Ingredients

• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons dashinomoto
• ½ cup miso
• ½ cup cubed tofu
• 2 scallions chopped for garnish

Method

1. In a saucepan, bring water to a boil and stir in dashinomoto and miso.
2. Add tofu and bring mixture to a boil again.
3. Remove from heat, pour into 4 small bowls and garnish with chopped scallions.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

• 1 lb kabocha pumpkin, seeds removed
• ½ onion, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 2 cups water
• 1 2/3 cup milk
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Place kabocha in a plate and heat in microwave for a minute.
2. Cut kabocha into bite-size pieces.
3. Saute onion slices with butter in a medium pot until soften.
4. Add kabocha and saute together.
5. Pour water and add chicken bouillon powder in the pot.
6. Simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, or until soften.
7. Add milk and stir the soup, mashing kabocha.
8. Season with salt and pepper.

Ingredients

• 4 cups water
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 3 cups cooked dried adzuki beans
• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 3 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/16-inch thick slices
• ¼ cup white miso
• 4 scallions, sliced thin

Method

1. In a heavy saucepan bring water to a boil and add bouillon cubes, stirring until dissolved.
2. Add beans and simmer, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
3. In a heavy skillet heat oil over moderately high heat and stir-fry carrots until crisp, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir carrots into soup.
5. In a small bowl stir together miso and ½ cup hot broth until combined will and stir into soup.
6. Bring soup to a boil, stirring occasionally, and stir in scallions.

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

• ¼ block hakusai cabbage
• 4 chicken thighs
• 1 cube chicken bouillon
• 1 cup milk
• 1½ tbsp corn starch
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. Cut hakusai cabbage into about 2 inch-long pieces.
2. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. Saute chicken in the pan.
4. Lightly season chicken with salt and pepper.
5. Add 2 1/2 cup of water in the pan and heat.
6. Dissolve chicken bouillon cube in the soup.
7. Add hakusai in the soup and simmer for 10-15 minutes until soften.
8. Add milk in the soup and bring to a boil.
9. Dissolve corn starch in 3 tablespoons of water and add to the soup. Stir the soup.
10. Season the soup with salt and pepper as you like.

Ingredients

• 6 cups cold water
• 1 oz kombu (dried kelp), about 20 square inches
• 1 cup katsuo bushi (dried bonito flakes)

Method

1. Bring cold water and kombu just to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Remove from heat and remove kombu.
2. Sprinkle katsuo bushi over liquid.
3. Let stand 3 minutes and, if necessary, stir to make katsuo bushi sink.
4. Pour through a cheesecloth-lined sieve or a coffee filter into a bowl.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Japanese rice
• ¼ cups glutinous rice
• 20 pieces small chestnuts
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake
• 2 2/3 cup water

Method

1. Soak chestnuts in hot water for about 30 minutes.
2. Peel the chestnuts and soak in water for about 10 minutes.
3. Drain the chestnuts in a strainer.
4. Wash rice well and set aside in a strainer.
5. Put rice, water, soy sauce, mirin, sake in a rice cooker and lightly mix them.
6. Place the chestnuts on the top and start the cooker.

Ingredients

• ¼ cup kinako (soyabean flour)
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 8 pieces of basic savory mochi
• ½ cup hot water

Method

1. Heat the broiler to high and arrange a rack in the upper third of the oven.
2. Combine kinako, sugar, and salt in a bowl and mix thoroughly.
3. Set aside.
4. Place mochi on a baking sheet and broil, turning frequently, until inflated, crisp, and brown on all sides, in about 5 minutes.
5. Dip mochi in hot water, roll in kinako mixture, and serve immediately.

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

• 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.