Japanese Light: Heart-Friendly, Age-Defying Recipes from the World’s Healthiest Cuisine
Japanese Light by Kimiko Barber has 120 healthy recipes made with the fresh ingredients prepared with nourishing cooking techniques found in Japanese cuisine. Gorgeous photos accompany most of the recipes. Sometimes step-by-step photos are provided for techniques such as preparing Yakitori (skewering the chicken) and Gyoza (filling the dumpling). My favorite part is the page full of photos demonstrating cutting techiques for vegetables such as rolling cuts, Gingko-leaf slices, shavings and threads.
I hate to use the term fusion because it seems like a buzz word, but by definition this book seems to be filled with fusion recipes. The Japanese Burger with Daikon uses a combination of chicken and tofu along with soy sauce to make the patty. Soy-Marinated Roast Chicken Legs add an Asian twist to classic roasted chicken. Chilled Tomato Somen was inspired while a visit to Umbria and uses Italian ingredients with Japanese noodles and a bit of soy sauce.
There is an entire chapter dedicated to tofu and beans. Many people might not like that so much of the book dedicated to recipes containing tofu, but I personally appreciate it. I am always interested in new ways to incorporate tofu into my diet. This is not because I like tofu so much, but because it is something different and I know it is good for me. The Warm Tofu and Steamed Vegetable Salad wtih Plum Dressing is light and refreshing. The author suggests even adding some steamed chicken breast to make it a bit heartier.
Several recipes call for Japanese ingredients that can be difficult to find, such as shimejo mushrooms and umeboshi (pickled plums). But with a visit to the Asian market and the patience to look through around the store and ask quesitons, I was able to find everything I needed. It was fun to cook with new foods like miso paste, daikon (Japanese radish) and gingko nuts.
Kimiko Barber’s Japanese Light is available from Amazon.com for $19.00. In the UK the book is published as Japanese Pure and Simple and is available at Amazon.co.uk for £9.89.
