WITH the festive season upon us, add an Asian twist to the traditional party spread with these tasty Japanese treats.

The Yutaka brand was first launched in 1995 and is the leading Japanese range in 16 countries across the globe. The exciting range includes sauces, sushi ingredients, soups, rice, noodles and “easy to use” meal kits – allowing the ardent foodie to create healthy, flavoursome and attractive Japanese cuisine at home.

For more information please visit www.yutaka.co/en/

Vegetable Tempura with Homemade Mayonnaise

Serves four

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

½ red pepper, cut into strips

½ aubergine, 1cm round slices

½ sweet potato, 1cm round slices

8 baby sweetcorn

8 stems of asparagus

1 litre rapeseed oil

220ml icy water

150g Yutaka Tempura Batter Mix or 85g flour mixed with 1 tbsp cornflour and 1 ½ tsp salt

For the yuzu mayonnaise:

2 egg yolk

200ml rapeseed oil

½ tsp sugar

½ tsp sea salt

2 tbsp yuzu or lemon juice

1 clove garlic, grated

Method:

Prepare the vegetables and keep chilled until use.

To make the mayonnaise, whisk the egg yolks and a few drops of rapeseed oil until combined well. Repeat by adding the oil a tablespoon at a time and whisking, making sure the oil is combined well and the mixture has thickened before adding more oil. Then, mix in the grated garlic and season with sugar, salt and the yuzu or lemon juice, if using.

Pour 220ml of ice cold water into a mixing bowl and add 150g of the tempura batter mix. Stir quickly until the flour is moistened but do not over mix. The batter is perfect when small flour lumps appear at the surface of the batter mix.

In a saucepan, heat at least 5cm of oil to about 170-180°C or until a little batter dropped into the oil sizzles and floats to the surface. Dip the ingredients in the batter, and then drain to remove excess. Place gently into the hot oil and fry in batches until light golden brown on all sides.

Drain on a wire rack or paper towel and serve immediately with the mayonnaise.

Kushi Age With Ponzu Sauce/Goma Miso Sauce

Ingredients:

1 courgette, round slice into 1cm thick

10 baby corns

10 king prawns

For the coating:

100g flour

2 eggs

350g panko

For the frying:

1litter rapeseeds oil

Ponzu sauce:

2 tbsp yuzu dressing

60ml shoyu (dark soy sauce)

60ml mirin

40ml rice vinegar

8 red radish, grated finely, drained liquid.

To make ponzu dressing, combine all the seasonings, serve with grated radish.

Goma miso sauce:

4 tbsp organic miso paste

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp mirin

1 tbsp sake

2 tbsp white sesame seeds, ground

To make goma miso sauce, combine the miso, brown sugar, mirin, sake and water in a small saucepan, then simmer with a low heat for five mins using the spatula until it becomes a shiny paste.

Skewer the cut pieces of courgette, and the rest of each ingredient.

For the coating, break the eggs in a large bowl and mix well.

Dust the ingredients lightly with flour holding by the skewers and dip them into the egg, then coat with panko.

Press them gently on the bed of panko to cover the ingredients. Leave them in the fridge for 10 minutes to set the panko.

Method:

Bring the oil heat to 170 degrees. Drop a little of panko into the oil to test if the temperature is correct.

Deep fry 4 to 5 skewers in a fryer (don't put too much into the pan, or the temperature will drop)

Turn them over a few times until they are golden. Drain well.

Serve them with your favourite sauce.

Nasu Dengaku

(serves 4-6 people):

Ingredients

2 aubergine (sliced into 6 rounds)

A pinch of salt

For Dengaku Miso

5 tbsp Yutaka Organic Miso Paste

2 tbsp Yutaka Cooking Sake

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tbsp Yutaka Mirin

2 tbsp water (if needed)

For the garnish

2 tbsp Yutaka White Roasted Sesame Seeds

10g fresh coriander

Method:

To make the dengaku miso, combine Yutaka Organic Miso, Yutaka Cooking Sake, brown sugar, Yutaka Mirin in a small saucepan, then simmer on a low heat for two mins, mixing with a spatula until it becomes a shiny paste. Add water to balance the saltiness.

Peel the aubergine in a striped pattern then cut into 3cm thick round slices.

Cut a cross on both sides of each slice of aubergine. This “hidden cut” helps to cook the aubergine quickly.

Soak the aubergine in salted water for 10 mins to remove any bitter taste.

Drain the water and wipe the aubergine with a paper towel.

Heat at least 5cm of oil in a deep frying pan, add aubergine slices then deep fry until cooked.

Remove aubergine from the pan and pat with a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Place the aubergine on a serving plate, then spread the dengaku miso on top of each slice.

Sprinkle with the sesame seeds and coriander.

Konnyaku Sushi

Makes 24 pieces

Ingredients

360g Yutaka Sushi Rice, cooked and seasoned with rice vinegar, sugar and salt

1 block (250g) Yutaka White Konnyaku

A pinch of salt

400ml dashi stock (kombu stock made from kelp, if you can find it)

20 shiso leaves (or mint leaves)

Yutaka Wasabi Paste

For the ponzu jelly: makes 200ml

30ml Yutaka Rice Vinegar

30ml Yutaka Soy Sauce

30ml Yutaka Mirin

¼ tsp salt

½ tsp sugar

100 ml water

2 leaves of gelatine

½ lime (or lemon), sliced

Method:

To make the ponzu jelly:

Soak the leaves of gelatine in cold water. Squeeze out the excess liquid.

Place the gelatine in a medium saucepan with the rice vinegar, soy sauce, mirin, salt, sugar and water. Gently simmer until the gelatine, sugar and salt dissolve. Do not allow it to boil.

Leave to cool then refrigerate for one hour until set.

Cut the jelly into small cubes.

To cook the konnyaku:

Bring a pan of salted water to the boil, add the konnyaku and cook for 3mins. Drain the water.

Bring the dashi stock to the boil, add the konnyaku and simmer for 12 to 15mins. Turn off the heat and leave the konnyaku in the stock.

Slice the konnyaku diagonally into 3 to 4mm wide strips and score one side of each strip with a sharp knife. This creates shallow cuts which will absorb the sauce.

To make the nigiri:

Wet your hands to stop the rice sticking to them.

Take 15g of sushi rice and gently shape it into an oval ball. Repeat with the rest of the rice.

Top the rice with konnyaku and ponzu jelly, then wrap in a shiso leaf. Or place the shiso leaf between the rice and the konnyaku. Serve with lime wedges.

Tofu Key Lime Pie

(Serves 6 to 8)

Ingredients:

1 pack Yutaka Tofu

3-4 limes

4-5 tbsp honey or to taste

1/2tsp vanilla essence

5 tbsp cream cheese

7 tbsp soured cream

1 pastry case or biscuit base

2 tsp freshly grated lime zest or sliced limes

Method:

Open Yutaka tofu and slice into 3 to 4 pieces. Wrap in several sheets of kitchen paper and microwave for 1 to 2 minutes to drain the water. Re-wrap with new sheets and put a weight on it to drain more water. Leave for 15-20 minutes at room temperature.

Meanwhile, squeeze the juice from the limes. Use 1 of them to grate the lime zest or slice 1 lime for garnish.

Blend tofu and lime juice in a food processor until creamy. Then add the rest of the ingredients and blend again until the texture is creamy and smooth.

Pour the mixture onto the pastry case or biscuit base. Garnish with lime zest or sliced limes.

Refrigerate for at least 3 to 4 hours or overnight. Serve.

Get into the festive spirit with a Yuzu cocktail.

(Serves 1)

Ingredients:

3-4 ice cubes

20 ml Yutaka Cooking Sake

40 ml vodka

2 tbsp Yutaka Yuzu Citrus Seasoning

150 ml tonic water

1/4 fresh lemon

Method:

Add ice cubes into a glass. Pour Yutaka Cooking Sake, vodka and Yutaka Yuzu Citrus Seasoning over the ice cubes. Squeeze the lemon into the glass.

Fill with tonic water and stir. Serve.