First, I want to say the 5-DAY BREAKFAST CHALLENGE is going down this week. Today’s recipe is: Shiitake and Shimeji Mushroom Okayu. Second, I want to quickly introduce you to Noelle and tell you about the challenge. Her blog, xobreakfast is crisp, funny, and packed with thoughtful, purposeful recipes. I see her every week because […]
We’ve been getting great daikon at the market. I wanted a recipe with a well-seasoned broth that gently cooked its flavors into the daikon. I found this Chinese-inspired dish in haru-mi, Harumi Kurihara’s quarterly magazine. The savory broth is made from the reserved liquid from rehydrated shiitake, chicken broth, shoyu, oyster sauce, leek, and smashed […]
I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned I’m allergic to soy. Which is ironic, given the title of this blog and how much Japanese food depends on it. I’m mostly sensitive to tofu and miso, so I almost never make misoshiru. It pains me because I loved my grandmother’s misoshiru growing up! Instead, I’ve been making […]
I’ve decided to be a pescatarian for a month, just to see if it will make me feel any different. I’m not a huge meat eater, but I consume it out of habit, without thinking. This month, I want to be deliberate about what I put into my body and part of this is making […]
Savory rice with mushrooms and just a hint of ginger. My mom made this when we visited over the holidays and it reminded me how much I love this dish. There are 3 types of mushrooms used here: shimeji, shiitake, and eringi. First, the mushrooms are cooked in dashi and strained. Then, you take this […]
For my first Foodbuzz Project Food Blog challenge (please head over here—voting starts September 20!), I decided to take on a favorite of mine, inari zushi. We make it every year when we visit my husband’s family for Oshogatsu (Japanese New Year) in San Juan Bautista. I’m there with the aunties, cousins, and neighbors, year […]
If you’re watching your weight, don’t bother. Mimicking an alfredo sauce, the robust flavor in this recipe comes from bacon (Mmm, bacon…) and the richness of shiitake. There’s no butter or parmesan cheese, but I assure you the taste (or fat content) isn’t compromised. The concentrated flavor of dried shiitake holds up well with the […]
