Yawata maki uses either unagi (eel) or beef to wrap gobo and other vegetables in a little roll. Gobo is a root vegetable, which is a metaphor for a healthy and stable life. Yield: 2 people Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 1/3 lb...

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...

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...

?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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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

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...

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...

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...

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...

The Japanese eat somen noodles a lot, especially in the summer time. If we have cold somen noodles for lunch, my mom usually makes this recipe for dinner. It’s very light and good as a side or even a midnight snack. Yield: 4...

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...

This recipe is gyoza (dumplings) in chicken soup. Boiled gyoza is very common in Japan. Sometimes we add dumplings in nabe (hot pot). You can use many kinds of vegetables in this recipe, and feel free to use frozen or prepared gyoza....

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

This is simple, quick-stir fry recipe! It’s a great anytime dish, best served with salad and steamed rice. Enjoy! Yield: 2 servings Time: 20 minutes Ingredients 1/2 lb beef (cut into bite sizes) 3 bok choy (chopped...

Japanese: Spinach sesame salad. Spinach is loaded with calcium and iron, and is a great source of fiber. We like this recipe because spinach provides so many nutrients in a such a small package. Yield: 2 servings Time: 5...