After a week preparing several 120 quart vats of Snow Crab congee at a restaurant, I’ve become a bit of an expert at shelling crab. That’s why it was a little ironic that Alaska Seafood, offered to send me a few cases of wild salmon, black cod and Snow Crab to try out. Alaska Seafood is not a store, or even a brand you can look for. The only thing they’re selling is a promise that the seafood from Alaska is wild, sustainable and healthy....
Due to its long history in Japan, tofu is considered a regular protein alongside meat and seafood here. It does not have the image of being an “alt protein” like it does in the West, so people use it interchangeably with meat. That’s why Tofu Steak (豆腐ステーキ) is a common home-cooked meal that’s enjoyed not just by vegans and vegetarians, but by the rest of the population as well....
Matcha Basque Cheesecake With its caramelized top and creamy center, Basque cheesecake has taken the world by storm. It’s become particularly popular in Japan, where the name of the dish is shortened to Basuchee (バスチー), and you can even find it in convenience stores like 7-Eleven and Lawsons. I’ve posted an easy version of the original Basque Cheesecake recipe from La Vigne before, but this time, I wanted to add a touch of Japan by flavoring it with matcha, or green tea powder, to make a Matcha Basque Cheesecake(抹茶バスチー)....
Tantanmen Ramen (担々麺) Tantanmen is a local Japanese variant of Sichuan Dan Dan Noodles. It was originally created to cater to Japanese tastes, but it’s developed into its own subgenre of ramen. These days, many Japanese noodle shops offer their own take, using their house broth as the base. The key to any great ramen is in the broth, and Tantanmen is no exception. Ramen broth recipes are usually made by boiling pork and or chicken bones for hours to get all of the flavor and collagen out of them....
Tabbouleh is a Lebanese parsley and bulgur salad that’s traditionally served as part of a mezze, offering a bright counterpoint to rich, creamy dips and braised dishes. During my time cooking in the Middle East, I had the privilege of learning this dish from the Lebanese and Syrian chefs I worked with, who emphasized that authentic tabbouleh is a parsley salad, lightly flecked with fine bulgur, not the other way around....
What is Vegan Okonomiyaki? Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is a savory Japanese pancake that’s typically made with cabbage, meat or seafood and held together with an egg-based batter. With a few substitutions, it’s easy to make Okonomiyaki plant-based, and I actually prefer the texture of eggless Okonomiyaki. What is Vegan Okonomiyaki? How to Make Okonomiyaki Vegan What goes into a traditional Osaka-style Okonomiyaki? How to serve Okonomiyaki 📖 Recipe FAQ Comments How to Make Okonomiyaki Vegan There are three non-vegan components of typical Okonomiyaki....
Looking at the photo you may be asking where the wontons are. Before I answer this question you first have to undertand that texture is an important part of wonton noodle soup; the texture of the noodles, the texture of the wonton, and even the texture of the shrimp inside is critical to a really great bowl of wonton noodles. Because youmian (lit. thin noodles) is so thin, if they sit in the broth too long, they get soggy....
It feels like it’s gone from early autumn straight to winter over the past week, and after packing away my short-sleeve polos for the winter and bringing out my long-sleeve henleys, I also took the dutch ovens and pressure cooker out of storage. I don’t know if it just years of conditioning, or some primal instinct carried down through my genome as a means to stay warm, but when the weather cools, my body craves hearty carbs, rich proteins....
I’d originally made this Champ for St Patrick’s day, but it’s so good, it’s become the go-to mashed potato in my household, regardless of the time of year. To explain just how good this was, let me tell you a little story about the day I made it. When I’m developing recipes, I usually cook during the mornings and early afternoon, so that I can capture the photos using natural light....
Chicken Teriyaki (鳥照り焼き) is a lunchtime staple in Japan, filling bento boxes being carted off to offices and schools alike. Teri refers to the lacquered sheen that teriyaki sauce develops on the surface of the chicken, while yaki means grilled. Almost any cut of chicken can be used, but chicken teriyaki is most commonly prepared with the leg meat (thighs or drumsticks) which is deboned to ensure it cooks evenly....
There’s nothing like a steamy bowl of soup to warm your soul on a cold winter day, and this easy Gyoza Soup recipe is one my mom used to make me as a child. I’ve shown you how to make the best homemade gyoza before, but pan-frying them is not the only way to enjoy these bite-sized bundles of flavor. This delightful concoction marries the bold flavors of Japanese potstickers with tender veggies and mushrooms and the comforting umami of piping hot dashi broth....
Think of salads, and the dressing often comes as an afterthought. But imagine a sauce that could transform a simple bowl of lettuce into a satisfying meal with just a drizzle. That’s the beauty of a Japanese salad dressing like this Ginger Miso Dressing. With a balance of tangy rice vinegar, savory miso, sweet honey, and the spicy zing of fresh ginger, this miso dressing recipe will take your quick healthy meals up a few notches by imparting torrents of flavor....
What is Buta no Shogayaki? Buta no Shogayaki (豚の生姜焼き), literally means Pork Grilled with Ginger in Japanese, and is made by marinating thin slices of pork in a simple gingery sauce before being pan-fried until golden brown. It’s creation is attributed to a Tonkatsu restaurant in Ginza just 70 years ago and yet it’s become a staple of home cooking in Japan along with other modern classics such as Chicken Teriyaki , Hambagu Steak , and Japanese Curry ....
My first Korean fried chicken experience was at Bon Chon Chicken in Tribeca over five years ago. It was an epiphany not just because it was delectable, but because it was the first time that it had occurred to me that KFC could stand for something other than Kentucky Fried Chicken. Since then, I’ve gone to Korea to have Yangnyeom Chikin (양념치킨) at the source and was surprised to find that in most restaurants there, it had a thicker batter and the chicken is covered in a thick sweet sauce....
What is Loco Moco? Born out of the plate-lunch culture that is a pillar of modern Hawaiian cuisine, Loco Moco is a dish that could only have been invented in the melting pot that is Hawaii. With a name that sounds more like a Mexican fast food joint or a rap artist, you’d hardly expect Loco Moco to be a dish that hails from a chain of volcanic islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean....
Mutabbal (sometimes spelled moutabal ) has a special place in my heart, thanks to my experiences working alongside Lebanese and Syrian chefs in kitchens across the Middle East. I can still vividly recall the incredible aroma of the charred grilled eggplant skins infusing their sweet flesh with an irresistible smoky aroma. After peeling, the eggplant is blended with the nutty richness of tahini, brightened by fresh lemon juice and the pungency of garlic, resulting in a wonderfully creamy and deeply smoky Lebanese eggplant dip....
Smashed Cucumber Salad originated in China, but it’s become a beloved quick pickle that’s eaten across eastern Asia. Using a heavy object to smash the cucumber instead of cutting slices with a knife creates a rough surface with small cracks that soak up the flavors of the dressing like a sponge. This makes the prep a cathartic stress reliever while making the recipe come together in just a few minutes....
Spicy Tuna Roll (スパイシーツナロール) Although Spicy Tuna Rolls don’t come from Japan (they were created in L.A.), this modern sushi has become the most popular roll in many parts of the world. It’s colorful, flavorful, and because the tuna is chopped up, even lower-quality tuna cuts with stringy connective tissue can be turned tender and creamy. The piquant filling can be used in many different ways, and in this Spicy Tuna Roll recipe, I want to show you three different styles of rolling sushi....
Strawberry Mochi (いちご大福 - Ichigo Daifuku) In Japan, strawberry season runs between December and May. While cake shops fill their cases with strawberry shortcake and ichigo sando pops up in cafes and konbini, traditional wagashi shops are inundated with people looking for Ichigo Daifuku(いちご大福) or Strawberry Mochi. It’s a modern take on a classic Japanese dessert called Daifuku, which is classically made by wrapping a ball of sweet red bean paste in a thin layer of chewy rice cake, or mochi....
Uni Pasta (ウニパスタ) Uni Pasta (ウニパスタ) is a Japanese-style pasta dish made with spaghetti enrobed in a creamy uni sauce. In Japan, it’s a luxurious pasta that you’d expect to find on the menu at expensive restaurants, but it’s not that difficult to prepare at home. In this Uni Pasta recipe, I’m going to show you the fundamental techniques you need to know to prepare this sea urchin cream sauce, and the same technique can be adapted to make other similar Japanese pasta recipes, like Creamy Mentaiko Spaghetti and Nori Cream Pasta ....
