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+COOKING CLASSES for JAPANESE MONTHLY EVENTS 2025+
- 2023.4.4
- Lesson Booking, Lesson Info
Just as you have events and holidays unique to your home country, we have many seasonal events throughout the year, which are strongly associated wit…
+SAKURA GOHAN 桜ご飯/ cherry blossom rice+
- 2022.3.18
- Recipes
I once had a very close friend. I say "once" because she does not live in our world anymore. We had met through pottery making and she was close to…

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wasabi.plus.japan

𓎩a Japanese home-cooking freak
𓎩a Japanese tradition freak
𓎩a homemade-with-a-twist freak
𓎩a fermented food freak
𓎩and a kōji freak
You a freak too?😆

日本語は下に↓ ❀STRAWBERRY SHIO KOJI –

日本語は下に↓
❀STRAWBERRY SHIO KOJI – A Sweet & Savory Surprise !

Because the strawberries I got weren’t so great, I decided to try making some shio koji with them. I thought I’d seen it all with my koji collection (refer to previous post) —chicken soup koji, dashi UMAMI koji, garlic koji… But this? This is next level.

The sweet-tart brightness of strawberries combined with the umami depth of shio koji creates pure magic. Sweet, salty, rich, and unexpectedly delicious. One taste, and it completely exceeded my expectations!

Perfect for dressings, grilled meats, fried fish, sauces, or even a refreshing seafood carpaccio. The possibilities are endless.
Got any other ideas? Let me know!!

𓆸𓂃How to Make : Strawberry Shio Koji
᛭ Strawberries – 150g (diced or sliced)
᛭ Koji – 75g
᛭ Salt – 25g
᛭ Water – Start with 60ml, then add 15ml if too thick

Mix everything together and let it ferment at room temperature for about 10 days to 2 weeks. (Give or take a few depending on your room temperature) Stir once daily using sanitized utensils.
If you have a yogurt maker like me; 6 hrs at 60 degrees Celsius.

The result? A mind-blowing balance of sweetness, saltiness, and deep umami!!

Definitely is a must-try so save and try, and tag me if you ever do or share with someone who might be interested!

❀イチゴ塩麹 – 甘じょっぱ旨味爆発！

買って来たイチゴがあまり甘くなかったので塩麹にしてみました！
鶏ガラ麹、出汁麹、にんにく麹…いろいろ作ってきたけど（以前の投稿参照）、これは想像以上の美味しさ！

イチゴのフルーティーな爽やかさと、塩麹の甘みとコクが奇跡の旨味に✨

ドレッシング、グリルしたお肉、お魚のフライ、ソース、白身魚のカルパッチョ… 何にでも合いそう！

他にも良いアイデアあったら教えてね♪

𓆸𓂃作り方：イチゴ塩麹
᛭ イチゴ – 150g（ダイスカット or スライス）
᛭ 麹 – 75g
᛭ 塩 – 25g
᛭ 水 – 60ml（もったりしてたら+15mlで75ml）

全部混ぜて室温で10日から2週間程発酵させるだけ！(室温によって前後します）
消毒したスプーンなどで一日一回かき混ぜる。
ヨーグルトメーカーを使う場合：60℃で6時間前後。

シンプルだけど、味は革命的！なのでセーブして絶対に作ってみて（作ったらタグ付けしてね）！！！
このレシピに興味ありそうなお友達にも是非シェアを♬

❀ ROLLED HAKUSAI (Chinese Cabbage)– A Twist on

❀ ROLLED HAKUSAI (Chinese Cabbage)– A Twist on Classic Stuffed Cabbage!

Spring cabbage is in season, but HAKUSAI (Chinese cabbage) is still delicious. This time, I used mini HAKUSAI instead of cabbage to make these tender, juicy rolls.

The secret? A light yet flavorful UMAMI broth that brings out the natural sweetness of the ingredients.

They turned out just as yummy as classic stuffed cabbages, and I loved them, but were somewhat too mild for the kids. And so if you want a richer taste, a drizzle of sesame oil or a hint of garlic does the trick! So here’s how to prepare.

𓆸𓂃How to prepare:
- 8 leaves HAKUSAI (Chinese cabbage)
- 200g Ground chicken
- A pinch of salt & pepper
- 1/2 Carrot

<For the Broth>
- 300 ml Dashi broth
- 1 TBSP Mirin
- 1 TBSP Sake
- 1 TBSP Soy sauce
- Salt to taste

1. Separate HAKUSAI leaves and blanch them (or steam) until soft. Let them cool.
2. Mince the carrot.
3. In a bowl, mix ground chicken, carrot, salt, and pepper until sticky. Divide into 8 portions and shape into balls.
4. Wrap each portion with a HAKUSAI leaf, forming a roll.
5. In a pot, combine dashi, mirin, sake, soy sauce, and salt. Arrange the rolls tightly in the pot (to keep it in shape)
6. Cover with parchment paper as a drop lid. Simmer for 20-30 minutes, gently flipping once halfway.
7. Serve with broth and enjoy!

Would you try this?
Which do you like better: classic stuffed rolled cabbage or this??
Let me know in the comments!

❀ 和風ロール白菜 – 定番ロールキャベツのアレンジ！

春キャベツの季節ですが、小さめの白菜が手に入ったので、今回は白菜でロールキャベツを作ってみました。
だしの旨みが染み込んで、優しい味わいがとても美味しくて、私は好きだったけど子供たちにはさっぱりしすぎた様子。
なので少しコクを足したい時は、ごま油を垂らしたり、ニンニクを加えるのもおすすめ！

𓆸𓂃作り方：
- 白菜：8枚
- 鶏ひき肉：200g
- 塩コショウ：少々
- 人参：1/2本（みじん切り）

＜A＞
- だし：300ml
- みりん：大さじ1
- 酒：大さじ1
- 醤油：大さじ1
- 塩：適量

1. 白菜を剥がし、サッとゆでて冷ます。
2. 人参をみじん切りにする。
3. ボウルに鶏ひき肉、人参、塩コショウを入れて粘りが出るまで混ぜる。8等分に丸める。
4. 白菜で肉だねを包む。
5. 鍋に＜A＞を入れ、ロール白菜を隙間なく並べる。（煮崩れを防ぐ為）
6. 落し蓋（キッチンペーパー可）をして、20～30分煮込む。途中で一度上下を静かに返す。
7. スープごと器に盛り付けて召し上がれ！

作ってみたい？
定番ロールキャベツとこのレシピ、どっちの方がお好みですか？？
コメントで教えてね♪

❀TERIYAKI TARO POTATOES – crispy, caramelized,

❀TERIYAKI TARO POTATOES – crispy, caramelized, and packed with flavor.

I never thought teriyaki was my thing… until I made it myself. Now I’m hooked. This time, I used steamed taro potatoes I found in my fridge for a veggie twist.

The key? Pan-frying the starch-coated ingredients before adding the sauce. It locks in all the flavor while adding extra texture.

𓆸𓂃How to make:
᛭ 430g taro potatoes (steamed & peeled)
᛭ bit of garlic (I used garlic koji)
᛭ aonori (nori seaweed flakes) for topping
᛭ sesame oil

<Teriyaki sauce>
᛭ 1 TBSP sugar
᛭ 2 TBSP mirin
᛭ 2 TBSP sake
᛭ 2 TBSP soy sauce

1. Mix all teriyaki sauce ingredients.
2. Coat steamed taro potatoes with starch.
3. Heat sesame oil in a frying pan.
4. Cook taro until the surface gets crispy.
5. Add teriyaki sauce (adjust amount to taste) and stir.
6. Top with aonori and serve.

Try it and let me know—what ingredient do you recommend in teriyaki? Curious to know as a TERIYAKI beginner lol!

❀里芋のテリヤキ – おかずにも、つまみにも♬

今までテリヤキって全く好きではなかったけど、自分で作ったら今更ハマった！なので今回は冷蔵庫にあった蒸し里芋でベジバージョン。

ポイントは、何を照り焼きするにしても、タレを入れる前に片栗粉をまぶして焼くこと。タレの味がしっかり絡んで食感もアップ。
みんなのおすすめテリヤキ、何かある？テリヤキ初心者の私に是非教えて♪

𓆸𓂃作り方:
᛭里芋 430g（蒸して皮をむく）
᛭にんにく少々（私はにんにく麹を使用）
᛭青のり（仕上げに）

<テリヤキのタレ＞:
᛭砂糖大さじ1
᛭みりん大さじ2
᛭酒大さじ2
᛭醤油大さじ2

1. 照り焼きソースの材料を混ぜる
2. 蒸した里芋に片栗粉をまぶす
3. フライパンにごま油を熱する
4. 里芋を表面がカリッとするまで焼く
5. 照り焼きソースを加え、絡める（量は調整してね）
6. 青のりをふりかけて完成

是非作ってみてねーー♪

My first IG live cooking lesson with my daughter a

My first IG live cooking lesson with my daughter and her bestie! Because it was a last minute plan, it was a bit of a chaos but was so much fun! Thank you girls!!
Will do it again♪

初めてのインスタライブお料理教室！
急遽決行したのでバタバタだったけど楽しかった！
娘たち、ありがとうーーー
またやりまぁす♪

So here’s how to make “Green Onion Sesame Oil”.

1. Chop up green onion into desired size. (I like to cut mine into very small pieces but thin rounds would work just as well)
2. Place half of onion in a sanitized container.
3. Add some salt.
4. Place the rest of onion and add some more salt.
5. Drizzle sesame oil until all is submerged in oil.
6. Store in fridge overnight, add some more salt if desired.
7. Serve over grilled meat and fish, grilled veggies, sashimi, TOFU, UDON noodles, GYOZA, of course MOCHI, or any other dishes!
So yummy and so versatile!!

How would you use it? Save and make!

はい、では「ネギ塩油」の作り方。

1. ネギを切る。（私はみじん切りにするけど、輪切りでも）
2. 消毒した容器にネギの半量入れる
3. 塩を入れる
4. 残りのネギを入れて、更にお塩を入れる
5. 全ての材料が浸るまでごま油を注ぐ
6. 冷蔵庫で一晩置き、塩気が足りなければ足す
7. 焼いたお肉、魚、野菜、お刺身、お豆腐、うどん、餃子、もちろんお餅、それ以外にもめちゃくちゃ合う！
美味しくて何にでも使えるよぉーー

何に使ってみる？セーブして作ってみてね♪

Instagram post 18097996786465954

Instagram post 18097996786465954

NANOHANA KOBUJIME (Kelp-Cured Canola Blossom) Spri

NANOHANA KOBUJIME (Kelp-Cured Canola Blossom)
Spring on a plate—wrapped in umami!

Nanohana (canola blossom) is one of those fleeting seasonal gems, and this might be the simplest way to enjoy it.
Honestly, can I even call this a recipe? It’s more like… nature + time + a tiny bit of effort = magic.

How to Make
⓵　Quickly boil fresh nanohana. Drain well.
*I like mine crispy, so I just give it a quick dunk in boiling water! I also make a small cross incision on the stem to help it cook evenly.
Normally, I steam my greens to avoid excess water, but for this dish, blanching is the way to go—it helps rehydrate the kombu and coax out all that beautiful umami.

⓶　Lay out a sheet of kombu—flat and wide ones works best.
*Those shorter, wrinkled kombu sheets used for dashi soup stock work too, but they’re fussier. The flat ones? Worth the extra yen!

⓷　Give the kombu a gentle wipe with a damp kitchen cloth to remove any dust.
*Paper towels work too, but they tend to shed little bits—no thanks!*

⓸　Place the nanohana on the kombu.
*No need for salt—the kombu has got you covered.

⓹　Roll it up snugly and wrap it in cling film.
*You can sandwich the nanohana between two kombu sheets, but I like the rolling method better to save extra sheet. If the kombu feels stiff, let it sit flat for a bit until it softens from the nanohana’s moisture—then roll!

⓺　Let it rest in the fridge for at least 3 hours, but overnight is even better.
*The longer it sits, the more umami it soaks up! It keeps for about a week, but be warned—the longer it stays, the drier, the saltier it can get, and the vibrant green color will start to fade.

⓻　Slice into bite-sized pieces and serve.

⓼　For an extra touch, drizzle with olive oil or add a splash of soy sauce.

Kobujime (kelp-curing) is a traditional Japanese technique that transforms ingredients with minimal effort.
In Toyama Prefecture, kombu-cured sashimi is a local specialty—delicate fish infused with deep, oceanic umami.
With nanohana, you get that same gentle magic… but in a springtime, plant-based way.
So if you love simple, elegant flavors, give this a try!
It’s springtime preservation at its finest.

日本語はコメントに⇩

🌿 Spring on Your Plate: Canola Blossoms (Nanoha

🌿 Spring on Your Plate: Canola Blossoms (Nanohana)🌿

One of the first signs of spring in Japan?
Nanohana (rapeseed/canola blossoms)! 🌱✨ Traditionally enjoyed in the Kanto and Tokai regions, these bright yellow buds bring both beauty and flavor to the table. Their unique bittersweet taste and crunchy texture make them a favorite in spring dishes.

Rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, calcium, magnesium, and iron, nanohana is not only delicious but also highly nutritious! While they’re commonly found in Japanese cuisine—in ohitashi (blanched and seasoned with dashi broth & soy sauce), tempura, miso soup, and simmered dishes—they also pair beautifully with pasta and salads for a modern twist.

🌸 Tips for enjoying nanohana:

- Soak in water for 30 minutes before cooking for extra crispness.
- Choose buds that are tightly closed with no blooming flowers.
- Store them wrapped in a damp paper towel in a plastic bag in the fridge.

Stay tuned for a simple umami-full nanohana recipe coming soon!
What’s your favorite way to enjoy seasonal greens? Let me know in the comments!

🌿 春の訪れを感じる菜の花🌿

春の足音を感じる野菜といえば菜の花！🌱✨ 関東や東海地方でよく食べられる春の伝統食材で、黄色いつぼみがついたまま調理されるため、見た目も華やか。ほろ苦さとシャキシャキ食感が特徴です。

栄養も豊富で、βカロテン、ビタミンC、カルシウム、マグネシウム、鉄分をたっぷり含んでいます！おひたし、天ぷら、煮物、味噌汁などの和食はもちろん、パスタやサラダなどにしても美味しいですよね✨

🌸 美味しくいただくポイント:

- 調理前に30分ほど水に浸けるとシャキッとした食感に！
- つぼみがしっかり閉じていて、花が咲いていないものを選ぶ。
- 湿らせたキッチンペーパーで包み、袋に入れて野菜室で保存すると長持ち！

次回、簡単菜の花レシピも紹介します♪
みなさんのおすすめの食べ方もぜひコメントで教えてね！

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