Duck Tsukune

Matsutake Rice

Taki Komi Gohan

Kinmedai Snapper

Flower Petal Lily Bulb

Pickled Cucumber with Sesame and Salt

Sweet Potato Chakin Shibori

Gobo Fukume Ni

Grilled Maui Onion with Soy Sauce

Hasami Age

Shrimp Shinjo and Lotus Root

Salted Cucumber Flowers

Picked Myoga

Simmered Anago

Japanese Turnip Fukume Ni

Shiso Hasamiyaki

Fava Beans

Fried Baby Corn

Pickled Hoshigaki Rolled with Daikon

Japanese Sea Bream Tatsuta Age

Lobster Uma Ni

Kuromame

Eggplant in Kombu Dashi

Kabocha Yose

Soak bamboo skewers in cold water for 20 minutes to prevent burning on the grill.

Prepare skewers

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, sake, and mirin with the sugar until the sugar dissolves. Add salt and white pepper to taste. This will serve as the glaze and seasoning base for the meat.

Make glaze and seasoning

In a large mixing bowl, combine ground duck meat and duck fat. Add minced onion, garlic, and grated ginger; mix until evenly distributed. Fold in finely chopped green onions, egg, breadcrumbs, sesame oil, and the prepared glaze. Mix with light, folding motions until the mixture becomes cohesive and slightly sticky.

Combine the duck mixture

If the mixture is not cohesive, rest it for 10 minutes in the refrigerator. If it’s still loose, add a teaspoon more breadcrumbs. The mixture should hold its shape when formed around a skewer.

Season and bind

With wet hands, take portions of the duck mixture and wrap around each bamboo skewer, forming 2–3 small oval meat portions per skewer. Alternatively, shape into meatballs about 2–3 cm in diameter and thread them onto the skewers.

Shape onto skewers

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or broiler to medium-high heat. Lightly brush the grates with vegetable oil to prevent sticking.

Preheat grill

Grill the skewers, turning frequently, until the exterior is browned and the internal temperature reaches 74°C (165°F), about 8–12 minutes total depending on thickness. Brush with glaze during the last 2–3 minutes of cooking to build a glossy lacquer.

Cook the tsukune

Remove from heat, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and serve immediately. Offer extra glaze on the side or a dipping sauce like ponzu if desired.

Finish and serve

Ground duck meat

Duck fat, ground

Onion, finely minced

Garlic cloves, minced

Fresh ginger, grated

Green onions (scallions), finely chopped

Egg, large

Panko breadcrumbs

Soy sauce

Sake

Mirin

Sugar

Salt

White pepper

Sesame oil

Sesame seeds

Bamboo skewers

Vegetable oil for grilling

Rinse the Japanese short-grain rice in cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well and let it rest for 10 minutes.

If possible, soak the rice for 15-30 minutes to help grains cook evenly, then drain again.

In a saucepan, combine the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sake, and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer to dissolve the seasonings.

Add the rinsed rice to the seasoned dashi mixture. Stir once, then cover and cook over low heat until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender (about 15-18 minutes). Remove from heat and let it rest, covered, for 10 minutes.

While the rice rests, thinly slice the Matsutake mushrooms. In a skillet, heat 1 teaspoon oil over medium-high heat and sauté the mushrooms until they are fragrant and lightly browned, about 4-6 minutes.

Gently fold the sautéed Matsutake mushrooms into the steamed rice. Fluff the rice with a fork and adjust salt if needed.

To serve, portion the matsutake rice while hot. Garnish with any extra sliced mushrooms if desired.

Japanese short-grain rice

Matsutake mushrooms, sliced

Dashi stock

Vegetable oil or sesame oil

Place the Japanese short-grain rice in a bowl and rinse under cold water until the water runs clear. Drain well.

Rinse rice

Mince the garlic, grate the ginger, and slice the onion. If not already diced, cut the chicken thighs into bite-sized pieces.

Prep aromatics and proteins

In a skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of cooking oil over medium heat. Add garlic, ginger, and onion; sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Add the chicken and mushrooms; cook until the chicken is lightly browned and the mushrooms have released their aroma.

Sauté aromatics and protein

In a rice cooker pot or heavy-bottomed pot, add the rinsed rice. Pour in the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, sake, sugar, and salt; stir to combine. Add the sautéed chicken, mushrooms, carrot, bamboo shoots, and onion; distribute evenly but do not over-mix.

Combine with rice

Cook the rice according to your appliance: in a rice cooker on the standard cycle, or on the stove by bringing to a gentle boil, lowering to a simmer, covering, and cooking for 15–20 minutes until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed. Do not stir during cooking.

Cook

Remove from heat and let the pot rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff the grains gently with a wooden spoon to mix the ingredients evenly.

Rest and fluff

Drizzle with sesame oil, fold in the sliced green onions, and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Taste and adjust with a light additional splash of soy sauce if desired. Serve warm.

dashi stock

soy sauce

mirin

sake

sugar

salt

chicken thigh, diced

shiitake mushrooms, sliced

carrot, julienned

bamboo shoots, julienned

onion, thinly sliced

garlic, minced

ginger, grated

cooking oil

green onions, sliced

sesame seeds

sesame oil

Pat dry the kinmedai fillets with paper towels. Season both sides with kosher salt and white pepper.

Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. When shimmering, place the fillets in the pan skin-side down and sear until the skin is crisp and golden, about 2-3 minutes.

Carefully flip the fillets and cook 1-2 minutes more until the flesh is just opaque near the edges. Remove from heat and rest briefly.

In a small saucepan, whisk together miso paste, mirin, sake, sugar, rice vinegar, and grated ginger.

Bring to a gentle simmer over low heat, whisking until the glaze is glossy and slightly thickened, about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Brush a thin layer of the glaze over the seared kinmedai fillets, turning to coat. Allow the glaze to caramelize slightly on the surface, about 1 minute.

Plate the kinmedai, spoon any remaining glaze over the top, then scatter lemon or yuzu zest and chopped chives as a bright finish.

Kinmedai fillets

Kosher salt

White pepper, ground

Neutral high-heat oil

White miso paste

Granulated sugar

Rice vinegar

Lemon zest or yuzu zest

Chives, finely sliced

Rinse the lily bulbs thoroughly under cold water. If using dried lily bulbs, soak in warm water for 15-20 minutes until plump, then drain well.

Gently rinse and pat dry the edible flower petals. Remove any stamens or pistils if present and keep petals whole for a bright garnish.

Heat the vegetable oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add minced garlic and ginger; sauté for 1-2 minutes until fragrant and just starting to color.

Add the sliced lily bulbs to the pot. Stir-fry for 4-5 minutes until they become translucent and start to release their aroma.

Pour in the vegetable stock and optional sake. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 12-15 minutes, or until lily bulbs are tender.

Season with salt and white pepper. Stir in rice vinegar to brighten the broth.

Add the edible flower petals and simmer for an additional 1-2 minutes to heat through and preserve color. Avoid boiling for long to keep petals vibrant.

Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with chopped scallions just before serving.

Fresh lily bulbs (Bai He), cleaned and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces

Edible flower petals (rose, chrysanthemum, or violet)

Fresh garlic

Fresh ginger, minced

Vegetable oil

Low-sodium vegetable stock

Dry sake or dry white wine (optional)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Wash the cucumbers and trim the ends. Slice into thin 1/4-inch coins or sticks for quick pickling.

Slice and prep

Place cucumber slices in a bowl and sprinkle with kosher salt. Toss to coat evenly and let sit 15 minutes to draw out excess moisture.

Salt the cucumbers

Drain any liquid released, then gently pat the cucumbers dry with a clean cloth or paper towels to ensure crisp pickles.

Drain and pat dry

In a small bowl, whisk rice vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is slightly sweet and tangy.

Make the sesame dressing

Toss the cucumber with the dressing in the bowl until well coated. Let sit for 5–10 minutes to allow flavors to meld.

Combine and marinate

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds over the pickles just before serving to add aroma and crunch.

Cucumber

Toasted sesame seeds

Wash and dry the sweet potatoes. Peel, then cut into long matchsticks about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick and 4 inches (10 cm) long. Soak briefly in cold water to remove excess starch, then pat dry.

Prepare sweet potatoes

Place a handful of ribbons on a clean chakin cloth. Fold the cloth over and twist firmly to wring out moisture. Repeat with remaining ribbons. The goal is to produce pliable ribbons that hold shape.

Wrap and twist to remove moisture

Sprinkle rice flour lightly over the ribbons to prevent sticking. Fold the cloth again and twist gently to set the ribbons into a shibori-like twist. Refrigerate for 10-15 minutes to firm the shape.

Dust with rice flour and rest

In a small saucepan, combine dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Bring to a simmer and reduce by about one-third until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

Make dashi glaze

Unwrap ribbons and gently simmer in the glaze for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally so each side absorbs the glaze while preserving the twist texture.

Cook ribbons in glaze

Remove ribbons from heat. If needed, lightly reheat remaining glaze to a thin syrup and brush a light coating on the ribbons. Allow to rest on a rack for a few minutes to dry slightly.

Finish glaze and dry

Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and a pinch of salt over the ribbons. Optionally finish with a light drizzle of neutral oil for shine. Arrange the ribbons in a circular fan or flower shape on a plate.

Garnish and plate

Sweet potatoes

Chakin cloths (clean cotton cloths)

Rice flour

Neutral oil

Sesame seeds (toasted)

Prepare the ingredients: scrub and peel the gobo; cut into 5 cm batons; soak in water with a splash of vinegar to remove bitterness, then drain. Slice carrot into thick coins. Slice shiitake mushrooms. Rinse konnyaku and cut into bite-sized chunks. Press and cut tofu into cubes. Measure dashi, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat a small amount of neutral oil over medium heat. Add gobo and carrot; sauté for 3-4 minutes until the edges turn translucent and fragrant.

Add konnyaku chunks and shiitake mushrooms; stir to coat with the flavored oil for 2 minutes.

Pour in the dashi stock. Add soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake; stir to combine. Bring to a gentle simmer.

Skim any foam. Reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer; simmer for 30-40 minutes, or until gobo is tender and the flavors meld.

Add tofu cubes in the last 5-7 minutes; gently turn to coat, allowing tofu to heat through without breaking.

Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve in bowls and sprinkle sesame seeds on top as garnish.

Gobo (burdock root)

Carrot

Shiitake mushrooms

Konnyaku

Firm tofu

Whisk together soy sauce, mirin, honey, rice vinegar, minced garlic, sesame oil, and black pepper in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is fragrant.

Glaze prep

Peel the Maui onion. Cut into thick rings or wedges about 3/4 inch (2 cm) thick, keeping the root end intact to hold layers together.

Prepare onion

Preheat a grill to medium heat (about 350-400°F / 175-205°C). Lightly brush the onion surfaces with neutral oil to prevent sticking.

Preheat and oil

Place the onion slices on the grill. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, rotating as needed to develop char and tenderness. Baste with the glaze during cooking.

Grill onion

During the last minute of grilling, brush on any remaining glaze and allow it to caramelize into a shiny coating.

Finish glaze

Remove from the grill, let rest 1-2 minutes, then sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve warm as a side dish or an accent to a main course.

Serve

Maui onion (large)

Honey

Garlic

Black pepper

Neutral oil for grilling

Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels. Cut into ~2.5 cm (1 inch) cubes suitable for bite-sized pieces.

Prepare the fish

Lightly season the fish cubes with salt and black pepper. Set aside for 5 minutes to rest.

Season the fish

Pour vegetable oil into a heavy pot or fryer and heat to 180°C (350°F). Have paper towels and a rack ready for draining.

Heat oil and prep tools

In a bowl, whisk egg with ice-cold sparkling water. Sift in tempura flour until just incorporated (small lumps allowed). Stir in minced garlic and grated ginger. Do not overmix.

Batter

Lightly dust each fish cube with cornstarch to help batter cling.