Kkaennip (깻잎김치) is an herb unique to Korean cuisine that’s often translated as “wild sesame” in Asian grocery stores. It has broad green saw-toothed leaves and a strong camphor-like scent that’s somewhere between basil and mint. That’s probably because kkaennip isn’t related to sesame as the name implies, but is a part of the genus Perilla, which is a member of the mint family. In the west you probably know another type of perilla called shiso: the green leaf that’s often used to garnish plates at sushi restaurants....

I found my solace in a steaming bowl of miso ramen with long chewy noodes swimming alongside crispy bok choy, piquant chili, garlic chives, and a small mound of sweet pulled pork. This magical bowl of noodle soup coddled my stomach, quieted my mind, while warming me from the inside out. Ramen is really quite a humble food, and yet it takes hours of care to make. It’s rich, complex and unctuous, and yet in Japan, it’s a comfort food much like mac and cheese is here....

Tart and piquant, these pickles make an awesome snack with a frosty beer and can be used as a condiment for your favorite Mexican dish. I even like adding these to sandwiches like banh mi and tortas. I made a smallish portion for those of us with tiny refrigerators, but if you have the room, this is a great way to preserve that giant pack of jalapenos you picked up at Costco last week....

It’s officially cold, and my fingers feel like icicles as I type this. I guess that’s why I’ve been craving soup lately. Unfortunately I’ve had a busy travel and shooting schedule (I’m hosting my own show!), the past few weeks and I haven’t had time to spend all that much time in my kitchen. This Shorbat Adas has been a quick lifesaver that’s literally kept my fingers warm and the cold at bay....

Shumai are a type of Chinese dumpling often associated with Cantonese cuisine. While many in the West have become familiar with it through dim sum (yum cha), it actually exists in many forms throughout China (and the rest of Asia). Steamed or pan fried, partially or fully enveloped in dough, filled with everything from pork to seafood to glutinous rice, it’s not clear what the original shumai was, but the most common forms involve a filling of pork partially wrapped in a thin round of dough before being steamed....

Here in Japan, this salad is typically seasoned with toasted sesame oil and soy sauce, but I like to add a ton of toasted sesame seeds to it, adding texture and flavor. Why This Recipe Works? Smashing the cucumbers creates jagged edges with fissures that have more surface area for the sauce to cling to. Salting the cucumbers removes excess water from the cucumbers, which keeps the salad from getting watery while making the cucumbers crunchy....

Soupe de Poisson(pronounced soup du pua-sohn) literally means “fish soup” in French, but in the US, it generally refers to Soupe de Poisson à la Sétoise, or fish soup in the style of Sète. Unlike its more well known sibling Bouillabaisse, Soupe de Poisson does not include any pieces of seafood and is more like a bique in that regard. This isn’t a dish to make when you’re pressed for time, but with about a dollar’s worth of scraps from the fishmonger and a little love, you’ll be treated to a Soupe de Poisson that’s brimming with briny nuanced umami without so much as a hint of fishiness....

They’re easy to gussy up by stir-frying them with spices and seasonings. This crave-worthy Spicy Edamame recipe is redolent of pungent crispy garlic and has a well-balanced heat thanks to the addition of both black pepper and chili peppers. Paired with your favorite beverage, they’re an addictive snack perfect for game days and movie nights, but they could also make for a fun snack that’s a great source of protein....

Why This Recipe Works A thin coating of potato starch helps the sauce stick to the salmon, this allows you to get a nice thick glaze without overcooking the fish. Authentic Japanese teriyaki sauce has just three ingredients. Equal parts soy sauce, sake, and sugar. Instead of adding chopped or grated ginger directly to the sauce, I squeeze just the juice from the grated ginger pulp, which eliminates any particulate matter that will cloud your glaze....

To create a plant-based substitute, I set out to find a set of ingredients that could recreate the right texture, mouthfeel, taste, and aroma. The result is a delicious sprinkle that’s good on everything from pastas to salads, to popcorn. It can also be used in sauces and soups to add richness and umami instantly. Why this recipe works Unlike most vegan Parmesan recipes, this one uses a mix of raw cashews and walnuts, which combines the rich creaminess of cashews, with the tannins of walnuts to create a cheese-like mouthfeel that has a chalky acidity....

It’s strange to look back now and think about how much I looked forward to the oddly uniform nuggets of spongy mystery meat, but in retrospect I think it may have been the sauce. The sweet floral honey and tangy acerbic mustard are contrasts that go together like black and white. While this grilled chicken with honey mustard dressing shares ease and speed with its distant cousin from the Golden Arches, that’s about where the similarities end....

Like its Russian cousin Beef Stroganoff, this Hungarian recipe has managed to work its way from relative obscurity into the hearts and stomachs of comfort food seekers around the world. For my version, I like to make it with bone-in chicken pieces, fresh green peppers, sour cream, and of course: tons of paprika. Ingredients for Chicken Paprikash Chicken While chicken breast meat can be delicious when cooked to the right temperature, it’s very lean, which is why it tends to get dry and mealy when overcooked....

These days Christmas Cakes come in all shapes and sizes, but they’re most commonly a round layer cake made with layers of sponge cake, cream, and strawberries. To save time and effort, I’ve turned this version into a rustic roll cake, which only takes about ten minutes in the oven. Why This Recipe Works By heating the eggs and sugar in a double boiler before whipping them it makes for a foolproof sponge that’s light and fluffy....

That’s why I freeze and defrost the tofu to reduce its water content and alter its texture. Then I infuse it with a flavorful marinade to transform it into a meaty plant-based protein that’s perfect for making a traditional Japanese katsu. Katsu is usually served with thinly shredded cabbage and a condiment called Tonkatsu Sauce. The sauce is made with fruits, vegetables, and spices, giving it a unique sweet and spicy flavor like a sweet and viscous Worcestershire sauce....

Katsuobushi (鰹節) is a basic ingredient in the Japanese kitchen made from Skipjack Tuna which has been steamed, dried, smoked and then cured using Aspergillus glaucus, a type of mold. This process turns the fish into a wood-like block and significantly increases the amount of inosine monophosphate (IMP) contained within the fish. The Katsuobushi is then shaved on a plane before being used for cooking. What’s it taste like? Since it’s dried and shaved very thin, it has an almost paper-like consistency, but as it meets your tongue, it explodes with an intense smoky flavor that almost tastes like you’re sucking on a bouillon cube, or a piece of dry-cured ham without much salt....

In the case of Kitsune Udon (“fox” udon) it’s topped with a piece of fried tofu that’s been seasoned with soy sauce, sake and sugar, called inari-agé. If you’ve ever had inarizushi you’re probably familiar with these flavorful fox colored pouches that are used to hold a ball of sushi rice inside, but they’re equally delicious served over a bowl of steaming udon noodles. Kitsune udon is simple to make, but like a cunning fox, there are a few tricks to making it even easier and better....

Let me assure you that there is a middle ground. One that makes for a delightfully melt-in-your-mouth tender, juicy steak that’s more beef-like than any other kind of fish I can think of. The trick is in marinating it in an ample amount of olive oil, then cooking it through until the middle ⅓ is a nice pink. As with all simple dishes, the quality of the ingredients is paramount for good results....

With a growing drift of snow on my thirteenth floor balcony and icicles dangling down from the fourteenth floor, winter isn’t relenting anytime soon. It’s the kind of bleak white day that makes me want to have a pot of stock simmering away for hours or bake something bright and sunny to warm the house and add a splash of color to my day. Whether you’re caught up in the throes of life, or ensnared in the thick of winter, this Meyer lemon cake will brighten your day and put a smile on your face....

What is Miso Salmon In Japan, Miso Salmon (鮭の味噌漬け) is part of a category of dishes called Misozuke(味噌漬け), which literally means “pickled in miso.” The fish is cured in sweet white miso, which draws out excess liquid from the fish preserving it for up to a week, while also seasoning the fish. It’s also sometimes called Saikyouzuke(西京漬け), after the light colored and minimally fermented miso that’s used around Kyoto. History of Miso Salmon While pickling food in miso has been around for at least 1000 years, the process of curing fish in miso was first documented in Kyoto around 500 years ago....

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) literally means “grilled as you like it” in Japanese. As the name implies, what goes into it and how it’s prepared depends largely on your preferences. That’s why it’s sometimes known as a “Japanese pizza” in the US. In most versions okonomiyaki is made with shredded cabbage and a pancake-like batter, but that’s where the similarities end. Some people like a soft custardy interior, while others prefer a ton of fillings with the batter merely binding the ingredients together....