Horenso no shami-bitashi / spinach in shami broth

Ohitashi with a Chinese twist.

Gobo burdock root

Arctium lappa

Here is another root vegetable that frequently appears on our table. This long stick-like root has an earthy aroma and is quite filling. It can be cut and sliced in many different ways that suit most individual dishes. Aroma and nutrition are concentrated near the skin, and fresh gobo is best scrubbed and lightly scraped with the back of a knife rather than peeling. Unfortunately, gobo available at stores is often already somewhat wilted and difficult to scrape properly.

Mushi kabocha / steamed mashed kabocha pumpkin

Naturally sweet kabocha pumpkin dressed in small cups.

Biifun / Taiwanese fried rice noodles

My favorite rice noodle dish since my Taiwan days.

Daikon radish prep cooking

Thickly cut daikon radish stays relatively firm when cooked in stew without prep cooking. Boil daikon in water used for washing rice or with rice to make it tender and translucent. Prep-cooked daikon absorbs flavor well in main cooking.

Ingen no kuttarini / soft simmered green beans

Good hot or cold. This dish appears repeatedly on the table during summer.

Onioroshi / grater for chunky daikon pieces

Onioroshi is to grate daikon radish into chunky pieces. Grated daikon is not watery and keeps its crispy texture.