Autumn is the season for shinmai, newly harvested rice
Shinmai — rice harvested and processed during the current calendar year — is celebrated for its fresh, clean taste and subtle sweetness. But komai (old rice) also has its place in Japanese history and the kitchen.
Potato korokke: Deep-fried, delicious and easy to make
Whether you call them croquettes, krokets, or korokke, this classic, easy-to-make deep-fried potato dish can be dressed up with a variety of fillings and sauces.
Hiyajiru: A soup to get over the last of the summer sweat
Learn how to make hiyajiru, a chilled miso and sesame soup, with this simple recipe.
Edamame: Eat them fresh and green, with a beer or two
Edamame, or immature green soybeans, are the quintessential snack to have with an ice-cold beer, especially in summer. Their popularity has spread around the world in recent years, but the habit of eating fresh, salted green soybeans out of their pods has a history in ...
A recipe for the rainy season: Umeboshi-simmered pork
Beat the plum rains with ume nibuta, a versatile pork dish that will see you through June.
Hosting a summer bash? Impress with quick and easy konbujime
A popular drinking snack or side dish accompanying a traditional Japanese meal, konbujime is umami-packed and refreshing.
Celebrating the spring with homemade Japanese sweets
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, ...
Cabbage: The brassica that found a new home in Japan
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 ...
What makes a great chawanmushi? Using even better dashi
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.
In winter, the humble daikon is the ultimate utility vegetable
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.
Break with tradition and bring out the duck this Christmas
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 ...
Bitter or sweet, the much-loved persimmon is a healthy and versatile fruit
Persimmons come in three types, but amagaki is of most use in the kitchen.
