A few weeks ago, Kayoko and I were invited to our friend Mariko's house. Along with her partner, two twin boys, and Frenchie, their house was warm, inviting, and lively. I always find it restoring and inspiring to visit friend's houses and eat together....
Takikomi Gohan (mixed rice) is a Japanese comfort food that fills the kitchen with an earthy aroma. Made with shiitake mushrooms and hijiki.
Ochazuke, or "tea rice," is usually as humble as its name sounds, but at a random izakaya in Kushiro, it was taken to the next level.
A step-by-step recipe on making fluffy steamed rice cooked with Snow crab, enoki and shiitake mushrooms, and kombu. Delicious and full of umami flavors!
April sakes ship today for Sake Gumi, our monthly sake subscription club. If you like what's on deck here, you should join! To celebrate the start of rice-planting season in April, we are highlighting the most popular sake rice Yamada Nishiki. Why is it the...
Taco rice is the culinary lovechild of Tex-Mex, Okinawan and Japanese flavours -- a dish that's popular all over Japan these days.
During our visit to Aoki Brewery in Niigata, we were told that the three most important factors of brewing sake is the rice, the water and the people. The rice that breweries use for sake-making are not the usual grains you find at the grocery...
Make an easy and satisfyingly delicious rice bowl featuring fresh salmon sashimi and avocado.
If there's one thing 6 days in paradise (Kauai) reminded me about life, it's that cooking rice on the stove top (and not in a rice cooker) is so easy! I used to do it all the time when I worked as a server at...
INGREDIENTS Serves 2 1 small chicken breast, cut into small cubes 10 green beans, diced small 1/4 medium yellow onion, diced small 1/2 cup kimchi, diced medium 4 shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced 1 fresno chili or jalapeño, diced extra small 3 eggs, whisked...
Mame gohan (beans and rice) with English sweet peas, organic radish, negi (green onions) and katsuo bushi (bonito flakes). INGREDIENTS Serves 2 1 cup short grain rice (washed) 1 1/8 cup dashi or water 1 cup shucked and blanched English sweet peas 1/2 cup cut...
Forgive me, I am going to cheat a little here... like that "100 Episodes of Seinfeld" episode. I think Umami Mart has been around long enough for something like that. So this is a re-post/interpretation of another post I wrote in Tokyo 4...
There is nothing like zosui (rice porridge) to soothe a year of overeating + drinking. Recipe here.
I am posting a recipe for negitoro donburi for the pure fact that this is the most delicious thing to make in under 5 minutes if you have cooked rice on hand. If your fish monger sells toro pieces for...
The other day, Washi and I went to Uniqlo thinking we could just casually stroll in two days after its opening. First reality check: there was a line winding two blocks down the building. So we went to some other shops. Second...
If you have been to Japan, you've been to MOS burger, the best burger chain. Apparently it is coming to the U.S., which will be great. Their burgers -- from the regular MOS burger with bolognese sauce, to tonkatsu burger with cabbage, to real-deal teriyaki...
Two out of three of my closest friends do not like eggs. How could this be? If I had to choose one thing on this planet that I love the most and could eat everyday, it would be the egg. They are sacred! So...
The 100 Year Punch is a cocktail that features a couple of unique ingredients that highlight the Korean heritage of its creator, Daniel Eun (who also created the #8 cocktail). Baekseju (also spelled Bek Se Ju) or “100 Year Wine,” is a rice and...
My partner Washi recently got a job as a salaryman. This may not seem that odd until you consider the fact that he is living in Berkeley, California and to qualify as a salaryman, you are usually employed by a Japanese corporation....
There was an egg festival in my bowl of rice the other day. I placed a raw egg yolk on a mound of ikura (salmon roe) on top of my steaming hot bowl of rice. The orange hues are sexy and appetizing, glimmering in my...
