Where Simplicity
Becomes Mastery

Ingredients

• 2 salmon fillets (6 oz each)
• 3 tbsp white miso paste
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sake or dry sherry
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter (divided)
• 2 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
• 3 scallions (thinly sliced)
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• Salt and white pepper

Instructions

1. Whisk miso, mirin, and sake together. Coat salmon and marinate 15 minutes.
2. Heat 1 tbsp butter in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high. Sear salmon flesh-side down 3 min until deeply caramelized. Flip; cook 3 more min. Remove.
3. Reduce heat to low. Melt remaining butter; add ginger, cook 1 min. Add scallions and lemon juice; swirl. Pour over salmon. Serve with steamed rice.

Ingredients

• 1 lb beef ribeye (sliced paper thin)
• 6 cups water
• 2 pieces kombu (4 inches each)
• 4 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 200g silken tofu (cubed)
• 1 bunch spinach
• 2 carrots (julienned)
• 4 scallions (sliced)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp mirin
• Cooked Japanese rice to serve

Instructions

1. Soak kombu and shiitake in water 30 minutes. Bring to a near-boil; remove kombu just before boiling. Simmer shiitake 10 min. Season with soy and mirin for dashi.
2. Add tofu and carrots; simmer 3 min.
3. One at a time, swish beef slices through simmering dashi 20–30 seconds until just pink. Serve immediately over rice with spinach and scallions.

Ingredients

• 1.5 lb boneless chicken thighs (skin-on, cut into 2-inch pieces)
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sake
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger (grated)
• 2 garlic cloves (grated)
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• Potato starch (for coating)
• Lard or tallow for frying
• Lemon wedges and Japanese mayo to serve

Instructions

1. Marinate chicken with soy, sake, ginger, garlic, sesame oil 30 min.
2. Heat lard in a deep pot to 325°F. Coat chicken in potato starch; fry in batches 5 min until cooked through. Drain on a rack.
3. Raise oil to 375°F. Fry again 90 seconds until extra crisp and deep golden. Serve immediately with lemon and mayo.

Ingredients

• 4 cups dashi (or 4 cups water + 1 tsp instant dashi powder)
• 3 tbsp white or yellow miso paste
• 200g silken tofu (cubed)
• 6 fresh shiitake mushrooms (sliced)
• 2 tbsp dried wakame seaweed
• 3 scallions (sliced)
• 1 tsp sesame oil

Instructions

1. Bring dashi to a gentle simmer. Do not boil.
2. Add shiitake; simmer 3 min. Add tofu; heat 2 min.
3. Turn off heat. Dissolve miso in a ladle of broth; stir back in gently. Add soaked wakame and scallions. Drizzle sesame oil. Serve immediately — never re-boil after adding miso.

Ingredients

• 4 large eggs
• 2 tbsp dashi
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp cane sugar
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Whisk eggs with dashi, mirin, soy, sugar, and salt until smooth.
2. Heat a rectangular tamagoyaki pan (or small skillet) over medium. Add 1 tsp butter; swirl. Pour one-third of egg mixture; let set slightly. Roll from one end toward you.
3. Push roll back. Add butter; pour second third of egg. Lift roll to let uncooked egg flow underneath. Roll again. Repeat with final third. Shape tightly in a bamboo mat. Slice and serve.

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter (softened)
• 180g cane sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 200g all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp ceremonial matcha powder
• 60ml whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350°F (175°C). Butter and flour a 9x5 loaf pan.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 5 min. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Sift flour, baking powder, salt; fold into batter alternating with milk. Divide batter in half; whisk matcha into one half.
4. Alternate spoonfuls of plain and matcha batter in pan. Swirl once with a skewer. Bake 45–50 min until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool 10 min before turning out.