Bakuraba / baklava

This satisfies Tom's new habit of eating sweets without increasing sodium intake. But when I made these baklava earlier last year, he blamed me for him gaining weight, as I repeatedly experimented to figure out a good proportion of ingredients, especially erythritol (calorie- & net-carbs-free sugar substitute) so it does not re-crystallize when completely cool and does not trigger any noticeable cooling sensation in the mouth.

My original thought was, if I made 28 small pieces in one batch, they should last for 28 days or at least a few weeks. Making baklava from scratch is time consuming, but it would be not bad if each batch lasted that long ... So far I have been proven ridiculously wrong. Tom cannot stop reaching for more pieces. Although the recipe below is not heavily sweet, as with other sweets I make, it could be addictive. 

Whole recipe:
2,396 calories; 37.5 g protein; 175.1 g fat; 225.9 g carbohydrate; 165.9 g net carbs; 44 mg sodium; 158 mg cholesterol; 15.3 g fiber

1 piece (1/28 recipe):
86 calories; 1.3 g protein; 6.3 g fat; 8.1 g carbohydrate; 5.9 g net carbs; 1.6 mg sodium; 6 mg cholesterol; 0.5 g fiber

Okara-konnyaku / soybean pulp yam cakes

Okara-konnyaku is a hybrid of okara soybean pulp (rich in soluble fiber) and konnyaku yam cake (rich in non-soluble fiber), and has been around for more than a decade in Japan. It is mainly used as a meat substitute for health, weight loss and diet preference reasons. As with konnyaku, okara-konnyaku becomes very chewy after being frozen and defrosted. While konnyaku simply become fibrous after the same process or tofu becomes spongy (like koyadofu freeze-dried tofu after rehydration), okara-konnyaku takes on a meaty texture. Among dishes I have tried, it seems to work best when used like ground meat, especially poultry and pork. Because it is basically fiber, it is very filling by itself. Moreover, it does not cause any heartburn or upset stomach in people who are not accustomed to eating meat, such as myself. This would be a great option for those who routinely eat meat and want to cut back to reduce fat or calories or for other health reasons. You would not notice that your hamburger patties or meat loaf contains okara-konnyaku if the proportion is moderate.

You can find a number of preparation methods and ingredient proportions. Below is my current standard way of making okara-konnyaku at home.

100 g okara-konnyaku, boiled:
52 calories; 2.6 g protein; 1.4 g fat; 8.5 g carbohydrate; 2.0 g net carbs; 3 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 6.5 g fiber

100 g okara-konnyaku, defrosted:
63 calories; 3.1 g protein; 1.7 g fat; 10.4 g carbohydrate; 2.5 g net carbs; 3 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 7.9 g fiber

100 g okara-konnyaku, excess water removed:
86 calories; 4.3 g protein; 2.3 g fat; 14.0 g carbohydrate; 3.3 g net carbs; 4 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 10.7 g fiber

Zukkini to tamago, feta chiizu no pan / zucchini, egg and feta cheese pastry

This is another savory pastry we like. Sauteed zucchini is paired with fluffy fried or microwaved egg and feta cheese. Dill makes this combination truly savory.

1 pastry (1/9 piroshki-style dough recipe and 1/3 of filling recipe):
266 calories; 12.9 g protein; 12.8 g fat; 25.5 g carbohydrate; 20.9 g net carbs; 151 mg sodium; 89 mg cholesterol; 4.6 g fiber

Karifurawaa to masshuruumu no karee pan / curried cauliflower and mushroom pastry

Great for breakfast and lunch! This savory pastry is intended to be eaten with other dishes, and only a moderate amount of spices are used to flavor the filling. It freezes well too, making it a handy, virtually ready-to-eat snack.

1 pastry (1/9 piroshki-style dough recipe and 1/3 of filling recipe):
239 calories; 10.9 g protein; 9.8 g fat; 28.7 g carbohydrate; 22.2 g net carbs; 60 mg sodium; 7 mg cholesterol; 6.5 g fiber

Teuchi udon / handmade wheat noodles

Udon noodles made without adding salt! Using boiling water for dough appears to be a common technique with commercially available salt-free udon. But they don't share other secrets to achieve a chewy yet sticky texture. Some people suggest using milk or tofu as a (partial) replacement for water, while others say water alone gives satisfactory results. Below is my best attempt so far, based on a bread-making technique using yudane water roux (flour gelatinization).

1/2 recipe (average to large 1-person portion):
385 calories; 10.5 g protein; 2.8 g fat; 75.2 g carbohydrate; 73.1 g net carbs; 14 mg sodium (basically 0 mg after boiling); 3 mg cholesterol; 2.1 g fiber

Whole recipe:
770 calories; 21.1 g protein; 5.5 g fat; 150.4 g carbohydrate; 146.2 g net carbs; 28 mg sodium (basically 0 mg after boiling); 6 mg cholesterol; 4.2 g fiber

Tomorokoshi gohan / steamed rice with corn

Sweet kernels of corn instantly make ordinary rice a summer dish. Julienned green shiso perilla leaves offer a nice counter punch, preventing the rice from becoming too mellow.

1/3 of recipe:
209 calories; 4.0 g protein; 0.9 g fat; 43.5 g carbohydrate; 42.5 g net carbs; 79 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber

1/2 of recipe:
313 calories; 6.0 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 65.3 g carbohydrate; 63.8 g net carbs; 101 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.5 g fiber

Koshian / silky azuki bean paste

An or anko sweetened azuki bean paste comes either as tsubuan with visible beans, or this silky version called koshian. Koshian highlights the natural sweetness of azuki beans and offers a smooth texture that matches the consistency of small, soft mochi-type sweets. Koshian is made in a similar way as shiroan white bean paste but involves fewer steps toward the end.

Whole recipe (approx. 530 g):
1,297 calories; 40.6 g protein; 4.4 g fat; 277.4 g carbohydrate; 241.8 g net carbs; 2 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 35.6 g fiber

Fuki no to no pesuto / Japanese butterbur bud pesto

A faintly bitter pesto sauce to welcome the arrival of spring.

Whole recipe (approx. 285 g):
1,304 calories; 13.1 g protein; 131.2 g fat; 23.1 g carbohydrate; 12.9 g net carbs; 552 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 10.2 g fiber

1 tbsp (16 g):
73 calories; 0.7 g protein; 7.4 g fat; 1.3 g carbohydrate; 0.7 g net carbs; 31 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.6 g fiber

Okara maccha keeki / soy matcha cake

A matcha cake made in the microwave. Taking full advantage of fiber-rich okara soybean pulp as well as calorie- and carb-free erythritol and stevia, it is a friendly companion for those who are watching their net carbs count, glucose level, or simply want something filling for a quick energy boost between meals. The cake tends to be dry on Day 1, so wrap it while still warm and keep in the fridge overnight for best results.

Whole recipe (approx. 230 g):
374 calories; 25.1 g protein; 20.7 g fat; 21.2 g carbohydrate; 8.5 g net carbs; 153 mg sodium; 428 mg cholesterol; 12.6 g fiber

2.5 cm/1" cube (approx. 25 g):
41 calories; 2.8 g protein; 2.3 g fat; 2.3 g carbohydrate; 0.9 g net carbs; 17 mg sodium; 47 mg cholesterol; 1.4 g fiber

Kanso okara / dried soybean pulp

When having more okara soybean pulp than you can eat in a few days, dry it in the microwave, a frying pan or oven, and freeze for later use. When you sift the dried okara, you get a nice, low-fat, fiber-rich flour-like ingredient for baking and more. Although not as fine as packaged okara powder from store shelves, sifted okara works great in a number of recipes.

Aoyose / chlorophyll extracted from green leaves

Aoyose [lit. blue/green put together] is a vegetable-based colorant commonly used at restaurants in Japan. From the following simple process -- much like an elementary school science class project -- you can obtain a smooth, dark green paste like an artist's paint that gives a vibrant note to a number of dishes. Just don't be shocked how little aoyose you actually get.

Suponji keeki / sponge cake (genoise)

Indispensable for a number of Western-style cakes, including layered cake with fruits and fresh cream, framboise or raspberry mousse cake, baked chocolate or chocolate mousse cakes, Mont Blanc, baked & unbaked cheesecakes, matcha green tea cake, etc. Key ingredients are as simple as flour, eggs and sugar. Below I replace some all-purpose flour with potato starch, and add some maple syrup, butter and milk to increase the cake's soft and delicate texture and moist finish.

Whole cake (18 cm mold): 
1135 calories; 27.2 g protein; 43.2 g fat; 154.6 g carbohydrate; 152.4 g net carbs; 231 mg sodium; 713 mg cholesterol; 2.2 g fiber

Tenkasu / agetama / tempura pearls

Little balls of tempura batter are an essential ingredient for many people when making wheat-based snacks such as okonomiyaki savory pancakes, takoyaki octopus balls and monjayaki half-cooked savory pancakes. They are also added to make other dishes rich and flavorful, in a similar way as cheese or butter is added in western cooking. While tempura "pearls" are inexpensive and widely available at grocery stores in Japan, it takes some effort to find them at a store outside Japan. But yes, they are easy to make. Using leftover batter after making tempura is one way. Below is a recipe to make tenkasu or agetama only. It makes enough to freeze for use over several months.

1 tbsp (4-5 g): 
12 calories; 0.2 g protein; 0.4 g fat; 1.8 g carbohydrate; 1.7 g net carbs; 2 mg sodium (with shrimp flakes；5-7 mg with sakura ebi); 0 mg cholesterol; 0.1 g fiber

Ebi fureeku / shrimp flakes

I much prefer head-on shrimp over headless shrimp for taste and texture. They take a bit more time to devein and whatnot, but then you have shells and heads that make superb stock for any cuisine. They also add a stronger shrimp aroma and flavor when sauteed before the main ingredients. And when you end up having too many shells and heads, you can turn them into shrimp flakes, which are a great substitute for sakura ebi and other dried shrimp in a number of dishes.

Sakana no surimi / ground fish

Often made into shinjo boiled fish dumplings or satsumaage deep-fried fishcakes, ground fish can be another way to preserve fresh fish.

Whole recipe:
321 calories; 44.6 g protein; 0.6 g fat; 24.1 g carbohydrate; 23.7 g net carbs; 23.7 g net carbs; 1,250 mg sodium; 144 mg cholesterol; 0.4 g fiber

Shiroan / sweetened white bean paste

This silky bean paste goes into a number of Japanese sweets. Making it involves a series of time-consuming yet simple tasks, but the results are very satisfying.

Kuri no kanroni / candied chestnuts

Japanese-style marron glacé. The autumn harvest is first colored by kuchinashi gardenia fruit, then sweetened with sugar and mirin for glossy finish. As I mainly make this in order to prepare kuri kinton--mashed satsumaimo sweet potato with candied kuri chestnuts, for financial luck (yellow for gold) in the osechi New Year's meal--it is a reminder that the end of the year is slowly drawing near. It is, in other words, the first of many preparations for the New Year's Day meal. To make perfect kuri no kanroni, you need to take off lots of the edible portion, as even a small piece of inner skin on the surface will cause discoloration. I make only a few "perfect" kuri no kanroni, leaving the majority of chestnuts in a relatively natural state with lots of blemishes. But they are all equally and unbeatably tasty.

Chuka chimaki / zongzi / Chinese rice dumplings in bamboo leaves (simplified version)

Tango no sekku, one of five traditional seasonal festivals, falls in May in Japan. It is now called Kodomo no Hi or Children's Day, and is celebrated as a national holiday on May 5.
Duanwu-jie, the seasonal festival in Chinese culture, follows the lunar calendar and occurs in June. While zongzi rice dumplings are available year-round, they seem to be everywhere as the festival approaches. The fridge in an apartment I shared with two roommates in Taiwan was literally packed with rice dumplings we received from students and friends as the date neared. Already fully loaded, we continued to be asked, “Have you had zongzi?” The question, of course, was a prelude to giving us more zongzi. People’s generosity was amazing, and since none of us spoke Chinese well enough to politely turn down their offers, more zongji came back to the apartment.

Usually, rice and goodies are separately prepared and assembled when wrapping with bamboo leaves. This is a simplified version where rice and goodies are cooked in the same pan.

Yasai sutokku / vegetable stock

Made without herbs, this is a versatile stock for Asian and other dishes. Add carrot ends and other firm vegetable trimmings as well as onion/shallots skins for additional flavor. The idea of first grinding key vegetables is adopted from a Japanese chef, Miyuki Igarashi, who specializes in Chinese dishes. 

Sakura no ha no shiozuke / salted cherry leaves

When salted, cherry leaves develop a unique tangy aroma and taste. Salted cherry leaves are an ingredient -- often used as a wrapper -- in confectioneries and meals that are especially popular in springtime. For commercial producers, Oshimazakura (Cerasus speciosa [Koidz.] H.Ohba) is the flowering cherry tree of choice for leaves, as Oshimazakura’s leaves are known for their tenderness. However, you can use the leaves of any cherry tree (so far I have only tried flowering cherry trees).