Yutaka Gives Summer Barbecues a Japanese Flavour
Give your veggie barbecues a Japanese zing this summer with these recipe ideas given a contemporary twist from Yutaka – Marinaded Tofu Kebabs and Red Bean Panko Burgers.
Yutaka means ‘good harvest’ in Japanese and that’s exactly
the aim of the company: to create authentic Japanese food products made in the
traditional way. Their ethos ensures their products are of the highest quality
and feature a lot less additives compared to some other brands on the market. I received a lovely hamper of goodies from Yutaka so I could try out some barbecue recipes with a Yutaka twist.
BBQ Yutaka Marinade
Sushi ginger, rice wine and miso are among the ingredients
that make this marinade uniquely Japanese in flavour. It is so easy to create authentic cuisine using the Yutaka products.
The Yutaka Marinade can be used to marinade bite size pieces of firm Tofu to make some delicious kebabs that can be served with Yutaka sushi rice and a sheet of Nori to make your own sushi style barbecue meal.
Ingredients
2 tbs Yutaka Yakiniku Sauce
1 tbs Yutaka Miso Sauce
2 tbs Yutaka organic Tamari Soy Sauce
2 crushed garlic cloves
1 tbs chopped Yutaka Sushi Ginger
1 tbs Yutaka Mirin
2 tbs Yutaka Shaoxing Rice Wine
Method
Mix together the marinade ingredients and cover bite-size pieces of Tofu making sure they are coated well in the marinade and refrigerate for at least 12 hours. I use a lidded Tupperware box to marinate my Tofu so you can give it a regular shake or turn it upside down to ensure all the pieces get properly covered during the process. Remove from fridge at least 30 minutes before you are ready to BBQ.
Soak the bamboo skewers in water for at least 4 hours.
Make the sushi rice – wash 250g of rice 3 or 4 times with cold water. Drain rice with sieve. Add 330ml water and the washed rice to a saucepan. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes with the lid on. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for 25-30 mins. Do not open the lid.
Take a bamboo skewer and build the kebab using bitesize pieces of courgette, peppers, red onion, mushrooms and the marinaded Tofu pieces. Brush with marinade sauce and barbecue, turning occasionally. When cooked remove from heat.
Serve with the sushi rice and if desired, roll the veggie, Tofu and rice into a Nori sheet.
Panko Burgers
Many of the boutique burger restaurants use Yutaka’s panko
to give their burgers extra bite. This vegetarian burger is really delicious and holds its shape well. It is incredibly simple to make using canned beans.
Yutaka Red Bean Burgers
Ingredients
2 small red onions, finely chopped
2 crushed garlic cloves
2 tins of drained red kidney beans
2 tbsp Yutaka Panko breadcrumbs
1 tbsp Yutaka miso sauce
1 tbsp Yutaka Yakiniku sauce
1 tbsp tomato puree
1 tbsp Yutaka Tamari Soy Sauce
Salt & pepper
Place onions, garlic, breadcrumbs, beans, sauces, tomato paste and salt and pepper in a food processor until combined. The mixture should be thick enough to roll into balls. If it is too wet add more breadcrumbs, too dry add more tomato puree. With wet hands shape 6 burgers and coat with Panko breadcrumbs. The mixture is sticky enough for the crumbs to stick. Cover and chill.
Barbecue the burgers and serve with salad in a bun if desired, with some Yakinuko sauce and mayonnaise to finish.
I really enjoyed making the burgers and kebabs using the Yutaka products. They added a really great taste and allowed me to try out some Japanese flavours. I loved the marinade with the Tofu and I'll definitely be experimenting with some more vegetarian recipes using the sauces.
Find some recipe ideas and inspiration at www.yutaka.co.