Category Archives: Contemporary Recipes

Ramen Cabbage Salad

I’m always asked for the recipe when I serve this salad. Always. It comes from the Hawaii Soto Mission Cookbook, a spiral bound community book that my husband brought back from one of his business trips. I’ve cooked from it before, but I’ve made this salad more than anything else. The key is the ramen […]

Also posted in Favorites, Salads, Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , | 10 Responses

Chilled Corn Porridge

I don’t like cold soups, so you can trust me when I say this one is good. I spotted this recipe flipping through a Japanese food magazine and quickly skimmed the ingredients. They were accessible and simple so I went all in, totally overlooking the recipe’s title. It’s a good thing because I don’t think […]

Also posted in Soups | 4 Responses

Pink Grapefruit Dessert Salad with Shiso + Wasabi

The sweet and bitter juices of a grapefruit are refreshing on their own, but when doused with a dressing of olive oil, simple syrup, shiso, and wasabi, it’s magic. I know the wasabi may strike you as odd, but trust me on this. The flavor is not overpowering, but just adds to the feeling of […]

Also posted in Favorites, Salads, Sweets, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 8 Responses

Chocolate Mochi Brownies with Matcha

I love mochi. I love chocolate. So when I saw Mary’s post on The Food Librarian last week, I knew this was going in my oven. If, by some small chance, you haven’t happened upon her blog, I suggest you head straight there. She can get crazy with jello, make a mean bundt, and mindblow […]

Also posted in Sweets | 24 Responses

Kurogoma Soba Noodles

On our trip to Japan in 2010, we visited Togakushi with my dad’s family and friends. The region is known for their soba, so on the last day we went to a soba making class at a restaurant. We were divided into 3 groups and proceeded with the process of vigorous kneading and rolling. I […]

Also posted in Favorites, Noodles, Salads | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Responses

Furikake Popcorn

I’m excited for the weekend because we’re headed to San Francisco! My husband’s independent feature film, The Crumbles, is premiering at the San Francisco International Asian American Film Festival. It’s been 3+ years in the making, so it’s a big occasion for us. This is a bonus post to celebrate the debut of The Crumbles! […]

Also posted in Appetizers + Snacks, Favorites | 4 Responses

Creamy Beef Curry Udon with Maitake

Curry udon has been the #1 request in my house. I came across several recipes, Keema Curry Udon with Burnt Tomato being one of them. While that recipe offset the robust curry with tangy tomatoes, this recipe mellows it out by using milk. The feathery maitake mushrooms and the thin-sliced beef add a great textural […]

Also posted in Meat, Noodles | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Responses

Carrot and Tuna Salad

I stop at the Little Tokyo Public Library from time to time and go through stacks and stacks of food magazines and cookbooks. And this recipe keeps popping up. Harumi Kurihara’s books are my favorite and I noticed this carrot and tuna salad recipe making an appearance in a couple of her books, some Japanese, […]

Also posted in Fish, Salads | Tagged , , , | 7 Responses

Kabocha Shiruko

I can’t say enough good things about this oshiruko. Oshiruko is a sweet porridge traditionally made with azuki beans and a few pieces of shiratama (dumplings made of shiratamako—glutinous rice flour). This recipe uses kabocha instead, blending it with creamy coconut milk and condensed milk to allow the natural, earthy sweetness of the kabocha to […]

Also posted in Favorites, Sweets | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Responses

Avocado and Tomato Bake

Japanese love mayonnaise. They bake it on toast, on pizza, toss it straight up with sliced cabbage, and mix it with mentaiko (spicy cod roe). Here, it’s combined with shoyu and wasabi, poured over sliced avocados and tomatoes, and baked. Maybe it sounds strange, but I was immediately drawn to this recipe.

Also posted in Vegetables | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 9 Responses
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