Category Archives: Traditional Recipes

Takikomi Gohan with Chicken

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 [...]

Also posted in Rice Dishes | Tagged gohan, gomoku, mixed rice, Rice Dishes, takikomi | 10 Comments

Kuwayaki Pork Donburi

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. [...]

Also posted in Favorites, Meat | Tagged donburi, kuwayaki, pork, rice bowl | 7 Comments

Pan-Fried Gyoza

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 [...]

Also posted in Appetizers + Snacks, Favorites, Meat | Tagged chinese, gyoza, pork, potsticker | 6 Comments

Milk Misoshiru with Kabocha

By Azusa | Published: September 30, 2009

Fall has been slow to arrive in Los Angeles, but that didn’t stop me from making this milky miso soup. The salty miso, sweet kabocha, and creamy broth were nothing but a recipe for comfort. I liked it so much I might switch to making milk misoshiru in the fall and winter months, and back [...]

Also posted in Contemporary Recipes, Recipes, Soups | Tagged abura age, kabocha, milk, miso soup, misoshiru | Leave a comment

Tamagoyaki

By Azusa | Published: September 22, 2009

Tamagoyaki makes me nostalgic. For picnics, instead of potato salad and barbecue chicken, my mom would make musubi and pack tamagoyaki and takuan pickles, each in separate aluminum foil packages. We’d eat without utensils and lick the takuan juices before they dribbled down our hands. We’d nibble at the rice that would stick to our [...]

Also posted in Tofu + Egg | Tagged egg, tamagoyaki | 4 Comments

Miso Eggplant With Beef

By Azusa | Published: July 15, 2009

Fellow eggplant lovers, hope you give this a try. This recipe is similar to an amazing miso eggplant dish my mom makes, but differs in many respects. Hers is boldly salty and sweet, rich, and hearty. This one is mild, delicate, and delicious. I used shiro miso (which is sweeter than red miso), so [...]

Also posted in Meat, Recipes, Vegetables | Tagged beef, eggplant, miso, nasu | Leave a comment

Bacon and Shiso Fried Rice

By Azusa | Published: June 23, 2009

I’ve never made an exceptional fried rice. Maybe my ratios are off. Maybe it always tastes better when someone else makes it. My dad once made fried rice with kabocha and it was delicious. When I tried making it, it was very mediocre.
But this recipe isn’t about kabocha, but about two of my favorite things: [...]