by Elizabeth Andoh | Jan 29, 2023 | Autumn, Kitchen Culture, Winter
HAKUSAI・白菜 Because hakusai is such a favorite wintertime vegetable in Japan, I assumed it had a long, deep history in Japan’s cookery. Not really. It seems that the original Brassica oleracea ancestor of hakusai is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe....
by Elizabeth Andoh | Jan 29, 2023 | Autumn, Kitchen PROJECTS, Winter
Using HAKUSAI fully A favorite wintertime vegetable in Japan, hakusai cabbages are increasingly available in Asian groceries throughout the world. A whole head averages 2 kilo (about 4 and 1/2 pounds). I encourage you to buy one (or at least a half or quarter-head...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Dec 7, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Year-Round
Ichiya-Boshi: Overnight-Dried FISH In the days before refrigeration, bountiful catches of fish were traditionally gutted, either split down the back or butterflied (belly-split), and dipped in sea water before being set out to dry in well ventilated spaces. This would...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Dec 7, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Year-Round
Making a Home-Style Meal featuring ichiya-boshi Traditionally, bountiful catches of fish were gutted, salted, and set out to dry in order to extend their shelf life. The generic term for these sorts of fish is himono, literally “the dried thing,” though these...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Nov 11, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Year-Round
PROJECT Adzuki: Sweet & Savory The adzuki bean 小豆 plays a prominent role in Japanese cookery, especially in the making of sweets… though savory dishes also abound. This Kitchen PROJECT is about exploring the many possibilities. I provide one sweet recipe...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Nov 11, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Year-Round
小豆・あずきADZUKI (Vigna angularis） Written with calligraphy for “small” and “bean” these diminutive (about 1/4-inch, less than 1 cm) red beans play an important role in Japanese cookery, appearing in both savory dishes and in sweets. There are...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Oct 10, 2022 | Autumn, Kitchen Culture
Four varieties of wild-caught salmon are commonly available in markets around the Pacific rim. Left, top to bottom + right: Sockeye (beni-zaké in Japanese) Coho (gin-zaké in Japanese) Chum (aki-zaké in Japanese) Chinook (kingu samon, in Japanese) 鮭・さけ・SAKÉ SALMON Fish...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Oct 10, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Year-Round
SALMON・鮭・SAKÉ Salmon lends itself to variety of cooking methods — it can be skillet-seared, steamed, broiled, grilled, braised, smoked, poached and fried. PROJECT Salmon is about preparing salmon in many different ways in your kitchen. You’ll find lots of...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Sep 25, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Year-Round
In the photo above, there are five vertical columns, from left to right: KAMPYO (soaking in water with kombu; deep-fried to make chips; used as an edible tie for kombu rolls); KANTEN (sticks and powdered form, made into a savory bamboo shoot and asparagus aspic, lemon...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Sep 2, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Year-Round
米の粉PROJECT: Komé no KonaRice Flour In Japanese cookery there are four types of rice flour that are commonlyused. One is made from uruchi mai or “table rice,” several are made from mochi-gomé or “sticky rice” and one is made from a combination...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Sep 2, 2022 | Autumn, Kitchen Culture
月見団子 TSUKIMI DANGO The moon can be seen shining from any place on our planet and people everywhere see beauty in a full, luminous moon. But ritual contemplation of the “moon of the middle autumnal month” (chūshū no meigetsu) has its origins in China. The practice...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Aug 12, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Summer
チャンプルーPROJECT Champuru This Kitchen PROJECT is about making champuru (a stir-fry that is a signature dish of Okinawa) in YOUR kitchen Every household in Okinawa will have its own variation on the basic theme. A classic version made with bacon, tōfu, gōya, onions and...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Aug 12, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Summer
チャンプル・CHAMPURU In the local dialect CHAMPURU means “hodgepodge.” It is essentially a stir-fry; the signature dish of Okinawa. Every household will have its own version though most will include some sort of tōfu and lots of vegetables, most likely bitter melon or what...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Jul 10, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Summer
干瓢・かんぴょう・KAMPYŌ What is kampyō and how is it processed into edible ribbons? Bulbous fukubé gourds are harvested in the summer and set on a spinning wheel against a sharp blade. The ribbons of gourd that get shaved off are then hung to dry in the sun or well-ventilated...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Jul 10, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Year-Round
干瓢・かんぴょう・KAMPYŌ This Kitchen PROJECT is about using KAMPYŌ, sun-dried fukubé gourd ribbons in YOUR kitchen. Be sure to source UNBLEACHED (無漂白 mu hyō haku) gourd ribbons so that you can use the softening liquid as a tasty stock. Gourd ribbons are used to tie up any...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Jun 29, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Summer
PROJECT Yakumi 薬味 This Kitchen PROJECT is about making YAKUMI, fresh herb and spice mixtures, in YOUR kitchen. Use yakumi to top dishes such as chilled tōfu, fresh tomatoes or stewed eggplant. Cold noodles served with yakumi to be added to soy-based dips are a...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Jun 29, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Summer
薬味YAKUMI A Lively Mixture of Aromatic Herbs Food cultures around the world employ various aromatic herbs and spices to stimulate the appetite, maximize flavor and promote healthful eating. Japan has a long history of using yakumi, condiments, to provide benefit to the...
by Elizabeth Andoh | May 16, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Year-Round
ごぼう・牛蒡・Gobō (burdock root; Arctium lappa) Kimpira, named after a folk-hero celebrated for his fervent determination and fiery ways, is a quickly assembled, skillet-stirred vegetable dish finished with an incendiary 7-spice blend. Kimpira frequently appears on the menu...
by Elizabeth Andoh | May 16, 2022 | Kitchen PROJECTS, Tools & Techniques
PROJECT Cutting & Slicing This Kitchen PROJECT is about cutting & slicing ingredients to maximize flavor, texture and appearance while minimizing waste. Specific examples below focus on gobō cut three different ways: SASAGAKI 笹掻きSENGIRI 千切りRANGIRI 乱切り These...
by Elizabeth Andoh | Apr 22, 2022 | Kitchen Culture, Spring
うるい・UruiThe Elusive Taste of Spring Urui (Hosta sieboldiana) is in the lily family; it is often planted as an ornamental in gardens. It thrives in damp soil in areas of partial or dappled shade. It has been cultivated in Japan since the Edo period (1603-1868) though...
