Ingredients

• 16 hanaguri clams
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 cups water
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 bunch of nabana (a type of flower)

Method

1. Soak clams in salted water.
2. Wash the clams well.
3. Boil nabana for a few minutes and cool it in cold water.
4. Drain nabana and cut it into bite-sized pieces.
5. Put water and clams in a pan and heat until the clams open.
6. Remove the clams and strain the soup.
7. Put the soup back in a pan and season with sake, soy sauce, and salt.
8. Place 3-4 clams in a soup bowl and pour the hot soup over them.
9. Garnish the soup with boiled nabana.

Ingredients

• 300g of thinly sliced beef
• 1 medium onion
• 4-5 tbsp of soy sauce
• 2 tbsp mirin.
• 1/2 tbsp dashi bonito.
• ¾ cup of boiling water
• 1 tbsp of sake
• 1 tbsp of sugar
• 4 servings of steamed rice

Method

1. Take the boiling water and put the dashi bonito into a bowl and once mixed, put in all the other ingredients (except the beef, onions and rice) into it.
2. Chop the onions around ¼-inch thick.
3. Fry the onions until soft and put in the beef. Fry on high heat until beef is cooked, cool well, but not for too long because the beef will become tough.
4. Put in the combination of sauces into the pan. Stir and cook for about 2 minutes. Put the lid on and let it cook for another 5 minutes or so.
5. Put the rice servings in separate bowls and serve the beef and onions on top of each servings.

Ingredients

• 4 cups dashi soup stock
• 4 blocks mochi (rice cake)
• ¼ lb boneless chicken thighs
• 2 inches carrot, cut into thin rectangles
• 4 shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and thinly sliced
• 3 inches negi, or leek, rinsed and diagonally sliced
• ¼ lb fresh spinach, boiled and cut into 2 inches
• 4 slices kamaboko or naruto (fish cakes)
• 1 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp sugar

Method

1. Cut chicken thighs into small pieces.
2. Put dashi soup stock, chicken, carrot, and shiitake in a medium pot and bring to a boil.
3. Skim off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
4. Turn down the heat to low.
5. Add sake, sugar, and soy sauce in the soup.
6. Simmer for a few minutes.
7. Meanwhile grill mochi in the oven until softened.
8. Add grilled mochi, fish cakes and negi slices in the soup.

Ingredients

• 1 block cotton tofu
• ¼ lb carrots
• 4 shiitake mushrooms
• 1 bunch of spinach
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp roasted sesame
• 2 tbsp soy sauce

Method

1. Boil the block of tofu and cool.
2. Wrap the tofu with paper towels and place a cutting board on top of it to drain the moisture. Leave it for 30 minutes.
3. Cut the carrot and shiitake mushrooms into thin strips.
4. Boil the carrot and shiitake mushroom strips for a few minutes and drain.
5. Boil spinach and drain.
6. Cut the boiled spinach into bite size pieces.
7. Grind roasted sesame seeds and mix with soy sauce and sugar.
8. Add drained tofu and stir well to make tofu dressing.
9. Mix vegetables and mushrooms with the tofu dressing.

Ingredients

• 2 lb chicken, in serving pieces
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups Chinese cabbage, chopped
• Soy sauce for seasoning

Method

1. Place chicken in cooking pot with 2 cups water and bring to a quick boil. Drain immediately.
2. Add 4 cups fresh water to the chicken and heat to simmering. Simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add Chinese cabbage and cook for 10 more minutes.
4. Remove chicken and vegetables to individual serving plates. You can use the remaining liquid as soup.
5. Season to taste with soy sauce.

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.