To this day, my mom makes tonkatsu (deep-fried, breaded pork cutlets) almost every week. It's rare when there are leftovers, but sometimes it happens. And when it does, this is the meal I love to make with the leftovers.Among Japan's many culinary treasures, one dish...
Inari-age is made from abura-age (pictured below) - thin sheets of deep-fried tofu that are simmered in a seasoned broth of soy sauce, sugar, and mirin until they become tender and flavorful. They have little pockets that are most commonly used for inarizushi, where...
Kitsune Udon is a classic Japanese comfort food that’s as satisfying as it is simple. I used to make this all the time growing up if my mom ever told me on the weekends that I was on my own for lunch. I'd make this because it's easy, but satisfying!At its core,...
Karaage is Japanese-style fried chicken that’s been marinated in a flavorful mix of soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and mirin, then coated in potato starch and fried until irresistibly crispy. It’s a popular izakaya (Japanese pub) dish, where it’s commonly served as a...
My homemade teriyaki sauce is the perfect balance of sweet and savory! The end result is a thick, flavorful sauce that tastes far better than anything store-bought. Plus, it's nice to know where all the ingredients came from.Everything comes together in just a few...
Yaki Udon is a comforting Japanese stir-fried noodle dish made with thick, chewy udon noodles tossed in a savory sauce. It's seriously my favorite (probably because udon noodles are my favorite noodle, so maybe I'm biased). Unlike soup-based udon dishes, Yaki Udon is...
I grew up eating rayu all the time - drizzled over ramen, spooned onto fried rice, into dipping sauce for gyoza, and added to hot pot for an extra kick. It was always on the table or in the cupboards. A small bottle packed with big flavor!Rayu (Japanese chili oil)...
I love getting Purin at cafés in Japan, but you can also find it in convenience stores and bakeries. Purin (プリン) is a Japanese-style custard pudding, similar to flan or crème caramel. It has a smooth, creamy texture with a lightly sweet egg custard...
Furikake is a Japanese pantry staple that instantly makes rice more oomph. When buying furikake, there are so many flavors to choose from: salmon, wasabi, shiso, takana (mustard greens), shrimp, egg, seaweed blends, even kimchi-inspired versions. Every brand seems to...
I love Japanese curry, and I grew up eating it almost every week. It’s comforting, rich, a little sweet, a little savory, and always hits the spot. And to be totally honest, I mostly cook it straight from the box. Those Japanese curry blocks are popular for a...
Dashi is the backbone of Japanese cooking and one of the main reasons Japanese food tastes so deeply savory yet clean and light. It does a lot of the heavy lifting in Japanese dishes! Rather than relying on long-simmered bones or heavy aromatics, dashi is typically...
Fried rice is one of those dishes that is both comforting and versatile, and this simple version is a perfect example. With just a handful of ingredients - garlic, ginger, green onions, peas and carrots, soy sauce, and a touch of sesame oil - this recipe transforms...
It's a common occurrence to come home to my mom making "Nabe," (鍋) the Japanese word for hot pot. Mille-Feuille Nabe (ミルフィーユ鍋 ) is a Japanese hot pot dish that creatively layers ingredients to resemble a "thousand-leaf" (mille-feuille) structure, similar to the French...
Gyudon (牛丼), or "beef bowl," is one of Japan's most popular types of donburi, a category of dishes that serve toppings over rice in a bowl. In gyudon, thinly sliced beef and onions are simmered in a savory-sweet sauce of soy sauce, dashi, and mirin, creating a...
Agedashi Tofu is one of the most underrated Japanese dishes outside of Japan. At its core, it’s simply tofu that’s fried until delicate and crisp on the outside, then served in a savory dashi-based broth. But its simplicity is deceptive. The contrast between the...
Kyrié is a half-Japanese food content creator and avid home cook who specializes in Asian cuisine, with a focus on Japanese. She loves developing recipes and sharing approachable yet authentic meals. When she’s not in the kitchen, she’s helping her husband Jeff tend to their garden, or on some artistic venture.
