Kouhakunamasu resembles traditional Japanese ribbons and kouhaku means red and white. Red and white are the colors typically associated with celebrations.?It a very healthy vinegar salad so good for appetizer for everyday dish as...

Japanese: Green beans and sesame salad. This recipe is similar to the spinach sesame salad I posted yesterday, and is a fine alternative to spinach, if that’s not your thing. I love the texture of green beans: so crunchy and fun...

Japanese: Tougan to Gyuniku no nimono. Tougan (winter melon) gets soft when you boil it, and it’s good either hot or cold. Winter melon has a healthy supply of vitamin C, and is good for your skin and immune system. Yield: 2...

This is a very simple grilled chicken recipe. I often put it in my lunch box. It is also good for larger pieces of chicken on the BBQ! Yield: 2 servings Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 1/2 lb thigh chicken (chopped) 1/2...

A beef bowl is called “gyudon” in Japanese. “Gyu” means beef and don is short for “donburi” which is food served on top of rice in a bowl. Gyudon is kind of like fast food but healthier. There are many gyudon restaurants in...

Takenoko is the Japanese word for bamboo, and Tosani describes the taste of bonito and soy sauce. Bamboo is known for its rapid growth, and as a result many Japanese believe that this dish brings positive growth to their...

Bean sprouts are called moyashi in Japanese. It takes less than 10 min to prepare this recipe, so it is great when you need a quick side dish! Yield: 2 servings Time: 10 minutes Ingredients 1 1/4 lb Bean sprouts 2 sticks of...

Hiyashi Chuka is a cold noodle dish most often served in the summer months in Japan. We use Chinese-style noodles as a base and mix in vegetables, fried eggs, and chicken or ham. When the summer season kicks off, many restaurants hang...

Gobo is known as burdock root in English. It is a fibrous vegetable seldom used in North America and Australia, but you can find it at most Asian groceries. This salad is popular way to eat gobo. Many izakaya restaurants serve this salad...

Japanese: Kabocha no nimono. “Nimono” is the word for food that is boiled and seasoned. Kabocha is a Japanese pumpkin. Kansai people call it ?kabocha no taitan?. Pumpkins have lots of vitamins and dietary fibers. You can eat many...

?Hourensou? is the Japanese word for spinach. This is a quick, healthy side dish or appetizer. The dashi gives it a unique Japanese flavor. Enjoy! Yield: 2 servings Time: 15 minutes Ingredients 1 bunch of spinach...

Chikuzenni is usually cooked at home in Japan. It features chicken and a variety of vegetables, including, carrots, renkon (lotus root), and konnyaku. “Chikuzen” used to be the name of what is now modern-day Fukuoka, and was the most popular...

The teriyaki burger is an original Japanese recipe, and a popular menu item at fast-food restaurants. McDonalds is famous for their teriyaki burger in Japan. It almost as easy as making a regular burger. Impress your family or friends at...

This is a nitsuke recipe using a white fish fillet. Nitsuke means boiled fish (or vegetables) in soy sauce. You can use any white fish (I bought mine at Costco) to make this recipe. I recommend that you serve it with steamed rice. ...

Here’s a great way to use your leftover corn soup. Sometimes I’ll even make an extra batch just so I can make this recipe. It’s quick, fun, and delicious. It’s even quicker and still pretty tasty using

This is a quick recipe to make, and is great for cold weather, paired with a Sapporo or even some sake for a comfortable night at home. Yield: 2 servings Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 1/2 pound thigh chicken...

This recipe is also called “tori nanban”. You can order it at any soba restaurant in Japan (it’s very popular recipe). It is getting cold out now, so stay warm and eat hot soba! Yield: 2 servings Time: 20 minutes...

Osechi is the traditional Japanese New Year’s meal comprised of a number of small dishes into a single presentation. Each osechi dish has its own significance: from hope for a bountiful harvest, safety for loved ones, longevity, or...

Spaghetti salad is very popular in Japan. You can find ready made spaghetti salad everywhere (super market, store, delis, convenience stores, etc). It is also my favorite?I like it it with lots of salad leaves for lunch! You can get...

Konbumaki is rolled seaweed. “Konbu” is a play on words with “yorokobu,” which means “to be happy,” so we eat a konbumaki over New Year’s for good luck. Yield: 2 people Time: 30 minutes Ingredients 5 seaweed...

Ozouni is a Japanese New Year traditional soup. Each family or prefecture have their own style of ozouni, suited to their particular tastes. We eat white miso soup for ozouni in Kyoto. It has a sweet milky taste. The traditional Kyoto...

Karei is a kind of flat, tasty white fish; “nitsuke” is a popular simmering technique used in many Japanese dishes which infuses the main ingredients with soy sauce and sugar. I recommend eating this dish with steamed rice. Yield: 2...

Kuromame is the Japanese word for black beans and “mame” means good health. Yield: 6 shrimp Time: 7 hours Ingredients 1/4 lb kuromame Spices 1/2 cup sugar 1/2 tbsp

Nira is a green vegetable called “chives” in English and tama means egg in Japanese. I used fresh, organic nira that my teacher, Don, grew in his back yard. This vegetable has a unique smell and may be new to you. But the smell goes...

This is a very common way to eat mochi. It is also called kinako (soy powder) mochi. This may be an unusual taste for the Western palate, but I’m confident its muted sweetness and unique texture will win you over. Yield: 5...