Homemade Japanese dishes are often variations on a few cooking styles – one of the simplest and tastiest is the simmered dish. Here, I made Japanese simmered pumpkin with dense, buttery kabocha squash, which is not only tasty, but the cooked peel is edible! You can use the basic broth to cook potato, sweet potato, daikon, […]
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Sekihan – Celebration Red Rice
Foods that are only served on special occasions are often fondly remembered for more than just taste alone. Sekihan is glutinous, or sweet, rice coloured red with adzuki beans and will get anyone from our dad’s generation on the Japanese side of our family exclaiming with gusto. I don’t remember eating this as a kid, […]
Gobo to Ninjin no Kimpira – Burdock and Carrot Kimpira
At this time of year in 2010, Tomiko and I flew to Tokyo and spent a month staying with our friend for hanami – cherry blossom viewing. Tomiko and I got gobo to ninjin no kimpira – burdock and carrot kimpira – from the supermarkets in Tokyo and ate it on fresh, white rice for breakfast […]
Creamy Broccoli Salad with Grapes and Pine Nuts
This broccoli salad, dotted with sweet red grapes and crunchy pine nuts, is tossed in a creamy, tangy dressing. Ryan’s mom made this back in December, and I finally got around to making it myself. I don’t know why it took so long, since it’s absolutely delicious! I love a bit of fruit in salad – in this […]
Cucumber Bites with Herbed Goat Cheese and Olives
At a recent party, these cucumber bites were one of the most simple items featured on the menu, but were also one of the first to be completely gobbled up. Goat cheese is often quite crumbly, so we softened it by stirring in a bit of milk, and then we flavoured it with dill and garlic. […]