Japanese

The word “sushi” is often ambiguous for non-native Japanese. We think of it as being interchangeable with raw fish. Sushi is vinegared rice topped with other ingredients. Sashimi, which is slices of raw fish alone, is not sushi because it isn’t accompanied with rice. Originally, sushi was fermented fish with rice preserved in salt, and this was a staple dish in Japan for a thousand years until the Edo Period (1603 to 1868) when contemporary sushi was developed.

Traditional shirataki noodles are pretty much the perfect food for those who may have food allergies or are on special diets; they're vegan, gluten-free, and keto-friendly.

A versatile ingredient, kabocha squash has dark green skin and a sweet, orange-hued interior. Learn how to buy, store, and the best recipes to cook this winter squash in this guide.

I love the vegetable section in Asian grocery stores because there are so many greens to choose from, especially when I’m tired of kale and chard. But for those who haven’t cooked a lot with Asian greens, the produce aisle might be a bit overwhelming, especially since the greens can go by multiple names. As with most greens, Asian greens can be steamed, stir-fried, stewed, braised, chopped, and cooked in dumplings or soups. Some of these can even be served raw in salads!

The Internet’s latest “this-or-that” posts compare baby rolls to bread rolls. Can you tell which is which? Parents in Japan are using this Twitter hashtag to show the striking similarities between their babies’ roly-poly arms and a pull-apart snack bread from 7-Eleven. It’s a little different from the this-or-that posts we’ve seen before, but I think this is the best yet. It’s certainly the cutest, at the very least.