Eat-Japan Recipes

Time For Tea

Golden Week has arrived and with it, anticipation of the year's first tea harvest as blue skies and vibrant, lush fields welcome dancing streamers of colourful carp to play. The crowded cities of Japan meanwhile heave a collective sigh, bidding farewell to salary men and women, as packed trains whisk them home to pastures green and fresh.

Dragon Volcano: Sushi Roll of the Year 2012

Discover the secrets of this year's explosive Sushi of the Year, Dragon Volcano, and a little more about the chef and restaurant behind it.

Taste Discovery Zone: Eat, Taste, Enjoy

HYPER JAPAN Spring 2012 welcomed a whole host of foodies to the Taste Discovery Zone, sponsored by Kikkoman and S&B, eager to learn more about how to create simple, authentic, Japanese style dishes at home. The ever-affable Atsuko Ikeda was back again this year, with sessions introducing us to yaki udon and wasabi cream, whilst newcomer to the Eat-Japan Food Court Elsa Gleeson took on the dessert menu. For all things sake, Natsuki Kikuya, Eat-Japan’s Executive Sommelier and curator of the Sake Awards, enlightened us with her informative seminars on the delights of Japan’s national drink.

The Renaissance of Sushi

Sushi, once a bona fide Japanese concept, has gone global. The beauty of its simplicity is providing the basis for a plethora of imaginative culinary adventures and delights. Whether from the seasoned professional, keen cook or novice, the re-invention of sushi has begun.

Above: Varieties of sushi from late Edo / early Meiji period (based on printings by Gyokusho Kawabata: with thanks to Mizkan Group Co., Ltd.)

The Season of Sake

Sake is the quintessential drink of celebration and commemoration in Japan, and will have been raised in many a toast during the party season by friends and family throughout the land in a wish to bestow health and harmony in the coming year.

Northern Delights

The skies are clouding over, there’s a chill in the air, and cashmere jumpers are flooding the high street, it can only mean one thing; it's time for some soul food. Get ready to warm your heart and nourish your day, Japanese style.

The Power of Seaweed

Seaweed, it's everywhere. For an island nation that loves its seafood it's no surprise that some of Japan's most popular dishes, from sushi to miso, use one form or another of these sea growing vegetables.

Tang, Crunch and Zing, All In A Pickle

Late autumn sees the preparation of pickles, the unsung heroes of practically every Japanese meal. Pickles can always be depended on to provide that sweet tang with a bowl of rice, a satisfying crunch with your ramen, and a sweet palate-cleansing pause as the sushi dishes roll in.

From deep purple hues to vibrant greens, oranges and yellows, pickles make for a beautifully rich addition to a meal in both colour and taste. Walk through any market in Japan and you will see the huge variety of pickled vegetables on offer. Carrot, cucumber, aubergine, radish, onion and ginger, the list goes on as Japanese cuisine continues to add texture and vibrancy to its repertoire, in the form of the humble pickle.

Raining Rice

Japanese cuisine loves the seasons.

Whether it's finding local fresh bamboo shoots in the spring to add to a bowl of steaming rice, or throwing some daikon into a stew to keep warm in the winter months, there is always a seasonal twist to be found in the Japanese larder. What remains faithful and dear to all however, and always ready and waiting in the cupboards, is that most essential of ingredients to many a dish; rice.

Beat the Heat: Natsu-Bate Recipes

Japan’s long, hot summer can cause fatigue and lose of appetite – known as natsu-bate. But it also means delicious dishes, designed to be reviving, vitamin-laden, flavour-packed, and simple to make in the summer evenings. Okay, it’s not quite as hot and humid here in the UK, but that doesn’t mean we can’t try the recipes out.