Like A Dragon: Ishin! – Hanamura Box

Like A Dragon: Ishin has finally been released in the West and I am still in shock that I was able to play through this game. I’ve been waiting to get my hands on this game since the original was announced in 2014. I’ve had a Japanese copy of the game for some time now and was always wondering if I should just jump in on that with a translation on the side. I’m so happy I decided to wait because when the remake was announced, I was so excited. Jeff and I loved our time with the game, from the great story, different styles of combat, and getting lost in chicken races. We may have finished the main story but I still have a ton of side quests and lots of weapon materials grinding in my future. I really enjoyed the game and I’m so happy that they finally released it for all fans of the series to finally check out. If you are a fan of the series I highly recommend picking it up.

There is just so much to do in this game. While you aren’t going around trying to figure out more about the Shinsengumi, you can go to your own personal house to farm, cook, relax, and make some easy money. I’ll be honest, I think about 30% of our play time was probably eaten up here. I had our game running a few times in the background growing fresh produce as I worked in the kitchen on recipes and photos. The music from that section is forever playing on loop in my head now.

This week, we are going all out and making the Hanamura Box. There are three major elements needed in order to put this box together: an invigorating miso soup, healthy omusubi, and turnip & strawberry salad. If you are unable to put everything together, each of these items can be enjoyed on their own! Something extra you may notice in this post is a few videos. This post is sponsored by Sega and they offered a helping hand with putting video content together for this. This is a long one so let’s start cooking.

Invigorating Miso Soup

Dashi Stock

1 kombu
1 cup niboshi, head and guts removed
4 cups water
½ cup bonito flakes

Soup

½ lb salmon, cut into four thin portions
1 tbsp sake
kosher salt
8 oz tofu
1 tbsp wakame
3 tbsp shiro miso
1 scallion, sliced

Place the kombu, niboshi, and water in a pot. Set aside for 4 hours to soak. Place the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Right before the water comes to a boil, remove the kombu.

Rub the salmon with the sake and let rest for five minutes. Pat the salmon dry and salt the salmon on all sides. Pat dry and place on a baking sheet. Place under a broiler and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until both sides are crispy. Set aside.

Place the wakame in a bowl with hot water and allow to rehydrate. Add the tofu and wakame and allow to warm, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low. Place one tablespoon of shiro miso in a ladle and add a small amount of dashi to slowly dissolve it in with the stock. Repeat with the remaining miso, tasting in between each addition.

Split the soup between bowls. Shred the salmon, discard the skin, and split between the bowls. Top with scallions.

Healthy Omusubi

Sushi Rice

3 cups sushi rice
1 kombu
water (follow your rice cooker’s directions)
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt

Filling

3 oz spinach
¾ lb tuna
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1 scallion, chopped
6 strips of nori

Put rice in a bowl, fill it up with cold water, and rub in a circular motion. The water will become opaque which means the rice still needs to be cleaned. Strain the water out and repeat until the water is clear.

Place the cleaned rice, kombu, and the amount of water required into a rice cooker and allow the rice to cook.

Heat a pan, with ½ tablespoon of neutral oil, over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.

Season the tuna with salt and pepper on all sides. Spray the pan used for the spinach with non-stick spray and heat on medium-high heat. Saute the tuna until each side turns golden and the fish is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.

Shred the tuna and allow to cook until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Add the scallion and toss until combined.

When the rice is done cooking, remove from the rice cooker and place inside a non-metallic bowl. Discard the kombu. In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add the vinegar mixture  while the rice is still hot. Take a rice paddle and fold in the rice vinegar. Continue to fold and slice the rice until it has cooled down. Cover with a wet towel to keep the rice nice and moist.

To assemble the omusubi, split the rice into 6 portions. Take half of one of the portions and place on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a disc with a deep divot in the center. Place hearty serving of the filling in that divot, but don’t overfill this because it will make it more difficult to wrap. When working with the sushi rice, it is extremely important that you keep your hands moist. Keep a bowl of water nearby.

Top with the other half of the rice and seal in the filling, shaping into a rough ball. Wrap with the plastic wrap and place a moderate amount of pressure to shape into a triangle. If you are not eating this immediately, keep it wrapped in the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Repeat with the remaining portions.

Turnip and Strawberry Salad

Dressing

¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup honey
2 tbsp lemon juice
⅓ cup olive oil
kosher salt
ground black pepper

Salad

1 turnip, peeled and sliced
5 radish, sliced
6 strawberries, sliced
2 scallions, chopped
turnip greens

Place all the ingredients in an airtight container. Season with salt and pepper. Shake until mixed together.

Add the turnip, radish, strawberries, and scallions into the container with the dressing. Shake until coated. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. To serve, place a handful of turnip greens and top with the dressed vegetables.

Print Recipe

Hanamura Box

Inspired by Like a Dragon: Ishin!

Ingredients

Invigorating Miso Soup

Dashi Stock

• 1 kombu
• 1 cup niboshi head and guts removed
• 4 cups water
• ½ cup bonito flakes

Soup

• ½ lb salmon cut into four thin portions
• 1 tbsp sake
• kosher salt
• 8 oz tofu
• 1 tbsp wakame
• 3 tbsp shiro miso
• 1 scallion sliced

Healthy Omusubi

Sushi Rice

• 3 cups sushi rice
• 1 kombu
• water follow your rice cooker’s directions
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp kosher salt

Filling

• 3 oz spinach
• ¾ lb tuna
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper
• 1 scallion chopped
• 6 strips of nori

Turnip and Strawberry Salad

Dressing

• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup honey
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• kosher salt
• ground black pepper

Salad

• 1 turnip peeled and sliced
• 5 radish sliced
• 6 strawberries sliced
• 2 scallions chopped
• turnip greens

Instructions

Invigorating Miso Soup

• Place the kombu, niboshi, and water in a pot. Set aside for 4 hours to soak.
• Place the pot, uncovered, over medium heat. Bring to a boil. Right before the water comes to a boil, remove the kombu.
• Add the bonito flakes and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove the pot from the heat and let it sit for 5 minutes. Strain through a fine mesh strainer. Can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.
• Rub the salmon with the sake and let rest for five minutes. Pat the salmon dry and salt the salmon on all sides. Pat dry and place on a baking sheet.
• Place under a broiler and cook for 3 to 5 minutes. Flip and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes, until both sides are crispy. Set aside.
• Place the wakame in a bowl with hot water and allow to rehydrate.
• Heat the dashi stock in a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a lower simmer.
• Add the tofu and wakame and allow to warm, about 3 minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low. Place one tablespoon of shiro miso in a ladle and add a small amount of dashi to slowly dissolve it in with the stock. Repeat with the remaining miso, tasting in between each addition.
• Split the soup between bowls. Shred the salmon, discard the skin, and split between the bowls. Top with scallions.

Healthy Omusubi

• Put rice in a bowl, fill it up with cold water, and rub in a circular motion. The water will become opaque which means the rice still needs to be cleaned. Strain the water out and repeat until the water is clear.
• Place the cleaned rice, kombu, and the amount of water required into a rice cooker and allow the rice to cook.
• Heat a pan, with ½ tablespoon of neutral oil, over medium-high heat. Add the spinach and cook until wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a medium bowl.
• Season the tuna with salt and pepper on all sides. Spray the pan used for the spinach with non-stick spray and heat on medium-high heat. Saute the tuna until each side turns golden and the fish is cooked through, about 6 to 8 minutes.
• Shred the tuna and allow to cook until cooked through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Transfer to the bowl with the spinach. Add the scallion and toss until combined.
• When the rice is done cooking, remove from the rice cooker and place inside a non-metallic bowl. Discard the kombu.
• In a small bowl, combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. Add the vinegar mixture while the rice is still hot. Take a rice paddle and fold in the rice vinegar. Continue to fold and slice the rice until it has cooled down. Cover with a wet towel to keep the rice nice and moist.
• To assemble the omusubi, split the rice into 6 portions. Take half of one of the portions and place on a large sheet of plastic wrap. Shape into a disc with a deep divot in the center. Place hearty serving of the filling in that divot, but don’t overfill this because it will make it more difficult to wrap.
• Note: When working with the sushi rice, it is extremely important that you keep your hands moist. Keep a bowl of water nearby.
• Top with the other half of the rice and seal in the filling, shaping into a rough ball. Wrap with the plastic wrap and place a moderate amount of pressure to shape into a triangle. If you are not eating this immediately, keep it wrapped in the plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator. These can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
• Repeat steps 9 and 10 with the remaining portions. Serve with a piece of nori.

Turnip and Strawberry Salad

• Place all the ingredients in an airtight container. Season with salt and pepper. Shake until mixed together.
• Add the turnip, radish, strawberries, and scallions into the container with the dressing. Shake until coated. Allow to rest in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. This can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• To serve, place a handful of turnip greens and top with the dressed vegetables.

Note: This is a sponsored post. Thank you Sega for the opportunity.