This Japanese rice bowl recipe with aubergine, shiitake and quick-pickled cabbage Donburi is a popular everyday comfort bowl in Japan and one of the most common lunch dishes. It’s usually based on rice and...
This wonderful collection of seven spices adds an interesting dimension to the taste of a dish and also adds a nutritional explosion, with each spice boasting different health benefits. In summary, this seven spice...
This noodle soup recipe is a real gem, a deliciously healthy ramen dish. Ramen noodles are the Andy Warhol of food these days! The real flavour punch comes from the tare – a spice...
I previously wrote an article on TheTaste.ie “don’t diet change your lifestyle – 7 Japanese secrets”. In the article I wrote that I believe dieting is a short term solution and having a healthy...
This one-pot chicken recipe is a dish from my home town Fukuoka – chicken pieces and vegetables stewed in a milky stock, and eaten with dipping sauce such as ponzu. Mizutaki is served during...
Chestnuts are strictly seasonal and we eat chestnuts from Autumn to after new year’s day in Japan. They are very versatile, can be used both in savory and sweet dishes and are also loaded...
Soba noodles are noodles made of buckwheat flour and prepared in various hot and cold dishes. Soba dishes are very popular and easily available nationwide. As 100% buckwheat soba noodles tend to be brittle,...
Hiryuzu translates literally to “flying dragon head” in Japanese. The name refers to how the Hijiki-seaweed infused in the dish resembles dragons in flight. This Hiryuzu recipe is a great example of Shojin-Ryori, a...
This is sushi recipe one of the most basic types and takes little time to prepare. If you’re a novice to sushi making I’d recommend you start with this cone-shaped roll, as it will help...
Gyoza originated in China and is a popular side dish in ramen shops and tapas-style restaurants called ‘izakaya’. It is served with a dipping sauce made of equal amounts of soy sauce and rice...
This Tonkotsu Ramen recipe is one of the most famous dishes from my home town Fukuoka in Japan, and now one of the most well known ramen dishes in the world. In Fukuoka we...
Sheep are a big part of Irish culture and heritage. As a nation, we’re very proud of our lamb meat and it’s exported all over the world. I was brought up on a sheep...
I remember collecting buckets of persimmon fruit (also called sharon fruit) with the elementary school children behind the local school where I worked in Japan. It reminded me of how we pick apples here...
In Ireland we have fantastic cheese producers who make excellent quality cheese. The fig, apple and walnuts in this salad recipe offer diverse flavours and textures when matched with the soft goat’s cheese and...
Without exception, everyone loves this salmon teriyaki recipe – it’s one of the most talked about recipes at my cooking classes. The perfect combination of flavours in the salmon and the sweet teriyaki sauce...
I was lucky to learn the secret to a light and crispy tempura batter while living in Japan and it’s simple – don’t overmix the batter and use ice-cold water. Overmixing the batter will...
Thinly sliced beef is traditionally used for this Nikujaga Beef Potato and Stew recipe, but I’m using beef mince as I love the way it absorbs the sweet and savoury flavours of the sauce....