Shiso soosu / green perilla sauce

A wonderful pesto-like sauce that works as a condiment or dressing.

1 tbsp (12 g): 
39 calories; 0.3 g protein; 3.6 g fat; 1.2 g carbohydrate; 0.9 g net carbs; 113 mg sodium; 0 mg cholesterol; 0.3 g fiber

Kinshi uri no tosazu-ae / spaghetti squash in bonito flake infused sweetened rice vinegar dressing

One of the standard Japanese dishes featuring kinshi uri (somen kabocha) spaghetti squash. Adding katsuobushi bonito flakes to sweetened rice vinegar gives a nice underlying punch to this dish. A tiny amount of mitsuba also accentuates the overall flavor. A small and refreshing side dish.

1/2 of recipe:
32 calories; 1.0 g protein; 0.1 g fat; 6.2 g carbohydrate; 5.2 g net carbs; 139 mg sodium (with 50% reduced-sodium soy sauce; 177 mg with regular soy sauce); 1.0 mg cholesterol; 1.0g  fiber

Tomato to enoki no sanraatan / suan la tang hot and sour soup with tomatoes and enoki mushrooms

Substantial and refreshing. With a boost from a dried scallop, this hot and sour soup offers lots of flavor and aroma. Great with somewhat heavy dishes, too.

Rice vinegar with kombu kelp

Kombu magic!

For a long time, I didn't especially like simple sunomono dishes in rice vinegar-based dressing. I did not appreciate that edgy, sharp sourness on my tongue and the almost piercing aroma in my nostrils, even if only for a moment – and both of these really stand out when vinegar is not heated with other dressing ingredients such as sugar and soy sauce.