Anmitsu is a traditional Japanese cold dessert, a bowl of jelly cubes made from agar (a substance derived from seaweed, “Kanten” in Japanese) topped with Anko (sweet red bean paste) and simple syrup. Anmitsu is loved by many, especially older generations in Japan, for its light, refreshing taste even with sweet Anko, and its visually…
Lemon Somen is a cold somen noodle dish topped with sliced lemon and salted green onions. Somen is a summertime staple in Japan where it gets so unbearably hot and humid. The only thing you can eat in the middle of hot days can be cold somen noodles. It is quick and easy to prepare,…
Mabo Harusame is a Japanese home-style dish inspired by the Chinese Mapo Tofu. Cooked harusame, clear glass noodles, are served in a mildly spicy Japanese Mabo-style sauce. It’s a Japanese fusion dish and, many of the elements that define traditional Mapo Tofu are not present except Doubanjiang (spicy bean paste). Nonetheless, the spicy and savory…
Ochazuke is an easy and quick Japanese dish with cooked rice topped with various ingredients, over which hot green tea is poured. When you don’t have time to cook or lack appetite, Ochazuke is a popular choice for many people in Japan. Here, I’ve made a summer version for when you don’t want to eat…
Shrimp Karaage is a delightful dish consisting of raw shrimp coated with seasoned flour and deep-fried to perfection. This boldly spiced dish serves as an excellent appetizer to accompany chilled drinks or as a delicious dinner entrée when paired with steamed rice and miso soup.
Iced Matcha Float is a cold matcha green tea poured over ice and topped with matcha ice cream. Unlike a popular Iced Matcha Latte, the matcha itself is not sweetened in this recipe. A refreshing and slightly bitter matcha goes wonderful with creamy and sweet matcha ice cream. It’s a perfect dessert drink to enjoy…
Grilled Eggplant, or Yakinasu, is a traditional Japanese summer dish where eggplants are charred over direct flame or on a fish grill, then peeled. Chilled grilled eggplant is so refreshingly soothing in hot, humid weather that it’s a staple side dish in summer. Its smoky flavor is the ultimate taste of summer that everybody knows…
Cold Natto Soba is a delightful summer dish perfect for days when hot weather suppresses your appetite. Cold soba noodles are easy to swallow, and the dish is rich in nutrients from Natto (fermented soybeans) and other vegetables. This recipe involves minimal cooking on the stove, helping you avoid unnecessary heat.
Corn Tempura is made from fresh sweet corn kernels mixed with tempura batter and deep-fried. It’s sweet, salty, and makes for a great summer appetizer. This kakiage-style Tempura (small pieces of vegetables in Tempura batter) is easy to make and best eaten hot and fresh. On a hot summer night, you might enjoy Corn Tempura…
Spring rolls with rice paper, also known as summer rolls, are a popular appetizer or light meal in Vietnamese cuisine. They use a translucent rice paper wrapper, softened by briefly dipping in water. Our version of spring rolls has a Japanese twist. We take the filling of California rolls, minus the rice and nori seaweed,…