THE

A TO Z OF
EASY JAPANESE RECIPES

www.theatozbooks.com


Published in the United Kingdom by Individuality Ltd

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Copyright Individuality Ltd 2015

Stories and Recipes by Katarina Klafka
Edited by Tobi Hannah


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Introduction

Hajimemashite! Its wonderful to meet you. Im so glad you chose to read this book!
Few countries in the world have as lush and natural a cuisine as Japan (and believe me,
Ive sampled quite a few!): and how could they, when the very soul of Japanese cooking is
its freshness? With the sparkling seasonality of its ingredients and the nourishing
yumminess of a savory shiitake, crisp cucumber, or perfectly-picked pike, Japanese
cuisine reaches the zenith of beneficial breakfasts and salubrious suppers. Not only is it
healthy, it is stunningly simple; and not only is it simple, it is beautiful.

Perhaps this beauty comes from the politeness and gratitude of Japanese culture, as
profoundly ingrained in the Japanese heart as seeds planted lovingly in a vegetable garden
or the deep roots of a cherry blossom tree. In many parts of America, we say grace before
a meal; in Japan, chefs imbue that grace into their cooking from the moment their
fingertips first brush the uncooked rice, cherishing each grain with love and respect. In
this way, to cook Japanese-style is not only to cook Japanese food; it is to gain a greater
understanding of and respect for the world around you, the food on your table, and even
yourself.

I first learned to cook Japanese-style from a wise woman on the outskirts of Kyoto. With
laugh lines as deeply grooved on her face as the war-wrought lines of sorrowshe was
born in Tokyo in 1939she teased me gently when I mixed up matsutake (mushroom)
with matsusaka (beef) at the market and guided my clumsy fingers through chopping
unfamiliar vegetables. Presentation is important, she told me, chuckling, while I glared
at the misshapen eggplant cubes (well, shapes) on the counter, but not as important as
love. Ai no ajithe taste of loveyou cant cook like me without it.

When I returned to America, what I ate tasted strangeeither too bland or violently
strong. Where was the heart? Where was the crispness, the freshness, the love? I reached
out to my teacher in tears, and she responded with a smile. You dont need to be Japanese
to cook like me, she reminded me, And you dont need to be in Japan, either! What do
you need?

Do you love to cook?
It is my hope that these 26 recipes, one for each letter of the alphabet will help you cook to
love.
So lets start cooking hajimemashou!

Autumn
A
Agedsahi Apple Curry

They say its American as Moms Apple Pie when something here fills you with a sense
of home. When I was sorely missing that sense, my teacher made this dish for me. A
cultural mixAmerican apples and Indian currybecomes uniquely Japanese when
served over freshly-steamed rice and my teachers own agedashi (soup base) twistapple
juice! De wa, hajimemashou!

Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) soy sauce
- 1 lb. (440 g) sweet potatoes, cubed
- 1~2 Vidalia onions, chopped
- 2~3 medium apples, cubed (I like using sweeter ones like Pink Ladies, but tart
would be delicious, as wellso use what you like!)
- 1 cups (330 ml) water
- 1 cup (220 ml) apple juice
- 4-6 stalks celery, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, cubed
- Other vegetables, to taste (I like zucchini and asparagusbut I recommend
using whats in season to your region for the best flavor!)
- 1 pack S&B brand (or similar) Golden Curry sauce mix
- 2~3 cups (440~660 g) freshly cooked white short-grain rice

Instructions:
- In a large, deep skillet (a wok works well), saut the sweet potato, onions,
carrots, celery, and other vegetables in the oil and soy sauce for 3-5 minutes, until just
softened. Then, add the apples (and additional oil if necessary), and cook for 3-5 more
minutes, until the onions are golden and the apples start softening.

- Add the water and apple juice, bring everything to a soft boil, and then
simmer for 5 minutes.
- Break up the block of curry mix and stir into the wok until all the powder has
dissolved.
- Cook for 5-10 more minutes, until the curry has thickened and the apple pieces
are easily poked through with a fork or chopstick. Can you smell the apples on the air?
This part, for my teacher, was a little bit of heaven.

- Turn off the heat, and, using a generous spoon, heap 1-3 spoonfuls of
steaming curry onto 1 cup (220 g) of freshly cooked rice per person. Smell, smile, and
enjoy!

B
Beef bowl (sukiyaki)
A staple of autumnal cold, the image of a family eating this beef dish is one integral to
Japanese childhood. This dish is large enough for a family, but divided in two, it makes
jumbo servings that are excellent for athletes!

Ingredients:

- 1 cups (330 ml) miso stock (available at Asian markets!)
- If you have none, Emerils stock works just as well. Use what tastes good!
- cup (165 ml) soy sauce (I like Kikkomans low-sodium alternative!)
- cup (165 ml) mirin (available at Asian markets!)
- 1/8 cup (30 g) white sugar (to taste)
- 8 oz. (220 g) shirataki noodles
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) canola/vegetable oil
- 1 lb. (440 g) beef top sirloin (slice thinly for best results!)
- 1 onion (I find Vidalia or other sweet onions bring out the flavors the most!)
- 1 bunch green onions
- 4 oz. (110 g) fresh mushrooms (shiitake, enoki, matsutakewhatever is nearest
to your region)
- 1 lb. (440 g) firm tofu (cubing works best!)
- Other vegetables, to tasteI recommend:
- 2-3 carrots, shaved
- cup (165 g) snow peas
- 2-3 stalks of celery, thinly sliced
- Or mix and match your own favorites and regional specialties!

Instructions:
- Combine the liquid ingredients (miso, shoyu, mirin) with the sugar; mix lightly.
- In a separate pot, boil noodles for 1 minute or so. (I overboiled the first few

times I tried be careful!) Then rinse with COLD water and set aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp. of the oil in a skillet. This, to me, is the most important step. Add
your vegetables with the onion (NOT green onion) and mushrooms, and think about why
you like them as you cook them until theyre soft and the onion pieces are golden, about
4-6 minutes.
- Add the green onions, liquid mixture, noodles, beef, and cubes of tofu. Stir
consistently, alternating between gentle counterclockwise motions and robust clockwise
swirls, until the mixture is simmering merrily.

Turn off the heat, close your eyes, and take a deep breath. That gorgeous smell? You
created it. Now serve it into bowls and enjoy together!

C
Cucumber salad (sunomono)
This simple, crisp recipe is excellent on hot September days.

Ingredients:
- 3-4 slender Japanese cucumbers, sliced thin enough you could see light through
them if you set them over your eyes
- Feel them in the market for firmness and silkiness. The hardest and shiniest ones
should go home with you!
- tsp. (1.25 g) salt (I like crushed Swedish sea salt!)
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) rice vinegar (available at Asian markets)
- Dont substitute regular vinegarIve made that mistake, and it isnt pretty.
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- 1 tsp. (5 g) sesame seeds
- Seaweed flakes, to taste

Instructions:
- 1. Massage the salt into the cucumber slices, and let them sit for 4-6 minutes.
Then, gently press as much water out of the cucumbers as you can.
- 2. Mix all other ingredients, save the sesame seeds, together.
- I like timing this by the dissolving of the sugar, but taste-test every few seconds
to see when its best for you.
- 3. Pour the liquid mixture over the cucumbers, sprinkle on the sesame seeds
and/or seaweed, and mix. Voila!

Dobin mushi

This unique autumn staple dish, focused on the seasonal delight of matsutake mushrooms,
is traditionally made in a special teapot. If you can find the teapot and want to invest the
money, I wont stop youbut as my teacher showed me, it can be made just as easily in a
regular pot with a steam-escape lid!

Ingredients:
- 3-4 matsutake mushrooms, stemmed, wiped (NOT scrubbed! Be gentle) to
remove dirt, and quartered lengthwise
- 4 tsp. (20 ml) rice wine
- 2 tsp. (10 ml) soy sauce
- 4 slices fish cake (available at Asian markets!)
- 1 chicken breast (boneless and skinless is best), sliced into bite-size pieces
- 1 cups (330 ml) miso stock
- 1 tsp. (5 g) salt
- Grated rind of 1-2 yuzu
- Optional: gingko nuts, 3-4 shelled shrimp, onions and/or other vegetables to taste

Instructions:
- 1. Sprinkle tsp. (2.5 ml) of the rice wine over the wiped, quartered matsutake
pieces, and 1 tsp. (5 ml) each of soy sauce and rice wine over the cubes of chicken breast.
(You can massage this in, if you would like.)
- 2.
a. If using ginkgo nuts, boil them in salted water for 7 minutes or so before cooling and
shelling. Similarly, if using shrimp or another seafood addition, boil until just cooked at
this time.
b. If adding vegetables, fry these in 1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. (15 ml) soy
sauce until cooked.
- 3. Boil the miso stock with the rest of the rice wine and soy sauce. If you have
the traditional teapots, add a piece or two of fish cake to the bottom of each, and divide
each pot/pan of your ingredients between them for further cooking; if not, drop in the fish

cakes, and add the mushrooms, chicken, and nuts/shrimp/vegetables to the miso broth, and
boil until the chicken is cooked.
- 4. Pour into bowls, garnish with shaved yuzu peel, and appreciate the heady
scent of autumn. Enjoy!

Egg rolls
Ahh, egg rolls! Called tamagoyaki in Japanese, these are a staple of Japanese schoolchild
bento lunches. Ive included the traditional sweet version herebut you can adjust the
sugar, or exchange for salt and soy sauce, to your taste. Lets do it!

Ingredients:
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp. (5 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil

Instructions:
- 1. Gently but firmly whisk together the egg and sugar.
- 2. Thinly coat a nonstick frying pan with oil, and heat on medium. For best
results, I recommend using a flat pan (like one for pancakes) instead of a curved one.
- 3. This calls for a bit of dexterity! Pour the egg mixture into the heated pan and
quickly swirl it aboutyou want the mixture to be thin (less than inch (3/4 cm)!) and
evenly spread. (Tip: its okay to remove the pan from the burner if the egg is cooking
through faster than you can swirl it!)
- 4. When the egg is set and nearly cooked through, take a fork (or chopsticks, if
you can use them), and gently fold over the corners/edges of your egg pancake just
enough to smooth them out. If you think your egg is good enough to eat, turn off the heat,
remove your pan from the stove, andquickly and lightly!use a spatula, chopsticks,
and the very tips of your fingers to roll the egg into a cylinder, pressing lightly on the
rolled part as you go.
- 5. Slice into small 1~2 inch thick (2.5~5 cm) pieces, set on a plate with a small
bowl of sweet soy sauce for dipping, and enjoy!

Fried tofu ramen

This vegetarian delight was one of my favorite dinners on cool autumn nights. I like
overloading it with vegetables for a filling, nutritious start to the school year!

Ingredients:
- cup (110 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. (15 g) red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. (15 g) garlic (freshly diced, or dried)
- 6 cups broth (I like vegetable, but chicken is delicious, too!)
- lb. matsutake (or other) mushroomsyoull just want the caps!
- 1 bunch green onions
- cup (110 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) powdered ginger
- lb. firm silken tofu, cubed small
- 1 pkg. quality ramen noodles (although you can also use the noodles from 3
instant ramen packs, on a budget!)
- Vegetables, to taste (I like shaved carrots, diced Vidalia onions, diced zucchini,
diced green pepper, shredded cabbage, and a lot of chopped spinach!)
- 2 tbsp. (15 g) salt (to taste)
- 2 tbsp. (15 g) sugar (to taste)
- 2 oz. (55 g) pickled sliced ginger (for garnish)the sunnier it is, the better!

Instructions:
- 1. Heat the oil, red pepper, and sundry vegetables (minus spinach, if youre using
it!) in a saucepan for about 5 minutes, then add the garlic. When you can hear the pop and
sizzle of the garlic, cook for another 3 minutes, then turn off the heat, and let this sit while
you do the rest.
- 2. Fry the tofu in cup (55 ml) of the soy sauce until golden brownthe scent
should embrace you warmly!

- 3. Mix the broth, mushrooms, green onions, remaining soy sauce, ginger, and
sugar/salt (if using) in another saucepan, and simmer for ~8 minutes on high, then about 5
more minutes on low.
- 4. While the broth is cooking, make the noodles as per instructions on the
package(s) and strain well.
- 5. Combine the noodles, tofu, vegetable mix, and spinach (if using) in the broth.
Pour into bowls, garnish with pickled ginger and fresh green onions (if desired), and
enjoy!

Winter
G
Green tea cake
Matcha, or green tea, is one of the most famed ingredients of Japanese cuisine. Its
antioxidant and rejuvenating properties are well-documented; more than this, however, is
its paradoxical taste, simple yet heady, rich yet light on the tongue. My teacher served me
this cake as an afternoon snacktogether with my favorite lemon teaon days after my
classes in the deep of winter; I suggest you try doing the same.

Ingredients:
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup (220 g) flour
- 2/3 cup (150 g) white sugar
- cup (110 g) butter
- 1~2 tbsp. (15-30 g) matcha powder (to taste)
- tsp. (2.5 g) baking powder

Instructions:
- 1. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl until fluffy. (The sound effect for fluffiness
in Japanese is fuwa fuwacan you hear it?)
- 2. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- 3. Gently sift the dry ingredients together twice (this helps maintain purity of the
tea!), and add to the sugar-egg mixture. Mix this, not with an electric beater, but with a
spoon (wooden is ideal).
- 4. Bake at 340* F for about 30~40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the
center comes out clean.
- 5. Cool, and keep refrigerated.

This cake makes an excellent companion to teagreen or otherwiseand is best eaten
cool, without garnish. Enjoy!

H
Hotpot
I begged my teacher to tell me the traditional Japanese way to prepare hotpot. When she
raised an eyebrow and explained its intricacies, however, I felt more and more like a child.
How could I ever perfect this quintessential taste of Japanese winter? As always, however,
I shouldnt have fearedfor ai no aji is perhaps more alive in hotpot than in any other
creation. The heart of hotpot is its warmthand served as it is meant to be, in the middle
of a family table, each person reaching to fill her own bowl as she likes, that warmth, that
love, overflows.

Ingredients:
- 8 cups (1760 ml) water, OR 4 cups (880 ml) water and 4 cups (880 ml) vegetable
or meat stock (I recommend chicken stock)
- 2 tsp. (10 g) bonito flakes
- 4 tbsp. (60 ml) white soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) mirin
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) rice wine (taste around for your favoriteI think a sweeter one
works best!)
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- tsp. (2.5 g) salt
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) vegetable oil
- Fish cakes (available at Asian markets) (may be omitted for vegetarian versions)
- 5 eggs
- 1 large daikon radish
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1x4 sliced meat(s) of your choice (I recommend beef), ~ lb-1 lb., OR 3 large
potatoes
- Additional vegetables and starch, to taste (I like cubing carrots, beets, sweet
potatoes, squash, and zucchini!)

Instructions:

- 1. Cube all your vegetables, chop the green onions, and slice the daikon radish
into small circular pieces. Fill a pan with cold water, and slowly boil the radish pieces.
- 2.
- a. While the daikon is cooking, boil the eggs for about 12 minutes.
- b. After scooping the eggs from their boiling water, drop the fish cakes into the
water for 30 seconds or sothis should get rid of the excess oiland then set aside.
- c. Cut the eggs in half.
- 3. Fry the green onions and your other vegetables in the vegetable oil until the
aroma embraces your head.
- 4. If using meat, fry in the soy sauces, mirin, and rice wine until browned, and
set aside.
- 5. Add the water/stock and any remaining liquid ingredients, diced potatoes (if
using them), fried vegetable mix, boiled daikon, eggs, sugar, and salt to a slow cooker, and
cook on low for 3 hours.
- 6. If using meat and/or fish cakes, add these to the slow cooker and cook for
another 30-45 minutes. If not, cook for another 30 minutes, then place on the table with a
ladle, bowls, and eager familyand enjoy!

Inarizushi
Inari are the vulpine guards of Shinto shrines. This sweet sushi is said to be their favorite
wintertime treatand mine, too!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups (440 ml) water
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) soy sauce
- 4 tbsp. (60 g) sugar
- 8 squares, or 4 rectangles, aburaage (fried bean curd)available at Asian
markets
- 2 cups (440 g) cooked short-grain white rice (I like Kokuho Rose!)
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sushi salt-vinegar mix (available in pouches at Asian markets)

Instructions:
- 1. Gently flatten the aburaage with a rolling pin or the heel of your hand. Cut one
side of each, andvery carefullyslide a thin knife down the center of the flat edge, of
the way into each piece, to make a pocket. Boil these pieces in hot water for about one
minute, and drain.
- 2. Combine the water, soy sauce, and sugar in a pot; boil, making sure the sugar
is dissolved. Cook the drained aburaage in this pot for 10~15 minutes.
- 3. Drain the sweetened aburaage, and let them sit, covered on a plate, in the
refrigerator overnight.
- 5. Scoop your freshly-steamed rice out of your rice cooker and mix with the
sushi rice flavoring mix, and let cool for 10~15 minutes.
- 6. Roll the slightly cooled rice into small oblong rice balls. Gently opening each
aburaage pocket, slip the rice balls inside.

Squeeze a little, and add more rice if necessarythen arrange on a plate, bless the fox

spirits, and enjoy!

Jyuubako mono

Jyuubako mono, or the Foods of Ten Boxes, are part of a special celebratory meal eaten
after New Years. This recipe is for the first layer of the boxeskuromame, a delicious
sweet-and-savory black bean treat! Ironically, while this recipe is one of the simplest here
since the beans need time to lock in flavorthis takes the longest.

Ingredients:
- lb. (110 g) Japanese black beans
- cup (110 g) sugar
- 2 tsp~1 tbsp. (10-15 ml) soy sauce (to taste; I like more!)
- tsp. (1.25 g) salt
- tsp. (2.5 g) baking soda

Instructions:
- 1. Wash and strain the black beans.
- 2. Mix the sugar, soy sauce, and salt with just enough water to make them
combine easily (about cup (55 ml) to start with; add more if you need it!). Bring this
mixture just to a boil, then remove from heat.
- 3. Gently mix in the washed beans and baking powder. This is the first long step
you need to cover this and let it sit for three hours!
- 4. Boil the cooled, covered beans for another 3-4 hours. This is by far the longest
(and easiest) stepjust leave it simmering on a back burner, checking occasionally to see
if you need to add more water.
- 5. Cool down and enjoy!

Katsudon

A don, short for donburi, is a bowl of rice with a steaming, rich meat or vegetable dish
served on top. This donmade with porkis a favorite of Japanese high schoolers
returning home through shopping districts on snowy days.

Ingredients:
- For pork:
- 6 boneless pork chops (4.25 oz., or 120 g., each)
- 2 large beaten eggs
- ~1/4 cup (55 g) flour
- panko bread crumbs
- vegetable oil (for frying)
- For bowl:
- 6 cups (1320 g) short-grain white rice, freshly cooked
- Soy sauce, salt, and mirin, to taste
- 1 bunch green onions (about 1 green onion, sliced, per chop)
- Other vegetables, to taste (thinly sliced carrots and cabbage are big hits!)
- 1 beaten egg per bowl
- Teriyaki sauce, to taste

Instructions:
- 1. After tenderizing the pork, lightly coat each piece with flour.
- 2. Add about 1 tbsp. (15 g) flour to the beaten eggs, and dip each pork chop into
the egg mixturetapping lightly to remove excess egg. Then, coat each piece with bread
crumbs.
- 3. Deep fry in hot oil for 2~5 minutes (until the bread crumbs are a nice golden
brown), and set aside.
- 4. In a saucepan, fry the onions and other vegetables for ~10 minutes in

vegetable oil and about 3 tbsp. (45 ml) soy sauce (you can add moreas well as mirin
and/or teriyaki sauceif you like!). Add one cutlet at a time and fry for two minutes each.
- 5. As each cutlet comes out, set it on top of a bowl of 1 cup (220 g) freshlyscooped rice. Take some of the vegetable mixture and plop it on top of the cutlet (this
sound is perhaps the most satisfying part of the process!), and pour the beaten egg over the
steaming bowlthe heat from the katsudon will cook it through!

L
Longevity soba
These noodles, called toshikoshi soba, are eaten each year on New Years Eve as a
culinary prayer for health, happiness, and long life. (Its a secret from my teacherwho
swears by the power of udonbut soba is actually my favorite kind of noodle!) Share
with your family and hope for your own good fortune!

Ingredients:
- 3 cups (660 ml) water
- 1 piece konbu
- 1 cup (220 ml) bonito flakes
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) mirin
- 2 tsp. (10 g) sugar
- 1 pkg. (about 160 g.) soba noodles, uncooked
- 1/3 precooked fish cake package, sliced thin (available at Asian markets!)
- 1-2 green onions, chopped
- Rind of 1 yuzu

Instructions:
- 1. Soak the konbu piece in the water for 20 minutes, then boil and add the bonito
flakes. After letting this mixture sit, off heat, for 5 minutes, strain the flakes and konbu out
and return the liquid to the pan.
- 2. Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sugar to your freshly-made broth, and return the
liquid to a boil. Boil for 1 minute, then take off heat.
- 3. Cook the soba noodles according to their package, then drain and thoroughly
rinse.
- 4. Add the soba to the broth, divide among bowls, and garnish with fish cake(s),
green onions, and yuzu rind. Enjoy!

Spring
M
Mamas Maruchan
Kaorus quick recipe for me and Kanna.
One of my childhood friends is half-Japanese. We all loved going over to Kannas house
and not just because we loved her. Each time, without fail, her mother Kaoru would
make us a bowl of steaming ramen: and although she used a cheap noodle pack as the
base, Kaorus ai no aji shone through each time.

Ingredients:
- 1 pack store-bought ramen (I like Maruchans chicken flavor!)
- 1~2 green onions, chopped
- 1 tsp. (5 ml) soy sauce
- carrot, shredded
- cup (55 g) corn kernels
- 1 egg

Instructions:
- 1. Heat the ramen noodles on the stove as per instructions on the packagebut
also adding the corn and carrot shreds when you add the noodles!
- 2. Meanwhile, hard-boil the egg.
- 3. After adding 2/3 of the seasoning packet to the cooked ramen, pour into a
bowl. Garnish with the seasoned onions; add the soy sauce; and, gently shelling and
cutting the egg in half, float one half of the egg in the soup. Yummmm!

N
Nimono Kabocha

This side dish of simmered pumpkin is a tasty treat at any time of yearbut to me, its rich
flavor complements Osuimono (next recipe!) most well.

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. (440 g) pumpkin, OR butternut squash
- 1 cup (220 ml) miso stock
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) mirin
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) rice wine

Instructions:
- 1. Remove pumpkins the seeds and fibers and chop it into small squares.
- 2. Boil the pumpkin in a saucepan with all of the other ingredients; then, simmer
for 15-20 minutes, or until its nicely cooked.
- 3. Scoop the cooked, flavored pumpkin pieces out of the broth. If you like, you
can mix an additional 1 tsp. (5 g) sugar with 2 tsp. (10 ml) soy sauce to make a dipping or
drizzling sauce.

You can keep the leftover broth for future use!

O
Osuimono
This light, clear, and incredibly easy soup is eaten each year on March 3rd, the Japanese
Doll Festival. March 3rd also celebrates Girls Dayso I hope you might make this to
honor a special little lady in your life!

Ingredients:
- 1 cups (330 ml) water
- tsp. (3.75 g) miso
- tsp. (2.5 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tsp. (10 ml) rice wine
- tsp. (1.25 g) salt
- Rind of 1 yuzu
- 1-3 green onions, chopped

Instructions:
- 1. Bring the water to a boil.
- 2. Add the miso, soy sauce, rice wine, and salt, and return to boil; simmer for
10~15 minutes.
- 3. Garnish with green onion and yuzu rind, and enjoy!

Panko Gratin
This sunny Japanese-American meal was the product of a silly night of cooking with my
teacher for my twenty-first birthday, which may or may not have involved a bottle of rice
wine and her letting me put in whatever I wanted. It seems ridiculousand yet, my
teacher gave this dish her seal of approval. After all, although that supremely American
food, cheese, went into this dishit still has my own ai no aji infused into it!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup (220 g) panko bread crumbs
- cup (110 g) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- cup (110 g) pepperjack cheese, shredded
- 4 sweet potatoes, washed and diced
- 1 large Vidalia onion, chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp. (15 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) curry powder
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) teriyaki sauce
- Grated rind of 1 yuzu
- 3 cups (660 g) freshly cooked short-grain white rice

Instructions:
- 1. Mix the sugar into the vegetable oil and soy sauce until completely dissolved.
Add the sweet potatoes, onions, garlic, and curry powder, and fry for 10-15 minutes (until
onions are golden and sweet potatoes have somewhat softened).
- 2. In a shallow casserole dish, spread out a layer of half the potato mixture, a
layer of half the cheeses, and a thin layer of cup panko; then, repeat with the rest of the
potatoes, cheese, and panko.
- 3. Bake for 15-20 minutes at 375*F, or until panko has browned on top.

- 4. Remove from the oven, drizzle with the teriyaki sauce, and scoop up to serve
over your fresh, steaming ricetopped with a colorful smattering of grated yuzu!

Q
Quail eggs and sesame
A light, protein-rich finger food, this is delicious served as an appetizer or as a snack. Plus,
its fun!

Ingredients:
- 16 or so quail eggs
- cup (110 ml) water
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tsp. (5 g) sugar (or more, to taste)
- tsp. (1.25 ml) sesame oil
- Sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions:
- 1. Cover the eggs (still in shells!) with a couple cups of cold water in a thickbottomed saucepan and bring just to a boil. Dont overdo it! Quails are notoriously finicky.
- 2. Remove the just-boiled eggs from the heat and let the pan stand for 5-7
minutes with its lid on before draining the water. Now for the fun parthold each egg
under a stream of cold water and crack the shells against the outside of the pan! Once
youve done this, peel them and put them back in the saucepan.
- 3. Pour the water, soy sauce, and sugar over the top of the peeled eggs. Simmer
for about 20 minutes, until most of the liquid has evaporated and all of the sugar has been
long-dissolved.
- 4. Remove from heat, gently stir in the sesame oil, and garnish with sesame
seeds. Mmmm!

R
Rice balls
To me, rice ballsor onigiriare the most Japanese food of all. You can fill them with
whatever you like by making a thumbprint dent in the center of the formed rice ball
pickled plums and bonito flakes are especially popularor you can mix an onigiri
seasoning packet in with the rice as you shape it. I particularly like the purple vegetable
flavoring packet available at Asian marketsit makes the rice balls tasty and pretty. Lets
do it!

Ingredients:
- 2 cups (440 g) short-grain white rice, uncooked and washed
- 2 cups (440 ml) water
- cup (55 ml) rice vinegar
- tsp. (2.5 g) salt, plus more for your hands
- 2 sheets nori, broken into pieces 3 inches (7.5 cm) long and 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick

Instructions:
- 1. Combine all ingredients but the nori in a rice cooker, and cook as per normal.
- 2. Once the rice has cooked, let it sit for ten minutes. In the meanwhile, wet a
cutting board, wet your hands, and rub salt between your damp palmsthis will help stop
the rice from sticking to you!
- 3. Take a handful of the fresh rice in your salted fingers. Gently cup and
compress the rice between your palms, forming it into a triangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm)
thick. If you are adding a flavoring packet, place several handfuls of rice onto your cutting
board and briskly massage the contents of the packet into your rice with your hands; if you
want to add a filling, press your thumb halfway down into the center of your rice ball and
add a pickled plum, tsp. of bonito flakes, or whatever tickles your fancy!
- 4. Take a piece of nori and wrap it, rough-side-down, around your onigiri.
Perfect!

S
Sakuramochi

One of the more delicate recipes here, sakuramochia melded cherry blossom rice pillow
is to my mind 120% worth the effort. My teacher garnished these with freshly-fallen
cherry blossoms and lightly kissed each one before giving them to her friends; perhaps
you, too, could try this, to infuse the mochi with a sense of spring, and impart your
kindness to those you love.

Ingredients:
- 1 cup (220 g) glutinous or sweet rice
- cup (165 ml) water
- Red food coloring (just a tad!)
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- 7 tbsp. (~105 g) red bean paste (available at Asian markets!)
- 6 pickled cherry blossom leaves (available at Asian markets!)

Instructions:
- 1. Rinse and soak the sweet rice in water (overnight is best!).
- 2. The next day, soak the cherry blossom leaves in water for 10~15 minutes.
Lightly shake them, then pat them dry with a paper towel or dishcloth.
- 3. Divide the red bean paste into six pieces, and roll it into small balls with your
(clean!) hands.
- 4. Drain and put the soaked sweet rice into a large bowl, adding the water and
the red food coloring (just a drop or two!). Cover and microwave for 3 minutes, remove to
mix, and microwave for 3 minutes more; then, cover it lightly with a dishcloth and let it sit
for 5-6 minutes.
- 5. Add the sugar to the rice mixture and pound (a pestle is ideal for this!) until
the rice is very, very sticky, but a few rice grains are vaguely visible. Divide this into six
portions, flattened to about 1/8 to inch (3/8 to cm) thick and molded into squarish
rectangles.
- 6. Place a red bean ball into the center of each rice square. Fold the corners over,
then roll gently between your palms to smooth out the mochi ball. (You might want to
have your hands slightly wet for this!)

- 7. Wrap each piece with a cherry blossom leaf, arrange on a plate, and set in a
room-temperature area with sunlight for 30 minutes to 1 hours. Enjoy!

Summer
T
Tanabata soumen
Tanabata, or the Festival of the Star-Crossed Lovers, is the celebration of the Japanese
version of the Vega and Altair Milky Way mythos. Each year on July 7th, thousands of
Japanese gather in yukata and geta at shrine festivals, playing games, making prayers
and eating these noodles!

Ingredients:
- 1 pkg. (~16 oz./440 g) soumen noodles
- 1 cup (330 ml) bonito stock
- cup (55 ml) soy sauce
- cup (55 ml) mirin
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced round
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 tsp. (5 g) sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 2 oz. (55 g) imitation crab (or real if you can get it!), shredded
- 4 small tomatoes, thinly sliced round

Instructions:
- 1. Heat mirin, soy sauce, and bonito stock in a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Simmer for 1 minute, then take off heat and put aside. In a changeup from the other
noodle recipes detailed here, this wont become a soupinstead, itll be a lovely dipping
sauce!
- 2. Pinch salt over the sliced cucumber and sliced tomato, let sit for a few
minutes, then gently press out the water of the cucumbers (as in Cucumber salad!).
- 3. Combine the eggs with the sugar. As in Egg rolls and XX Omuraisu, heat a
flat skillet sprayed with cooking oil and quickly pour 1/3 of the egg mixture onto the
surface. You want it as flat and even as possible! Cook until golden-brown, then take off
the heat and slice into strips. Repeat with the rest of the egg mixture.

- 4. Boil the soumen noodles as per the instructions on the package, then drain and
cool them under running water.
- 5. Arrange the cooled egg strips and salted cucumber and tomato slices on a
plate with a bowl of the sauce from step 1 in the center. Let everyone measure out her own
soumen and dip her appetizers into the bonito-mirin sauce. If you want, you can drizzle a
bit of the leftover sauce over your soumen; if not, sit back, relax, and enjoy!

Unadon
Whereas katsudon is the taste of winter, unadonor unagi (eel) donburiis firmly the
sweet, savory taste of Japanese summer. I recommend enjoying this with a friend on a hot
summer day. Have fun!

Ingredients:
- 1 eel fillet (vacuum-sealed is best!)
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) rice wine
- 2 cups (440 g) fresh cooked short-grain white rice
- cup (110 ml) soy sauce
- 1/3 cup (75 ml) mirin
- 4 tbsp. (60 g) sugar

Instructions:
- 1. Slice the fillet into four equal pieces, sprinkle 1 tbsp. (15 ml) of rice wine
(and/or some soy sauce!) onto them, and bake on a foil-lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes
at 425* F (218* C).
- 2. Simmer the soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and remaining 2 tbsp. (30 ml) rice wine in
a small saucepan for ~10 minutes, or until slightly thickened.
- 3. Place one cup of cooked rice in each bowl, cover with 1-2 tbsp. (15-30 ml)
sauce (to taste), and top with one or two pieces of cooked unagi. Enjoy!

V

Vegetarian sushi

Although Buddhism used to prohibit the consumption of meat, modern Japanese pride
themselves on the quality of their beef, chicken, and porkand far from being the norm,
finding completely vegetarian dishes in restaurants is now almost impossible! Fortunately,
my teacheralways knowledgeabletaught me to look for, and make, this delicious
sushi. Called kyuurimaki, or cucumber rolls, this is said to be the favorite food of kappa,
mischievous water sprites. Maybe thats why I love enjoying these with my feet dipped
into the lake!

Ingredients:
- 3 cups (660 g) fresh cooked short-grain sushi rice
- 3 tbsp. (45 ml) rice vinegar, OR 2 tbsp. (30 g) sushi vinegar powder mix
(available at Asian markets!)
- 4 sheets nori
- 1 fresh cucumber, sliced into thin (~ inch/ cm across) strips
- Avocado pieces, to taste
- Fresh pickled ginger slices, to taste
- 1 bamboo roller (for making sushi)

Instructions:
- 1. Spread the freshly-cooked rice in a low-sided dish, and sprinkle on the vinegar
or powder mix. Using gentle but firm, forward-slicing movements with the rice paddle,
chop the rice and mix in the vinegar/powder.
- 2. Put a sheet of nori rough-side-up on the roller. Using the paddle and starting
from the end closest you, spread a thin (~ inch/ cm thick) layer of rice evenly on the
nori, leaving 1 inch free (parallel with the bamboo grain) of rice at the top of the seaweed
sheet.
- 3. Place five or six strips of cucumber (and avocado or ginger!) in a thin, layered
line (parallel with the bamboo grain) 1 inches away from the rice-covered end of the
nori.

- 4. Use the roller to fold the rice-covered end of the nori over the cucumber,
firmly squeezing the sushi roll through the bamboo to make it stick. Pull back the roller,
and roll the sushi (with your fingers) over the rest of the rice-covered nori; then, covering
the sushi roll with the bamboo roller again, squeeze the roll firmly all around in order to
pack the sushi in place.
- 5. Slice with a wet, sharp knife into inch (1.5 cm) thick pieces. Dip in soy
sauce and enjoy!

Watermelon
By far the simplest recipe in this book, Japanese watermelon is less a food as it is an
experience. Suika-wari, or watermelon-splitting, is a longheld tradition of Japanese
summer. And when the days are hot and the sun is high why not gather your friends,
and try it for yourself?

Ingredients:
- 1 large watermelon
- 1 smooth stick (a baseball bat worksjust make sure its clean!)
- 1 picnic tablecloth
- 1 blindfold

Instructions:
1. Set the watermelon on the tablecloth in a suitably obstacle-free area.
- 2. Blindfold each member of your party in turn. When someone has been
blindfolded, hand her the stick, and turn her around five times fast so she doesnt
remember where you set the watermelon.
- 3. You and your other friends can cheer out and guide (or trick!) your friend
towards the watermelon. Her aim is to find it and smash it like a fruity piata; yours is to
smile, laugh, and have fun!
- 4. Once someone has successfully made contact (look out for flying seeds!),
gather round and enjoy!

X
xx (Kiss Kiss) Omuraisu
Omuraisu, or omelet rice, is a favorite food of children and adults alike. My favorite part?
Parents will draw or write messages of love to their children in ketchup on the top of the
omelet!

Ingredients:
- 1 cup (220 g) freshly cooked short-grain white rice
- 2 slices ham, cubed
- 1-2 slices cheddar cheese, shredded
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. (15 g) sugar
- Vegetables, to taste:
- Shaved carrot
- Chopped Vidalia onion
- 1 cup (220 g) snow peas
- 1 cup (220 g) shredded cabbage and 1 teaspoon of Ketchup

Instructions:
- 1. Fry vegetables with 1 tbsp. (15 ml) vegetable oil and 1 tbsp. (15 ml) soy sauce
for 8-10 minutes, until cooked through. Add the cooked rice, cubed ham, and shredded
cheese; pour the rest of the vegetable oil and soy sauce on top, and add two tbsp. (30 ml)
ketchup.
- 2. Cook the rice-vegetable mixture on medium-high heat, stirring constantly,
until everything has combined nicely and the ham has cooked through, about 7-9 minutes.
- 3. Take off the heat, cool enough to touch, and set the rice mixture on a damp
cutting board. Then, form it into an oblong pillow!
- 4. Beat the eggs with the sugar (and salt/pepper to taste). After coating a flat
saucepan with cooking spray, quickly pour in the egg mixture and swish it around to
flatten to about inch ( cm) thick (see recipe for Egg rolls for added instruction!). You

want to use a spatula to gently push the edges around, so it forms a circle.
- 5. When the eggs are holding together but not quite cooked through, gently lift
the rice pillow and place it on one half of the egg circle, leaving a bit of egg exposed along
one side. Press the other half of the egg pancake down into the pan with your spatula to
help it cook through, then lift it and flip it over the top of the rice mixture, pressing down
the edge into the exposed edge of the other half to weld them together.
- 6. Carefully flip the omuraisu onto a plate with the folded over side on the
bottom, and garnish with a ketchup-message of love!

Y
Yasai-udon
Udon, delicious thick noodles, are a staple of Japanese summer. This tasty noodle dish is
thick with healthy vegetables butdue to its lack of meatremains light enough on the
stomach for any hot summer day. I like omitting the mushrooms, personally, but do what
you likeand enjoy!

Ingredients:
- 1 lb. (440 g) udon noodles
- 4 cups (880 ml) vegetable stock
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- tsp. (2.5 g) powdered ginger, OR -inch (1.5 cm) piece minced fresh ginger
- 4 tbsp. (60 ml) soy sauce
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) sesame oil
- 2 tbsp. (30 ml) vegetable oil
- 2 tsp. (10 g) sugar (to taste)
- Vegetables, starches, and fungi, to taste:
- 1 Vidalia onion, chopped
- 2-3 carrots, shaved
- 1 cup (220 g) broccoli
- 1 cup (220 g) snow peas
- 3 cups (660 g) spinach, chopped
- 2 cups (440 g) cabbage, chopped
- cup (110 g) mushrooms, sliced
- 1 cup (220 g) sweet potato, cubed
- bunch green onions, chopped (for garnish)

Instructions:
- 1. Prepare udon according to package.
- 2. In 2 tbsp. (30 ml) of the soy sauce and all the vegetable oil, fry your

vegetables, starches, and fungi for 5~7 minutes, until they begin to cook through. Add the
garlic, and cook until you can hear it sizzle and pop; reduce heat, and simmer, covered,
until the garlic is golden-brown.
- 3. Simmer the vegetable stock, ginger, remaining soy sauce, sesame oil, and
sugar for 3 minutes or so. Keep on the heat!
- 4. Add the fried vegetable mix to the stock mixture, and simmer for another 3-5
minutes.
- 5. Take the broth off the heat, add the cooked udon noodles, divide between
bowls, garnish with green onions, and enjoy with a fresh cup of tea!

Z
Zashikiwarashi-mono
Thank you so much for sticking with me! In the spirit of gratitude, Ive saved the easiest
and most special recipe for lasteasiest, because you can combine it with any of the rest
of these, and most special, because it must come from within your own gratitude.

In Japanese tradition, a zashikiwarashia kind of spiritlives in happy, healthy homes
and promotes the good fortune of the house. Do you know your zashikiwarashi? Shes
been with you this whole time! She likes every room of a happy house, but particularly,
she feels at home in warm, kind kitchens. Have you been cooking with ai no aji? Then
chances are, youve attracted your very own zashikiwarashi: and now, you have a chance
to thank her, and ask for her continued blessings as you cook for your family and friends
with love.

Ingredients:
Kindness, warmth, happiness and recipe you love

Instructions:

When making a recipefrom this book, or any othertake a moment before you begin,
and after you finish, to thank your zashikiwarashi.

Close your eyes; press your fingertips to your lips; and smile as you think of the joy youll
give, to yourself and to others, when you serve your meal.

Doumo arigatou gozaimasu, zashikiwarashi-chan! Korekara wa itsumo no you ni osewa ni
natte orimasu.

De wa, hajimemashou!

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