PROJECT Small Plates

Jun 13, 2025 | Kitchen PROJECTS

MAMÉ-ZARA Fun
Collecting and Using Small Plates

Part of the fun of collecting dishes and other tabletop accessories, is to assemble wide-ranging variations within a category. With mamé-zara, one way to do this is focus on a color scheme such as red and then collect as many different shapes and designs as possible.

Another might be to choose a subject like Mt Fuji … or the auspicious kotobuki calligraphy 寿

No matter what color, shape or theme you choose for organizing your mamé-zara, small plates are a great way to serve tasty tidbits, whether they are freshly made for that meal, or leftovers from a previous one.

To get you started, here are a few recipes for small bites that pair well with beer or sake or tea.

SHISO MAKI しそ巻き hails from Japan’s Tohoku region known for its walnuts and full-bodied red miso. This dish showcases both in an addictively tasty filling for herbaceous shiso leaves.  Some Tohoku chefs will add a spicy spark to the sweet-and-salty miso mixture by adding a pinch of fiery shichimi tōgarashi to the filling.

and

HŌRAI-ZUMÉ 宝来詰め plump, juicy Treasure Filled (stuffed with chicken) Mushrooms, that are skillet-seared and soy-glazed.

PROJECT Crunchy, Spicy Cucumbers

PROJECT Crunchy, Spicy Cucumbers

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PROJECT: Ika Yaki

PROJECT: Ika Yaki

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Summer Festival Food: YATAI

Summer Festival Food: YATAI

Throughout Japan summertime is a time for natsu matsuri: summer festivals. And that means hanabi 花火 (fireworks), mikoshi 神輿 (portable Shinto shrines paraded through the streets during festivals), and bon odori 盆おどりdancing in addition to yatai 屋台 food stalls. Lilting...

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