Author

JapaneseCooking101

Browsing

Matcha Kakigori Recipe

Kakigori

Kakigori (かき氷) is Japanese shaved ice with flavored syrup.  It is very popular during the hot and humid summer in Japan, and there are a lot of pop up Kakigori stores appearing in the season.

Although you can get shaved ice here too, usually as a snow cone in the US, Kakigori is very different from that.  Snow cones often use crushed ice or ice shaved in thicker pieces.  Japanese shaved ice is very soft and fluffy, and melts in your mouth like newly fallen snow.  It doesn’t have much crunchy texture at all. Hawaii also has a version called “shave ice” that is becoming popular in other states as well. It’s based on and very similar to Japanese Kakigori, but some of the flavorings are different.

View Post
By

Soba Bolo Recipe

Soba Bolo


Soba Bolo is a Japanese cookie made from buckwheat (Soba) flour, sugar and eggs.  It is a simple cookie with a nice buckwheat aroma that has been enjoyed for years and years in Japan.

Soba Bolo’s name came from Bolo, or “cake” in Portuguese. Bolo the western dessert was brought into Japan in the 16th century by Portuguese missionaries/traders.  Bolo has changed its form over time, and eventually it became one of Japan’s own sweets.  Bolo in Japan today indicates more cookies than cakes, and also a kind of cookies that are light and crispy.

View Post
By

Yakimeshi Recipe

Japanese Fried Rice

Yakimeshi is Japanese fried rice with egg, meat, and vegetables.  Yakimeshi is something your mom makes from left over rice and ingredients she already has in the house.  Other than rice and egg, there are no particular ingredients you need to use.  Yakimeshi is quick and easy and also a very economical food you can make for your family or yourself.

View Post
By

Kushikatsu Recipe

Kushi Katsu

Kushikatsu is pieces of deep-fried pork, like Tonkatsu, on a skewer.  It is a comfort food Japanese people love.  There are a lot of Kushikatsu restaurants/bars in Japan, and it is usually a kind of food you eat out of the house, however, it is easy to make at home for dinner or a fun dish to serve for a large crowd.

View Post
By

Hanami Dango Recipe

Hanami Dango

Hanami Dango (花見団子) is a Japanese sweet Mochi dessert, where 3 different Dango balls, pink, white, and green, are skewered on a stick. In Japan, the end of March to April is the time of viewing and appreciating cherry blossoms (“hanami”).  People go to parks where a lot of cherry trees are and eat and drink under the trees.  Hanami Dango is commonly eaten during the cherry blossom season, although it is available all year round at many stores in Japan. Hanami Dango is so popular it is even represented by the emoji! 🍡 

View Post
By

Shrimp Gyoza Recipe

Shrimp Gyoza

Gyoza are Chinese dumplings made with meat and vegetables wrapped in round (pasta like) flour skins and then pan-fried.  Gyoza are originally based on Chinese fried dumplings, but they are now a popular and well-rooted part of Japanese cooking today.  Probably pork is the most common filling for Gyoza in Japan, but if you love shrimp, Shrimp Gyoza is a great alternative to regular Gyoza.  Shrimp Gyoza not only have a nice shrimp flavor but also a texture you’ll surely enjoy.

View Post
By