After four years in Tokyo, Yoko recently relocated to the Bay Area. She loves dips, dashi and deals.
Japanify
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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August 18, 2011
Japanify: Avocado Sashimi with Yuzu Kosho
Avocado sashimi with yuzu kosho is the easiest dish to make. It’s great to serve your guests before the main course. It’s also an ideal option to serve yourself when you are feeling really lazy but a little fancy. I prepare this for myself when I am craving something heavier than a salad and
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August 11, 2011
Japanify: Zousui aka Hangover Porridge
The other morning I woke up with the worst hangover I’ve had in two years. I remember drinking shochu the night before like I was drinking water. I clearly ended up mixing up the two halfway through the night because they both looked the same, yet the shochu tasted better. The upside is
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August 4, 2011
Japanify: Yaki Onigiri (Grilled Rice Balls)
Despite being in the U.S. for nearly 30+ years, Japanese cuisine instantaneously conjures up the word “raw.” Sushi has proved itself the winner despite criticism ranging from “this is unsanitary,” to, “I am ingesting unsafe levels of mercury,” to, “This is just plain gross, slimy and/or stinky.” Japanese food and sushi have virtually become synonymous
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July 28, 2011
Japanify: Sashimi in Sesame Sauce + Ochazuke (Tea-Soaked Rice)
I visited my mom recently and she served me one of the best breakfasts I have had in a long time–tai chazuke. Chazuke is short for ochazuke, a common method of enjoying rice in Japan. A bowl of rice is topped with condiments and hot tea or dashi
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July 21, 2011
Japanify: Kan-Kouhi Komparison (Can-Coffee Comparison)
Last week on Japanify, I proposed the idea of marrying two of my favorite things in life: Japanese food and Twin Peaks. A few hours after my post went up, Kayoko emailed me this post from Mental Floss, on a series of videos from 1993 that came very close
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