For my Three Cup Chicken, I like adding a little extra rice wine for the flavor and sweetness it imparts. The additional liquid allows you to cook the chicken for a bit longer, making it more tender, without burning it. I also like to add a bit of brown sugar, which balances out the salty soy sauce and gives the glaze a luminous sheen. If you happen to have some kecap manis in your pantry, you can swap the dark soy sauce for that and omit the sugar....

The other day I was flipping through Pinterest and a photo of this classic fired savory harpoons at my taste memories, eliciting a craving that wouldn’t go away. In the same spirit as my Vegan Spinach Dip I decided to try my hand at taking the “junk” out of this junk-food by creating a plant-based version. Hence, Vegan French Onion Dip was born, and it’s as craveable as the packet version of my memories....

What is Karaage Karaage is a Japanese dish which is thought to have been introduced from China in which a protein or vegetable is dusted in flour or potato starch and deep-fried until crisp and golden brown. Chicken is the most common protein, but it’s also made with seafood, such as fugu (blowfish). The name “karaage” literally means “empty fried” so historically the food was not seasoned prior to dusting....

Summertime in Japan can be oppressively hot and humid; it’s the kind of humidity that smacks you in the face like a lukewarm mop and it’s why we often spent the predawn hours working outdoors. This was also when ojiichan (grandpa) would take me fishing off a stone outcropping in the local bay and when hi-obaachan (great-grandmother) took me to her fields to harvest the bounties of summer for our first meal....

Why This Recipe Works Pan-frying the Spam crisps up the edges, giving it a nice texture while reducing the “canned meat” flavor that luncheon meat tends to have. Adding an egg omelette helps balance the saltiness of the Spam while adding more protein to this easy onigiri sandwich. Sprinkling the rice with salt seasons it, so you don’t have any bland bites. It also helps to preserve it if you take this Spam and egg onigiri on the go....

Nikujaga is one of those dishes that anyone could wing without a recipe once you know the gist of what it’s supposed to taste like. The beef can be anything from ground chuck to short ribs; just make sure you use a cut with enough fat, otherwise the meat will get dried out. As the name implies, you need to add potatoes, but I also like to add carrots and onions for color and flavor....

Okay, I wish I could say I’m that clever, but alas this is just my take on one of my favorite pickles by Rick’s Picks, a local pickle artisan with pithy pickles like Phat Beets and Wasabeans. I love all their preserved produce, but at 13 bucks a pop, it’s a splurge I can’t indulge as often as I’d like to (especially considering I’m prone to eating an entire jar in 1 sitting if someone doesn’t take them away from me)....

Not even my inspiration-generating tactics were working, so I did what anyone would do in such a predicament and went back to basics, deciding on steak with riced potatoes. Normally, I wouldn’t bore you with a post on something so mundane, but this one deserved its own post for two reasons: I’ve developed a method to cook steak perfectly every time, and the mushroom sauce I served on top was exceptionally delicious....

Cornbread is a minefield of differing opinions on what should and shouldn’t be added. Some of the most hotly contested issues include lard vs. butter, yellow vs. white cornmeal, and the amount of sugar to add. Which side of the debate you fall on depends largely on where you’re from. Folks living in southern states pejoratively refer to the bread from the north as “Yankee Cornbread”, likening it to sweet yellow cake....

These days, people are busy, and I get the temptation to use the pre-made stuff from a jar, but making it from scratch doesn’t take that much more work, and homemade spaghetti sauce tastes so good that it’s worth the small extra effort. Meat sauce also freezes well, so if you’re really pressed for time, you can make a big batch of this on the weekend, portion it, then just pull it out of the freezer, reheat, and toss with freshly boiled spaghetti on a weeknight....

The high-temperature griddles used in these eateries create Maillard browning and caramelization around the rice, which gives it its toasty flavor. In this recipe, I want to show you how to recreate this flavor at home using a regular frying pan and stove. Why This Recipe Works? Using leftover rice that’s been in the fridge for a few days makes the rice crumbly, making it easier to stir-fry. A double dose of garlic in the form of garlic oil/chips and garlic butter covers the spectrum of garlic flavor from fresh to caramelized....

Why This Recipe Works? The medley of sweet vegetables with the rich salmon and savory miso makes for a balanced one-pan meal that only needs a bowl of rice to be complete. Spreading the miso butter onto the salmon not only seasons it, the butter slowly renders out of the miso, basting the salmon as it percolates down into the veggies below. The vegetables under the salmon act as a steaming rack, keeping it out of the liquid in the pan while diffusing the heat to allow the salmon to cook gently....

I don’t know about your part of the world, but over here in Tokyo it’s getting chilly and with my Dutch ovens back in the kitchen, I’ve been busy warming the house with soups, stews, and braises. Last week I found these glorious veal shanks at my local butcher and I knew the instant I saw them that I had to make some Ossobuco Beef. While veal shanks are the classic cut for Ossobuco, beef shanks can also make a delectable braise; veal has more gelatin to add unctuousness to the sauce, while beef will render the sauce for flavorful....

Making kimchi was historically a way for people to preserve vegetables for the long harsh Korean winter, before the advent of modern refrigeration. With the introduction of chili peppers, it didn’t take long before people figured out that the capsaicin in peppers had an antimicrobial effect aiding in preservation, while adding a little spice to the bleak winter days. In many ways, kimchi’s development parallels the development of similar preservation methods in other regions of the world....

China is a big country though, and other regions have their own take on this diminutive dumpling. In Sichuan Province, the dish is called hóng yóu chāoshǒu(红油抄手), which literally means “red oil crossed hands” one look at the vermillion chili oil glazing the wontons gives away the first half of the name, and if you look at the uncooked wontons from a certain angle, they do look a bit like crossed hands....

I’ve recently discovered a far more versatile way to preserve the essence of seasonal fruit by using just sugar. In the same way that salt draws liquid out of fruits and vegetables through osmosis, sugar can also extract a fruit’s juices. This creates an ultra-concentrated syrup that can be cut with water to make a juice; poured on pancakes or yogurt; or even used as a flavorful sweetener for marinades and sauces....

What is Hunan Chicken? Although the name may suggest this dish came from the Hunan province of China, this dish is a Chinese-American creation. That said, it does draw inspiration from the bold, spicy, and aromatic profile of Hunanese cuisine. In traditional Hunan cooking, you’ll find a fearless use of chilies, garlic, and scallions. Hunan Chicken was likely based on dishes like Dry-Wok Chicken (干锅鸡) and Stir-Fried Chicken with Black Bean & Chili Peppers (豆豉辣椒炒鸡)....

But this winter craving extends beyond just the food and into the preparation as well. Instead of being repulsed by the heat from the stove, I’m drawn to it, and the irritating clatter of a pot emitting the leaden odor of fat becomes the soothing burble of a simmering braise perfuming the air with the rich aroma of meat and spices. This Braised Lamb with Israeli Couscous exemplifies the type of dish I crave as the mercury falls....

When prepared properly, each dreamy bite is like noshing on a small mouthful of heaven. From the moment you sink a fork into the poached egg, and the pastel hues give way to the luscious orange egg yolk, to the final swipe of crusty English muffin through a pool of hollandaise, Eggs Benedict provides a parade of colors, flavors, textures and tastes that are a literal feast for your senses....

It’s crucial to note that much of the “wagyu” sold outside Japan is not authentic. Many countries have crossbred Japanese cattle that they exported decades ago with local breeds (it’s now illegal to export cows or their reproductive material). In addition to genetics, authentic Japanese beef is raised with a specific diet and lifestyle that contribute to the quality of the meat. This is why it is misleading to label beef not produced in Japan as “wagyu....