Daikon to ika no misoni / daikon radish and calamari simmered in miso-flavored broth

The humble daikon takes on the flavor of calamari, becoming something gentle yet deeply aromatic. This is my mom's kind of dish, which I grow to like as I get older. While miso paste typically is the only main seasoning, modifying the dish to reduce sodium content by partially replacing miso with sakekasu sake lees, kurozu brown rice vinegar and shoyukoji soy sauce rice malt successfully results in a pleasantly mild flavor that lets you unwind after a busy day. If a bit of extra flavor is wanted, add grated ginger for a zesty punch or taka no tsume red chili pepper for picante heat.

1/2 of recipe:
125 calories; 12.2 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 11.4 g carbohydrate; 10.1 g net carbs; 155 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 163 mg cholesterol; 1.3 g fiber

Tsusuna to atsuage no oisutaasoosu itame / stir-fried New Zealand spinach and deep-fried tofu with oyster sauce

A quick stir-fry with tsuruna New Zealand spinach that takes advantage of aromatic oyster sauce to mask the vegetable's slightly earthy taste. Atsuage deep-fried tofu makes this dish somewhat substantial.

1/2 of recipe:
109 calories; 8.3 g protein; 7.0 g fat; 3.1 g carbohydrate; 1.3 g net carbs; 102 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 0.04 mg cholesterol; 1.8 g fiber; 256 mg potassium

Mabbuha / matbucha / stewed bell pepper and tomato salad

A bit fruity, sweet, sour and picante with a creamy texture. While it goes with many kinds of dishes, I like pairing it with an eggplant omelet for breakfast.
This is a recent WOW dish for me, and something I make repeatedly to have on hand. Adapted from a recipe by Ta-im, an Israeli restaurant in Tokyo, published in Ryori Tsushin [The Cuisine Press] May 2018 issue.

Whole recipe:
309 calories; 6.4 g protein; 25.0 g fat; 34.5 g carbohydrate; 2.7 g net carbs; 287 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 10.7 g fiber

1/6 recipe:
52 calories; 1.1 g protein; 4.2 g fat; 6.1 g carbohydrate; 2.7 g net carbs; 48 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.8 g fiber

1/8 recipe:
39 calories; 0.8 g protein; 3.1 g fat; 4.6 g carbohydrate; 2.7 g net carbs; 36 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.3 g fiber

Kabu no shinodamaki / Japanese turnip rolled in thin deep-fried tofu, simmered in broth

Usuage thin deep-fried tofu wrappers absorb the flavor of dashi-based broth and kabu turnip, and each bite fills your mouth with the tasty broth along with the almost creamy texture of kabu. The oil content of usuage, although reduced almost 30% in the prep process, gives this simple combination more than enough richness.

1/4 of recipe (without grilled shishito): 
29 calories; 1.4 g protein; 1.1 g fat; 3.1 g carbohydrate; 2.4 g net carbs; 142 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber 

Seiyo meshida to ebi no tosazu-oroshi-ae / lady fern fiddleheads and shrimp in bonito flake infused vinegar dressing with grated daikon radish

Grated daikon radish adds a slightly spicy, refreshing note to the dressing. Aside from taste, since daikon's digestive enzymes work best when uncooked, adding grated daikon makes the dish a nice companion for something cooked with oil.

1/2 of recipe: 
54 calories; 8.8 g protein; 0.2 g fat; 3.9 g carbohydrate; 2.0 g net carbs; 150 mg sodium (with usukuchi pale soy sauce with standard sodium content and 50% reduced-sodium koikuchi regular soy sauce); 65 mg cholesterol; 1.9 g fiber; 215 mg potassium

Taiwan-fu tamago kureepu / dan bing / Taiwanese egg crepes

Found both on the street and at specialty takeout & eat-in eateries, egg crepes with various fillings are one of the many breakfast choices in Taiwan. Dan bing with ham was my usual choice at an eatery near my work. The crepes presented here are adapted from a Japanese translation of a Taiwanese cookbook by Zhou Qingyuan (周清源). To lower sodium content, I skip the salt and use cold milk instead of cold water. Below is my current favorite combination with alderwood smoked salmon, a Pacific Northwest specialty, and Thai basil with a note of anise.

Whole recipe (2 dan bing egg crepes with fillings, without dipping sauce):
533 calories; 22.9 g protein; 20.4 g fat; 59.7 g carbohydrate; 56.9 g net carbs; 269 mg sodium; 427 mg cholesterol; 2.8 g fiber

Gomoku ankake udon / wheat noodles with thickened soup and assorted ingredients

Udon often is mentioned as a good choice when feeling unwell. When made with hot, thickened soup, it warms your body from inside. Noodles and warm soup alone is the basic foundation. Ginger -- either grated, finely julienned or only the squeezed juice -- intensifies the warming effect while adding a zesty note and aroma to your soup. Select and cook goodies according to your appetite and condition. While everything is simmered in broth starting with the toughest item below, goodies can be grilled or fried and added to the soup for those who want more texture. This is also a nice dish for chilly days.

The broth's sodium content is on the low end (0.7%), and partly because of the amount of vegetables and mushrooms, it might be too weak for those who have not been on a reduced sodium diet. Adjust the taste to your preferred level at the end.

1/2 of recipe (with virtually sodium-free homemade udon noodles):
480 calories; 22.0 g protein; 3.2 g fat; 87.0 g carbohydrate; 82.9 g net carbs; 651 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium regular soy sauce and shiokoji salted rice malt); 72 mg cholesterol; 4.1 g fiber

Kurumi daifuku / soft rice cake with sweetened azuki bean paste and walnuts

Toasted walnuts add a rich taste and crunch to a standard everyday daifuku rice cake. Turbinado in soft gyuhi mochi goes really well with walnuts and tsubuan crumbly azuki bean paste inside. Best on Day 1 for contrasting texture with walnuts, especially while still warm.

1 daifuku cake (1/4 of recipe):
130 calories; 2.8 g protein; 3.0 g fat; 23.4 g carbohydrate; 21.6 g net carbs; 1 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.8 g fiber; 145 mg potassium

Koyadofu no ageyaki to renkon no horenso-an / fried freeze-dried tofu and lotus root with spinach dashi sauce

Rehydrating and frying koyadofu freeze-dried tofu results in a chewy and juicy texture, making a good contrast with crunchy lotus root. A blanket of flavorful dashi sauce brings the two ingredients together while adding a green touch of spinach. Ginger provides a zesty counter-punch to the rich taste from oil used in preparation. A nice side dish for cool days and nights.

1/2 of recipe:
160 calories; 5.2 g protein; 11.9 g fat; 7.3 g carbohydrate; 6.3 g net carbs; 100 mg sodium; 0.1 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber; 267 mg potassium

Yakinasu, atsuage to ebi no raisunuudoru sarada / rice noodles with grilled eggplant, deep-fried tofu and shrimp salad

The sweet and sour flavor of a spicy dressing or dipping sauce is a big appeal in warm or hot weather. While grilled eggplant, atsuage deep-fried tofu and shrimp make a great salad individually or in combination, pairing them with rice noodles makes a quick, filling meal. Grill eggplant and atsuage until slightly burnt for a stronger aroma! This is something similar to what I used to eat at a Vietnamese restaurant in Portland, Oregon, years ago.

1/2 of recipe:
473 calories; 21.8 g protein; 15.2 g fat; 62.5 g carbohydrate; 57.3 g net carbs; 439 mg sodium; 58 mg cholesterol; 5.2 g fiber; 636 mg potassium

Dressing only (including shami dried shrimp solids; 1/2 of recipe):
25 calories; 1.9 g protein; 0 (0.08) g fat; 4.5 g carbohydrate; 4.2 g net carbs; 375 mg sodium; 10 mg cholesterol; 0.3 g fiber; 49 mg potassium

Iri-kuromame gohan / steamed rice with toasted black soybeans

When something crunchy is wanted in steamed rice, how about toasted kuromame black soybeans? Kuromame's dark skin also adds nice color to the rice. Its deeper flavor than regular daizu soybeans is another benefit, ensuring tasty results without seasoning. I mix in some mochigome sweet rice, partly because the uruchimai regular rice I use is medium grain. If you use short-grain regular rice, which is more glutenous than medium-grain regular rice, adding mochigome is optional.

1/3 of recipe:
221 calories; 6.5 g protein; 2.3 g fat; 41.8 g carbohydrate; 39.9 g net carbs; 0 (0.4) mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 1.9 g fiber; 226 mg potassium

1/2 of recipe:
331 calories; 9.7 g protein; 3.4 g fat; 62.7 g carbohydrate; 59.9 g net carbs; 1 (0.6) mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 2.8 g fiber; 338 mg potassium

Fuki to satsumaage no nimono / Japanese butterbur and deep-fried fishcakes in broth

This is a reduced-sodium version of previously posted fuki to kamaboko no nimono (Japanese butterbur and fishcakes in broth). The process is pretty much the same, other than soaking fishcakes in boiling water to desalinate them in advance. Seasonings are tweaked a bit -- sweet elements (sake and mirin) and the salty ingredient (soy sauce) are both reduced while adding a tiny amount of rice vinegar. The result? It is just as tasty as the older version.

1/2 of recipe:
68 calories; 5.2 g protein; 1.4 g fat; 7.2 g carbohydrate; 6.6 g net carbs; 99 mg sodium; 8 mg cholesterol; 0.6 g fiber; 189 mg potassium

Sansai tanuki soba / buckwheat noodles with mountain vegetables and tempura pearls

As a noodle topping, sansai mountain vegetables alone give a refreshing taste but could be a bit too light. Tenkasu tempura pearls add a rich note but could lack texture. They soak up the soup, which could also mean you get more sodium than desired. Combining these two ingredients while reducing the volume of each is one delicious solution. Sliced young myoga stems offer a clean aroma and taste.

For the recipe below, usukuchi pale soy sauce and regular dark soy sauce, not reduced-sodium soy sauce, are used for the soup to achieve stronger umami. Dried enoki mushrooms are also added to enhance the umami effect. The strong soup means more satisfaction with a smaller amount compared to a weaker soup, and this naturally makes us refrain from taking extra sips, preventing excess sodium consumption. This works especially well with unflavored toppings or toppings that contain lots of moisture.

1/2 of recipe: 
425 calories; 17.7 g protein; 3.6 g fat; 78.6 g carbohydrate; 8.4 g net carbs; 479 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 7.2 g fiber; 371 mg potassium

Renkon no ebi-hasami-yaki, gin-an-gake / sauteed lotus root with shrimp, with pale thickened dashi sauce

Plump shrimp sandwiched between somewhat crunchy lotus root slices, served with slightly salty thickened dashi sauce. Making the shrimp filling (chopping shrimp, mixing with potato starch and egg white) and putting it between lotus root slices may seem complicated at first, but it is easy when you actually try it. The assembled pieces can be kept in the fridge until ready to cook, and sauteing them does not take much time. Below, the pale thickened dashi sauce is made in the microwave for quick preparation as well.

This dish provides soothing comfort on cooler days. As summer approaches here in the Pacific Northwest it is getting a bit too warm for this dish, but we may still have a few nights cool enough to enjoy it ...

1/2 of recipe:
76 calories; 6.9 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 9.4 g carbohydrate; 8.4 g net carbs; 85 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 45 mg cholesterol; 1.0 g fiber; 289 mg potassium

Kyabetsu to hakusai no sakura ebi iri ohitashi / cabbage and napa cabbage in light broth with dried shrimp

The soft green color of cabbage and napa cabbage makes a nice contrast with the pretty pink of sakura ebi. Both vegetables are microwaved for quick preparation, which also minimizes loss of vitamins into water when boiling them. This side dish has a gentle sweet aftertaste with a hint of clear saltiness, and goes well with dishes that have strong flavor or are prepared with oil.

1/2 of recipe: 19 calories; 1.7 g protein; 0.4 g fat; 3.4 g carbohydrate; 2.3 g net carbs; 119 mg sodium; 9 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber; 183 mg potassium

Tanpopo no shiraae / dandelions with tofu dressing

The bitter greens of dandelions paired with the faint sweetness of tofu dressing. Tanpopo dandelions may be your enemy when it comes to lawns, but could become an endless supply of leafy greens ... well, maybe not. Still, let's enjoy the stimulating bitterness of spring and get our share of burgeoning energy.

As the leaves are quite bitter, they are soaked in water for 1-2 hours after boiling for 1-2 minutes, and then coated with oil before mixing with the tofu dressing below.

1/2 of recipe:
84 calories; 4.3 g protein; 5.1 g fat; 6.2 g carbohydrate; 3.7 g net carbs; 90 mg sodium; 53 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fiber; 183 mg potassium

Koyadofu-iri seri to koebi no chijimi / jijigmae Korean savory pancake with freeze-dried tofu, water dropwort and bay shrimp

An easy fix when feeling like eating lots of vegetables, especially strong-tasting greens. For the batter below, koyadofu freeze-dried tofu along with ground okara soybean pulp are added to partially replace wheat flour and lower net carbs. Koyadofu's fat content contributes to a rich taste, while at the same time grating the freeze-dried tofu makes the batter light and airy. It also makes pancake surfaces toastier. But be patient when cooking -- wait to flip pancakes until their bottom surface has turned opaque and shows some golden color at edges, otherwise they tend to crumble in the air.

1/2 recipe (pancake only; dipping sauce not included)
496 calories per serving; 32.2 g protein; 22.4 g fat; 40.5 g carbohydrate; 33.6 g net carbs; 198 mg sodium; 307 mg cholesterol; 6.9 g fiber; 962 mg potassium

Kaminaridofu / pan-fried tofu with soy sauce and katsuobushi

With the literal meaning of "thunder tofu," this dish is well named; the water from these small cubes of firm tofu makes a rumbling sound when fried at high heat. For the sodium-savvy version below, I use less oil so that the amount of seasoning (soy sauce in this case) can be reduced. As a result, the tofu cubes only make a tame roar, if any. While the dish is now less entertaining to cook in an audio-visual sense, it has the advantage of requiring less cleanup of spattered oil. Taste-wise, this is quite strong thanks to the intense flavor of katsuobushi bonito flakes, and the strong flavor is highlighted by refreshing green onion slices. A small yet satisfying dish.

1/2 of recipe:
99 calories; 7.7 g protein; 6.4 g fat; 2.2 g carbohydrate; 15.8 g net carbs; 100 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 1 mg cholesterol; 0.5 g fiber

Biitsu to ninjin no akadashi / red miso soup with beets and carrots

Butter-sauteed carrots are paired with baked beets for red miso soup, creating a deep melody of flavors. When carrot slices are lightly cooked and allowed to retain their crispness, the taste of the two vegetables is more clearly noticed. When carrot slices are cooked until very tender and beets are cooked a bit longer, the two vegetables mingle together in the soup and produce a complex taste, although cooking beet chunks longer makes beets themselves lighter in color while the soup becomes darker. Below, beet chunks are added toward the end of the cooking process to retain their vivid color, but cooking them longer is well worth trying. This soup may not be a typical Japanese dish but does go well with any Japanese or other Asian food.

1/2 of recipe:
66 calories; 2.8 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 11.6 g carbohydrate; 8.5 g net carbs; 296 mg sodium; 2 mg cholesterol; 3.1 g fiber

Takenoko no tsukeyaki / sauteed bamboo shoots in citrus soy sauce

This saute can be either strongly or softly flavored by adding or not adding marinade to the frying pan toward the end. Simply sauteing marinated bamboo shoots would naturally result in a soft flavor where their sweet yet tangy taste comes through. When a stronger flavor with punch is desired, continue sauteing bamboo shoots with some of the leftover marinade. In either case, eringi king oyster mushrooms compliment bamboo shoots really well.

1/2 of recipe (bamboo shoots & eringi mushrooms):
89 calories; 2.3 g protein; 1.2 g fat; 18.3 g carbohydrate; 15.8 g net carbs; 166 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce & ponzujoyu made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fiber

1/2 of recipe (bamboo shoots, eringi mushrooms & vegetables):
95 calories; 3.0 g protein; 1.3 g fat; 19.1 g carbohydrate; 16.0 g net carbs; 172 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce & ponzujoyu made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 1 mg cholesterol; 3.1g fiber