Food＆Cooking
Mentsuyu — The All-Purpose Seasoning Every Japanese Kitchen Relies OnNew!!
What Is Mentsuyu? Do you know about mentsuyu (めんつゆ)? It might just be one of the most useful seasonings in Japanese cooking. In a single bottle, you get dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sake all combined together. Honestly, with just this one seasoning, pretty much anyone can put together a proper Japanese meal. It's such […]
Easy Nikujaga Recipe: Shortcut Japanese Beef and Potato Stew (With Mentsuyu)
A classic Japanese comfort food — tender beef and vegetables simmered in a savoury-sweet broth. This shortcut version uses just one seasoning: mentsuyu. INGREDIENTS Nikujaga (Japanese beef and potato stew) Servings − 4 + STEPS NOTES A note on mentsuyu strength: mentsuyu comes in several concentrations \u2014 straight (ready to use), 2x, 3x, and even […]
Somen — The Noodle You Eat at Home, Not at a Restaurant
When people think of Japanese noodles, ramen is usually the first thing that comes to mind — it's famous worldwide, and for good reason. But did you know there's another noodle that's a huge part of everyday Japanese life, yet you'll almost never see it on a restaurant menu? It's called somen (素麺), and today […]
The Sugar You'll Find in a Japanese Kitchen
If you ask most people around the world what sugar they reach for at home, the answer is usually granulated sugar. But here in Japan, that's actually not the case. The sugar you'll find in nearly every Japanese kitchen is something called jōhakutō (上白糖), and there are quite a few other types too. Let me […]
How to Make Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine)
Making umeshu at home is really straightforward. Here's everything you need. Homemade Umeshu (Japanese Plum Wine) A classic Japanese recipe with just three ingredients. The hardest part is waiting! 【Ingredients】 【step】 Can you swap rock sugar for granulated sugar? Technically yes, but I wouldn't recommend it. Granulated sugar dissolves too quickly, which causes the plum's […]
Making Umeshu — Japanese Plum Wine at Home
Have You Heard of Umeshu? Do you know umeshu (梅酒)? It's a Japanese liqueur made by steeping ume plums in alcohol with sugar. If you've ever seen it on a shelf, the brand you've probably spotted is Choya — they're the most well-known commercial producer. But homemade umeshu is a whole different experience. You can […]
Japanese cheese
Did You Know Japanese Cheese Has Come a Long Way? Processed Cheese Was All We Knew When I was growing up in Japan, "cheese" basically meant processed cheese (プロセスチーズ). That was it. I'm not even sure I knew natural cheese existed back then — it just wasn't part of everyday life. My First Real Encounter […]