Quite possibly the only herb in the mint family that the Japanese will not associate with toothpaste is shiso. Shiso, or sometimes referred to as perilla, Japanese basil or beefsteak plant is often found as a garnish in Japanese cuisine. I noticed that Yamahomo and I seem to have somewhat of an obsession with shiso […]
Author Archives: Yoko Kumano
July 1, 2010
Japanify: Ice Cold Somen
The first time my husband found a bag of Capellini at a grocery store in America he said “It’s like sÅmen.” Indeed, sÅmen is about the same thinness as capellini and takes about the same time to boil – 3 minutes. But unlike capellini, sÅmen is always eaten cold in the summer in tsuyu broth […]
June 24, 2010
Japanify: Instant Ramen for Drunks
Piggybacking on Yamahomo’s drunk cooking post, this week’s Japanify introduces techniques for making instant ramen that will please drunks. After a long, explosive night of dancing, my husband prepared Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen. An avid eater of Sapporo Ichiban instant ramen in his native Japan, my husband was ecstatic that Sapporo Ichiban was also available […]
June 17, 2010
Japanify: I Love Okara
I discovered okara during my first year in Tokyo, thanks to my neighborhood tofu shop who sold me 400 grams (0.88 lbs) of okara every week for Â¥150 (about $1.70). Okara is translated as “tofu lees” or “soy pulp” and is a byproduct of the tofu-making process. Maybe it’s just me, but “soy pulp” sounds […]
June 10, 2010
Umamiventure #25: Severely Stoned in Berkeley
The 25th Umamiventure took place at Hida Tool and Hardware in Berkeley. After writing about sharpening Carbon and Stainless Steel knives on Umamimart and receiving a lot of questions, I thought it would be good to take these questions to the source. Chika, the knifemaster, at Hida Tool and Hardware. Chika has been working with […]
Japanify: Sunomono Salad
This monochromatic sunomono salad may look humble, but it packs a sweet and sour punch. It tastes somewhat reminiscent to the cucumber salad that comes with Thai satay skewers. Although sunomono is eaten more like a salad than pickles, it does cleanse the palate when eating something oily or spicy. Sunomono literally means vinegared (“su”) […]
June 3, 2010
Japanify: Tsuyu (Soba Dipping Sauce)
Cold noodles are one of the best things about the summer. My favorite cold noodles are soba noodles. When it’s hot outside and steaming rice sounds like the last thing I want to do, I can always rely on soba noodles. But there have been more than a few times that I find that my […]
May 27, 2010
Japanify: White, Brown and Germ Rice
Rice has come up in conversation more than a few times since I have been back in the US. Mainly questions like “What kind of rice do you eat?” “Where do you buy your rice?” and “How does rice in the US compare to the rice in Japan?” True, nothing compares to rice in Japan […]
May 20, 2010
Japanify: Lazyass Wafu Salad with Wasabi-Yuzu Dressing
The idea of a salad at many Japanese restaurants in America is some iceberg lettuce, julliened carrots and a cherry tomato (if your lucky) – topped with a creamy, sesame dressing. I can say that I am sometimes a fan of this combination, but it’s really not the kind of salad you will ever see […]
May 17, 2010
Heads Up – Umamiventure #25: Knife Sharpening Workshop at Hida Tool & Hardware (Berkeley)
I owe much of my knife sharpening knowledge to the folks at Hida Tool & Hardware in Berkeley. So when a few people emailed me about wanting to learn more about sharpening knives, and/or purchasing a hocho, I thought it would make sense for me to bring those people with me to Hida Tool & […]