Shio koji, or 塩麹 (salted koji) is a going through a major boom in Japan right now. What is it? It is a mix of salt and koji mold. Wiki says, "Koji (Aspergillus oryzae) is a mold used in Chinese and Japanese cuisine to ferment soybeans. It is also used in the making...
One of my favorite restaurants is Kajitsu, as I've written a couple of awesome reviews about the place. Chef Nishihara is simply a genius. His creativity and flavoring, using only vegetables (it's a vegan/shojin restaurant), is just amazing. I saw an article in last week's...
I made vanilla extract for holiday gifts, using vanilla beans that I bought on Valencia Street in the Mission when I was visiting San Francisco in October. I don't remember the name of where I bought them (it was an ice cream shop), but they have the...
I usually make a vat of potato salad before I leave for a trip, leaving my husband poor and defenseless against the elements of bachelorhood. But this time I didn't have time before the trip and figured he'd be able to fend for himself......
This post is rather late, for which I apologize. Er, about a month late. SORRY! Where has all the time gone? How is it already mid-September? I look outside and the leaves are turning color. The light gives off a deeper glow. It is dark...
I've become addicted to miso. You know, that Japanese brown and weird looking paste consisting of fermented rice, soybeans, salt and the fungus kōjikin. Or at least that is the most traditional recipe, but miso can be found across Asia in many...
Avocado sashimi with yuzu kosho is the easiest dish to make. It's great to serve your guests before the main course. It's also an ideal option to serve yourself when you are feeling really lazy but a little fancy. I prepare this...
Kayoko here, filling in for Yoko. From here on out, just call me (Ka)Yoko. By now, I'm sure you know what ponzu is. I don't even have to explain it to you. In fact, it's such a part of our colloquialism that I don't even...
I am home in Berkeley after taking a week-long road trip through the American southwest with fellow Umamimart writer Anders, bookended by a five-day trip in NYC. I am so excited to be back in my own kitchen that I've stocked...
I used to be amused by the number of Kewpie mayonnaise tubes my 85 year-old grandma had stashed in her packed fridge in Tokyo. I would visit her house every few months to clean out her fridge. She would forget that she...
Before the 2011 Tohoku Earthquake and Tsunami, Sendai was a city that made my favorite miso. One tablespoon of Sendai miso goes into my dashi every morning for a breakfast consisting of miso-shiru, rice and umeboshi. In recent weeks, Sendai...
Mottainai is said in Japan when something perfectly usable is abandoned or sent to the trashcan. In the past ten years, Japan has seen a trend in awareness regarding waste and reusing whenever possible. It's ironic that this has become a trend because...
Love Japanese mayo? Want to put it on everything? Get the recipe on making your own Kewpie mayonnaise at home.
In an effort to demystify Japanese cooking, today's Japanify post is a first in a series I will call "Japanify Ingredients." I've drawn inspiration from some questions I've received from friends, for example: "I bought rice vinegar to make sushi one time,...
My in-laws visited from Tokyo last week. I think my mother-in-law thinks that there are no Japanese products available in the states and brought us half a suitcase-full of food. Poor, unfortunate Americans. Turns out that half of the stuff she brought...
Learn how, why, and when to use tamari soy sauce instead of shoyu. Includes a recipe!
