i. Add neutral oil to the cold pan, scatter in the sliced garlic, and cook low and slow (about 5 minutes) until pale gold. This gently flavors the oil and yields crisp chips; swirl occasionally so slices color evenly.

ii. Remove chips the moment they turn straw-gold as carryover heat will deepen them. Then reserve both chips and oil.

i. Crank your now-empty skillet with garlic oil to high heat. Grind fresh black pepper over both sides of your rested steak, then lay it gently into the pan.

ii. Flip every 30 seconds for even cooking and a fast, deep crust. Cook about 4 minutes (8 flips) total.

iii. Transfer the steak to a rack for 3-5 minutes. Catch any juices on the plate. Those drippings are liquid gold, add them back to the rice later for built-in beefy depth. Expect a small temperature rise during the rest, which helps land your target doneness.

i. Return the pan to low heat with the remaining garlic oil, and add the minced garlic. Stir gently just until fragrant to perfume the base of the rice. Avoid browning. If it starts to color, immediately proceed to the next step to halt cooking.

ii. Increase to medium, add cool, firm rice, and press-and-chop with a spatula to break clumps as the grains drink the aromatic oil. If using freshly cooked rice, spread it on a tray for a minute to vent before it hits the pan.

iii. Sprinkle in a pinch of salt, Asian chicken bouillon powder, and oyster sauce. Splash sake along the pan’s rim so it sizzles and loosens flavorful fond. Stir to coat and keep breaking any new clumps. Tip in the reserved steak juices now too so they mingle with the rice.

i. Scoot rice to create a hot bare spot, raise heat to high, and drizzle soy sauce into that zone. Wait ~5 seconds as it sizzles and darkens, then toss to coat all the grains.

You’re essentially building smoky aroma without soaking the rice.

ii. Cut the heat, melt in unsalted butter and fold through chopped parsley for a glossy finish. The butter rounds sharp edges from the soy while keeping the grains separate and lightly coated.

i. Mound the rice in a bowl or a plate.

ii. Fan the steak slices on top, and shower with chopped green onions and the reserved garlic chips. Squeeze on a little lemon, add a final crack of pepper, and serve immediately while the chips stay crisp.

i. Gently wash your cold leftover rice in cool water to remove any gummy starch.

ii. Then drain thoroughly before transferring to your serving bowl.

i. Arrange all your toppings over the clean rice: umeboshi plum, instant dashi granules, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), shredded nori seaweed, finely shredded shiso leaf, salt, sesame seeds, wasabi, and a sprinkle of tenkasu (crispy tempura bits).

ii. Don’t worry about perfect placement! Ochazuke is meant to be rustic and personal.

i. Pour chilled green tea directly over the arranged toppings and watch as the flavors begin to meld.

ii. For extra refreshment on sweltering days, add a couple of ice cubes, but remember that too much ice will dilute the overall flavor.

i. Salt the cucumbers (julienned) with about 2% by weight and let them sit for 5-10 minutes.

ii. After the time’s up, squeeze the cucumber strips firmly in your hands to wring out the excess water. You’ll be amazed at how much liquid comes out.

If you’re working with thick American cucumbers instead of slender Japanese ones, slice them lengthwise first and scoop out the seeds with a spoon. English cucumbers (the long, seedless variety) work beautifully here and need less prep time since they’re naturally less watery.

i. In a chilled metal bowl, break apart your imitation crab into thin, crab-like strands. Dampen your hands slightly with cool water first (this prevents the sticky crab from clinging to your fingers and makes the whole process smoother). Gently pull each stick apart lengthwise.

ii. Mix all the dressing ingredients (mayo, lemon juice, Japanese soy sauce, dashi granules, and wasabi paste with drained cucumber and sweet corn kernels. Mayo’s fat + salt + acid give mild kani-kama real stage presence, while fat mellows wasabi’s sharp heat so the aroma lingers without the painful punch.

iii. instead of stirring with a spoon (which crushes everything), use chopsticks or a fork to lift and fold the ingredients together. Rotate the bowl as you work, creating gentle lifting motions that coat everything evenly without breaking the delicate textures.

i. Right before serving, crack on black pepper and drizzle toasted sesame oil. The pepper wakes up the sweetness and the sesame oil sends a nutty aroma.

ii. Taste and adjust salt or lemon to balance if needed.

Start by dicing your tomatoes into bite-sized pieces.

Sprinkle them generously with salt. Let them rest in a bowl or lounge in a colander for about 10 minutes, just enough for their juices to drip and flavors to concentrate.

Meanwhile, thinly slice cucumbers (aim for 2mm thickness).

Then, give them their own salt rub. Massage gently, then set aside to sweat out excess water.

While we wait, combine the sliced shiso, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sugar, toasted sesame oil, and ground sesame seeds in a small food processor.

Pulse until the mixture forms a smooth, emerald-green dressing with tiny flecks of shiso throughout.

The toasted sesame oil adds a rich, nutty depth that balances the bright acidity of the rice vinegar.

After 10 minutes, you’ll see pools of liquid around your salted vegetables. Discard all the liquid that has accumulated. For the cucumbers, take this step further: gather them in a clean kitchen towel and gently squeeze to remove every last bit of moisture.

Combine the prepared tomatoes and cucumbers with any additional fresh summer vegetables (I used sweet corn kernels, edamame, and shredded shiso leaves) in a serving bowl.

Just before serving, drizzle the shiso-sesame dressing over the vegetables and toss gently to coat.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

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Start by heating a generous splash of olive oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and your mix of mushrooms (maitake, enoki, and shiitake) to the pan.

Cook everything together, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms start to develop a slight golden color and the aroma of garlic fills your kitchen. Don’t rush this step! Letting the mushrooms caramelize a little really brings out their savory depth.

Once you see those beautiful golden edges on your mushrooms and smell the garlic, add salt and give everything a gentle stir. The salt helps draw out any remaining moisture while enhancing the natural flavors.

Mix soy sauce, miso paste, sake, and mirin together in a small bowl, then pour it into the pan.

Give it a mix and once the mushrooms are evenly coated, cover the pan with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low for 4 minutes of steam-cooking.

After 4 minutes, remove the lid and turn off the heat.

Add black pepper and butter, stirring everything together while the residual heat melts the butter into a glossy coating.

Spoon the mushroom mixture generously over bowls of hot rice. Drizzle a bit of toasted sesame oil on top for aroma, then finish with sliced green onions and crispy fried onion bits for crunch.

Yes, it’s that easy!

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Start by trimming just the very bottom of the enoki mushroom stems. You want to keep as much of the mushroom as possible while removing any tough or discolored parts.

Gently separate the clusters into smaller bundles and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Drizzle with a small amount of olive oil and toss thoroughly to coat every strand.

Add the black pepper, soy sauce, grated garlic, powdered cheese, and dried herb mix to the oiled enoki.

Using your hands or tongs, toss everything together until each mushroom strand is evenly coated with the seasoning mixture.

Next, mix potato starch in to create the final coating.

The goal is to create a flavorful base coating that will crisp up beautifully during cooking.

Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, making sure it coats the entire surface. Spread your seasoned enoki mixture evenly across the pan, creating a single layer that covers the entire bottom.

You’re essentially creating one giant enoki pancake.

Once it’s spread out, cover the top with a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper, then place a flat, heavy object on top.

Something like a water-filled pot works great. Turn the heat to medium.

Once you hear that telltale sizzling sound, maintain the pressure for exactly 5 minutes. You’re listening for a steady, gentle sizzle.

Carefully flip the whole thing and repeat the same process for another 4 minutes to crisp the other side.

Remove the weight one final time and flip the enoki back to its original side. Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly across the top.

Let the cheese melt slightly so that it adheres to the surface, then quickly flip once more so the cheese is now against the hot pan surface.

This creates a crispy, golden cheese crust that’s absolutely irresistible. Cook without the weight for just 1-2 minutes until the cheese is bubbly and golden brown.

Transfer your crispy enoki creation to a cutting board and slice it like a pizza into wedges.

Serve immediately with ketchup for dipping, or try it with chopped green onions and a squeeze of fresh lemon for a brighter flavor profile.

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Start by removing the pits from the umeboshi (pickled plums) and finely chopping the flesh with a knife until it forms a smooth paste. If you can’t find whole umeboshi, store-bought ume paste is a convenient alternative and works well for this recipe.

Look for it in the Japanese section of Asian grocery stores, or you can find it online. The homemade paste from whole umeboshi tends to have a more complex, nuanced flavor.

In a mixing bowl, combine the paste with toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, miso, rice vinegar, and honey. Whisk everything together until smooth and well-incorporated.

Refrigerate the dressing until you’re ready to use it.

Cut the cucumber diagonally into thin slices. The increased surface area makes it easier to julienne.

Then stack and cut them into fine matchsticks.

Sprinkle with a pinch of salt, toss, and let sit for about 10 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Remove the tough white tendon (also called the sinew) from each chicken tender. Make shallow cuts along both sides of the sinew, cutting about halfway through the length of the tenderloin. This creates access points that make removal much easier.

Flip the tenderloin so the sinew faces down against your cutting board. Hold the sinew firmly with your non-dominant hand. If it’s slippery, grip it through a paper towel for better control. Now use the back (spine) of your knife, not the blade.

Place the spine of the knife against the sinew and scrape it along the cutting board while maintaining downward pressure. Move the knife in quick up-and-down motions as you work from left to right.

This motion prevents the meat from tearing and ensures clean separation.

If you find the sinew removal challenging, don’t worry. You can remove it after cooking when the meat is easier to handle. Simply shred the cooked chicken by hand and pick out any tough pieces you encounter.

First, use a knife to carefully shave around the cap (the area around the stem), removing the tough outer layer while being careful not to cut into the seed cavity.

Then, trim off the tough stem end of each okra pod.

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil and add salt. This helps the okra retain its vibrant green color during cooking. Add the okra and blanch for exactly 2 minutes.

Blanching serves multiple purposes: it brightens the color, improves the mouthfeel, and reduces the natural mucilage that can make okra unpleasantly slimy. The brief cooking time also helps the okra absorb flavors better while maintaining its distinctive texture.

Immediately transfer the blanched okra to an ice bath.

Return the pot to a boil, then turn off the heat and add a splash of sake. Immediately add the chicken tenderloins.

Cover with a lid, and let them poach gently in the residual heat for 7 minutes.

After 7 minutes, transfer the chicken directly to the ice bath alongside the okra.

Squeeze the salted cucumbers thoroughly to remove excess moisture. This step is important to avoid a watery final dish.

Slice the blanched okra, then shred the poached chicken by hand. Combine the cucumber, okra, chicken, and shiso leaves in a bowl, and toss well with the chilled dressing.

Transfer to your serving plates and finish with a sprinkle of sesame seeds, freshly cracked black pepper, and delicate sprouts for color and a mild peppery bite.

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Place the edamame in a bowl and generously sprinkle coarse salt over them.

Using both hands, vigorously rub the salt into the pods. This “salt massage” serves a purpose far beyond simple seasoning.

It removes the fine fuzz (trichomes) from the pod surface, creating a smoother texture. If this fuzz remains, it creates an unpleasant, grainy texture that detracts from the overall experience.

If you have a minute to spare, I really recommend using kitchen scissors to cut about 1-2 mm off both ends of each pod. These small cuts allow the flavor to penetrate the beans more deeply. Don’t worry about cutting the beans inside; the pods are sturdy enough to protect them.

Bring a pot of water to a full, rolling boil before adding salt (aim for a salt concentration of about 4%). This concentration is the “sweet spot” for enhancing the beans’ natural sugars without drawing out too much moisture.

Add the edamame all at once a long with the salt used for rubbing. Turn the heat back up to high, then reduce it slightly so the water stays at a vigorous boil without spilling over.

Cook for 3-5 minutes, tasting one pod around the 3-minute mark. You should feel slight resistance when you bite into it. Then, let the residual heat finish cooking it off the stove.

For large pods with firm texture, aim for about 5 minutes, for or smaller pods or softer texture, 3+ minutes works well.

Overcooking is the enemy because it creates mushy, waterlogged beans. Stir the beans occasionally during cooking to ensure even heat distribution.

Immediately drain the cooked edamame through a colander, removing as much cooking water as possible. It is critical that you never rinse them with cold water or use an ice bath. These methods will wash away the salt and umami that were carefully built up, leaving you with watery, bland beans.

Instead, spread the drained edamame on the colander and use a fan to cool them quickly. This quick cooling prevents overcooking from residual heat while preserving their vibrant green color.

Even if serving warm, a quick 10-20 second fan session helps set the color. Taste and adjust seasoning with a pinch of coarse salt if needed.

Keep in mind that edamame can sometimes taste a bit bland when it’s hot, but it gets really tasty as it cools, so don’t go overboard with the salt from the beginning.

The umami and saltiness of the seawater-like flavor that fills the inside pods is simply irresistible.

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Start by combining all sauce ingredients in a small bowl (sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic paste, dried chili flakes, chopped green onions, and sesame seeds). Give everything a good stir and set aside to let the flavors meld while you prepare the mushrooms.

When I first tested this, I tried a bit more rice vinegar, but found the flavor most balanced when soy sauce and rice vinegar are equal parts.

Trim the root end of the enoki cluster as close to the base as possible. You want to keep as much of those delicate stems as you can.

Gently separate the mushrooms into bite-sized bundles with your hands, then lightly sprinkle with salt.

Here’s where my technique gets a bit unconventional: toss the mushrooms with olive oil first.

Then coat them thoroughly with potato starch.

I learned this trick through trial and error. At first, I tried coating the mushrooms directly with starch, but the coating wouldn’t stick properly and fall off during cooking.

Adding oil first creates a base layer that helps the starch cling to every surface of the mushrooms. This method transforms ordinary enoki mushrooms into impossibly crispy, golden clusters.

Heat your large frying pan over medium heat and add olive oil. I arrange the coated enoki in a single layer.

Then press down firmly with a spatula, aiming for a thin “mushroom pancake” and keep moving the spatula from one to another to ensure they’re all evenly crisped up.

Cook for 4-5 minutes per side, continuously pressing down to ensure even browning and maximum crispiness.

When both sides are a nice golden color and crispy, take the enoki out of the pan and let them cool down a bit. Since the press-frying can create cohesive clusters, you might need to gently separate them by hand or with kitchen scissors.

While they’re still warm, dip the crispy mushrooms into your prepared sauce.

Then arrange them over steamed rice.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the rice, along with any other tasty bits like green onions and chili flakes. Throw in a bit of black pepper at the end, and you’ve got a dish that’s about to become your new go-to.

The crispy, savory mushrooms and the tangy sauce over warm rice are absolutely divine.

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Start by combining all your sauce ingredients (soy sauce, sake, mirin, honey, apple juice, whole grain mustard, and grated garlic) in a small bowl and whisk until smooth.

It’s important to have this ready before you start cooking because the glazing step is quick.

Hold each spear with one hand near the bottom and the other about halfway up the stalk. Apply gentle pressure with your thumb at the base while bending. The asparagus will naturally snap at the point where the tough, fibrous portion meets the tender part.

This usually happens about 2-5 cm from the bottom, and it’s nature’s way of showing you exactly where to cut.

After snapping off the tough ends, place the asparagus on your cutting board and use a peeler to remove the outer skin from the bottom 3-5 cm of each spear.

Lay a slice of pork belly diagonally on your work surface at a 45° angle, then place asparagus parallel to the bottom of the cutting board with the base placed over the bottom of the pork. The tip should be on the right side of the meat.

Start by folding the meat over the bottom end to make a closed end. This keeps the asparagus from sliding out while it’s cooking.

Then, roll the asparagus while holding the pork belly tightly. The meat should wrap snugly around the spear in overlapping spirals with the tips unwrapped, poking out the top.

Immediately after wrapping each piece, season with salt and pepper, then dust lightly with cornstarch.

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place each wrapped asparagus with the seam facing down to stop them from unravelling. Cook until all sides are a rich golden-brown color, turning carefully to make sure they all brown evenly.

When you turn the asparagus rolls, hold them by the green tips instead of the pork-wrapped part. This helps the meat stay wrapped and keeps everything in place.

Once your asparagus rolls are beautifully browned all over, remove excess fat from the pan with a paper towel. Pour in your prepared sauce mixture and gently shake the pan to distribute it evenly. The sauce will bubble and reduce, transforming into a glossy coating.

Watch the sauce. It will get thicker and shinier, usually in 1-2 minutes. When it coats the back of a spoon, you’re ready for the final touch.

Remove the pan from heat and add butter, swirling until it melts completely and creates an incredibly glossy, restaurant-quality glaze.

Quickly fry eggs sunny-side up in a separate pan, seasoning with salt and pepper. Toast several slices of baguette until golden and crispy using your oven’s broiler or a toaster.

Arrange the glazed asparagus rolls on your serving plate, top with the sunny-side up eggs, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Drizzle any remaining glaze from the pan over the dish and enjoy!

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