By Azusa | Published:
December 2, 2009
These mochi cupcakes are crusty on the outside, chewy on the inside, and have a wonderful hint of matcha. This recipe is a great alternative to the cupcakes we’re used to because they’re not overly sweet.
By Azusa | Published:
November 26, 2009
Happy Thanksgiving! I never had a traditional Thanksgiving dinner growing up, so I can’t offer a tried-and-true turkey or stuffing recipe. The closest thing I have to offer is a classic Japanese pumpkin dish.
My grandmother is big on kabocha, saying it prevents cancer. She’s from Hiroshima, which means she calls kabocha “nankin” and says [...]
By Azusa | Published:
November 18, 2009
I love the idea of taking an American classic and reinterpreting it with Japanese ingredients. The use of tofu instead of mayonnaise was interesting! The miso, rice vinegar, and mirin all sounded promising! Even the photo looks like it delivers, no?
No, something was missing. The recipe was on the right track, but the flavors [...]
By Azusa | Published:
November 11, 2009
We sunk our teeth into a juicy piece of stewed daikon and savored the sweetness of the slow-cooked daikon, the rich saltiness of the miso, and the zesty citrus.
The preparation is a little obsessive, but I guess you learn to expect that with Japanese cooking. After peeling the skin of the daikon and cutting it [...]
By Azusa | Published:
November 4, 2009
I made takikomi gohan for my roomate when I was in college and she thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. She raved about it, but I was a little embarrassed since all I did was pick up a package at the store, wash the rice, empty the pouch of prepared vegetables, and [...]
By Azusa | Published:
October 27, 2009
This is what they mean when they say umami.
I say this surprisingly because the recipe was relatively simple. Slices of pork loin (I used kurobuta from the Japanese market) goes in a quick 5 minute marinade, gets a coat of katakuriko (potato starch), then pan fried and cooked in a shoyu, mirin, and sugar. [...]
By Azusa | Published:
October 22, 2009
I pulled hot matcha rolls out of the oven today and ate 3 of them like it was nothing. Thanks to the free sample bag of Dakota Matcha (a grade of matcha meant for baking) from Matcha Source, I confronted my minor fear of bread making and was rewarded with these soft sweet rolls.
And really, [...]
By Azusa | Published:
October 14, 2009
If you don’t have nimble fingers, no matter. This gyoza is simple to assemble—the most low-maintenance version I’ve seen. The gyoza skin is filled, folded in half, and the top section is pinched at one point. No laborious crimping, no fear of air pockets, no mending needed when the filling pokes out.
The filling is made [...]
By Azusa | Published:
October 7, 2009
There isn’t anything easier than shoyu chicken. Mix, pour, simmer. That’s it. But it simmers for a good hour, so be sure you’ve planned ahead. The meat soaks up the sauce and becomes very tender and could win over anyone, even the most picky eaters.
This recipe is from one of those community cookbooks from [...]
By Azusa | Published:
October 4, 2009
Some beautiful linens I’m eyeing over on Etsy. Makes a great housewarming gift!
Top: FLOWER FIELD Organic Linen Napkins / Set of 2, $30 (Natsumi Nishizumi)
Left: Colander Napkin Pair, $18 (Elizabeth Bentz)
Right: Linen Coneflower Dish Cloth, White $14 (Sarah Kusa Design Goods)
