Savory Stuffed Yomogi (Mugwort) Rice Cakes

Savory Stuffed Yomogi (Mugwort) Rice Cakes

Around now (March) is when mugwort is popping up in the garden which means it’s time to start weeding it. If I don’t, it inevitably becomes an unmanageable mess, and most people view it as a noxious and invasive weed. It is and it isn’t, 

Braised Soy Garlic Eggplant

Braised Soy Garlic Eggplant

I made this a lot last year when I was growing eggplants and it is still one of my favorite ways to use up a vegetable I otherwise don’t pay much attention to. Cold or hot, over some white rice is just an absolute divine 

Fresh Sea Urchin with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette on Eggplant Tempura

Fresh Sea Urchin with Yuzu Kosho Mignonette on Eggplant Tempura

I went with my mom to the supermarket yesterday and discovered the one slightly further into Flushing had… fresh sea urchin. As in unopened spiky globes hiding delicious roe goodness. Of course, me being me, I bought four (My mom said “I knew you’d be 

Enoki Nametake (Seasoned Enoki Mushroom Rice Topping)

Enoki Nametake (Seasoned Enoki Mushroom Rice Topping)

My oldest loves nametake (although she’s generally a fiend for all mushrooms)–and at 9 years old it’s really easy for her to grab some rice from the rice cooker and top it off with some for an after school snack. I make a few jars 

O-Ah Jian (Taiwanese Oyster Pancake)

O-Ah Jian (Taiwanese Oyster Pancake)

This is a recipe that had been on my list for a while, but I was intimidated by it (as I often am) because how does one create the authentic “taste” that can’t be found elsewhere in the world? When I was little, my family 

Fresh Eel Tempura

Fresh Eel Tempura

This past summer we spent a lot of time catching eel off the local docks, and what a boon it was! There’s so many delicious ways to use eel, including smoked and grilled Japanese style (Kabayaki) for sushi. It is probably my absolute favorite fish 

Kingfish/Kingcroaker Sashimi

Kingfish/Kingcroaker Sashimi

I forgot to post this the past summer—when we fished up a large Northern Kingfish (Menticirrhus saxatilis), also known sometimes as whiting or kingcroaker. It’s a relatively common fish we can catch here on the south shore of Long Island, and although most people catch 

Japanese Garlic Oysters

Japanese Garlic Oysters

This is the dish of my husband’s dreams, not because it’s particularly difficult but because the sauce is one he had never again been able to find outside after the sushi restaurant he used to always order them at closed down. It’s a restaurant that 

Torched Wagyu Onigiri (Rice Ball)

Torched Wagyu Onigiri (Rice Ball)

If you ask me what my favorite kitchen purchase this year has been, the mini kitchen torch is definitely it. It imparts a smokey charred flavor you would normally only get on a barbecue and it’s so easy for me to use. This is a 

Deconstructed Chicken Nanban

Deconstructed Chicken Nanban

Chicken nanban is a popular dish with a tasty tartar sauce from the Kyushu Island. It’s a relatively easy recipe with lots of things that I usually have ready in my pantry and freezer. The tartar sauce to me is almost like deviled eggs in