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Give Me Umami

Guides

Whether you're new to Japanese cooking or just want to build more confidence in the kitchen, this section is here to help. These in-depth guides cover core techniques, ingredients, and tips for cooking Japanese food at home—even if you’re just getting started. Learn how to stock your pantry, use Japanese seasonings, make everyday staples like rice and dashi, and understand how Japanese meals are typically structured. Perfect for home cooks who want to go beyond just following recipes.

Narrow your search:

Japanese Cooking Basics
  • Natto japanese fermented soybeans on rice.
    Beginner’s Guide to Natto (Japanese Fermented Soybeans)
  • Dashi powder, miso, mirin, rice vinegar, sake, and soy sauce.
    8 Essential Japanese Pantry Staples for Beginners
  • Seishu and cooking sake bottles.
    Sake 101: A Guide to Uses, Storage, Substitutes, and More
  • Four onigiri on a cutting board.
    Beginner’s Guide to Onigiri (Japanese Rice Balls)
  • Kombu, dried shiitake, and bonito flakes on the left, dashi pack on the right.
    Japanese Dashi 101: Uses, Types, Substitutes, and More
  • Red, white, and light-colored miso containers.
    Miso 101: A Guide to Types, Uses, Storage, and More
  • three wooden spoons.
    A Guide to Japanese Ingredient Substitutions
  • Usukuchi and koikuchi soy sauce next to each other.
    Japanese Soy Sauce 101: What It Is, Types, Uses, and More
  • Teishoku with rice, sunomono, miso soup, simmered kiriboshi daikon, and teriyaki chicken.
    Step-by-Step Beginner’s Guide to Japanese Cooking
  • Teishoku with rice, salad, fried chicken, miso soup, and side dishes.
    What is Washoku? A Guide to Traditional Japanese Cuisine
  • A bottle of mirin.
    Mirin 101: A Guide to Types, Uses, Substitutes, and More

Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kurumi! I share practical and traditional Japanese recipes and tips to incorporate Japanese cooking into daily lives.

More about me

Popular

  • Apple miso cookies on a plate.
    Healthy Apple Miso Cookies (Gluten-Free, Oil-Free & Refined Sugar-Free)
  • Yakisoba pan (Japanese stir fry noodles in buns).
    Yakisoba Pan (Japanese Yakisoba Bun Noodle Sandwich)
  • Cold brew katsuo dashi in a jar on the left and regular dashi on the right.
    Katsuo Dashi (Easy Bonito Dashi Recipe with Katsuobushi)
  • Japanese miso vinaigrette salad with kale and shrimps.
    Japanese Miso Vinaigrette Salads (Seafood, Veggies, Seaweed)

Latest

  • Natto fried rice on a plate.
    Natto Fried Rice (Easy Umami-Packed Dish Even Natto Haters Love)
  • Natto salad on a plate.
    Natto Salad with Creamy Miso-Yogurt & Crunchy Veggies
  • Natto dressing in a jar.
    Natto Dressing Wafu Style (Japanese Salad Dressing)
  • Natto japanese fermented soybeans on rice.
    Beginner’s Guide to Natto (Japanese Fermented Soybeans)

FREE Miso Mini Recipe eBook

Freebie miso mini recipe ebook signup form.

FREE Onigiri Guide for Beginners

Onigiri guide for beginners.

FREE Dashi Cheat Sheet

Ultimate guide to dashi, dashi cheat sheet.

FREE Japanese Home Cooking Starter Guide

Japanese home cooking starter guide sign-up preview image.

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