Packages From My Mother-In-Law - They Are From Japan!

Tuesday, May 23, 2017

Packages From My Mother-In-Law - They Are From Japan!

Yesterday, my husband and I received two packages which my mother-in-law sent from Japan. As I mentioned in my previous entries, she has sometimes sent some Japanese foods to us since we moved to the U.S. Today, I'm going to share 18 items she sent to us with you. By the way, this time, I had ordered some light items from Amazon Japan and asked her to send them with her packages to me. I'll share with you what I ordered from Amazon Japan in my future's entry.

1. Maruchan Seimen Tonkotsu Ramen (マルちゃん正麺豚骨味)

Maruchan Seimen Tonkotsu Instant Ramen

Maruchan is Japanese instant ramen brand of Toyo Suisan, which was established in Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo in 1953. They started selling Maruchan ramen in 1962. They released Maruchan Seimen (マルちゃん正麺) in 2011, and it was a great hit in Japan because it tastes like raw noodles which ramen restaurants serve. Maruchan Seimen has been one of the best selling instant ramen in Japan. As I mentioned in my previous entry, I also purchased some Maruchan Seimen in Japan before. By the way, Maruchan is also well known as affordable instant ramen brand in the U.S., but I feel like Maruchan ramen in the U.S. doesn't taste as good as ones in Japan. Just like Nissin Sapporo Ichiban and Nissin Raoh, US Maruchan tastes very Americanized to me.

2. Marutai Kurume Tonkotsu Ramen (マルタイ久留米とんこつラーメン)

Marutai Kurume Tonkotsu Ramen

As I mentioned in my previous entries, I've had Marutai Kurume Tonkotsu Ramen several times, and I loved it. :) Marutai is a Japanese instant ramen manufacture company which was established in Fukuoka in 1947. These years, they've started selling 8 kinds of Kyusyu region ramen in Japan, and the series has been very popular there. Since our hometown is Fukuoka, when we have Marutai instant ramen, it reminds us of our families there. Indeed, I've had tonkotsu ramen at restaurants in Kurume city, Fukuoka many times. :)

3. Marutai Bou Ramen Yatai Tonkotsu (マルタイ棒ラーメン屋台とんこつ味)

Marutai Bou Ramen Yatai Tonkotsu

　　　Marutai started selling Bou Ramen in 1959. Bou (棒) is stick in Japanese. While most instant ramen is wavy noodle block, the noodles of Marutai Bo Ramen are as straight as sticks. That's why this ramen is called Bou Ramen (棒ラーメン). Marutai Bo Ramen Yatai Series started selling in 1969. I remembered that my family always had some Marutai Bou Ramen in stock in our kitchen when I was a child.

4. Bonchi Senbei Hakata Karashi Mentaiko (ぼんち揚げせんべい博多辛子明太子)

Bonchi Senbei Hakata Karashi Mentaiko

Bonchi Senbei is Japanese rice crackers made by Bonchi company. I love bonchi senbei but didn't know that they have Hakata karashi mentaiko flavor! Hakata is famous for mentaiko, which is marinated cod roe. I believe that Yamaya (やまや) is one of the most famous mentaiko manufacturers in Japan, and they have been in business for over 40 years. This Bonchi Senbei was made from Yamaya Karashi Mentaiko! I cannot wait to try it!

5. Yame Matcha Kintsuba (八女抹茶きんつば)

Yame Matcha Kintsuba

Kintsuba is one of traditional Japanese sweets made from sweetened red beans, flour and etc. This kintsuba also conatins Yame matcha powder. Yame city is located in Fukuoka prefecture and very famous for green tea. Indeed, I used to drink Yame green tea (八女茶) every single day in Fukuoka when I was a child. My family drinks Yame green tea just like you drink water. When I was in a high school, I joined a Japanese tea ceremony club and learned how to serve matcha a several days a week for years. My tea ceremony teacher told me that matcha powder we were using was from Yame city and very high quality. When I was 18, I moved to Kansai region and also had green tea there, and I finally noticed that how delicious Yame green tea was. Most my friends from Osaka cannot tell the difference between highend green tea and affordable one. If you love Japanese green tea, try Yame gyokuro green tea (八女茶玉露). :)

Yame Matcha Kintsuba

I decided to try this Yame matcha kintsuba. :)

Yame Matcha Kintsuba

It has subtle matcha flavor. :)

Yame Matcha Kintsuba

6. Kanten Kokuto Konbu (寒天黒糖こんぶ)

Kanten Kokuto Konbu

This is kanten jelly made from Hokkaido kelps and Okinawa brown sugar. It's like a chewy candy. This might be the healthiest candy, but frankly, I don't really like it... Sorry...

7. Nagatanien Mabo Harusame (永谷園麻婆春雨)

Nagatanien Mabo Harusame

Nagatanien (永谷園) is a famous Japanese food manufacture company which was established in 1953. I love their ochazuke and gomoku chirashi sushi. Harusame (春雨) is bean thread noodles. Mabo (麻婆) is a Chinese food made from ground pork and etc. I can add some tofu and green onions and can cook mabo tofu with it easily. :)

8. Nagatanien Instant Avocado Soup (永谷園アボカドのちからキレイなグリーンスープ)

Nagatanien Avocado Soup

I've never tried this instant avocado soup. All I need to do to make avocado soup is just mix 150 ml of hot water and one pack of powder.

9. Yamau Instant Shijimi Wakame Soup (山陰しじみ入りわかめスープ)

Yamau Instant Shijimi Wakame Soup

Freshwater clams are called shijimi (しじみ) in Japanese. As I mentioned in my previous entry, shijimi contains ornithine which improves liver function, and natural succinic acid from shijimi creates umami flavor. I can make shijimi wakame soup easily by mixing 160 ml of hot water and one tablespoon of this.

10. Instant Red Seabream Soup (鯛のお吸物)

Instant Red Seabream Soup

This is also instant soup contains red seabream.

11. Sea Luck Instant Matsutake Soup (シーラック　松茸のお吸物)

Sea Luck Matsutake Soup

Matsutake (松茸) is very expensive mushrooms in Japan. One fresh mushroom sometimes costs about $50 or so. However, instant matsutake soup is pretty affordable and Japanese people enjoy delicious aroma of matsutake in soup.

12. Dried Wakame (カットわかめ)

Dried wakame is an essential ingredient for miso soup and udon noodles. :)

13. Instant Kaiso Salad (海草サラダ)

Instant Kaiso Salad

This instant kaiso salad contains 5 kinds of seaweeds and salad dressing.

14. Yamaiso Temaki Nori (やま磯手巻のり)

Yamaiso Temaki Nori

Temeki nori is nori for temakizushi (手巻き寿司). Yamaiso Ajizuke Nori she sent to us last time was incredibly delicious! I cannot wait to make temakizushi with these temaki nori.

15. Marutomo Katsuobushi (マルトモかつおぶし)

Marutomo Katsuobushi

Katsuobushi is dried bonito flakes. I will add it to okonomiyaki, takoyaki and so on.

16. Sea Luck Katsuo Honkarebushi Kezuri (シーラック鰹本枯節削り)

Sea Luck Katsuo Honkarebushi Kezuri

These are also dried bonito flakes.

17. Setaka Takanazuke (瀬高たかな漬)

Setaka Takanazuke

This is a pack of takanazuke (たかな漬, 高菜漬け), Japanese mustard leaf pickles. Setaka (瀬高) in Fukuoka prefecture is famous for takanazuke. In Fukuoka, many tonkotsu ramen restaurants serve takanazuke for free. Indeed, Marutai also have Marutai Karashi Takana Tonkotsu Bou Ramen. When I was a child, my grandmother used to make takanazuke from scratch, and I really loved it. You also can check out my previous entry, How to Prepare Takanazuke, Japanese Mustard Leaf Pickles.