Category Archives: Ingredients

Sanma – Autumn Knife Fish

November 16, 2009 | | fish and seafood, Ingredients | Leave a comment

Sanma is the Japanese name for the fish known as Pacific Suary as well as Mackerel Pike. The name written in Japanese literally translates to autumn sword fish. September is considered the peak season for sanma in Japan as this … Continue reading →

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Burdock – Gobo

September 17, 2009 | | Ingredients, Vegetables | 3 Comments

Burdock is a root vegetable that is easily  found in the wild  and is a cultivated vegetable in Japan.  Besides  its culinary uses, it is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, and it’s sticky seeds became  an inspiration for a … Continue reading →

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Shiitake Mushrooms

July 23, 2009 | | Ingredients, Vegetables | Leave a comment

Shiitake mushrooms are native to Asia, originally China, and are used extensively in Japanese cooking. They have a tough, fibrous stem that allows its cap to become large in diameter and thick.  Most people do not use the stems for … Continue reading →

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All About Bonito

June 7, 2009 | | fish and seafood, Ingredients | Leave a comment

Dried bonito flakes – the unsung hero of Japanese cooking.  These light flakes are combined with kelp to make dashi, the clear soup stock that is essential to so many recipes. Dried bonito flakes are made from the Skipjack tuna … Continue reading →

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Technique: Cutting Cucumber for Sushi Rolls

May 23, 2009 | | Ingredients, Techniques, Vegetables | 1 Comment

For sushi, English cucumbers or hothouse cucumbers are normally used. They are the ones sold individually wrapped in a firm plastic. They are mild, have thin skin and are essentially seedless. What’s more, you can cut them to the exact … Continue reading →

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Karashi Mustard

May 21, 2009 | | Herbs and Spices, Ingredients | 3 Comments

Warning: Mixing wasabi and karashi paste may cause an explosion. Only a joke of course, but I’ve gotten a few laughs out of that. Karashi is a mixture of ground mustard seeds and horseradish – like wasabi- a little goes … Continue reading →

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Sowing the Seeds

May 16, 2009 | | Ingredients | Leave a comment

If you are a gardener, check out the website for the Kitazawa Seed Company. The company was founded over 90 years ago by Japanese Americans. They carry roughly 22 varieties Asian herb and vegetable seeds. If you really have the … Continue reading →

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Shiso

May 9, 2009 | | Herbs and Spices, Ingredients | Leave a comment

Shiso is part of the mint family and is called “beefsteak plant” or perilla in English. I don’t know where the name beafsteak comes from, but I think shiso sounds much better. There are two varieties, red shiso and green … Continue reading →

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