開けゴマ (hirake goma): open sesame! Sesame oil is my new favorite cooking oil. It’s high in antioxidants and, as a result, has a long shelf life. As friend once said, the flavor of Japan is sesame oil, and I use it whenever I’m going for Asian-inspired flavors rather than European (olive oil) or neutral (grapeseed…
When Simple is Best: Komatsuna and Chicken Stir-Fry
乙な味 (otsuna aji)- strange taste; spicy taste I often don’t have a lot of time to cook dinner in the evenings after work. The quickest thing to make on busy days when I haven’t cooked ahead for the week is stir-fry, and this is one of the easiest ones I’ve made. Komatsuna (小松菜), “Japanese Mustard…
My Secret Weapon: Chocolat Brewery Cupcakes
This post appeared in the July 2011 Japan Blog Matsuri “Drinks in Japan,” hosted at NihongoUp. ほろ苦い (horonigai): bittersweet; something that has a strong taste adults favor “Can I lick the bowl?” As Japan gears up for White Day, the day when men who received chocolate for Valentine’s Day prepare to return the favor, the…
The Quest for Kabocha Curry, Part 2: Raisin Flatbread
Note, 2018: My attempts at recreating curries and naan I ate in Indian restaurants in Japan were part of my interest in non-Japanese cuisine and food narratives in Japan. The chefs had adjusted for the local palate but imported certain ingredients in bulk, and I had adjusted for my home kitchen, where I didn’t have…
The Quest for Kabocha Curry
Note, 2018: This recipe is one of the most interesting to me from an international standpoint in that I was trying to recreate a restaurant dish from Indian restaurants that specialized in curry in Japan. They had adjusted for the local palate but imported certain ingredients in bulk, and I had adjusted for my home…
Welcome to My Laboratory: Yogurt From Scratch
発酵乳 (hakkounyuu): fermented milk, yogurt. Yogurtis commonly called ヨーグルト (youguruto) in Japanese, after the Turkish term also used in English. I have a Master’s Degree–in Science Japan Studies! Updated 8/29/2012. My 2011 New Year’s resolution is to reduce my plastic waste, and the best way I know how to do this is to be a…
Will Translate for Jam
Regional and seasonal food in Japan is Serious Business.™ When I go on trips, I try to make a point of eating the regional specialties. Nagano is famous for a lot of delicious things. I bought the most delicious and cheapest of apples I’ve had in Japan at a stand with a cash box outside Zenkôji in Nagano City–4 for 200 yen! I discovered that Nagano actually has apricots, which are scanty and expensive in my region. I tried the regional Kit Kat flavors: shichimi, “seven-spice,” and apple.
Brownie Hero
“ブラウニーって？”
“チョコレットケーキみたいが–”
“表面はサクサク–”
Made in Japan
バリバリ (baribari): (Japanese onomatopoeia) crunchy, crispy, the sound of tearing, gung-ho. The three of us were sitting at a Vietnamese restaurant in Nagano. Having eaten Vietnamese all of once before moving to Japan, I poked at a noodle dish with my chopsticks. “I think there’s coconut milk in this sauce,” I said. “Coconut milk’s not…
I'll Make It Myself! 
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