Everyday, easy JAPANESE

We’re bringing this delicious but notoriously tricky cuisine to your kitchen. Here, five classic dishes become flavour packed, healthy, and transporting yet so surprisingly simple.

byStephanie Le

We’re bringing this delicious but notoriously tricky cuisine to your kitchen. Here, five classic dishes become flavour packed, healthy, and transporting yet so surprisingly simple.

VEGETARIAN MAZEMEN

RAMEN, UPDATED

Called mazemen, this dish gets its taste from a bold sauce instead of broth and comes together in mere minutes. Just toss cooked noodles with the dressing, and add whatever toppings you choose – mazemen is endlessly adaptable. Stick with veggies (we included carrots, peppers, tomatoes, and more, but swap in spinach or broccoli if that’s what you crave), or add ground beef or slow-roasted pork.

ODEN

EASTERN COMFORT FOOD

Simmer vegetables, chicken, tofu, and potatoes in dashi, a rich stock, for an hour or so, until the flavour takes on a nice intensity and a velvety consistency – that’s how you make oden, a satisfying meal perfect for a crowd. Bring the pot to the table, and let everyone dip in and serve themselves. to build your oden, use any vegetables, proteins, and speciality ingredients you desire. Start with the suggestions at left.

GRILLED FISH MISOYAKI

THE ULTIMATE FLAVOUR BOMB

Miso, that umami-packed condiment made from fermented soya beans, deepens the flavour of virtually any dish. and because it’s full of probiotics, miso is considered a superfood in Japan. it’s whisked together with sake and mirin (a type of rice wine) here as a marinade for fish, but go ahead and drizzle it on chicken, tofu, and vegetables too.

BAKED TORIKATSU WITH SESAME CABBAGE SLAW

CRISP AND TENDER

Tonkatsu (pork cutlets) and torikatsu (chicken cutlets) are beloved in Japan and hawaii and served in both fast-food joints and high-end restaurants. this version is baked instead of fried, which keeps the meat crisp on the outside and tender inside without the extra oil.