Start by sifting bread flour (or high-gluten flour) into a large mixing bowl.

In a separate container, crack one egg and measure the weight.

Add water until the total liquid weight reaches 105g, then add salt and whisk it thoroughly.

This precise weighing really matters! Miso ramen noodles usually use 35-40% hydration (including the weight of the egg). My recipe uses 35% (300g flour x 0.35 = 105g).

Stir vigorously until the salt completely dissolves. This step is crucial for even distribution, and you’ll know it’s ready when the liquid turns a uniform, clear yellow with no cloudiness.

Make a well in the flour and pour in the egg little by little while mixing.

Use chopsticks to mix the flour into the liquid. The mixture should look like wet breadcrumbs.

Shaggy, slightly moist, and not yet fully sticky.

When the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles breadcrumbs, put it in a sealable bag and let it rest for 30 minutes.

This bench time allows the flour to fully hydrate and the gluten bonds to relax, making the next kneading phase much more manageable.

Here’s where Asian technique gets interesting. Place the wrapped dough on the floor and press down on it to flatten it (of course, over the bag).

Fold it over and step on it again. Do this until the dough has smooth surface and not crumbly.

Seal the kneaded dough tightly in the bag and refrigerate it for at least overnight, preferably 24 hours.

Time to use the pasta machine! I use a Marcato Atlas 150.

First, dust the surface of the dough with starch (potato, corn, tapioca starch, or any starch will work).

Try to roll it thin by hand first.

Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces.

Set your pasta machine to its thickest setting (for mine, it’s 0) and slowly pass one portion of dough through.

Slowly decrease the thickness setting, and pass the dough through each setting once until you reach 1.5 mm thick (for me, it’s dial number 5).

Switch to your pasta machine’s cutting attachment. Sapporo miso ramen noodles are about 2-3 mm wide.

The candidates with the Atlas 150 are either the standard 1.5 mm spaghetti or the 3.5 mm trenette attachment.

So, I decided to go with spaghetti attachment. Feed the dough sheet through the cutter at a steady pace, catching the emerging noodles with your hands.

Sprinkle the cut noodles with starch right away. This will stop them from sticking. Handle them gently but thoroughly, making sure each strand is coated.

At this point, you have straight noodles that look good but lack that signature Sapporo curl.

Here’s how to make your noodles wavy. Gently press a portion of noodles in both hands using a massaging motion. Apply pressure from above and below, then let go and break up, repeating this 2-3 times.

The key is controlled pressure. If you’re too aggressive, the noodles will stick together, but if you’re too gentle, they won’t develop the right waves.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and cook the noodles for 1 minute and 30 seconds.

Drain quickly and immediately add to your prepared miso ramen broth.

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Place the ume in a bowl of warm water and gently wash the surface of each plum. Check for bruises and blemishes, the ume should be in top condition before pickling.

Use a bamboo skewer to remove the little stem at the top.

Dry the surface with kitchen paper or a clean tea towel.

Pour some white liquor into a small bowl. Sprinkle the inside of a sealable freezer bag with a small amount of the alcohol.

Roll each ume in the alcohol before placing it in the bag.

Once all of the plums are in the bag, add the salt.

Gently massage the outside of the bag until the salt is evenly distributed.

Tip: If using a jar, make one layer of plums and sprinkle with salt. Alternate ume and salt in layers until both are used up. Make sure to save a good amount of the salt for the top.

Arrange the plums in a single layer and place them in a wide container. Push the air out of the bag and seal tightly.

Tip: If you don’t have a large enough container, split the plums into multiple bags. The single layer is important for even weight distribution.

The container not only helps prevent leaks, but it also keeps the ume in one place, which will also allow the weight to distribute more evenly.

Place another container (or book of the same size) on top and place weights on top. The weights should be double the weight of the plums. In this case, 450g of plums requires 900g weight.

Rest in a cool dry place for 3-7 days and flip the bag over once or twice a day to encourage even pickling.

During this time, the plums will release juices also known as “umesu” (plum vinegar). Once the plums are completely submerged, you can reduce the weight to the same weight as the plums.

Tip: If using a jar instead of a ziplock bag, open it every few days to release accumulated gases.

Wash your red shiso leaves with water and cut off the thick stems.

Place them in a glass bowl, sprinkle half of the salt and massage thoroughly. I strongly recommend wearing gloves to protect your hands from staining.

Once thoroughly covered, squeeze the liquid out. Discard the foamy and murky purple astringent water.

Add the other half of the salt and repeat. This time, the water should be clearer and more vibrant.

After squeezing the water out, the perilla leaves will be stuck together. Place them in a small bowl and add some ume vinegar from the bag of plums. Gently mix to help loosen up the leaves.

Scatter the leaves inside the bag of ume. The more you spread them, the more even the color. Once all of the leaves are in the bag, add the ume vinegar (which will now be dyed red/purple) back in.

Push the air out of the bag and seal it tightly. Place the bag back in your container and cover with the second container and weights equal to the weight of the ume. Store in a cool dark place for 1-4 weeks and flip the bag occasionally to ensure all the ume are coated in the liquid – this will ensure even coloring and prevent mold from growing.

The plums need at least 1 week to change color. After that, you will need to wait until the weather is forecast to be sunny for 3 consecutive days.

Remove the ume and perilla leaves from the bag and arrange them on a large tray or net. Make sure to keep the accumulated ume vinegar for later use.

I like to cover them with a laundry net to protect them from bugs and animals.

Place them in a sunny, well-ventilated place from morning until mid-afternoon. Turn them over halfway through the day and bring them back inside before sun-down.

You can leave them on the tray ready for the next day, or place them back in the vinegar to intensify the color. Repeat the drying process for 3 sunny days.

The leaves will be fully dried after one day, and you can use them to make yukari-style rice ball seasoning. Simply grind them up either using a mortar and pestle or a mini food processor.

Once the ume have finished drying, it is time to store.

For plump, juicy, and intensely sour umeboshi with vibrant color, place them back into the plum vinegar.

Alternatively, for milder umeboshi with a lighter color, dip them in the vinegar and place them in a dry sterilized jar with an airtight lid. In the picture below, I’ve halved my plums so I can have both types, both are delicious!

You can transfer the vinegar to another container and use it for other recipes.

Although they are safe to eat at this point, it is recommended to wait 3-4 months for the saltiness to mellow out a little. The flavor improves over time, so patience is key!

Enjoy!

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Start by washing the yuzu gently with warm water. Since we will be using the peel, the surface must be clean. Pat them dry with kitchen paper and remove the stems at the top. Removing the stems will make it easier to grate them.

Using a fine grater or microplane grater, grate the surface of the yuzu into a wide container. Be careful only to grate the green skin and not the white pith underneath.

If you’re making a large batch, you might find it easier to peel the skin with a peeler (or small knife) and blitz it in a food processor.

The yuzu left over can be squeezed into juice and used in general cooking or to make other condiments such as ponzu.

Since this is a fermented chili paste, you will need to weigh the ingredients as you go to calculate the chili and salt percentage. I got 19g of yuzu peel from about 8 small yuzu.

Yuzu Kosho is typically made with a 50/50 yuzu peel to chili pepper ratio and 20% salt percentage.

Although I kept the ratio the same for the process pictures., I personally like it a little milder, so I reduced my chili to 3:2 ratio (in other words 60% yuzu, 40% chili), but it’s down to personal preference so feel free to adjust to suit your taste!

Wash the chili peppers, slice them through the center lengthways and scrape out the seeds.

Weigh the chili peppers as you go until you reach a weight equal to the yuzu peel (or a little less if want a milder version). Make a note of the weight.

Then finely dice them with a sharp knife.

Before grinding, we’ll need to get a bit mathematical. Calculate how much salt you will need by adding the weight of the yuzu peel and chili peppers together, then multiply the total by 0.2. In this case, 19+19= 38 and 38×0.2= 7.6 so I would need 7.6g of salt.

Unfortunately, my scales don’t do decimals so I had to add a little extra and hope that it’s close enough.

Add everything to a mortar (or food processor).

Grind the mixture until there are no large chunks of chili left.

If you feel the mixture is a little dry, add some juice from the leftover peeled yuzu from earlier. Just be careful not to add too much, the mixture shouldn’t be liquidy.

Transfer to a sterilized glass jar and store in the refrigerator.

Although it is safe to eat right away, the chili’s heat will be intense and the flavor won’t be developed yet. I recommend waiting 5-10 days before consuming, Yuzu Kosho gets better over time.

Enjoy!

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If starting with fresh leaves, place them in a bowl and cut off the thick stems.

If using momi shiso or leftover leaves from umeboshi, skip to step 3.

Wash them, shake them dry and place them in a glass bowl. Using glass will prevent staining your kitchen wares. Also, wear gloves otherwise you will end the process with purple hands!

For 100g of leaves, I use 1 tbsp of salt which should be roughly 18% of the leaves’ weight. Add half of the salt and massage thoroughly, then squeeze to release the astringent water and discard.

Add the other half of the salt and repeat. Discard the water again.

Place the leaves in a sealable freezer bag and add the red ume vinegar.

I recommend waiting at least 1 day before moving on to the next step, this will allow the vinegar to flavor the leaves.

You can store them in the bag for several months since the salt and vinegar will preserve them. For short-term storage, a cool place is sufficient but if you don’t plan to use them soon then I recommend refrigeration just to be safe.

When you’re ready to dry your leaves, remove them from the bag and place them on kitchen paper. Make sure there is something underneath the kitchen paper that won’t stain (glass chopping board or black chopping board etc).

Dab the top with kitchen paper too. This step will help them dry faster.

Use a net or a Japanese-style woven bamboo tray and lay out as many leaves as will fit.

Place them in a bright sunny place for several hours until dry and crispy.

If the weather is not on your side, you can use this microwave shortcut (although you will need to carry out the process in batches).

Place kitchen paper on a microwave-safe plate and spread out as many leaves as will fit. Avoid overlapping as this will slow down the drying process.

Microwave for 2 minutes at 600W, then flip the leaves over.

Continue to microwave in 20-second intervals until fully dried and crispy. If there are soft areas, they will become like a paste rather than a powder when ground.

Suribachi Method (Recommended for small batches): Place the leaves in a mortar and grind by moving the pestle in a circular motion.

Continue until the powder is fine with no large clumps.

Use a clean unused paintbrush (or Japanese yakumiyose) to brush the powder out of the grooves and into an airtight storage container.

Food processor method (For larger batches): Place the leaves inside the food processor and blitz until fine.

This homemade yukari-style red shiso rice seasoning is great for making rice balls, sprinkling over hot rice and flavoring a variety of dishes from noodles and pasta to salads.

I generally use about 1 tsp of seasoning per 100g rice ball.

Enjoy!

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Start by boiling the fish filets in water for 3-5 minutes. The duration depends on the thickness of the fish, but it should be cooked through to make it easier to break.

Tip: If you can’t use sake in the later step, then add a small piece of ginger to the water at this point to help soften the fish odors.

Drain the water and pour the fish into a fine mesh sieve. Place the sieve in a bowl and fill it with cold water. This will stop the cooking process and the sieve will save any flakes that have started breaking off already.

Gently rub the surface to clean it, then drain the water and pat the filets dry with kitchen paper and squeeze out any leftover moisture.

Rub the flesh between your fingers to make fine flakes. If you want to protect your hands from odors, wear food-safe gloves.

If you want your sakura denbu to be perfectly pink, remove any brown parts at this point too.

Mix the sugar, salt, sake and food coloring to a small bowl and mix until dissolved. If you can’t use sake, substitute for water to keep the same consistency.

Place the cod flakes in a cold non-stick frying pan and add the pink liquid from the previous step. Mix well and heat on low.

Note: We don’t use any oil as we don’t want to brown the fish flakes.

Stir the mixture continuously to prevent burning or sticking. I recommend a silicone spatula to help scrape the bottom of the pan.

Spread the flakes out into a thin layer, then scoop back into the middle and repeat. This method will help the flakes dry out quickly and evenly.

Once the flakes are dry, remove the pan from the heat.

Cool for 5-10 minutes before using or storing.

Enjoy it in your favorite sushi, or use it to decorate rice bowls or bento boxes!

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Break a medium egg into a bowl and add salt. Give it a good whisk until it’s all combined.

If you want a smoother texture, just strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into another bowl.

This step gets rid of any chalazae (the thick strands attached to the yolk) and makes the consistency more even.

Heat a small non-stick frying pan over low to medium-low heat. Coat the pan lightly with cooking oil using a paper towel, making sure to cover it evenly and remove any excess. This thin layer of oil prevents sticking without making the crêpe greasy.

Next, pour the strained egg mixture into the pan, swirling to create a thin, even layer covering the bottom. If you’re using a small pan, you might need to cook the egg in batches to avoid the crepe becoming too thick.

Cook until the egg is about 80% set, which should take about 2-3 minutes.

The surface should remain slightly soft. Just be careful not to brown the underside, as this can affect the final appearance and texture.

Take the pan off the heat and carefully transfer the egg crepe to a cutting board. Gently roll the crepe into a tight cylinder, starting from one end. Use a sharp knife to slice the rolled crepe crosswise into thin strips, about 1.5mm (1/16 inch) thick.

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Start by filling a bowl with cold water and adding a pinch of salt.

Wash your eggplant, cut off the ends and slice it in half (or quarters if particularly large) lengthways. Cut into slices, about 3mm thick.

As you cut, place the slices in the bowl of water to help prevent and discoloring.

Soak in the bowl for 20 minutes, this will improve the flavor of the eggplant and remove any bitterness.

Since making sushi ginger (gari) and red pickled ginger (benishoga), I’ve become a big fan of blanching the ginger before pickling it. It mellows out the spiciness and gives it a really pleasant flavor.

Start boiling a small pot of water.

While you wait, scrap off the skin of the ginger root using a spoon, this will help you get into the crevices. Then slice it as thin as you can and drop it into the boiling water.

Drain the water and rinse the ginger slices under cold water to cool them down.

Once the ginger is cool enough to touch, cut the slices into matchsticks. Thinly slice the myoga and perilla leaves.

Since all of these ingredients have strong flavors, they should be cut smaller to help evenly distribute them throughout the rest of the pickles.

Wash the cucumber, cut off the ends and scoop out the seeds in the middle.

Slice 3mm thick (the same as the eggplant).

Drain the eggplants and place them in a large dry bowl with the rest of the vegetables. Sprinkle them with salt.

Massage the salt until all the vegetables are evenly covered.

Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the vegetables.

Then cover with a plate and a heavy object that weighs about double the weight of the vegetables. I used a 1kg bag of salt.

Rest in the refrigerator overnight.

The next day, remove the bowl from the refrigerator and squeeze the vegetables as hard as you can to remove the excess moisture.

Discard the liquid and place the vegetables in a sealable freezer bag.

Add the sugar and red ume vinegar to the bag and massage until evenly covered.

If using red perilla leaves, make sure to scrub them with salt and wash them before placing them in the bag.

Push the air out of the bag and seal it. Place flat down in a wide container to keep the ingredients submerged and prevent leaks.

Rest in the refrigerator for 2-3 days.

Squeeze the pickles and discard the leftover pickling liquid. Transfer the shibazuke to a clean, airtight container and enjoy!

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Measure the cold water into a jug and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes. Place the sparkling water in the fridge to chill alongside it.

Combine the cornstarch and cake flour in a bowl, then freeze for 20-30 minutes.

While waiting, wash, cut, and thoroughly dry your chosen vegetables with paper towels.

In a small bowl, mix salt with matcha powder for the matcha salt.

After 30 minutes, preheat your frying oil to 170℃-180℃ (340°F-355°F).

In a large bowl, combine the chilled water and sparkling water with ice cubes, and add the rice vinegar.

Sift the chilled flour mixture and baking powder into the water in three additions.

Gently mix with chopsticks, drawing crosses through the batter.

Stop when just combined; a few lumps are fine. Overmixing can lead to a heavy, chewy texture.

Test the oil temperature by dropping a small amount of batter into it. If it sizzles and floats, the oil is ready. Pat the vegetables dry once more, then lightly dust with flour, tapping off any excess.

This thin layer helps the batter adhere better to the vegetables.

Dip each floured vegetable into the batter, ensuring even coverage. Carefully place it into the hot oil, avoiding overcrowding.

Fry until crispy but not golden brown.

Remove the fried vegetables with a slotted spoon or spider skimmer. Place them on a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain excess oil.

Serve immediately with the matcha salt for dipping.

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