Since our move to NYC it is definitely harder to come up with more traditional Japanese side dishes. Here is a good example of three side dishes made with ingredients that are easy to find in any USA supermarket. Hard-boiled eggs provide for a variety from the more popular Japanese omelet (dashimaki tamagoyaki). Broccoli can be steamed and then topped with some mayonnaise. And, finally, pickling cucumbers with some salt or if you prefer sweeter, with a mixture of rice wine vinegar and sugar. Dried shiso leaves, either red or green, is easy to find, and I always keep some in our pantry. It adds a nice dimension to the pickles.
Teriyaki pork over rice. Side dishes are:
hard-boiled egg
cucumbers pickled with salted and dried purple shiso
steamed broccoli with mayonnaise
simmered hijiki, carrots, and green beans
Scallops steamed with rice. Side dishes are:
steamed green beans
steamed bean sprouts with sesame seeds and rayu (chili oil)
dashimaki tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet)
simmered hijiki
We have gotten into a routine for Shinji's bento. Originally I was making four side dishes of mostly vegetables from land and sea. Shinji said asked for one more dish, ideally protein based. As the size of the bento is limited I started adding a protein over the rice and it seems to be just right. :-)
Over the rice is teriyaki pork. The side dishes are:
hard-boiled egg
pickled cucumbers with green shiso
steamed broccoli with mayonnaise
simmered nagahijiki (long hijiki) with carrots and green beans
At the Korean supermarket, H Mart, we find thin slices of meat for many dishes like bibimpap, yakiniku, or sukiyaki. In Shinji's bento the thin slices of beef are cooked in a sweet soy teriyaki sauce. Other osouzai (side dishes) are:
toasted mentaiko (spciy cod or pollack roe)
tuna, cucumber, and wakame salad (recipe below)
green beans with a walnut dressing (recipe below)
kinpira gobo (burdock root and carrots sauteed in soy and sesame oil)
* The toasted mentaiko is a great side dish to a cool glass of sake or shochu.
