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Japanify

Yamada Nishiki Kinoko Risotto

When the coronovirus hit, it was winter 2020. In the sake world, rice is already planted and harvested by the time winter rolls around. The last step is to use all of that rice for sake-making. But with the coronovirus, orders for sake...

Japanify

Japanify: Haigamai Amazake

Lately, amazake (sweet non-alcoholic sake) has been on our minds. It all started on March 1, when we celebrated Girl's Day at Umami Mart and Den Sake was kind enough to make us a batch of amazake for the second year in a...

Lazyass Cookin'

Cozy Donabe Party

When the days become shorter and the air crisper, it's time to bring out my donabe from the depths of my kitchen cupboards. I give it a good dusting-off and wash, then let it sit in the sun to dry. Once this ritual is...

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Black Garlic Glazed Sweet Potatoes

As soon as daylight savings ends, my body tells me: feed me sweet potatoes. They are comforting, filling, and full in vitamin A and C to help combat colds during the flu season (I also get a flu shot every year). In the...

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L.S.K. Salmon Two Ways

If you know me, you know I'm all about abbrevs. Life's too short (L.T.S.) - so whether it's S.G. (Sake Gumi), U.M. (Umami Mart) or B.B. (Berkeley Bowl), I'll refer to things in every day life with its abbreviation.  In addition to it...

Japanify

Umami Lentils

I've been on a bit of a lentils kick and I'm afraid I will turn into a life-sized lentil by the time I complete this blog post (I am shoveling lentils in my mouth as I write this). I love how you can make a nutritious meal...

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Niku Soba

If you didn't know already, we have a sake club called Sake Gumi and it's awesome. Every month, we choose a theme, and the sakes reflect that theme. Sometimes the theme is a style of sake, sometime I choose how sakes pair...

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Japanify: Grilled Shio-Koji Nagaimo

Last February, I went to Jicca in Tokyo and had this seemingly unassuming dish. I've mainly had raw nagaimo (Chinese yam) julienned or grated in all its gooey glory. But at Jicca, it was seasoned with some serious magic. Lightly grilling this nagaimo brought out a...

Kuishinbo

Kuishinbo: Oname Koji

I met a wonderful couple on Instagram, who I visited on my last trip to Japan. When they cook, they always use local ingredients prepared with such care and style. I look forward to their dinner picture everyday and I often...

Japanify

Japanify: Ebi Chili

Ebi Chili is the best example of a dish that has been Japanified. It was originally created in the 1950s by a Chinese immigrant in Japan, taking cues from Sichuan-style cooking. It's a shrimp dish that has a little spice and a little sweetness, perfect...

MOTOism

MOTOism: Miracle Koji Marinades

After I posted salt koji recipe a couple of weeks ago, I found out koji is literally a miracle condiments. This is the easiest thing to make, as long as you can find koji (usually at the Japanese grocery store), and the result is...