Japanese

You could add 1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger to the broth for extra flavour, if you like. Note

To prevent prawns curling up too much during cooking, before coating, make three cuts along belly of each prawns. Turn prawns over and press down gently along the length of the body to flatten slightly. Note

Instead of topping the salad with sesame seeds and green onion, try using finely shredded toasted nori. Note

You can substitute cooked crab meat for the prawns in this salad. Note

If shiso leaves are unavailable, substitute them with basil leaves. Note

You can use frozen soya beans, available from Asian groceries, in this recipe if fresh are hard to find. You could also use the same quantity of fresh broad beans or 2 cups of frozen broad beans instead. Note

Freeze beef for about an hour­ this will make it easier to slice. To obtain ginger juice, squeeze grated fresh ginger into a sieve set over a bowl. A piece of ginger measuring about 10cm in length will yield 2 tablespoons of grated ginger; this amount of grated ginger should in turn yield the 2 […]

You can substitute a white medium-grain rice if koshihikari is unavailable. Note

Substitute watercress and tatsoi leaves for baby spinach and mizuna, if preferred. Note

We used blue-eye trevalla fillets in this recipe. Note

This is a classic Japanese dish that is traditionally served cold as a starter.

Use the freshest, sashimi-quality fish you can find. Raw fish sold as sashimi has to meet stringent guidelines regarding its handling and treatment after leaving the water. We suggest you seek advice from local authorities before eating raw seafood. Recipe not suitable to freeze. This is the perfect dish if you love sushi but haven’t […]

We used cryovac-packed ready-to-serve sweet chilli tofu, available from many supermarkets and Asian food stores. Note

A fantastic miso garlic dip for Japanese-style dinner parties or sharing platters.

Equipment you will need to make this recipe; 30cm round wooden cake board, 15cm round wooden cake board, smoothing tools, 3 wooden skewers, 2 paper piping bags, 5-petal plunger cutter set (small, medium and large), vinyl mat, ball tool, and 2 fine artist’s paint brushes tweezers. The cherry blossom is the symbol of Japan, as […]

Wonderfully fresh and light, enjoy these beautiful salmon sashimi stacks as a light lunch, starter on canape.

Use sharp scissors to finely shred the nori. Prawn mixture can be marinated for a few hours or overnight in the fridge. Note

You could use tahini (sesame seed paste) instead of grinding the toasted sesame seeds. Beans or watercress can be used instead of spinach in this salad, and peanuts or macadamia nuts could be substituted for the sesame seeds. If you like, you can sprinkle the cooked spinach with smoked dried bonito flakes. Note

Use a lemon zester to make lemon rind strips for decoration; soak them in iced water to make them curl. Note

Daikon are large, long, white radishes that have a sweet, fresh flavour without the bite of the common red radish. Used extensively in Japanese cooking, daikon are also great eaten raw in salads, shredded for a garnish, or cooked in stir-fries. Note

Teppanyaki is the name given to a traditional Japanese cooking style where the food is cooked rapidly on a searingly hot grill plate on or near the table. Pink pickled ginger, also known as gari, can be found in most Asian grocery stores. Note

Authentic Japanese red miso sauce, also known as akamiso, from Australian Women's Weekly.

Teppanyaki is traditionally cooked on a grill plate on or near the table, and is eaten in batches.

Ponzu is a citrus-based sauce and is often used for dipping in Japan. It is readily available from Asian food stores and some major supermarkets. Note

It’s best to make the broth the day before you eat the soup, so that it can chill long enough for the fat to solidify on top. Scoop it away and discard it for a clear broth. Recipe is not suitable to freeze. Note

Ready-made tempura dipping sauce is available from most Asian grocers. Note