Chicken karaage is the Japanese version of American fried chicken. The chicken is marinated and then coated in starch and then fried. Sometimes this dish is also called tatsutaage, which refers to a Japanese style of fried food that is similarly seasoned, coated and fried. You’ll often find chicken karaage on the menu at Japanese izakaya (tapas), Japanese restaurants, ramen restaurants and even in the deli or pre-made foods area of popular...

Gindara Misozuke, a family favorite. Photo Credit: Hideki Ueha Nobu’s miso marinated black cod, or gindara misozuke as it is known in Japanese, is so delicious! This recipe won’t disappoint and will prove to be versatile for use on other types of fish such as grilled salmon. The first time I ever tasted this miso black cod was when the daughter of my Mom’s friend shared some of the fish that she marinated and baked for us....

  I knew it was going to be an odd day when I woke up hungry and was craving Japanese food.  (And, no, I am not preggo again!) On my trips to Japan, I never could figure out why my peeps in the homeland enjoyed eating rice and miso soup for breakfast.  I admit to eating this for breakfast on a few occasions while traveling, but it was honestly because of jet lag.  I mean by the time it was breakfast there, it was really time for a late...

  This post is for you, my friend on the islands!  :) Since I still have 1/2 a yamaimo left in the fridge after making yamakake soba for lunch, I made tororo (seasoned, grated Japanese mountain yam) as a side dish. It’s basically a bowl of grated and seasoned Japanese mountain yam.  Simple and delicious with good umami. My Mom used to make tororo for us as a side dish and it was always such a treat. I must have been a weird kid...

Yamaimo is my friend.  :)  Maybe even my BEST friend! Yamaimo is Japanese mountain yam, also known as nagaimo, Korean yam, or Chinese yam. But not everyone loves yamaimo like I do.  Bebe Dada thinks its gross, although I don’t believe he’s ever tried a bite. I can’t blame him though.  After all, it’s not the most attractive vegetable with its rough, pock-marked skin with long hairs! Once its peeled and grated,...

Marukai Supermarket, a Japanese specialty foods store, is by far my favorite grocery shopping destination.  One of the things I love about my move to Orange County is that it only takes me 10 minutes to drive to Marukai in Costa Mesa. When I lived on the Westside (Los Angeles) I had to drive to Gardena, which was a 30 minute drive, in order to get to the South Bay Marukai.  It was one of those trips that warranted an invitation to my mom...

  When I was little my mom would make sunomono (Japanese vinegared salad) with kyuri (Japanese cucumber) and wakame (seaweed).  Sometimes she would also add dried shirasu (whitefish; baby “katakuchi” sardine) or other small dried fish “for calcium” as she said. Often times at dinner I would see a bowl of sunomono as one of the many Japanese side dishes served with our fish, curry, or other Japanese dish we were...

When I was growing up, I remember Hinamatsuri, or Girl’s Day, as a special occasion that my parents celebrated every year. Hinamatsuri, also known as Japanese Doll Festival, is celebrated annually on March 3rd.  The dolls are thought to fend off evil spirits and pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls. When I was born, my maternal grandparents in Japan sent a complete set of Hina-ningyo (ornamental dolls) to my parents....