After four years in Tokyo, Yoko relocated to the Bay Area. She loves dips, dashi, and deals.
Japanify
September 13, 2012
Japanify: Hiyayakko with Myoga
My sister has a giant myoga plant that is thriving in a shady spot by her chicken coup coop. Powerful myoga buds started busting through the styrofoam container walls a few weeks ago. The plant was inherited from someone who could not contain their myoga and had to give away large patches to get their […]
September 6, 2012
Japanify: Harusame Bento (Bean Thread Noodle Stir Fry)
I’ve been really into harusame (bean thread noodles) ever since my grandma sent me home with some two years ago. With a quick soak in some warm water, these noodles are ready to be fried or boiled, depending on what kind of texture you are in the mood for. Since opening Umami Mart, Kayoko and […]
August 23, 2012
Japanify: Warm Shiitake and Corn Salad
After a whole summer of non-stop sunshine, fruit smoothies and ice-cold Franzia boxed wine (that was actually only for a day, sadly…), I’m really looking forward to the comforting food of autumn. I am not complaining though. I am a huge fan of cold noodles, raw oysters and the buckets of ice cream we allow […]
April 12, 2012
Japanify: Maguro Zukedon
My partner Washi recently got a job as a salaryman. This may not seem that odd until you consider the fact that he is living in Berkeley, California and to qualify as a salaryman, you are usually employed by a Japanese corporation. I will miss his face behind the bar at Ippuku. And I will […]
March 22, 2012
Japanify: Tofu To-Go
Protein is a great thing to carry around. It stays together and packs an energy-filled punch, in comparison to a salad or veggie stir-fry –which can either take up lots of space or taste very bad because of a temperature change. Hunks of hamburg or chicken tenders, on the other hand, can be easily saran […]
March 8, 2012
Japanify: Ikuradon (Ode to Hokkaido)
There was an egg festival in my bowl of rice the other day. I placed a raw egg yolk on a mound of ikura (salmon roe) on top of my steaming hot bowl of rice. The orange hues are sexy and appetizing, glimmering in my bowl. No matter how many times I have ikuradon (ikura […]
March 1, 2012
Japanify: Nagaimo
On paper, nagaimo sounds like a miracle food. Nagaimo is a type of yam with hardly any calories, while simultaneously lowering blood pressure and cholesterol. It’s also full of potassium and fiber and ideal for the diet of a diabetic. And that list doesn’t even include its most popular benefit. It’s been said that during the […]
February 23, 2012
Great UM Noodletown: Karasumi Pasta
Karasumi (or bottarga) is salted and dried mullet roe. It comes in two sacks and are hard, like a candy bar. Its deep, oceany, salty flavor is reminiscent of caviar. But the texture is not like caviar, because it’s a dense mass of eggs dried in the sun, it is chewy and sticks to the molars […]
January 5, 2012
Japanify: Kasuzuke (Sake Lees Pickles)
If you can get your hands on sake kasu (sake lees, a yeast by-product of sake making) a subculture of cooking opens up to you. Most commonly used for marinating fish and pickling, sake kasu looks like pizza dough with the consistency of wet clay and aroma of nama (unpasteurized) sake. It’s usually available for […]
December 29, 2011
Japanify: Kuri no Kanroni (Chestnuts Simmered in Syrup)
Chestnuts signify the presence of winter in many cultures. Although I’ve never actually tried chestnuts roasted by an open fire, I have tried the Japanese version of chestnuts simmered in simple syrup, or kuri no kanroni. However, I had never taken the initiative to prepare a chestnut dish because the task of peeling always seemed […]