Customer Reviews

The Essentials of Japanese Cooking

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A fantastic resource. This is one of the best Japanese cookbooks available in English. While most Japanese cookbooks overlap with other ones, this one has information not found in other books. This has one of the best sections explaining basic techniques and tools in Japanese cooking. Additionally there is a glossary of Japanese ingredients and lists of acceptable substitutions for Komatsu-na and other tough to find vegetables. For all this information alone it would be a must buy. While familiar recipes such as teriyaki and ohitashi are covered, there are also a number of recipes not commonly found in Western-published cookbooks. The IS an essential cookbook as the the title claims.

This is my first Japanese cookbook, and I will say I did a lot of research on other books before deciding on this one. It has VERY clear step by step directions and photos for each recipe, in clear simple terms. It even tells you about different foods and utensils and other Japanese tableware. It is a good book for any skill level, complete with a list of acceptable substitutes for ingredients. Photos are sharp and concise. Well worth the price. This is a must for anyone wanting to cook Japanese.

I agree with everything written below with one addition: This cookbook has photographs of each step as they are done which is very helpful to follow along with the process. In addition, it gives nifty ideas for how to mix and match Japanese dishes to create a perfect meal capable of impressing even the harshest critic.

This has to be the best book on ethnic food I have found. The book starts off with colorful pictures of specialized ingredients with both the english and japanese names. It also describes how you prepare these ingredients. The book goes on to describe cuts of vegetables and their special names for them. Once we have established the basics she goes onto menus and a good deal of recipes to fill out these menus. Her recipes are clear, concise, and filled with pictures, so you will not doubt that you are preparing these dishes properly. Honestly, this has to be the best book I have seen in clarifing a style of food that I was not familiar with. This book deserves more than 5 stars. If you are looking to start an exploration of Japanese style cooking, go no further, you have found what you are looking for right here.

This is by far the best cookbook I have ever bought. It even has tips to help make the best dashi stock (most books assume you can buy it frozen or powdered but there are no japanese shops in my area) I really like all the pictures because they show step by step what to do. Tokiko even shows proper cutting techniques and gives a few sample menus for picnic outings, etc. This explained so much more about japanese cuisine and how to make it properly. I'm thinking about buying her other book as well!

A beautiful book, ordered as a result of the five star reviews. It graces my coffee table (to impress my guests.) However, if you are a novice and have trouble understanding where to start, all the information you need, and several hundred recipes more are contained in Food of Japan by Shirley Booth (large paperback). This is the book to buy!

I spend half of my time abroad where Japanese restaurants are either non-existent or outrageously expensive, so I wanted to find a book that would give me info on ingredients, techniques and recipes to make food at home.

Ms. Suzuki does give a good explanation of ingredients and technique. Every page has color photos, which enable the beginner or unfamiliar advanced cook to view each item in its ideal state, thus making it easy to choose wisely at the market. Names are also referenced both in Japanese and common English name; that's sometimes helpful at a Japanese market. There's also a section on kitchen equipment, tableware and suggestions for typical menus according to season. Following, the book is divided into the usual Appetizer, Main Course and Dessert sections. Plenty of photos and instructions for each step are given for all recipes. I like that.

The reason I didn't give this 5 stars is because the book doesn't cover some staples of traditional Japanese cooking, things that are common at restaurants, which I believe are essential as the title of this book suggests. i.e. green salad with miso dressing (miso dressing in this book is not the same), gyoza, unagi, donburi boxes, yakitori (closest thing is chicken and leek kebabs with different sauce), green tea ice cream. I would suggest Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art instead. Just my opinion.

I love Japanese food, so this book was very useful. If you want to learn how to make Japanese food, then this is an excellent book. It gets the job done, and you learn a lot of other cool tidbits while you're at it.

This book along with Homestyle Japanese Cooking provided me with specific directions, step-by-step pictures, and a great ingredient list. I would diffently recommend this book to others. It makes a great gift as well.