Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata: Sixty Quick and Healthy Recipes

by Yoshihiro Murata, Akira Saito (Photographer)

Overview

Yoshihiro Murata, one of the most accomplished and respected figures in Japan's culinary world, has combined his expertise and artistry with his enthusiasm for teaching Japanese cooking to create this exciting new book. Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata presents over sixty healthy home recipes, from classic to modern, ranging from popular restaurant offerings like yakitori, tempura, and shabu shabu to typical home dishes like onigiri (rice balls), miso soup, and tonkatsu fried pork cutlets.


All of the dishes can be made using Western kitchen tools and ordinary ingredients readily available from the supermarket; if a more exotic ingredient is called for, Murata suggests alternatives. And, while he strives to retain the authenticity of a recipe, he also recommends ways for the Western chef to adapt it. For example, in a number of the recipes, he suggests using high-quality store-bought chicken broth, which is also used in Japan, instead of traditional Japanese dashi stock.


Another important aspect of Chef Murata's approach to home cooking is his emphasis on presentation. With vivid color photographs, the book showcases Murata's simple and beautiful ideas for serving and plating the food.


Best known in the U.S. as the owner and chef of the fabulous Kikunoi restaurants, Murata has made it his mission to educate and enlighten food lovers everywhere about his native cuisine, in all its variety. As Chef Murata writes in the Introduction, "So let's begin cooking healthy food at home. I assure you that with this book, you can cook Japanese food quickly and easily, and develop a close feeling for the cuisine. I look forward to helping you, even if only a bit little to lead a healthier life and make yourself and your loved ones happier."

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781568365558
Publisher:	Kodansha USA
Publication date:	08/22/2014
Edition description:	Reissue
Pages:	112
Sales rank:	928,324
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.70(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Yoshihiro Murata was born in Kyoto, where his family had been running the Kikunoi restaurant for two generations. After graduating from university, he spent some years honing his culinary skills in a restaurant in Nagoya, then returned to his family business in 1976. Now, he is the owner/chef of three restaurants in Kyoto and Tokyo, and the proud recipient of a total of seven stars from the Michelin Guide (three for the main restaurant in Kyoto and two stars each for his other two). Murata is the author of Kaiseki, published by Kodansha International.

Table of Contents

Introduction 8

Using this book 10

Chapter 1 Salads 11

Green Beans with Sesame Sauce 12

Fava Beans with Sweet Tofu Sauce 13

Spinach with Peanut Sauce 14

Daikon Radish with Wasabi-Soy Dressing 16

Onion and Crispy Bacon Salad 18

Chapter 2 Sautéed Dishes 19

Beef Teriyaki 20

Tofu Teriyaki 22

Pan-Grilled Skewered Chicken 24

Sautéed Pork with Ginger and Tomato 26

Salmon Teriyaki 27

Rolled Omelet 28

Grilled Eggplant in Sauce 30

Chapter 3 Deep-Fried Dishes 31

Shrimp Tempura 32

Kakiage Tempura 34

Deep-Fried Oysters 35

Japanese Pork Cutlets 36

Deep-Fried Marinated Chicken Breast 38

Deep-Fried Cod 39

Deep-Fried Tofu 40

Chicken Wings Escabeehe 42

Chapter 4 Steamed Dishes 43

Sake-Steamed Clams 44

Steamed Vegetables with Peanut Butter Dressing 45

Steamed Egg Custard 46

Steamed Salmon with Tofu and Mushrooms 48

Chapter 5 Simmered Dishes 49

Braised Beef and Potatoes 50

Simmered Napa Cabbage and Pork Slices 52

Kabocha Squash and Bacon Stew 54

Sweet-and-Sour Chicken Wings 56

Simmered Calamari and Daikon Radish 57

Ginger Mackerel 58

Kimpira 60

Potato Kimpira with Bacon 61

Chicken and Vegetable Stew 62

Chapter 6 Hot Pots 63

Sukiyaki 64

Shabu-Shabu Hot Pot 66

Chicken Meatball Hot Pot 68

Salmon and Miso Hot Pot 70

Chapter 7 Rice and Noodles 71

Marinated Tuna on Rice 72

Chicken and Mushroom Rice 74

Smoked Salmon, Butter, and Soy Sauce on Rice 75

Chicken and Egg on Rice 76

Fried Rice 77

Sushi Rice Bowl 78

Sushi Hand-Roll with Lettuce 80

Tuna-Mayo Rice Balls 82

Seared Rice Balls with Bacon Soy Sauce 84

Soba Noodles with Sweet Soy Sauce 86

Chicken and Onion Noodle Soup 87

Pried Noodles 88

Beef Noodle Soup 90

Chapter 8 Soups 91

Egg and Bacon Soup 92

Chicken and Tofu Soup 93

Clam and Miso Soup 94

Pork and Root Vegetable Soup 96

Supplemental Recipes 97

Glossary 106

Index 108

Conversions 111

Editorial Reviews

Murata (Kaiseki: The Exquisite Cuisine of Kyoto's Kikunoi Restaurant), chef/owner of the renowned Kikunoi and other restaurants in Japan, brings a variety of Japanese food to an American audience. Instead of focusing on the cuisine of his restaurants (kaiseki, or formal, ritualized courses, with emphasis on seasonal ingredients, evolved from the 16th century), he works to encourage "authentic Japanese home cooking" as a healthful option because dishes do not rely on fats or oils in seasoning or preparation. Recipes for salads, hot pots, and steamed and simmered dishes are nearly all accompanied by color photographs, making the unfamiliar less intimidating. The instructions are short, clearly written, and easy to follow. Most recipes serve two but can be easily multiplied. The majority of ingredients can be found in larger supermarkets or ordered online (no suggested vendors are listed).Verdict Recommended but not essential for readers interested in healthy or Japanese cooking. [Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat's forthcoming The Japanese Grill is an excellent choice for those who want more information on yakitori, one of the many methods Murata covers.—Ed.]—Kimberly Bartosz, Univ. of Wisconsin-Parkside, Kenosha

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