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Sesame-Buckwheat Noodles with Fresh Green Almonds
Appetizers Asian Pasta Salads Sauces & Condiments

Sesame-Buckwheat Noodles with Fresh Green Almonds

One of our favorite spring ingredients, fresh green almonds, are just that – green (as in “unripe”) almonds, picked while the nut is immature and still in the early stages of formation. Green almonds are available only in the spring, usually beginning in late March or early April, and can continue to be harvested into May. In the earliest stages of growth, the entire almond is eaten, fuzzy green outer hull and all. The flavor is surprising; tart, almost citrusy, somewhat reminiscent …

Sausage-stuffed Tofu
Appetizers Asian

Sausage-Stuffed Tofu with Smoked Soy Sauce

To fans of authentic Asian cuisine, the flavors & textures of this dish will feel as comfortable and familiar as an old friend. A steamed dish might not seem like summer food, but the preparation is quite easy and cooking time is only about 20 minutes. It won’t heat up the kitchen and can be enjoyed immediately while hot, or later, at room temperature. Our version of stuffed tofu, a venerable classic of many Asian cuisines, uses sausage made from ground …

Appetizers Asian Mushrooms Poultry Sauces & Condiments

Black Garlic Shu Mai with Smoked Soy Dipping Sauce

If you’ve ever been to a dim sum restaurant, you’ve probably eaten shu mai. Shu mai are little open-topped filled dumplings that usually come to your table in little steamer baskets. Shu mai rank among our favorite dumplings, and are both fun to make and eat. They don’t take a lot of effort and are very forgiving for the uninitiated – much easier than wontons or potstickers. Think of them as delicious little meatballs held in a tender, noodle-like wrapper. …

Soba Noodles with Roasted Matsutake Mushrooms
Asian Mushrooms Pasta Salads Sauces & Condiments Wild Foods

Soba Noodles with Roasted Matsutake Mushrooms

It’s already November, well into the fall season. Depending on where you live, fresh produce from your home garden may be done until next spring. Thankfully, there are a few hardy radishes and the last scallions to be harvested from our garden which add some crisp texture, fresh flavors and tangy “bite” to this preparation. With the addition of a few foraged wild mushrooms, it’s enough to make a wonderfully earthy dish, featuring hearty Japanese soba noodles. Soba noodles are made with buckwheat, a …

All Recipes Rice Dishes Wild Foods

Wild and “Tame” Rice with Chestnuts

Here’s an interesting and tasty recipe that combines two of our fall favorites: wild rice and chestnuts.  This satisfying dish is especially appropriate for festive holiday dinners, but it’s just as pleasing at any other time of the year. It’s inspired by a traditional Japanese rice dish, Kuri Gohan (literally, rice with chestnuts), but with a twist.  North American wild rice adds a wonderfully chewy texture and nutty-woodsy flavor that harmonizes with the sweet chestnuts and toasted sesame seeds. While it makes a great side dish for any …

Roasted Matsutake Mushrooms
Appetizers Asian Mushrooms Sauces & Condiments Soups & Stews Wild Foods

Matsutake Magic in 3 Delicious Ways

It is no dream… Matsutake are growing On the belly of the mountain – Haiku by Shigetaka There is something marvelous about the famous “pine mushroom,” the matsutake. Their distinctive spicy aroma and flavor are absolutely unique in the mushroom world. The exotic allure of wild mushrooms has inspired many poets across the centuries. No surprise, then, that the matsutake, so highly regarded in Japan, has inspired volumes of haiku. Equally inspired, David Arora, author of “Mushrooms Demystified,” described the …

Asian Meat Rubs and Marinades

Grilled Flank Steak, Korean-style

Nearly everyone has heard of the famous Korean barbecue dish, bulgogi. While, in some respects, this recipe is not a faithful rendition of the Korean classic, it is definitely inspired by the traditional flavors of Asia.  We’ve used flank steak, a long, flat muscle from the abdominal area of the cow.  Flank steak is very flavorful, but has a tendency toward toughness.  But slice it thinly across the grain and marinate it for a few hours in a tasty mixture …