Nanbanzuke / deep-fried fish marinated in sweet and sour broth

One of our standard dishes for get-togethers. This is on the mild end, as broth is prepared with rice vinegar and plenty of dashi, making it go well with meals or drinks as well as with both Japanese and non-Japanese dishes. Because of high dashi content, it tastes better from Day 2. Makes a great bento item as well.

1/4 of recipe: 124 calories; 11.9 g protein; 5.9 g fat; 4.5 g carbohydrate; 3.8 g net carbs; 148 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium regular soy sauce); 33 mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber

Saba no oshizushi / pressed sushi with grilled mackerel

A specialty sushi from the eastern part of Toyama Prefecture. This sushi appeared at gatherings of relatives at the house of my grandmother on my mother's side in Urayama (Unazuki). We would all get together for mid-summer obon to welcome ancestors as well as to attend spring and fall ennichi festivals at the local shrine. In my mind's eye, I can see my grandmother and aunties working in the large, earthen floor kitchen, chattering away and laughing against the sounds of running water, chopping vegetables and steaming pots, with indulgent smells filling the air. There, they used several huge wooden molds to make hundreds of sushi to feed dozens of people during their stay at the house and to take home. My mom, the youngest of her siblings, claims that gently breaking up grilled mackerel was her role in the sushi making, but she is not in my picture ...

I have a clear visual recollection of me holding a piece of sushi with vivid green sansho leaves. After my grandmother's health deteriorated and we began buying this type of sushi from shops, sansho was always missing, and needless to say there were differences in taste and texture. It was still home style, but certainly not what my family was familiar with.

Because of the big operation I used to see at grandmother's kitchen, I had long thought making this sushi would be too much work. But when I finally made a satisfactory one, it was surprisingly easy -- why couldn't I make this before?

As with masuzushi pressed salmon sushi, making this -- especially mackerel prep and pressing after assembly -- takes a bit of time. It tastes better the next day, too, so plan ahead.


Whole recipe: 1,212 calories; 32.9 g protein; 28.9 g fat; 187.9 g carbohydrate; 185.4 g net carbs; 443 mg sodium (with shiokoji salted rice malt for sushi rice); 69 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fiber

1/9 cut: 135 calories; 3.7 g protein; 3.2 g fat; 20.9 g carbohydrate; 20.6 g net carbs; 49 mg sodium (with shiokoji salted rice malt for sushi rice); 69 mg cholesterol; 2.5 g fiber

Radisshu no kazarikiri, temari / decorative thread ball cut for radish

Create a decorative edible ornament with a little radish! It takes a bit of time, but all cuts are simple. It's an instant upgrade to a cheerful plate, bento or table, even ones filled with dull colors. Use globe-shaped radishes for best results.

Papurika to hijiki no marine / marinated sweet pepper and hijiki seaweed

Juicy, cheerful sweet pepper is quickly microwaved and marinated with boiled hijiki. The combination of apple cider vinegar and rice vinegar is fruity and mild, making it a good match for non-Japanese meals, too. A great addition as an appetizer or as part of a salad or bento.

1/4 of recipe:
42 calories; 0.9 g protein; 2.2 g fat; 5.5 g carbohydrate; 5.2 g net carbs; 70 mg sodium (with shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 0.3 g fiber 

Petoraaru karei to edamame no myoga-mushi-zushi / steamed sushi with petrale sole and edamame, wrapped in myoga ginger leaves

If you have access to fresh myoga leaves, try them as wrappers. A somewhat intense, refreshing aroma stimulates your senses as you unwrap packets at the table. Below is an example with steamed sushi.

1 packet:
114 calories; 6.0 g protein; 0.8 g fat; 19.3 g carbohydrate; 18.9 g net carbs; 59 mg sodium (with sushizu made with shiokoji & ponzujoyu made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 210 mg with store-bought sushizu & ponzujoyu); 10 mg cholesterol; 0.4 g fiber

Okara to kinoko-iri kabocha no korokke / pumpkin croquettes with soybean pulp and mushrooms

Savory and sweet pumpkin croquettes. Sauteed enoki and eringi mushrooms are added for a slightly earthy, deep taste and aroma, which nicely disguises the low sodium content of the dish. The deep-fried version with crispy panko bread crumbs is quite satisfying even when eating only one or two pieces. The baked version tastes light and significantly cuts down the amount of oil and calories. The baked version involves a bit of a process to prepare panko, but it can be done ahead of time.

Deep-fried version (1/2 of recipe):
391 calories; 6.5 g protein; 26.4 g fat; 32.9 g carbohydrate;  25.0 g net carbs; 90 mg sodium (with shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 27 mg cholesterol; 7.9 g fiber

Baked version (1/2 of recipe):
202 calories; 6.5 g protein; 6.0 g fat; 32.9 g carbohydrate; 25.0 g net carbs; 90 mg sodium (with shoyukoji made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce); 27 mg cholesterol; 7.9 g fiber

Masuzushi / pressed salmon sushi wrapped with bamboo leaves

A specialty of Toyama, my hometown prefecture, this pressed sushi with masu salmon is wrapped in bamboo leaves and comes in a magewappa round wooden container. It has also been a favorite ekiben (lit. train station bento) of Toyama since 1912, and is a popular souvenir with tourists and business travelers. Masuzushi is traditionally made with sakura masu (Oncorhynchus masou) that come back to the main river running through the prefecture to the Sea of Japan, and more than a dozen long-established masuzushi specialty shops are found near the river off the city center even today. Each shop's masuzushi has slightly different characteristics, and many locals have their favorite shop. Salmon is first treated with salt and then sugar and vinegar, and finally assembled with sushi rice and bamboo leaves. Yet the sushi is not ready for consumption at this point, as it must be pressed for hours to achieve the delicate blend of taste, aroma and texture.

The recipe below is my most successful attempt so far to recreate the masuzushi from a shop I like in Toyama. I use a stainless flour sifter and pie mold bottom as a magewappa substitute, and dried bamboo leaves for chimaki zongzi as a substitute for fresh bamboo leaves.

Whole recipe: 
1,139 calories; 58.5 g protein; 10.4 g fat; 187.0 g carbohydrate; 185.5 g net carbs; 354 mg sodium (with shiokoji salted rice malt for sushi rice; 674 mg with kosher salt for sushi rice); 99 mg cholesterol; 1.5 g fiber

1/4 of recipe:
285 calories; 14.6 g protein; 2.6 g fat; 46.7 g carbohydrate; 46.3 g net carbs; 88 mg sodium (with shiokoji salted rice malt for sushi rice; 169 mg with kosher salt for sushi rice); 25 mg cholesterol; 0.4 g fiber

Ichigo no shootokeeki / layered sponge cake with strawberries

A Japanese-style "strawberry shortcake" comes as either a double or triple layer of airy, delicate and somewhat moist sponge cake, with whole or sliced strawberries packed inside and more on top. The sponge and cream are equally soft and almost melt together in your mouth, yet you can still clearly sense the mellow aroma of sugar and fresh eggs of the sponge, the fresh silkiness of the cream and the sweet, subtly sour taste of strawberries. This is the most common Western-type cake in Japan, as it has been one of the preferred choices for special occasions such as birthdays and Christmas for many years.

Whole cake: 
2,605 calories; 32.0 g protein; 185.5 g fat; 192.8 g carbohydrate; 187.3 g net carbs; 285 mg sodium; 1,002 mg cholesterol; 5.5 g fiber

1/8 slice: 
521 calories; 6.4 g protein; 37.1 g fat; 38.6 g carbohydrate; 37.5 g net carbs; 57 mg sodium; 200 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Suponji keeki / sponge cake (genoise)

Indispensable for a number of Western-style cakes, including layered cake with fruits and fresh cream, framboise or raspberry mousse cake, baked chocolate or chocolate mousse cakes, Mont Blanc, baked & unbaked cheesecakes, matcha green tea cake, etc. Key ingredients are as simple as flour, eggs and sugar. Below I replace some all-purpose flour with potato starch, and add some maple syrup, butter and milk to increase the cake's soft and delicate texture and moist finish.

Whole cake (18 cm mold): 
1135 calories; 27.2 g protein; 43.2 g fat; 154.6 g carbohydrate; 152.4 g net carbs; 231 mg sodium; 713 mg cholesterol; 2.2 g fiber

Koebi no mabodofu / mapo tofu with bay shrimp

Very tasty. One of my favorite Chinese dishes from our kitchen, now made to be sodium savvy by tweaking seasoning in the original recipe -- replacing sake with Shaoxing wine, black bean paste with black beans themselves, partially replacing soy sauce with shoyukoji as well as tobanjan with red chili pepper, and adding kurozu brown rice vinegar. While this features bay shrimp, it is also good with ground or finely chopped pork or a combination of pork and beef.

1/4 of recipe:
174 calories; 12.8 g protein; 7.3 g fat; 12.6 g carbohydrate; 11.6 g net carbs; 351 mg sodium (when using 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce and shoyukoji made of reduced-sodium soy sauce); 44 mg cholesterol; 2.0 g fiber

Seiyo meshida no jon / jeon Korean piccata with lady fern fiddleheads

Jeon Korean piccata is another easy way to enjoy the delicate harvest of the season!

Whole recipe (when made with kogomi and served with dipping sauce made with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce and diluted with water):
82 calories; 3.8 g protein; 5.0 g fat; 5.6 g carbohydrate; 3.0 g net carbs; 75 mg sodium; 71 mg cholesterol; 2.6 g fiber

Shiitake to warabi no buriichiizu-yaki / shiitake and bracken with brie cheese

Wow! A great little appetizer that really is something different. Goes well with both Western and Asian dishes.

3 shiitake: 
54 calories; 3.0 g protein; 4.1 g fat; 1.6 g carbohydrate; 0.3 g net carbs; 74 mg sodium; 11 mg cholesterol; 1.3 g fiber

Takenoko gohan / steamed rice with bamboo shoots

A reminder of spring. One of my favorite rice dishes when takenoko is in season.

1/3 of recipe:
210 calories; 4.9 g protein; 1.7 g fat; 40.9 g carbohydrate; 39.8 g net carbs; 95.3 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 146 mg with regular soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

1/2 of recipe:
315 calories; 7.4 g protein; 2.6 g fat; 61.4 g carbohydrate; 59.8 g net carbs; 143 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 219 mg with regular soy sauce); 0 mg cholesterol; 1.6 g fiber

Amazake chokoreeto keeki / chocolate cake with amazake

A little chocolate cake with a delightful aftertaste. One of our favorite desserts.

1/8 cake slice:
110 calories; 2.4 g protein; 6.9 g fat; 8.4 g carbohydrate; 7.7 g net carbs; 23 mg sodium; 73 mg cholesterol; 0.7 g fiber

Fudanso to feta chiizu no taruto / Swiss chard and feta cheese tart

I like to serve this savory tart as an appetizer or snack for a small gathering. It doesn't look glamorous, but it does appeal to your taste buds, and your stomach -- probably because of the potatoes. Adapted from the Torta Verde recipe originally found in a Saveur magazine website years ago. 

1/8 of recipe (when made with sheep milk feta cheese with 270 mg sodium/28 g):
109 calories; 4.1 g protein; 4.2 g fat; 12.7 g carbohydrate; 11.6 g net carbs; 108 mg sodium; 34 mg cholesterol; 1.1 g fiber

Tonyu nabe / hot pot with soy milk broth

A somewhat rich hot pot with a very mild aftertaste.

1/2 of recipe:
413 calories; 46.5 g protein; 14.8 g fat; 21.8 g carbohydrate; 15.5 g net carbs; 707 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce for both broth and ponzujoyu; 980 mg with regular soy sauce); 74 mg cholesterol; 6.3 g fiber

Ebi-shinjo to yasai ribon no nabe / hot pot with prawn-fish dumplings and vegetable ribbons

Vegetable ribbons and fluffy prawn-fish dumplings turn regular nabe hot pot into something special. Put prawn-fish dumplings in the nabe first, as they taste richer as they cook with other ingredients.

1/2 of recipe:
525 calories; 32.5 g protein; 14.8 g fat; 61.5 g carbohydrate; 59.9 g net carbs; 502 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce for both broth and ponzujoyu; 743 mg with regular soy sauce); 179 mg cholesterol; 7.6 g fiber

Nasu no agebitashi / deep-fried eggplant in light broth

A heavenly creamy and juicy eggplant dish for summer. Okra makes marinade broth thick and smooth, while grated ginger clears away the oiliness of eggplant. Since eggplant is deep-fried, a small amount is very satisfying.

Ebi no paeriya / paella with prawns

A party paella with botan-ebi spot shrimp at the height of their season! The broth is also made with spot shrimp, infusing the rice with the yummy flavor of shrimp at their best.

Yooguruto no muusu / yogurt mousse, with blueberry sauce

A very lightly sweetened, fluffy and creamy yogurt mousse. One of my standard dessert choices to serve after a meal with guests.