After four years in Tokyo, Yoko recently relocated to the Bay Area. She loves dips, dashi and deals.
Japanify
January 5, 2012
Japanify: Kasuzuke (Sake Lees Pickles)
If you can get your hands on sake kasu (sake lees, a yeast by-product of sake making) a subculture of cooking opens up to you. Most commonly used for marinating fish and pickling, sake kasu looks like pizza dough with the consistency of wet clay and aroma of nama (unpasteurized) sake. It’s usually available for cheap,
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December 29, 2011
Japanify: Kuri no Kanroni (Chestnuts Simmered in Syrup)
Chestnuts signify the presence of winter in many cultures. Although I’ve never actually tried chestnuts roasted by an open fire, I have tried the Japanese version of chestnuts simmered in simple syrup, or kuri no kanroni. However, I had never taken the initiative to prepare a chestnut dish because the task of peeling always seemed so
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December 22, 2011
Japanified Arancini
When I was a kid, my mom made ebi-fry, tonkatsu and korokke frequently. Every time she would serve up one of these deep-fried treats, my sister and I who were both picky eaters, would be satisfied. To this day, I love Japanese deep fried foods. I have yet to meet
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December 15, 2011
Japanify: Yuzu Ginger Tea
It’s that time of the year, when my well-windowed apartment gets really cold and I have to bring out multiple space heaters to supplement the un-strategically placed central heater that seems to whisper lukewarm puffs of air. Luckily, my Zojirushi water boiler and warmer just arrived in the mail and I will have a steady supply of
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December 1, 2011
Japanify: Nametake (DIY Condiment Crack)
I usually make a vat of potato salad before I leave for a trip, leaving my husband poor and defenseless against the elements of bachelorhood. But this time I didn’t have time before the trip and figured he’d be able to fend for himself…
It turns out that while I was gone for
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October 6, 2011
Japanify: Nikujaga aka Mick Jagger
Whenever I take a test, I always make associations between certain things in my life so that I will memorize keywords. Sometimes the explanations get really long but sometimes they come to me very quickly and concisely. Sometimes associated words come to me when I am not studying a test, which is
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September 29, 2011
Japanify: Silicone Steamer Rice
The silicone steamer craze has been in full force in Japan since 2010. With the economy tanking continuously since 2008, single men and women who have never tried their hand at cooking have taken solace in kitchenware that promise quick and easy recipes.
My friend from Tokyo who visited me last year, gave me my
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September 15, 2011
Japanify: Namuru (Spicy Bean Sprouts)
Japan is known to take ideas from other countries and adapt them for their own. From castella to ramen to hambagu, the Japanese menu is full of food items that could not exist without outside influences. Many of these foods have deviated so far from the original, clouded in cuteness, mildness
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September 8, 2011
Japanify: Hikarimono (Blue-Backed Fish)
Iwashi (Sardine) from Mie Prefecture
Saba (or mackerel) is often priced really cheap in the U.S. and hovers around at the bottom of many sushi menus. It’s known to be stinky and not as silky as other popular sashimi like maguro and salmon. But I’d like to make it known, loud and clear that I
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August 25, 2011
Japanify: Kuzu Matcha Kanten with Mizu Yokan
Although we don’t see many kudzu vines taking over large patches of land in the west, it is often referred to as the “mile-a-minute-vine” in the South. It all started in 1876 when someone thought it would be a good idea to introduce the kudzu plant from Japan
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