The recipes!
Mochi – chewy goodness that can be eaten a million different delicious ways. In fact, “mochi mochi†is actually an onomatopoeia that means chewy. Because mochi itself is quite bland – it’s just pounded rice – it’s incredibly versatile. From fresh anko (sweet red bean paste) filled balls of mochi to thin slices grilled…
Kinpira – salty, sweet, crunchy vegetables with a hint of spice – what is there not to like about this popular dish? Often found as a teeny side dish in bentos, it always left me craving more, so I took matters into my own hands and learnt how to make it. Kinpira is most commonly…
I’m a summer person but one thing I do look forward to in the cooler months is miso soup. It’s simple to make, warms you up, and is jam packed with umami, protein and other nutrients. I didn’t like miso soup until coming to Japan and this recipe hooked me in even more. So…
 The humidity of summer is finally disappearing, replaced by a slight chill in the air at times and announcing the arrival of what the Japanese call shokuyoku no aki（食欲ã®ç§‹ï¼‰. This roughly translates to “the season for eating,†an apt description for the renewed appetite that the cooler temperatures bring. Grilled with a light sprinkling…
 Miso is a key ingredient in Japanese cooking but I was too scared to cook with it for a long time, mainly because I had no idea how! I stumbled upon this recipe when exploring the popular Japanese cooking site Cookpad last year and it started my love affair with miso. It’s a super…
This is one of my go-to Japanese side dish recipes. It’s super easy and keeps in the fridge for up to a week, making it perfect bento filler material. You can also add it to salads for a bit of extra colour and flavour or have it as a healthy snack. Ingredients…
“Atsui†needn’t be the only word you use this summer to make small talk in the staff room. Make this easy peasy Japanesey somen lunch and you’ll be bantering about bentos till school’s out. Somen noodles are made of wheat flour and are usually served cold. With an easy dipping sauce, they can be…
My favourite rainy day activity is cooking. When it rains I always crave a hearty meal, whether it’s in cold, drizzly England or humid, wet Japan. This is a rapid, one-pot dish with an element of cheating – the curry blocks here are just too easy to pass up! I’ve added a few flavours…
Homesickness can be tough, recreating foody home comforts is my cure. A sure fire way to brighten up my day is through pie, a generous serving of cottage pie to take me back to Britain. All the ingredients are easy to get hold of (without a treacherous trip to Kaldi!). Serves 1-2 (depending…