"I've never been interviewed before", said my sister-in-law when I asked if she could tell me a little about her cooking. She's the best Asian cook I know. Half Japanese, half Filipino, Jey grew up in Los Angeles. It was there that she was brought up on her mother's mealtime customs and where she learned to cook a mish mash of delicious Japanese and Filipino dishes that she continues to share with our family today. More

We're focusing on Asian cooking this week, and rounding up a few favorite recipes in the process. Yesterday we shared 15 Korean dishes, and today we're turning to Japanese food. Want to make your own spicy tuna, braise pork belly, or cook Matsutake Dobin Mushi (a nourishing mushroom soup)? If Japanese cooking is something you've always wanted to try, these 15 recipes will give you a good head start. More

When I moved to Japan in 2005, I was surprised to discover how utterly simple the food was. The sticky, salty sauces and over-the-top sushi rolls I knew from Japanese restaurants back home were as American as hamburgers and French fries, I realized. Japanese food, and especially Japanese home cooking, was actually subtle, nuanced and basically simple, creating a myriad of dishes with a handful of basic pantry staples and the freshest, tastiest produce and proteins available. This salmon teriyaki is a perfect example — lightly glazed and deeply flavorful, it's made with just four ingredients. More

Do you love picked ginger but aren't so interested in the red dye and white sugar many commercial brands use to sweeten and color the pickles? Or maybe you're curious about how to switch things up if you used a different vinegar/sweetener combination? Breakaway chef Eric Gower has been experimenting with pickled ginger for years, and he's found that you can step way out of the box with this delicious, palate cleansing condiment. More

With their thin, edible skins and tiny seeds, Japanese and Persian cucumbers are easy to prep and a joy to eat. But for even sweeter and tastier cucumbers, try this Japanese trick: give them a salt rub! More

A package of instant ramen is perhaps the biggest cliché item in the solo cook's cupboard. It often symbolizes depression or extreme indifference, the meal one cooks when one has hit rock bottom. Of course, none of this is necessarily true. Ramen can be delicious and good for you as well as a quick, fun thing to make. Read on for a review of the three ways a single diner can approach instant ramen. More

Do you dream of churning out charred chicken skewers or blackened shishito peppers just like a Japanese yakitori restaurant? If you don't have the funds or the space for a specialized Japanese grill, there is an easy and inexpensive way to rig up a DIY yakitori grill. More

My favorite appetizers are simple affairs: easy to make, easy to eat. These elegant little cucumber cups fit the bill quite nicely, with the added bonus of making it appear as though they were much more difficult to make than they were. Paired with a gin & tonic, these are a total dinner party win. More

I had a wonderful meal at the restaurant Bar Tartine in San Francisco a while back. One of the many highlights was the first thing on the table: a delightful array of brine-pickled vegetables served up in jars gathered on a rough wooden tray. Read on for three recipes from this repertoire and a few hints on how to create a pickle platter at home. More

I first discovered Umeboshi vinegar several years ago when I was cooking a lot of vegan/vegetarian food. It came in handy when I needed some 'of the sea' flavor. This very salty liquid (technically a brine) still has a place on my pantry shelf today, where I add it to recipes like Chickpea of the Sea or sprinkle it over steamed vegetables. More