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!

Begin your tempura by measuring cold water into a pitcher and placing it in the refrigerator for 20-30 minutes. For carbonated water, keep the bottle chilled and unopened until you’re ready to mix your batter.

Take cornstarch and cake flour and sift them together in a medium bowl. This sifting process removes any lumps and incorporates air into the dry ingredients.

Once combined, transfer the mixture to the freezer for 20-30 minutes.

Choosing the right flour is key to getting the perfect tempura texture. Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose or bread flour. Since there’s less protein, gluten isn’t as well-developed, so you end up with a delicate, light coating instead of a chewy, heavy one.

And when you mix it with cornstarch, it reduces the gluten even more while adding a nice, crunchy texture to the final product.

Once your ingredients are chilled, get your frying oil ready. Pour neutral cooking oil with a high smoke point (I always use rice bran oil) into a pot that has a thick bottom. Make sure the oil is at least 2 inches deep. Preheat the oil to 180°C (356°F).

A contactless cooking thermometer gives you a fairly accurate reading, but if you don’t have one, try this traditional method:

• Drop a small amount of batter into the oil.
• If it sinks halfway and then immediately rises to the surface with a gentle sizzle, your oil is at good temperature.
• If it browns too quickly, your oil is too hot.
• If it sinks without bubbling vigorously, it’s too cool.

When you’re ready to cook, combine your chilled water and sparkling water in a cold bowl. Add an egg yolk and whisk gently until just combined.

Add your chilled flour mixture to the liquid in three separate additions, gently folding with chopsticks after each addition. The key is minimal mixing – just enough to combine the ingredients.

Tempura batter begins developing gluten the moment liquid touches flour, even at cold temperatures. The longer it sits, the chewier and denser your tempura becomes.

Place ice cubes in your batter bowl, being careful to position them where they won’t be scooped up with the batter. This maintains the crucial cold temperature throughout the frying process.

Just before frying, prepare your asparagus by snapping or cutting off the woody base (about 1cm or ½ inch from the bottom). For thicker stalks, use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough outer skin from the lower third of the stalk.

If you can, try not to cut the asparagus into pieces. When you cut them, you make openings where moisture can escape during frying, which makes the vegetable less juicy and less aromatic. But if your pot is too small to accommodate the whole like mine, just cut the asparagus in half.

Thoroughly pat the asparagus dry with paper towels. Next, lightly dust each stalk with flour, ensuring even coverage from tip to base. This critical step creates a barrier between the vegetable’s moisture and the batter, allowing the coating to adhere properly without slipping off during frying.

Working with a few stalks at a time, quickly dip each floured asparagus into the batter, allowing excess to drip off for a second. Carefully place them in the hot oil, separated from each other.

Asparagus cooks quickly, so you just need to fry it for about 90 seconds. When you first add the asparagus to the oil, let it cook undisturbed for about 30 to 45 seconds.

You’ll see tiny bubbles forming around it and hear a lively sizzling sound. This is the perfect rate of water evaporating. Then, gently roll each piece using chopsticks or cooking tongs for the remaining time to make sure they cook evenly.

The batter should be a light golden-brown, and the asparagus should stay vibrant green.

Once cooked, immediately transfer to a wire rack positioned over a container. This allows excess oil to drain while maintaining the coating’s crispness. Serve immediately for the best texture and flavor.

For the best experience, I recommend serving asparagus tempura with high-quality sea salt to enhance its natural sweetness.

Alternatively, prepare a classic tempura dipping sauce.

Asparagus tempura also makes an excellent addition to tempura soba or tendon.

Begin by tearing the lettuce into bite-sized pieces.

Then give them a quick cold water bath.

You can use virtually any type of lettuce for this recipe, but I personally used iceberg lettuce for its satisfying crunch.

While your lettuce is soaking, let’s get that addictive sauce going. In a large mixing bowl, combine all your sauce ingredients.

The bowl should be spacious enough to accommodate the lettuce for tossing later, so don’t be shy about sizing up here.

Here’s where attention to detail really matters. Drain your soaked lettuce and get ready for the most critical step – thorough drying. A salad spinner is your best friend here, but a thorough shake in a colander and some paper towels work just fine too.

Remember, any lingering water will dilute that sauce we just made, and we definitely don’t want that.

Now for the fun part. Take your dried lettuce and add it to that flavorful sauce waiting in the bowl. Get in there with your hands and give everything a good massage.

For serving, arrange your dressed lettuce on plates and top with hand-torn nori.

I used Japanese nori, but Korean seaweed can add an extra dimension to the dish if you’re looking to bring up the level of addictiveness.

Heat up a frying pan on medium-low and add a bit of oil. Place the bacon strips in the pan and cook until crispy on both sides, which should take about 8-10 minutes.

While you’re doing that, you can start working on the rest of the dish.

Cut the cabbage into large pieces and rinse them under cold water.

Then pick your preferred steaming method:

• Microwave Method: Put the cabbage in a microwave-safe bowl with 1-2 tablespoons of water. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and microwave at 500W for 3 minutes.
• Steaming Method: Bring water to a boil in the bottom of a steamer. Place the cabbage in the steamer basket and steam with a lid for 3 minutes.

Combine all the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.

For now, there’s no need to mix them because you’ll incorporate them when you coat the cabbage. Having them ready in one bowl makes the process go more smoothly.

Take the crispy bacon out of the pan.

Mix the bonito flakes, crispy fried onions, crushed roasted almonds, and sesame seeds in a small bowl or plate.

Add the crumbled crispy bacon and gently crush the mixture with your hands to make a cohesive topping.

Then, put the steamed cabbage in the bowl with the sauce ingredients.

Use your hands to mix it all together, making sure the cabbage is evenly coated.

Arrange the seasoned cabbage on a plate or a bowl and generously sprinkle it with the prepared furikake topping.

Serve it right away while the cabbage is still warm and the toppings are crispy.

Bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once it’s boiling, carefully lower the eggs into the water using a slotted spoon and cook for 10-12 minutes, depending on how firm you like them. For traditional tamago sando, 10 minutes is perfect-firm enough to hold its shape but the yolks are still creamy when mashed.

After the eggs have boiled for 10 minutes, transfer them to a bowl of cold water. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before peeling.

After cooling, gently tap the eggs all over on a hard surface to create microcracks, then peel them under a light stream of cold water. The water helps separate the shell from the egg white. Pat the peeled eggs dry with kitchen paper to remove excess moisture – this seemingly small step is crucial as excess water would make your filling watery instead of creamy.

Place the boiled eggs in a bowl and add a pinch of salt and pepper.

Instead of roughly chopping, use a gentle mashing technique with a flat spatula. The goal is to create small, uniform pieces of egg white while allowing the yolks to become creamy.

Once the egg whites are finely mashed, fold in the Japanese mayonnaise and honey with a gentle lifting motion. Continue mixing for a full 2-3 minutes – this seemingly excessive mixing time is what creates that sticky, cohesive texture that holds together perfectly in the sandwich.

Keep mixing until the mixture becomes sticky and well combined. Once done, make sure to keep the mixture in your fridge until just before you use.

Japanese tamago sando typically uses shokupan-Japanese milk bread that’s lighter, fluffier, and slightly sweeter than standard white bread. If you can’t find shokupan, look for thick-cut white bread with a soft texture and fine crumb.

For the traditional convenience store look, trim the crusts from your bread slices. While optional, this creates the iconic clean edges and soft bite of authentic tamago sando.

A little note: I cut off the crusts for the photo, but leaving the crusts on is totally fine. If you remove the crusts, you can blend them to make homemade panko breadcrumbs.

Apply a thin, even layer of butter on one slice of bread.

On the other slice, spread a bit of karashi (Japanese mustard). It adds a subtle heat that goes well with the richness of the egg and mayo.

Spread your egg mixture evenly onto the buttered slice, creating a slightly mounded center that’ll look nice when you cut it.

Place the mustard-spread slice on top and gently press down to secure the sandwich. Don’t press too firmly, as this could squeeze out the filling or compress the bread too much.

Tamago sando contains a wet filling that can make it difficult to get a clean cut. Here are a few tips to help improve presentation:

• Chill the filling: If you have time, chill the filling for a little while to make it more stable.
• Wrap and chill the whole sandwich: Again, if time permits, you can chill the assembled sandwich for 20 minutes to stabilize the filling and make it easier to cut. If you use this method, make sure to wrap it with plastic wrap to stop the bread from drying out.
• Use a serrated bread knife: This will allow you to cut the sandwich in a sawing motion so that you don’t squash the bread and push the filling out.
• Wipe the knife between each cut: Wipe away any filling on the blade of the knife before you make each cut, this will ensure clean cuts every time!

Measure out the rice and pour it into a sieve placed over a bowl. Fill it with water and gently rub the rice to wash it. Once the water becomes cloudy, drain the water and repeat three times in total.

Fill the bowl again and leave the rice to soak for 30 minutes. (If you live in a cold climate or it’s winter, soak for 1 hour.)

Drain the water and let the rice dry in the sieve for 5 minutes. Keep an empty bowl underneath to catch any dripping water.

Using a rice cooker is the most convenient and foolproof way to cook mochi rice by simply using the regular setting. Alternatively, cook the rice in a pot on the stove using the instructions below.

Transfer the rice to the pot and add 115ml water for every 100g of mochi rice. In my recipe that makes eight ohagi, I use 150g of mochi rice and between 170-175ml of water.

Shake the pot to level the rice and place a lid on top. Bring to a boil over medium heat, and once it starts to boil, set a timer for 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, adjust the heat for the following times:

• medium-low – 2 minutes
• low – 5 minutes
• high – 10 seconds
• Turn off the heat (do not remove the lid!)

Leave the pot on the warm stove and allow the rice to finish cooking in the residual steam for 15 minutes. This step is vital to ensure the rice is fully cooked and it is essential that you do not remove the lid.

While you wait for the rice to steam, shape the anko into balls. The amount of anko used depends on whether you want to wrap the rice or use the anko as a filling. In my recipe, I make four ohagi with the anko on the outside and four kinako (roasted soybean powder) ohagi with anko in the center using 50g and 30g balls respectively.

Once rolled, cover and store in the fridge until it’s time to assemble.

Once the rice has finished steaming, mix it and add sugar and salt. Mix thoroughly to distribute evenly and crush the rice with the rice paddle as you go. It should be about half crushed.

Transfer the rice to a wide container to help it cool faster and cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to stop it from drying out. Once it’s cool to the touch, it’s ready to be shaped.

Again, the amount of rice used depends on whether they are wrapped or stuffed with anko. For wrapped, make 30-35g balls and for stuffed, make 50g balls.

Take a 50g ball of anko and press it into a flat circle. You can lightly dampen your hands to stop it from sticking or use a piece of plastic wrap. You can reuse the wrap for each one to reduce waste.

Place the 30g ball of rice in the center and then wrap it up.

You can perfect the shape while it’s still in the plastic wrap and then transfer it to a plate or container. I like using cupcake cases to avoid over handling them.

Take a 50g ball of cooked mochigome and press it into a flat circle. The bigger it is, the easier it is to wrap the anko. Like shaping the anko in the previous step, you can use your hands and lightly sprinkle some water on your palms to stop it from sticking. However, mochi rice is extremely sticky, and plastic wrap works much better for this. Once flattened, place a 30g ball of anko in the center.

Wrap the rice around the anko until sealed.

Mix kinako, sugar and salt in a bowl and then roll the ohagi until fully coated.

I recommend shaping them all first and coating right before serving for the best presentation.

Enjoy your homemade ohagi or store it using the tips below!

Cook short-grain Japanese white rice using your preferred method. Once cooked, transfer to a wide container and make sushi vinegar by mixing salt, sugar and rice vinegar in a small bowl. Pour the homemade sushi vinegar over the rice while still hot and mix thoroughly but gently enough not to crush the grains. For a more detailed guide to making sushi rice, check out my ultimate sushi rice recipe here.

Cover with a damp tea towel and leave to cool slightly while you prepare the other ingredients.

If using any cooked toppings, prepare them in advance and leave them to cool before assembling the sushi.

If you buy sashimi grade fish in a block, you will need to thinly slice it. Refer to my tuna, yellowtail and salmon sashimi articles for detailed guides on how to cut.

Prepare your vegetables with decoration in mind. Raw vegetables that don’t need cooking are most often used for temarisushi. I recommend using a peeler or mandoline slicer to ensure they’re thin and flexible enough to wrap around the sushi rice.

Soak sliced cucumber in lightly salted water to improve the taste and stop them from drying out.

I only used cucumber, but other popular options include red radishes, red daikon and pickled ginger.

If you would like to make kinshi tamago (Japanese egg crepe) for an additional topping, refer to my hiyashi chuka recipe for step-by-step instructions.

Once you’ve finished preparing the toppings, you are ready to assemble!

Divide the rice into portions of 25-30g, which is equal to about 2 tbsp of rice. Consider the size of your ingredients; if they’re on the thicker side, aim for the lower end to prevent the Temarizushi from becoming too big (they should be bitesize). Lightly wet your hands with cold water and roll into a rough ball.

Place your ingredients of choice on a piece of plastic wrap. The side you want to show on top should be facing down.

Place the ball of rice in the center.

Shape into a ball with the plastic wrap and twist the ends to tighten. This will press the topping against the rice and secure it.

Once secured, unwrap and place it on a serving plate. Repeat these steps, reusing the plastic wrap as you go to prevent waste.

Experiment with different cuts and ingredient combinations to create a beautiful and unique display.

I experimented with different cuts of cucumber.

Add your choice of decorative toppings and serve with soy sauce and wasabi (optional).

Enjoy!

Start by washing the strawberries, drying them thoroughly, and cutting off the stems at the top. Each sandwich will have 5 strawberries, so try to pick 5 with a similar shape and size for the best presentation.

Measure the mascarpone cheese into a mixing bowl and add a few drops of vanilla essence. Whisk until smooth. This will be easier to do if you take the mascarpone out of the fridge in advance (I recommend about 20 minutes) to let it soften to room temperature.

On the other hand, the heavy cream should be kept chilled and used straight from the fridge for successful whipping.

Pour the cream into a bowl and whip it with the light brown sugar until stiff peaks form. Be careful to check the thickness regularly to avoid over whipping, over-whipped cream will become grainy and start to separate.

Stiff peaks will point upwards without drooping over.

Transfer the whipped cream to the bowl of mascarpone and mix gently with a spatula to combine.

Take your bread slices and remove the crusts.

Coat one piece of the bread with a generous layer of cream and lay the strawberries on top.

The most common presentation for ichigo sando is diagonally halved to create triangular sandwiches with the strawberries pointing in the same direction. Place 3 strawberries diagonally across the bread, then fill the empty corners with the 2 leftover strawberries.

Spread a layer of cream on the other slice while making sure to leave some leftover cream to fill in the gaps between the strawberries.

Place the other piece of bread on top and gently press the edges to seal it. (Be careful not to press the centre and damage the strawberries.)

Wrap the sandwich with plastic wrap and use a marker pen to draw a guideline following the row of strawberries. You can follow the guideline when you cut the sandwich later.

For best results, store in the fridge for 3-4 hours before eating.

Finally, cut the sandwich by following the line you drew earlier. Make sure to use a sharp knife and cut through while it’s still wrapped in the plastic wrap. This will stop the bread from sliding around, resulting in a perfect cut!

Serve and Enjoy!

For beautiful mini triangle sandwiches, place one strawberry in the center with the point facing up and then arrange the other 4 strawberries so that the points are directed towards each corner of the bread.

Spread a layer of cream on the other slice and fill in all the gaps with the leftover cream as you would normally.

Place the other slice of bread on top and gently press the edges down to seal the sandwich. Don’t press the middle, the centre should be the tallest point, almost like a mountain.

Wrap with plastic and mark with a cross, then store in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours.

Cut along the mark so that you have 4 equal triangle sandwiches.

This type of cut is perfect for making smaller portions if you find halves too big, it’s also great for sharing and parties!

For this one, I used an extra strawberry and made two rows of 3 going in opposite directions. Each row should be placed a third of the width away from the edge.

Fill in the gaps between the strawberries with cream as you usually would.

Wrap with plastic wrap and draw lines to mark where each row of strawberries is. Store in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Use the lines marked on the plastic wrap as a guide for cutting.

Serve and enjoy!

Trim the stems and cut triangles at the top center of 3 of the strawberries.

Lay the heart-shaped strawberries on their sides diagonally across the cream-coated bread. (If you want to make a clearer division between each heart, place some cream in the triangle cut.)

Fill the empty spaces with one strawberry on each side. The tips of each strawberry should be pointing toward the corners of the bread.

Spread a generous layer of cream over the other slice and then fill in the gaps between the strawberries with the leftovers.

Complete the sandwich by placing one slice of bread over the other and gently press the edges to seal. Wrap it in plastic wrap and draw a guide line in the direction of the heart-shaped strawberries using a marker pen. Store in the fridge for 3-4 hours.

Once it’s time to serve, use a sharp knife to cut along the guideline with the plastic wrap still on.

Enjoy!

i. Whisk the shio-lemon stir-fry sauce in a small bowl until smooth. Pre-mixing prevents scrambling mid-cook and helps the sauce cling evenly so you can stir-fry fast.

i. Set a wok over medium heat, add a thin film of neutral oil, then stir in dried baby shrimp and the white parts of Japanese leek. Stir-fry 45-60 seconds until the shrimp smell toasty. If anything scorches, reduce the heat slightly.

ii. Raise the heat to medium-high and add the shrimp and asparagus, season lightly and stir-fry until the shrimp turn pink and opaque, 2-3 minutes.

iii. Look for shrimp that curl into a loose “C” and feel springy. If your burner runs hot, pull the pan off heat for a few seconds to keep the shrimp juicy.

iv. Toss in the cabbage and bean sprouts and stir-fry 60-90 seconds until they’re bright and crisp-tender. Keep the food moving and avoid piling ingredients too high, which traps steam and softens texture.

i. Push everything to one side. Add the udon to the empty space with a spoonful of water; let them steam 30-60 seconds, then separate gently with tongs or chopsticks to loosen strands without tearing.

ii. Drizzle the sauce around the edge of the wok so it hits the hot metal first, then toss everything for 1-2 minutes until the noodles look glossy and evenly coated.

i. Turn off the heat, plate the noodles, and shower with chopped green onions, a drizzle of toasted sesame oil, and some ground black pepper.

ii. Serve right away while the noodles are glossy and the vegetables still snap.

i. Bring water to a rolling boil and set a large bowl of ice water nearby. Stir in salt and keep the lid off and return the water to a vigorous boil. This lightly seasons the greens and helps them stay snappy.

ii. Shake off excess water, then lower the spinach into the pot so that the stems are submerged (Stems are denser and need a head start for even doneness) while leaves stay above the surface. Boil 30 seconds. If the boil weakens, wait for it to rebound before starting the clock.

iii. Press the leaves under to fully submerge and cook 15-30 seconds more, just until they wilt and spring back when lifted. Total blanch time is about 45-60 seconds depending on bunch size.

i. Transfer the spinach straight into an ice bath and stir until cool to the core, 1-2 minutes. The rapid chill stops carryover cooking and helps lock in crisp-tender texture and a fresh green color.

ii. Lift the spinach out, then gently but firmly squeeze in your hands until it no longer drips. You want dry, springy bundles, not mashed greens. Align and cut into 3-4 cm lengths so stems and leaves mix evenly.

i. In a medium bowl, stir together salt, Japanese soy sauce, ground toasted sesame, sugar, toasted whole sesame, and dashi granules.

i. Add the well-squeezed spinach to the bowl and toss until every leaf is glossy and evenly coated. Taste and adjust, add a splash of soy for savoriness or a pinch of sugar if your bunch skews bitter.

ii. Serve at room temperature or lightly chilled.