Simmered Shishito Peppers and Jako Itameni

September 22, 2009 3 Comments

Miwa’s Kyoto Kitchen Recipe This simple side dish combines fresh summer shishito peppers with chirimen jako (dried sardine fry) and is simmered with sake and a lot of soy sauce. The textural juxtaposition of sauteed vegetable and crunchy little fish is delightful. It should be made with plenty of soy sauce as the saltiness perfectly compliments rice. Home Cooking: Shishito…

Pungent and Smoky Grilled Japanese Eggplant ‘Yakinasu’

September 21, 2009 2 Comments

Home Cooking: Grilled and Chilled Eggplant ‘Yakinasu’

Miwa’s Kyoto Kitchen Recipe This recipe is a staple of late summer and early autumn home cooking in Japan. Eggplants are grilled under direct flame, peeled, chilled and served with bonito shavings, grated ginger and soy sauce. The taste is pungent and smoky. This dish is very quick and easy to make.…

Kyoto-style Chakin Shibori Sweet Potato with Cinnamon

September 17, 2009 13 Comments

Miwa’s Kyoto Kitchen Recipe This Japanese dessert confection is called Sui-to Poteto (スウィートポテト) in Japanese. That’s the Japanese pronunciation of sweet potato, as you probably guessed. Preparation is simple; steam the sweet potato and mash with butter, sugar, eggs, milk and cinnamon and bake. They are hand formed into delicate balls. We added cinnamon as an homage to Kyoto’s famous…

Japanese Condiment: Kyotona Pepper Greens and Wagyu Beef Tsukudani

July 18, 2009 4 Comments

Kyotona Pepper Greens and Wagyu Tsukudani 京唐菜佃煮

Tsukudani is a Japanese condiment that is usually made of seaweed that has been simmered in soy sauce, cooking sake and mirin. Kitayama, or the North Mountains of Kyoto are famous for Tsukudani made with mountain vegetables and mushrooms. Some tsukudani shinise stores in the city make tsukudani with wagyu beef. Tsukudani is…