Komochi Shishamo (Smelt Fish with Many Eggs)

Komochi Shishamo (Smelt Fish with Many Eggs)

Seriously, how could you NOT want to read more about a post entitled “Smelt Fish with Many Eggs”? It’s the perfect “come back” post after a long absence don’t you think? :) [Ok, yes, I am indeed being a little sarcastic.] I considered, the post title “Pregnant Smelt” since that’s almost the literal Japanese to English translation of “Komochi” which means, “fish bearing...

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2013 Japanese New Years Feast: Osechi Ryori & Favorite Dishes

2013 Japanese New Years Feast: Osechi Ryori & Favorite Dishes

Although almost two weeks have passed since we feasted on both traditional Japanese Osechi Ryori (New Year’s food) and non-traditional Japanese cuisine favorites, I’m still basking in the memories of delicious food and great times spent with family and great friends.  (Photo Credit: Hideki Ueha) My New Year’s posts are always a favorite of mine as I enjoy memorializing all the delicious food from our Oshogatsu (Japanese New...

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African Smoke Salmon

African Smoke Salmon

As the summer winds down and before the weather turns cooler, I’d like to share a super simple salmon recipe just in case you have one last BBQ planned. However, don’t fret if you don’t have any plans to grill, as this salmon is also amazing when baked in the oven or cooked stovetop in a pan. (Photo Credit: Hideki Ueha) Many times before I’ve mentioned my childhood West L.A. besties, so it shouldn’t be a surprise...

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Sashimi

Sashimi

  Whenever my husband and I enjoy a simple dinner of sashimi or temaki sushi (click for recipe) at home, I am always reminded of my Jiichan (grandpa), and my Baachan (grandma). (Photo: Halibut or Fluke, also known as hirame in Japanese.) Although my paternal grandparents moved to Japan before I completed elementary school, over the years, I was fortunate to spend a lot of time with them during my trips to the “land of the rising...

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Baked Salmon Fish Sticks

Baked Salmon Fish Sticks

There are only a few more weeks of school left. Last week, we attended Big Onechan’s (“Nene” or Bebe E’s big sis) high school swim banquet, marking the end of the season and the approach of summer. The girl’s swim program at Nene’s school is small (there are more boys than girls that swim), so at the beginning of the season some of the freshmen were moved to junior varsity or varsity. When she announced to us...

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Spicy Tuna Hand Roll

Spicy Tuna Hand Roll

The convenience of having a Japanese supermarket near my home is that I can pop on over to the store to pick-up a few things, but more importantly, I can buy sashimi for a really simple and quick dinner. We don’t feed Big Onechan sashimi since her idea of sushi is an avocado roll or tamago, and Bebe E is too young for sashimi, but when I need a quick dinner for Bebe Dada and I, my go-to item is inexpensive wild maguro (tuna) from the...

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Karashi Mentaiko Spaghetti (Spicy Cod Roe Pasta)

Karashi Mentaiko Spaghetti (Spicy Cod Roe Pasta)

  While at first we might think of spaghetti as uniquely Italian, my instant go-to-kid-friendly spaghetti with meat sauce is, by my standards, American-faire, not Italian. Then there is pasta as it relates to Japanese cuisine. There are Japanese pasta dishes that are definitely not what I consider Italian cuisine, but it is uniquely Japanese and… I absolutely love it! As a child and throughout my teens, my Mom often took me to visit our...

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Spaghetti with Clams (Spaghetti con Vongole)

Spaghetti with Clams (Spaghetti con Vongole)

  More clams?!? I just posted hamaguri no saka mushi or Japanese sake steamed clams, and here we are yet again with another clam dish. However, I cheated on the seafood with this dish and there was one short-cut that I regret… More on this later. Spaghetti with clams, or spaghetti con vongole, is one of my favorite Italian pasta dishes. In a former life when I dined out frequently each week, spaghetti con vongole made a regular...

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