Umami: The 5th Dimension of Taste
Salty, sweet, sour and bitter are familiar terms to describe taste. Yet a fifth, umami, is less well-known but just as prevalent.
Our 4 Favorite Bento Channels
A well-done bento is truly a work of art, and a number of English-language YouTube channels have sprung up with the hope of teaching folks easy techniques for preparing a unique and tasty box.
Terrifyingly Tasty Halloween Ramen
Black broth. Black noodles. Black sheets of nori. Black garlic oil. Black everything—it's a bowl of midnight ramen.
Rich & Creamy Vegan Ramen
One brave cook ascended Mount Ramen to return with possibly the best vegan bowl ever made. Here's how you can, too.
Waffle Iron Ramen
Waffling ramen gives it a crispy texture with extra-browned spots.
Autumn Tipple: Sake & Pear Sangria
Make your own seasonal sake sangria with this simple fall recipe!
The Tumbler Bento: Pure Genius!
YouTuber Ochikeron assembles three very different bento-style lunches in plastic travel tumblers. What a great idea!
The Edible World of Okonomiyaki Art
Start with floral designs and work your way up to JoJo, Totoro or Levi Ackerman.
Bake Your Own Ramen Cake
Sounds like a terrible idea, right? Not to worry: it's not what you think.
Ramen Crust Pizza?!
It's got gooey melted cheese. It's got a robust tomato sauce that balances zestiness and sweetness with just the right bit of zip. It just happens to be made with noodles instead of dough.
Make Your Own Ramen Burger
Want to make one of Time Magazine's most influential burgers? Just ignore the well-intentioned (but sadly wrong) explanation of the meaning of the word ramen.
The Sensual Aroma of Sweet Potatoes
There are different ways to make "yaki-imo." Wrapping a sweet potato in aluminum foil and burying it in hot embers is one. Another method is to coat them with a salty batter made from egg whites, flour and salt then slowly bake them for a few hours.
Buddhism Through the Stomach
A Buddhist monk shares his religion through cooking and cookbooks.
Innovating Organic Recipes on the Farm
Nancy Singleton Hachisu's first book, Japanese Farm Food, sold over 30,000 copies, leading to a regular spot on a national variety show.
Spring Rolls, Japanese Style
This recipe for spring rolls, or "harumaki," may not be authentic—or at least, not authentically Chinese. It's authentically Japanese-Chinese, or "chuuka"—Chinese dishes that were introduced to Japan mostly in the late 19th to 20th centuries.
15 Seriously Funky Ramen Hacks
From faux pho to ramen poutine and ramepherd's pie, we've got you covered.
11 Instant Ramen Hacks You Have To Try
The list gets a little abstract toward the end, but the first three concepts—grilled cheese, pizza and gnocchi—look like legitimate fun.
Yakumi: Condiments with a Healthy Twist
Directly translated as 'medicine' (yaku) 'taste' (mi), yakumi originally served as antidotes to a variety of ailments.
The King of Japanese Chili Peppers
With its thick, soft, sweet flesh, the beauty of the manganji pepper is it can be successfully cooked in a number of ways.
5 Books for Mastering Bento-making
Here are a few bento books that we think you’ll find helpful and inspiring!
