Breakfast - Mikusu Kitchen

Ozoni -お雑煮 (Japanese New Year Soup)

January 6, 2026 / Breakfast, Dinner / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

I’m trying to embrace more traditions in my life, like cooking Ozoni on New Years day. Ozoni is a Japanese soup made with mochi and is traditionally eaten on in the morning of the New Year. Not only is it symbolic, it’s packed with with veggies and will warm you up on a cold wintery morning! or revive you from the night before… Ozoni is made differently depending on where you are in Japan. Nami at Just One Cookbook writes that you would typically find a clear soup made with bonito and soy sauce in Tokyo, whereas in the Kyoto area you are more likely to find a white miso soup base. Other ingredients will vary depending on the region or household, but the one thing they all have in common? Mochi. If you don’t know, mochi is a pounded rice cake which has a satisfying chewy texture. Mochi is considered a symbolic food and is associated with longevity, good health and good fortune. At the very least, it’s a fibre packed and tasty start to the year! Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients for Ozoni – Serves 4 Method

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Shiozake

July 2, 2025 / Breakfast, Side Dishes / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen / Japanese Breakfast, Japanese Salted Salmon, Shiozake, Traditional Japanese Recipe

Shiozake, also known as Japanese Salted Salmon, is found all over Japan. Most famously as part of a Japanese breakfast, and is also great in lunch boxes or as onigiri filling! It’s packed with flavour and nutrition which makes it a perfect addition to a breakfast or lunch. Learning how to make shiozake was one of the best things I’ve done, ever? When I visited Japan in the summer holidays, my Grandma would cook up a traditional Japanese breakfast for me and my sister. The smell of the shiozake being grilled would waft through to our room and lure us out of our lie-ins. Now every-time I cook my homemade shiozake, I’m reminded of those summers and my Grandma. What is Shiozake? Shiozake is a fillet of salmon that has been salted and cured over a period of time. This method was traditionally used as a way to preserve fish before refrigeration, but still today, you will find salted salmon everywhere. Usually you use 5% of the Salmons weight. So if you had 300g of salmon fillets, you would use 15g of salt. If percentages confuse you, the formula to work out 5% of 300 is: 5 divided by 100, times by 300 which equals 15. (5/100*300 = 15g) Ingredients for Shiozake (Japanese Salted Salmon) What to eat with Japanese Salted Salmon? This salmon is delicious as part of a Japanese breakfast which typically includes miso soup, a bowl of hot rice, some Tamagoyaki and a bit of natto – if you’re into it!. Another way to eat this salmon is to crumble it into flakes and use it as onigiri filling, or to make things easier, mix it into the rice and then make into onigiri. Frequently Asked Questions

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Japanese Breakfast, Japanese Salted Salmon, Shiozake, Traditional Japanese Recipe

Ochazuke

June 18, 2025 / Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Ochazuke is a simple Japanese dish which is usually made with fragrant green tea, rice, salted salmon, fresh spring onions, and nori, but it’s very customisable. It’s light, bright, and very easy to put together! I love Ochazuke. I work a remotely, 9-5, so I have full access to my kitchen at all times – dangerous. When I’m feeling an afternoon slump coming on, I know what I’m making for lunch. The caffeine in the green tea is great if you need a little pick me up and, as long as you have rice prepared, it’ll come together in about 15 minutes. The perfect WFH meal, right? What is Ochazuke? Ocha means “tea” and zuke is “submerged”. So Ochazuke kinda means “submerged in tea” but you can also make it with dashi stock, or my favourite – both! Ochazuke is very versatile can be enjoyed as a light meal or a snack. It’s a great way to use up leftovers too. Frequently Asked Questions Ochazuke Toppings You can add anything you like to Ochazuke, here are some of my favourite variations: How to make Ochazuke Want More Easy Japanese Recipes? Japanese home cooking can be surprisingly easy. Check out my recipe for juicy Miso Chicken Thighs or this flavourful Shogayaki (Japanese Ginger Pork).

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Japanese Soufflé Pancakes (No Mixer!)

March 3, 2025 / Breakfast, Desserts / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

A plate of Japanese Soufflé Pancakes, which requires no mixer, with icing sugar sprinkled on top, whipped cream, strawberries and blueberries.

Fluffy Japanese soufflé pancakes without an electric mixer in sight! These beautifully soft and custardy pancakes are made easy by using one super simple trick – icing sugar. Perfect for pancake day or a lazy Sunday morning brunch. I was always put off trying to make Japanese soufflé pancakes because most recipes out there recommend using an electric mixer. So if you feel the same, I understand! It wasn’t until I watched this video by Cozy Kitchen who whipped up a meringue, by hand, in real time and it made me believe in myself to give this recipe a chance. This recipe was quite a fun to make and I hope it inspires others to have a go! It’s funny though, after I finished this recipe I opened a cupboard and found an electric whisk I didn’t know about… 4 Tips for Making Japanese Soufflé Pancakes Ingredients How to Make Japanese Soufflé Pancakes (with Pictures) Leave a Review I always love to know how people get on with my recipes so all feedback is welcome. You can either leave a comment a bit further down the page or contact me directly and I’ll get back you as soon as possible! Looking for More Japanese Recipes?

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Heart Shaped Gochujang Tamagoyaki

February 5, 2025 / Breakfast, Side Dishes / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Salty, sweet, and spicy Tamagoyaki. This Japanese classic with a Korean twist is my new favourite. The sweetness of the Gochujang compliment the savoury ingredients in the Tamagoyaki and the spice gives it a nice kick. It’s also a bonus that the red colour makes it perfect for a heart shape. If you want to learn how to make regular Tamagoyaki, check out this post. Here you can learn more tips and tricks. The post you’re currently reading is more specialised to Gochujang. 3 Tips for Making Gochujang Tamagoyaki Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients for Gochujang Tamagoyaki Step by Step Instructions (With Pictures) Looking for Tamagoyaki Inspiration? Check out my shorts series on youtube where I cooked Tamagoyaki for a whole week to get to grips with my new pan. It was so much fun and I discovered a load of new ways to flavour Tamagoyaki.

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Tamagoyaki (Japanese Rolled Omelette)

January 22, 2025 / Breakfast, Lunch / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Tamagoyaki is a Japanese rolled omelette. There are a couple different variations depending on where you are in Japan but typically it’s seasoned with soy sauce, mirin, sugar and dashi. The technique may seem a bit daunting at first but it quickly becomes a lot of fun! I used to eat this a lot in Japan when I was a child. The first time I made it by myself at University, it brought back so many warm and nostalgic feelings. The sweet grilled smell of the mirin and sugar combined with the salty and savoury soy sauce and dashi transported me back to my childhood. It’s common to find this dish at a breakfast table or as a side dish for lunch. If you wander through the bento isles at a Japanese supermarket, you’re bound to see Tamagoyaki peppered across the fridges. Bento boxes are brilliant for when you’re in a rush but nothing beats home-cooked Tamagoyaki. I started a series on Youtube called “Day _ of Cooking Tamagoyaki for a Week to Improve my Skills” after I seasoned my new Tamagoyaki pan. During the series I realised how fun it is to make and how versatile it can be. It can be tricky to learn how to flip it but practice makes perfect, you’ll get there! Here are some variations I tried out: The possibilities are endless! and if you really struggle with the technique, you can scramble the eggs instead of rolling it. The texture will be different but it will mostly taste the same. I would recommend a soft scramble, it’s creamier in texture and is perfect crowned over a hot bowl of steamed white rice. Frequently Asked Quesions 3 Tips for Making Tamagoyaki Ingredients Step by Step Instructions (with pictures) Recipes to Pair with Tamagoyaki I love to eat it for breakfast so paring it with a Kabocha Miso Soup and some Japanese Mushroom Rice sets me up for the day nicely! If you wanted something a bit more simple, it is delicious just with a plain bowl of rice.

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Kabocha Miso Soup

January 15, 2025 / Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Kabocha Miso Soup is up there as one of the cosiest soups ever. It’s dense and velvety in texture with a sweet and nutty flavour unlike any other pumpkin or squash I’ve ever tried – sorry butternut squash. When I did a snow season in Japan I was buying Kabocha all the time. It was abundant in the supermarkets but unfortunately it’s less common in the UK, however, I recency stumbled across it in an organic shop! I snapped it up, ran home and made this miso soup. Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients List How to Make Kabocha Miso Soup Want more recipes with Kabocha? I love this simmered Kabocha recipe where the Kabocha is the star of the show, similarly to this recipe. This Japanese Sweet Potato Rice would also would amazingly if you swapped the Sweet Potato for Kabocha. Let me know if you give it a go!

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Miso Soup with Dashi Powder

January 1, 2025 / Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, Side Dishes / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Are you wondering how to make Miso Soup with Dashi Powder? You’re in the right place. This is miso soup in its simplest form – miso paste and dashi stock. From here you can add absolutely whatever you like. This recipe is made with Ajinomoto Hon-Dashi stock granules. if you’re using a different brand, you may need to adjust the amount. The Best Bits Why I Love This Recipe Miso soup is the first Japanese dish I learnt to make. I was in my first year of Uni and super excited that there was an Asian supermarket close by. I grabbed loads of ingredients I recognised and ran home excited to make miso soup but to my disappointment, it tasted pretty bad. I was unaware of a very key ingredient – Dashi stock. We’ve come so far! I love how customisable miso soup is and I tend to gravitate towards it when I’m looking for a quick and easy meal. Usually my go-to formula is miso soup, noodles, protein and veggies. The possibilities are endless! Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients This recipe uses the Ajinomoto Hon-Dashi stock granules which can be purchased on Amazon. Different brands will require different water to stock ratios, please check the package instructions and adjust as needed. How to Make Simple Miso Soup Miso Soup Ideas

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Japanese Sweet Potato Rice

December 25, 2024 / Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, One Pot Recipes, Side Dishes / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Tender Japanese Sweet Potatoes with earthy shiitake mushrooms, all cooked cooked on top of flavourful fluffy rice. Filling and comforting, this rice is perfect as an on-the-go onigiri or a side dish to a mid week meal. This recipe uses an instant pot, but it’s suitable for rice cookers and stove top too! Sweet potato in rice may sound odd, but don’t knock it till you try it. Japanese sweet potato has a chest-nutty flavour, so that, combined with the earthy shiitake goodness – so tasty. This recipe is a variation of Japanese mixed rice, or Takikomi Gohan in Japanese. It’s one of my favourite ways to cook rice, so much so, I decided to write a blog post on it. Check it out if you want to learn how to make up your own variations! Frequently Asked Questions Tips for cooking Japanese Rice Ingredients List Nutritional Information of Japanese Sweet Potato Rice (per serving) Nutrition information is an estimate generated using Cronometer and is intended for guidance only.

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Pork Miso Soup (Tonjiru)

December 18, 2024 / Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch / Leave a Comment / Asahi @ Mikusu Kitchen

Tender pork and soft tofu stewed in a sweet onion and miso broth. This winter warming Pork Miso Soup requires a bit of patience but trust me, it’s worth it. The broth gets thick and is more like a stew than a soup and tofu isn’t your thing, just add more pork! Why I Love This Recipe The recipe is inspired by a bowl I had in Niigata, Japan, and it was love at first sip. It was the tastiest bowl of Tonjiru I ever had, sooo perfect and cosy for when it’s snowing outside or in the depths of a British winter. I knew I had to recreate something similar and this is what I came up with. It’s also got my Grandma’s seal of approval, so I’m happy with it. Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients List How to Make Pork Miso Soup Pin this Recipe on Pinterest What to Eat with Pork Miso Soup? A bowl of white rice or Japanese Mushroom Rice goes super well with this soup. If you want something fresh to go with it, a Sesame Cucumber Salad would work nicely too! Inspiration Notes As I mentioned earlier, this recipe is inspired by a restaurant I visited in Niigata. These guys are the experts so if you ever get a chance, check them out!

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