Wafu Cooking

A bold, fresh new approach to Japanese cooking- 120-plus globally influenced recipes-from the author of Japanese Home CookingONE OF THE BEST COOKBOOKS OF THE YEAR- The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bon Appetit, The Boston Globe, The Strategist, Serious Eats, and Saveur A bold, fresh new approach to Japanese cooking- 120-plus globally influenced recipes-from the author of Japanese Home CookingIn this dazzling and wholly original cookbook, culinary authority Sonoko Sakai redefines what Japanese cooking can be. Wafu (literally "Japanese style") food is fusion at its best, combining flavors, ingredients, and techniques from around the globe with a distinctly Japanese personality.Wafu Cooking is a collection of recipes that captures the cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world in dishes that have come to Japan from abroad and been "wafu-ed" to suit local tastes, and in Japanese dishes that are reimagined through an American lens. From Dashi Cheese Grits with Honey Miso Butter, Collard Greens and Cabbage Miso Soup with Crispy Bacon, and Fish and Lotus Chips, to Caesar Salad with Aonori Croutons and Bonito Flakes, Shio Koji Marinated Roast Chicken, and Miso Apple Pie, these are recipes that reflect-and celebrate-the multinational, interconnected way in which we all eat today. Sakai also introduces the essential building blocks of Japanese cuisine-dashi, miso, and soy sauce-that can be used to give any dish a wafu twist.A book that reflects as much the author's own journey-a life spent in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, and elsewhere-as it does the foods of Japan, Wafu Cooking is an utterly unique, thoroughly modern cookbook.

“A weeknight cooking Bible.” —ERIC KIM, The New York Times

“Sonoko Sakai’s Wafu Cooking is absolutely exquisite—a cookbook, yes, but also a guide and a map to the intricacies and love woven into Japanese cuisine. Approachable and expansive, Wafu Cooking is truly tremendous.” —BRYAN WASHINGTON, author of Family Meal

“Some of my favorite things to eat when visiting Japan are the various wafu foods, or Japanese interpretations of foreign dishes . . . Sakai explores how abundantly the philosophy of wafu cooking can be applied to create endless—and delicious—new dishes. Sakai’s book includes some classic beloved wafu recipes, like mentaiko spaghetti and Chinese-influenced chashu pork. But Sakai’s innovative flair really comes through in her own genius riffs, like adding a dollop of salty miso to stewed, caramelized apples for apple pie, or incorporating spicy yuzu kosho in a creamy udon dish for a Japanese version of pasta al limone. Sakai’s recipes are original, playful, and fun, and strike a balance between classic wafu dishes and new, inventive takes that could have been dreamed up only by her.” —KAT THOMSON, Eater, “Best Cookbooks of Fall 2024”

“Each recipe is a thoughtful conversation between Japanese ingredients or techniques and those from the rest of the world . . . Like any cookbook that will spend more time off my bookshelf than on it, there are countless others that I want to try.” —EMMA LAPERRUQUE, Bon Appétit

“Sakai creates her own wafu recipes, including dashi cheese grits with miso honey butter, Japanese Italian wedding soup (she adds soy sauce and sake to her meatballs), Caesar salad with aonori croutons and bonito flakes, eggplant katsu curry, fish and lotus chips with wasabi tartar sauce, and balsamic shio koji chicken. They reflect a foundation in Japanese cuisine, matched with international influences and her passion for California’s bounty—citrus, persimmons, avocados, chiles and greens among them. Fresh and fun.” —Los Angeles Times

“The chapter on breakfast is an inspiration, offering dashi cheese grits, toasted onigiri with miso-honey butter, maple tamagoyaki, a riff on the traditional omelet, and more. And that’s just the first meal of the day! Miso soup meets collards, cabbage, and bacon, and it’s like they’ve been friends forever. Seafood takikomi gohan is like Japanese paella. There’s a chilled spicy ramen salad, and miso in the Bolognese. Everybody loves sushi, but there’s more to life.” —The Boston Globe

“Sakai’s masterful deployment of Japanese flavors is sure to enliven your everyday dishes, so pair this with a special bottle of sake for a perfect holiday gift.” —Saveur

“Sonoko Sakai’s love and respect for Japanese food comes through with every dish and recipe. She always does a wonderful job sharing the essence of Japanese food, and I know that readers will find the journey joyful and inspiring.” —NIKI NAKAYAMA, chef/owner of Michelin 2-starred n/naka

“I learned so much from reading Sonoko’s enticing recipes and deft informative notes, and from the beautiful photographs here. Sonoko invites us to use traditional Japanese techniques and flavorings to add depth and distinctiveness to familiar dishes, from roast chicken, hummus, and ceviche, to lasagna, bread, and ice cream. A stunning achievement.” —NAOMI DUGUID, author of The Miracle of Salt, Taste of Persia, and Burma: Rivers of Flavor

“Recipes are delightfully inventive and playful, with nods to Mexico (there’s a ‘pozole Japonesa’), to Italy (spicy curry tomato pizza) and also to the United States (wafu skillet chicken pot pie, miso apple pie).” —Forbes

“This book is as perfect as Sonoko’s homemade soba noodles. The recipes are diverse and personal, and the directions precise. I have had the privilege of eating in Sonoko’s kitchen—and now we all will.” —JOAN NATHAN, author of King Solomon’s Table and My Life in Recipes

“Japan, India, Paris, Mexico City, California, Peru, and Queens . . . Sonoko Sakai’s culinary exploration and evolution from childhood curiosity to master artisan is breathtaking. A shared moment, flavor, or textural nuance within Sonoko’s art can gently open a unique window into the vast aroma and flavor histories of our world.” —GLENN ROBERTS, founder of Anson Mills

SONOKO SAKAI was born in New York to Japanese parents, and she grew up in San Francisco, Kamakura, Mexico City, and Tokyo. She is the author of Japanese Home Cooking, Rice Craft, and The Poetical Pursuit of Food. She has worked as a recipe developer, producer, creative director, cooking teacher, and lecturer. She is also a grain activist. Sonoko lives in Los Angeles and Tehachapi, California, with her sculptor husband, Katsuhisa Sakai.

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