Blistered green peppers coated in a sweet soy-saucy glaze, sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds and katsuobushi (bonito flakes). This side dish genuinely tastes like something my Japanese grandma would make. It’s quick, easy, and packed with flavour. Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients How to Make Katsuobushi Green Peppers
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So simple, but so moreish. These Goma-ae Spring Greens are a great way to get these budget friendly and nutritious veggies into your life. Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients How to Make Goma-ae (Sesame Spring Greens) What to Serve with Goma-ae Spring Greens This side dish can be served alongside many other plates. For breakfast I love these Miso Beans with a side of these greens. They are also really tasty with a plate of crispy homemade gyoza!
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Juicy and crispy gyoza paired with a cold beer – perfection. I absolutely LOVE making this gyoza, it’s extra crispy and juicy to thanks to a couple tricks I’ve picked up a long the way. These Japanese dumplings hold a special place in my heart for two reasons. Number one, they’re delicious. Number two – they take me back to my childhood. When we moved to the UK we didn’t have much access to Japanese ingredients, but something we could make without an Asian supermarket was Gyoza! To this day, making gyoza is something I treasure – it feels like therapy. For me, being mixed race means feeling some level of homesickness at all times, but this recipe crosses that bridge. For me as a child, and now as an adult. What is Gyoza? Gyoza is Japan’s spin on the Chinese dumpling – Jiaozi. There are differences in the thickness of the wrapper and the filling, but the general idea is the same. The filling is made out of pork mince which is mixed with various fresh ingredients like garlic, ginger, spring onions, as well as other seasonings and is parcelled up into thin wrappers. There are many different types – with variations on fillings and cooking methods. This recipe is for yaki-gyoza, which is where it has been fried on the bottom but steamed on the top. The best of both worlds! Three Top Tips What to eat with Gyoza? These dumplings are super versatile and can be enjoyed in a few ways. I like to make a batch and freeze them, then I can add them to a simple Miso Soup for a quick meal. They are delicious with a bowl of rice and a side of Yamitsuki Cabbage.
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
This chicken and sweet potato recipe has it all – juicy chicken thighs with tender Japanese sweet potatoes, cooked until golden and glazed in a delicious savoury soy sauce. It takes 30 minutes to make and is really simple to put together, I promise! I honestly cannot get enough of Japanese Sweet Potatoes – they’re creamy, have an earthy sweetness and are incredibly versatile. I could eat them for breakfast, lunch, dinner or dessert! Once you try these sweet potatoes, you’ll understand. I really got into them when I was working as a chalet host in a snowy village in Japan, called Myoko-kogen, incase you’re curious. One of my friends gave me an amazing tip – cook them in the rice cooker. So easy, and soo good. They became our staple snacks on the slopes, giving us loads of energy, and tasting amazing at the same time! Japanese Sweet Potato VS Sweet Potato There are soo many different types of sweet potato, each with its own qualities that lends themselves to different ways of cooking. The photo below shows a comparison of the skin and flesh of a Japanese sweet potato (top) vs an orange sweet potato (bottom). As you can see, theres a huge difference in colour. In terms of texture the Japanese sweet potato is creamy, dense and smooth. Whereas the orange sweet potato is stringy and higher in water content, so is more moist. Flavour-wise, the orange sweet potato lives up to its name, and is rather sweet taste and mild in flavour. Whereas the Japanese sweet potato can be incredibly sweet (depending on season) but more complexly so, as well as having an earthy and slightly nutty flavour. Frequently Asked Questions 3 Tips for Cooking This Recipe How to Serve This Recipe I would serve with with a bowl of hot rice and some steaming Tofu Miso Soup, with some extra veggies added in. If you want more Japanese potato recipes, this Japanese Pork and Potato is similar but uses pork and new potatoes, and is just as satisfying! Sweet Potato Nutrition Sweet potatoes are packed with fibre and loaded with vitamins and minerals. It’s hard to get exact measurements but they are most notably high in vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. Check out this link to a Healthline article to find out more about the nutritional value of sweet potatoes. Japanese Chicken and Sweet Potato Nutrition (per serving) Nutrition information is an estimate generated using Cronometer and is intended for guidance only. 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 further down the page or contact me directly and I’ll always get back you as soon as possible!
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As soon as the sun comes out I want something chilled, refreshing and light, and this Cold Kimchi Tofu is just that. It’s packed with tangy kimchi, aromatic sesame oil and crunchy cucumbers, and all comes together in 5 minutes. I’m a bit late to the party. Cold Tofu Recipes went viral in 2024, but I was living in a van (with no fridge) whilst travelling Japan when everyone was making it. Not having a fridge made the “Cold” part tricky, so I didn’t get round to it… But I’m here now, and I have been making this recipe on repeat since the sun has been out. It’s soo refreshing, crunchy and packed with flavour. I hope you like it as much as I do! Frequently Asked Questions Ingredients How to Make Cold Kimchi Tofu What to serve with Cold Kimchi Tofu This Cold Kimchi Tofu spooned over a bowl of hot white rice is my idea of perfection. I love the contrast of the hot and cold, kinda like hot apple crumble with ice cream… If you’re looking for some extra dishes to serve with this cold tofu recipe – check out my Japanese Mushroom Rice. That, and a simple bowl of Tofu Miso Soup would make for a well rounded and delicious meal.
Savoury smoked mackerel, creamy mayo and fresh spring onion all wrapped up into a little roll with crunchy veggies – yum! I love this Mackerel Sushi recipe for how easy and simple it is. Perfect for a sushi night with friends or as part of a light lunch. I’ve been loving smoked mackerel recently – it’s budget friendly and delicious. Since being back in the UK I’ve been eating it weekly with a bowl of rice and simple miso soup. This versatile fish is packed with flavour so I thought it would be great in a maki form, and I was right. What is Mackerel Sushi? There are many types of Mackerel Sushi – most famously is ‘Shime Saba’ (saba is mackerel in Japanese) which is a cured mackerel fillet that can be eaten as sashimi or as sushi. My grandma makes an amazing shime saba – its savoury, tangy, and bright flavour wake up the senses, ready for the next bite. This recipe doesn’t use cured mackerel, it uses smoked mackerel. Similar to shime saba, the flavours of the rich fish shines in this recipe – its the star of the show. Its simple but deeply flavourful, all thanks to the smoked mackerel. Frequently Asked Questions What Can I Serve with Mackerel Sushi? Something I love about Japanese home cooking is the variety. When my grandma cooks, theres always a spread of different dishes across the table. She would pair this sushi with a simple bowl of Tofu Miso Soup, maybe a side of Miso Aubergines, and then a plate of Pork and Potato (Nikujaga) for good measure.
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This Japanese Tofu Salad is inspired by Agedashi Tofu, a popular side dish from Japan. Shatteringly crispy cubes of warm tofu, coated in a bright, gingery tsuyu dressing, all in 30 minutes. Sooo good! There are many different types of Japanese Tofu Salads but this one is inspired by Agedashi-tofu, a popular Japanese dish of warm fried tofu in a light tsuyu broth. It’s usually topped with grated daikon (a type of radish), a touch of ginger and spring onions. So, if you love Agedashi Tofu, you will love this salad! I love to make Agedashi tofu, but I also love to get my 5 a day, enter this salad. It’s packed with filling veggies and still has those classic Japanese flavours with the light and crispy tofu. 3 Tips for Making Japanese Tofu Salad What to Serve with Japanese Tofu Salad This salad is filling enough to make as a lunch or light dinner, but if you’re looking to make a delicious summer spread, why not serve this Japanese Tofu Salad with a plate of Miso Aubergine and some Yuzu Kosho Fried Chicken. Still looking for more recipes with tofu? check out these recipes: Frequently Asked Questions
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You might become obsessed with making these miso aubergines, I know I am! The charred aubergine brings a delicious smokiness, balanced by the nuttiness of miso paste and a touch of sweetness from mirin. Finished off with fresh parsley, spicy chilli crisp, and crunchy toasted sesame seeds. SO GOOD. I first made miso aubergines back in 2020, when it felt like everyone was making them. I followed a recipe, but honestly, I didn’t love it. The miso was overpowering, way too salty and bitter. At that point, I thought maybe I didn’t enjoy miso-based dishes outside of miso soup. But this recipe changed my mind. It’s flavourful yet delicate, sweet yet savoury… balanced in all the right ways. The trick is to cook the miso sauce separately. When miso is cooked at a high heat, it becomes harsh and bitter, which is where I went wrong in 2020. What is Miso Aubergine/Nasu Dengaku ? Miso Aubergine, or Nasu Dengaku, is a dish where aubergine is glazed in a savoury-sweet miso sauce. The glaze is usually made up of miso, mirin, sake, a bit of salt. I like to add freshly grated ginger for an extra kick of flavour. To put it into context, miso dengaku refers to a style of miso-glazed dishes. It can be used on all kinds of proteins and vegetables, and the technique is said to have originated in Aichi Prefecture, in central Japan. 2 Tips for Making Miso Aubergine What to Serve with Miso Aubergine Turn this into a simple rice bowl by cooking a portion of white rice and topping it with the miso aubergine. If you find rice hard to make, check out my blog post on how to cook rice on a stovetop. Want to make it into a full meal? Try serving it alongside a few small plates. My Glossy Japanese Pork and Potato recipe, inspired by grandma, is a favourite. Then some Yuzu Kosho Fried Chicken to round it all off would make an amazing spread.
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Tofu Miso Soup is sooo easy to make, I promise! All you need are three ingredients – dashi stock, miso paste, and tofu. It also takes no more than 5 minutes, is packed with flavour and is super comforting. This post contains amazon affiliate links, which means I will earn a small commission if you buy a recommended product through a link on this website. What is Miso? Simply put, miso paste is made out of fermented soybeans. Other ingredients, like koji (a kind of fermentation starter) and sometimes barley are used, but the core of miso is the soybeans and the fermentation time. It has a salty, savoury and ever so slightly sweet flavour. I think most people will have heard of miso by now, it is everywhere! It has so many uses – from marinades, soups, pickling, sauces, and even sweet treats. Miso Paste Recommendations I’ve tried and tested a few different types of miso paste, but my favourite is this Hikari Miso, it has a well rounded flavour and works well in a variety of dishes. I also recommend this one, also by Hikari. It has a slightly sweeter taste and a smoother consistency. It’s also handy if you don’t want to buy a lot of miso paste. Frequently Asked Questions Three Tips for Making Tofu Miso Soup. What to Serve with Tofu Miso Soup? Miso soup can be enjoyed at any time of the day – breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a snack! It’s typically served as a side dish, but you can easily make it into a full meal by adding some noodles (udon, rice noodles, any you like). For a simple Japanese breakfast, serve miso soup with a bowl of rice and a plate of Tamagoyaki (Japanese rolled omelette). If you like something a bit spicier, check out this Gochujang Tamagoyaki – so good! For lunch or dinner, pair it with a classic Oyakodon or a this Japanese “Fried” Chicken Rice Bowl. Really, miso soup goes with anything, you can’t go too wrong.