Ingredients

• ¾ lb edamame
• ½ small onion
• 2½ cup chicken soup stock
• ½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 12/3 cup milk
• 1½ tbsp butter

Method

1. Boil edamame beans.
2. Shell them and set aside.
3. Slice onion thinly.
4. Heat oil in a deep pan and saute onion slices.
5. Add chicken soup stock and edamame in the pan and simmer for 30 minutes on low heat.
6. Mix the soup in a blender.
7. Put the soup back in a deep pan and add milk.
8. Simmer for 5 minutes on low heat.
9. Add butter, salt, and pepper to season.

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 large carrots, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 6 cups vegetable stock
• 3 strips kombu, soaked and diced
• 4 large scallions, chopped
• 2 inch daikon, sliced thin
• 4 ounces udon
• 3 tbsp miso paste
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Saute onion, carrots and garlic over medium heat for about 7 minutes.
2. Add stock, kombu, half of scallions and daikon.
3. Bring to simmer for 5 minutes.
4. Add udon.
5. Cook over medium heat until noodles are al dente.
6. Meanwhile, dissolve miso paste in 3 tablespoons warm water.
7. Just before serving, stir in paste.
8. Do not boil soup once miso has been added.
9. Ladle soup in bowls and top with scallions and bean sprouts.
10. Season with salt and pepper at table.

Ingredients

• 8 oz ground beef
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 1 small piece fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2 tbsp raisins
• Olive or vegetable oil
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• Salt and pepper
• 5 cups cooked Japanese rice

Method

1. Heat a little oil in a pan. Saute the onions, garlic and ginger until the onion is translucent and a bit browned.
2. Add the meat, and brown. Push the meat and vegetables to one side of the pan. Put the curry powder in the empty part of the pan and stir-roast until darkened and fragrant.
3. Add ½ cup of water, raisins and tomato paste. Simmer rapidly over high heat until the moisture is almost gone.
4. Add the hot rice to the pan and mix until thoroughly incorporated. Season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients

• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp wasabi (Japanese horseradish) paste
• 3 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp sesame oil

Method

1. Mix soy sauce and vinegar in a bowl.
2. Add sugar and stir until sugar is dissolved.
3. Add sesame oil and wasabi paste and whisk well.
4. Cool the dressing in the fridge until ready to serve.

Ingredients

• ½ lb udon noodles
• 1 tbsp olive Oil
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large hot chili pepper, seeded and chopped
• 14 ounces plum tomatoes, chopped
• ½ cup black olives, sliced
• Pepper to taste

For the pesto sauce

• ¼ lb spinach, trimmed
• 1/3 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tbsp miso
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley

Method

1. Combine all the sauce ingredients in the food processor and make the puree.
2. Cook the noodles al dente, drain and toss with pesto and cover.
3. Saute the garlic and the pepper in olive oil.
4. Add tomatoes, olives and black pepper.
5. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir into noodle mixture and serve.

Ingredients

• 1 bunch Kale, stemmed
• 2 medium carrots, cut in ¼-inch slices
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• ½ cup lentils, rinsed
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 4 medium scallions, finely chopped
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 8 ounces soba noodles
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, finely chopped

Method

1. Cut kale into ½-inch strips and reserve.
2. In a pot of boiling salted water, add carrots, celery, lentils and bay leaf. Cook at slow boil until tender, in about 25 minutes.
3. Drain.
4. Toss lentil mixture with 2 tablespoons olive oil and set aside.
5. Slowly warm the remaining olive oil in a large skillet.
6. Saute garlic, shallots and scallions for about 3 minutes.
7. Add lentil mixture and cook for 1 more minute.
8. Add salt and pepper to taste.
9. Add 1 cup of vegetable broth and the kale strips.
10. Cover and simmer until tender.
11. If stock evaporates before kale is tender add more.
12. Cook the soba noodles as directed on the package.
13. Divide the noodles onto 4 plates and top with the lentil mixture and parsley.
14. Serve.

Ingredients

For the tuna tartare

• 1 lb very fresh, high-quality tuna, cut into small dices and kept in the refrigerator
• 1 tbsp wasabi powder
• 2 tbsp cold water
• 2 tbsp white mirin
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp honey
• 2 medium avocados, small dice
• 3 tbsp olive oil

For the crispy shallots

• Vegetable oil, for frying
• 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp shallots, coarsely chopped

Method

1. Pour oil into a small pan to a depth of about 1 inch and bring to 350degree F over medium-high heat. Place flour in a small bowl and add shallots; toss to combine. Remove shallots from flour, shaking off excess, and add to hot oil.
2. Fry until golden brown, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove shallots with a slotted spoon and drain. Season immediately with salt, and set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk wasabi powder and water together until a paste has formed. Whisk in mirin, soy sauce, mustard powder, vinegar, and honey, and season well with freshly ground black pepper; set aside.
4. Toss avocado with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Set aside. Sprinkle olive oil, salt, and pepper over tuna and gently mix.
5. To serve, divide avocado evenly among 6 chilled plates and top with tuna. Drizzle wasabi sauce over each serving and top with crispy shallots. Serve immediately.

Ingredients

• 1 large chicken, quartered
• 2 medium lemons
• 1-inch ginger root, sliced
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin (a type of rice wine)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• ¼ cup peanut oil
• 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• Cilantro for garnish
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Wash chicken and pat dry. Sprinkle with salt and let it stand for 30 minutes.
2. Squeeze juice of 1 lemon into a bowl and mix it with the mirin, soya sauce, ginger, garlic, peanut oil and sesame oil.
3. Marinate the chicken in this mixture for 2 hours.
4. Grill the chicken for about 20 minutes or until the pieces are nicely browned.
5. Arrange the chicken pieces on a platter and drizzle with the unused marinade.
6. Thinly slice the other lemon and garnish with it and the cilantro.

Ingredients

• 1 lb fresh, sashimi-quality fish, like salmon or yellowfin tuna, skinned and made into fillets
• 2 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
• 4 tsp soy sauce
• 2 tsp white sesame seeds
• ½ tsp thinly sliced chives

Method

1. Put the fish fillets in a freezer for 10 minutes to make them easier to cut.
2. Then lay them skinned side up with the thick end to your right and away from you.
3. Use a long sharp knife and tilt it to the left. Slice carefully towards you.
4. Divide the slices of fish evenly among 8 serving plates.
5. Drizzle each serving with about ¼ tsp olive oil and ½ tsp soy sauce.
6. Sprinkle sesame seeds and chives over the fish and serve immediately.

Ingredients

• ½ lb chicken, boneless
• 5 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ cup oil
• 1 cup water
• 3 dried mushrooms
• ¼ cup sugar
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 cup fresh spinach, chopped

Method

1. Cut chicken into small pieces.
2. Beat the eggs in a bowl.
3. Dust the chicken pieces with flour, dip in beaten egg and fry on both sides in hot oil until golden brown.
4. Boil the water in a saucepan and put in the mushrooms.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes,
6. Remove the mushrooms and cut finely.
7. Put the pan with the oil back on heat.
8. Add the chicken, the mushrooms, the sugar and the soy sauce.
9. Simmer for 15 minutes.
10. Add scallions.
11. Simmer 10 more minutes.
12. Add the spinach.
13. While spinach is still bright green, add reserved beaten eggs to pan and cover.