Base Recipe: Rice Porridge (Congee)

rice porridge with umeboshi

Congee. Jook. Kayu. Ganji. Just like fried rice, every culinary region that serves rice also has a rice porridge option in their cuisine. Some are savory, some are sweet. Some are packed with flavors while others are plain and let the side dishes provide flavor for them. At its core, rice porridge is just rice … Read more

Base Recipe: Fried Rice

egg-coated fried rice

Every culinary region that has rice as a dietary staple has a variation of fried rice in their cuisine. From the iconic egg fried rice of Eastern China, to the ketchup-flavored and egg-wrapped variant of Japan, to the spiced and fragrant plates of India, fried rice is a highly versatile dish. Historically, fried rice likely … Read more

Staple Recipe: Dashi Stock (slow cooker method)

dashi stock in 2 quart containers

Dashi stock is a staple in the Japanese kitchen and there are many ways to prepare it. Traditionally, dashi is made by either soaking konbu in cold water for a long period of time, or heating konbu in hot simmering water for a several minutes (never boil though! Supposedly konbu creates a bitter taste if … Read more