Spring is a great time for fans of wagashi, traditional Japanese sweets. While many wagashi reflect the seasons all year long visually — especially the colorful, beautifully formed nerikiri created by skilled artisans — this is the time of year when you can taste, ...
The humble cabbage is the third most consumed vegetable in Japan according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, following daikon radishes and onions. It's used in everything from stir-fries and gyōza dumplings to pickles and more and, despite the high prices for ...
The clear, umami-packed stock called dashi is the foundation of washoku, traditional Japanese cuisine. Follow this recipe to find out how a good dashi makes a great chawanmushi.
Back in the 1990s to early 2000s, my sister worked as a chef in the kitchen of the Toraya Cafe in New York City, the sole North American branch of a famous wagashi (traditional Japanese confections) maker that has been in business since the ...
The price of fresh vegetables this winter is much higher than usual. That's why this edition of Japanese Kitchen features a classic, daikon-based seasonal recipe that will help your yen go further.
These days, having chicken for Christmas dinner is quite commonplace in Japan, whether it's made at home or carried there in a paper bucket. But chicken doesn't have that long a history as an everyday food source. Until the Meiji Era (1868-1912), when Western poultry ...
Persimmons come in three types, but amagaki is of most use in the kitchen.
The cookware that has made the biggest comeback in recent years can be traced back to prehistoric times: the donabe, a lidded, heatproof earthenware pot with a matching vented lid.
The sanma (Pacific saury) that's caught at this time of year is rich with heart-healthy oils, and is considered a quintessential autumn delicacy in Japan. But unlike other fall delicacies such as matsutake mushrooms, sanma has traditionally been considered affordable. This national favorite is in ...
A frequently overlooked aspect of kitchens in general is the importance of storage. In fact, most of the space in a kitchen is given over to the storage of utensils and equipment as well as the food itself. Japanese kitchens have some unique features in ...
