Takashi's Noodles [Paperback]

Takashi Yagihashi (Author), Harris Salat (Author), Tyllie Barbosa (Photographer)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 1, 2009

A collection of 75 recipes from James Beard Award-winning chef Takashi Yagihashi for both traditional and inventive hot and cold Japanese noodle dishes.

Combining traditional Japanese influences, French technique, and more than 20 years of cooking in the Midwest, James Beard Award-winning chef Takashi Yagihashi introduces American home cooks to essential Japanese comfort food with his simple yet sophisticated recipes. Emphasizing quick-to-the-table shortcuts, the use of fresh and dried packaged noodles, and kid-friendly dishes, Takashi explains noodle nuances and explores each style's distinct regional identity. An expert guide, Takashi recalls his youth in Japan and takes cooks on a discovery tour of the rich bounty of Japanese noodles, so readily accessible today. Takashi's exuberance for noodles ranging from Aje-Men to Zaru is sure to inspire home cooks to dive into bowl after soothing, refreshing bowl.

"A wonderfully talented chef." --Chef Eric RipertReviews"Noodle fans with a stocked pantry will find plenty to slurp about."—Publishers Weekly

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Expertly synthesizing his experience in French, American and Japanese kitchens, James Beard Award-winning chef Yagihashi gives noodle-philiacs 75 inventive, appetizing reasons to drop the take-out and roll up their sleeves. Divided by noodle type (ramen, soba, udon, somen, other Asian noodles and pasta), offerings like sake-steamed chicken with ramen, beef short ribs served with chewy saifun bean threads, and classics like Pad Thai and pho, all showcase the versatility of the simple noodle. International riffs like Soba Gnocchi with Celery Root Foam, Cassoulet of Crab, Kimchi and Harusame and the down-home comfort of Corned Beef with Rice Noodles exemplify Yagihashi's global approach. Instructions for making one's own soba noodles, egg pasta and somen (as well as six dipping sauces) complete the roundup, and sticklers for detail will be pleased that Yagihashi is not one to cut corners. Though it contains recipes for practically every skill level and taste, cooks without access to a well-stocked Asian grocery are likely to wind up frustrated. Noodle fans with a stocked pantry will have plenty to slurp about. 40 color photos.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

“Noodle fans with a stocked pantry will find plenty to slurp about.”
—Publishers Weekly
 
Takashi has “given us what’s become a rarity—a cookbook that is equal parts timely, useful, and pretty.”
—Chicago Magazine

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 176 pages
• Publisher: Ten Speed Press (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580089658
• ISBN-13: 978-1580089654
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 0.8 x 9.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #284,249 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #52 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Cooking by Ingredient > Pasta
  • #85 in Books > Cookbooks, Food & Wine > Regional & International > Asian > Japanese

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

65 of 66 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Japanese Noodle Cookbook, July 22, 2009

By 

Eilie (Philadelphia, PA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Takashi's Noodles (Paperback)

This wonderful cookbook specializes in Japanese noodles and includes a number of variations for udon, soba, and ramen. It includes detailed descriptions of ingredients and a little bit of background on each style of noodle. Although I haven't made the handmade soba noodles, I have tried the udon recipes and they came out better than most Japanese restaurants. Please do not be put off by the review stating that this is a horrible book because the short ribs are not cooked long enough. The recipe included in this book is for Japanese style beef short ribs which are a half inch thick cut along the bias, as you would see in shabu-shabu or Korean barbeque recipes, and therefore a minute per side is a reasonable estimate.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Solid Japanese noodle cookbook, August 31, 2009

By 

Musashi&Koyama (CA USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Takashi's Noodles (Paperback)

Takashi did a great job writing a Japanese noodle cookbook using available ingredients found in the western grocery stores. His recipes are not what I call a fusion style of recipes and he stays true to his background by presenting true Japanese noodle recipes.

His Japanese recipes are very solid and traditional recipes with beautiful presentation and photos. Pages 1-94 are Japanese recipes and pages 96-127 delves into other Asian as well as western noodle dishes.

The cold noodle dipping sauces are excellent with some innovative ideas such as tomato dipping sauce which I found very interesting. It does go extremely well with chilled somen noodle.

33 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good book with simple recipies that work, January 18, 2010

By 

Jason, Professional Chef (Twin Cities, MN) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Takashi's Noodles (Paperback)

First off, ignore the one star review. The review bought the wrong type of rib cut and is blaming it on the book. You have to get the across the bone Asian style rib cut..not the between the bone American/European style Rib cut.

Now..onto the review:
This is a excellent book!
Takashi(who is a skilled chef in the Chicago area) has put together simple recipies that taste great and can be be made in a home kitchen without a monster effort. He also gives you a little backround about the noodles and the dishes so you can get a feel on how they are viewed in their native country. There are more than noodle recipies also-he includes recipies for Yakatori, Gyoza/Pot Stickers and many other common Asian Pub/Street food dishes that really fit in with the noodle recipies.

Plus, Takashi is not afraid to throw a Professional type recipie at you for a challenge if you so desire:look for the recipie with foam.

I am a professional chef and I can appreciate the simpliticy and ease of this book. I suggest a large 12+qt pot and a fine strainer or a china cap with cheesecloth to strain the soups as the only real things you need. Also, find where your local well stocked Asian Grocery store is at, as you will need to visit them for a few things that you won't find in a normal grocery store. If you can't find it locally, go online-Asian ingredients can be found online cheaply these days.

Just get this book if you are interested in Asian noodle soups/dishes and want a great, simple starting place Or you don't want to put a full day or three ala Momofuku to make noodle dishes.