The financier is a classic French pastry – small, rectangular almond-flavored tea cakes similar to madeleines, renowned for their rich yet light texture, nutty aroma, and golden-brown color. While not widely known in the US, financiers have been beloved in Japan for decades. In fact, they’ve become one of the most popular French-origin baked confections in Japan, where they’ve evolved through the addition of Japanese flavors and interesting ingredients.
Doria is a Japanese casserole dish made with rice, creamy white sauce, and cheese. It’s a popular Western-influenced dish (Yoshoku) often served at Kissaten styled coffee shops in Japan. In this recipe, instead of serving in individual gratin dishes, doria is made in a deep pie dish that is ideal for family-style serving. After sauteing the chicken, mushrooms, and onion, we use the same frying-pan to make it simple (and less pots to clean!) Ketchup flavored rice goes really well with the creamy white sauce, but if you would like to skip adding the ketchup, that is totally fine, too. Doria is a hearty, warm, and comforting dish that is perfect for a winter dinner. Enjoy!
Rolled Daikon and Salmon is a vinegar-marinated salad dish and a nice modern addition to Osechi New Year’s cuisine. Smoked salmon and thin daikon radish are rolled together, creating interesting swirls in the lucky colors of red and white—perfect for starting a new year.
Dashi Curry is a curry made without store-bought curry mix but with dashi stock and curry powder, thickened with starch. It’s a simpler type of Japanese curry often found at Soba or Udon noodle shops, in contrast to curry specialty stores that use more complicated spices and ingredients. Unlike traditional Japanese curries that rely on instant curry roux, Dashi Curry offers a more straightforward approach to this beloved comfort food. By using curry powder and Dashi—a fundamental Japanese stock made from bonito flakes—the dish gains a rich, umami depth without relying on processed ingredients. The simplicity of Dashi Curry doesn’t compromise on flavor. Instead, it highlights the clean, subtle tastes of Dashi and the warmth of curry powder, creating a dish that feels simple and homey. I hope you give it a try soon!
Deep-fried chicken wings are an iconic staple in Japanese cuisine, particularly as a crowd-pleasing appetizer. However, from a health perspective, traditional deep-frying isn’t the most nutritious cooking method. Enter the air fryer—a modern kitchen innovation that transforms this beloved dish by reducing significant amount of oil compared to traditional deep-frying.
Satumaimo Gohan or Japanese Sweet Potato Rice is a popular rice dish to make at home when satsumaimo is in season in the fall and winter. Naturally sweet and somewhat sticky satsumaimo go really well with steamed rice. It is so easy to make if you have a rice cooker at home, and you only need 5 ingredients. All you need to do is to put all of the ingredients in the rice cooker and push the button! Salt is all you need for flavor, but adding sake will enhance the aroma. If you don’t have sake or don’t want to use it, you can skip it. Satsumaimo Gohan is great to serve with grilled fish or meat and any seasonal vegetables. Enjoy the taste of the season with this easy and delicious rice dish!
Genmaicha is a traditional Japanese tea made by blending green tea with roasted brown rice. It’s a type of tea characterized by the toasty aroma of roasted grains, typically made by blending relatively inexpensive tea leaves with roasted brown rice and other grains as everyday tea. Its distinctive roasted flavor makes it stand out from other types of Japanese green teas. Because genmaicha uses less tea leaf—about half the amount typically found in green tea blends, due to the addition of grains—it contains less caffeine. This makes it a suitable choice for those who don’t want to take too much caffeine.
Today’s miso soup is with grilled tofu and spinach. Grilled tofu and spinach miso soup is a comforting and nutritious dish that blends the smoky, savory flavor of tofu with the fresh, earthy taste of spinach. The grilled tofu, broiled to achieve a charred surface, adds a hearty texture, while the spinach provides vibrant color and nutrients. Combined with the umami-rich miso broth, this soup is a perfect balance of flavor and health, ideal for any meal. If you can’t find grilled tofu at your stores, don’t worry! Broil regular tofu with a handheld burner (a kind you use for crème brûlée), or even pan-fry to get it browned. Hope you give it a try!
Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs, a delicious fusion dish that brings together Japanese and American flavors, creates something both familiar and excitingly new, perfect for everyday dinners or as elegant appetizers at holiday gatherings. We’ve paired ground turkey, a beloved American protein, with the irresistible sweet and savory notes of Japanese teriyaki sauce to create something really special.
Miso Mayo Dip is an easy and delicious dipping sauce you can make in just a few minutes with only 5 basic ingredients! You can quickly mix all the ingredients, cut some fresh vegetables, and you have a delightful appetizer in no time! It is a great flavor combination of creaminess from mayo and yogurt, saltiness from miso, and a hint of sweetness from maple syrup. If you like to add some kick to it, add some shichimi togarashi or chili oil to it. It can’t be any easier to whip up an appetizer at the last minute for a party or family gathering!