories of the war era and probably wouldn’t taste Japanese food if they knew its origins. While the youth of western and eastern nations are now more united over the internet and don’t hold grudges, Japanese food can still be a huge culture shock for some. This Japanese-style lasagna recipe, while satisfying the uniqueness of the Japanese palate, is presented in a way familiar to Westerners and is a great way to introduce Japanese flavors to an uninitiated dinner guest.
To get started, let’s take a look at the ingredients, some of which may be hard to find in your local grocery store, but any Asian grocery store should be able to help you:
Ingredients
- 6 sheets of dry lasagna pasta
- 1 half lotus root
- 2 slices of raw salmon
- 2 cans of meat sauce
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 30 grams of butter (salted)
- 6 tablespoons of flour
- 300 ml of soy sauce (light)
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 red onion
- 3 slices of cheese
- 1 packet of seaweed paper
- 1 handful of crispy tempura batter chunks
- 1 package of fermented soybeans
- salt and pepper to taste
Yes, fermented soybeans! These are known as “natto“in Japanese and they are one of the richest sources of protein in the world. The only caveat is that they can smell awful to the unfamiliar diner. In Japan, it is common to find them in supermarkets or even in convenience stores, 3 packs are sold for less $ 1. In overseas Asian markets, the price can be up to 3 times higher, but it is a vital ingredient in making this lasagna recipe truly Japanese taste.
Addresses
- Start the preparations by peeling the lotus root, if you haven’t already peeled it, and soak it in some warm water.
- Cut the salmon into small pieces. Season with salt and pepper and fry in oil.
- Remove the fried salmon from the pan and replace with the soaked lotus root.
- After simmering the lotus root for 5 minutes, add the onion, thinly sliced, to the pan.
- In another skillet, melt the butter and slowly mix the flour, soy sauce, a little more salt and pepper and reduce the heat.
- Combine the contents of the first pan with the second and dissolve in the miso paste.
- In a saucepan, add the lasagna to the boiling water with a little oil and salt.
- In a suitable lasagna dish add the contents of the pan, then a layer of the cooked lasagna sheet, then a layer of meat sauce and repeat with alternating layers until your plate is full, save an inch on top .
- On the last layer of pasta, arrange the salmon chunks as you would a delicate Japanese garden and top with the cheese.
- Bake in a 200 degree Celsius oven for 20 minutes or until the cheese has melted, but before it burns.
- Remove from the oven and serve on a square black plate for the best effect.
- Sprinkle the crispy pieces of tempura batter on top after bringing them to the table.
This dish is sure to be a hit with both Japanese food lovers and guests who have never experienced Japanese flavors.