Atsuko's Japanese Kitchen ― Home-cooked Comfort Food Made Simple

Learn how to make the enigmatic and umami-rich comfort food of Japan, with over 60 recipes straight from Atsuko’s Ikeda’s authentic yet modern Japanese Kitchen.

Japanese home-cooking is full of comfort, but a version of comfort food that is stylish, mouth-watering and less unhealthy than most. For those who aspire to re-create the Japanese dishes enjoyed in restaurants or on holiday, and to discover even more about the secrets and techniques involved in Japanese home-cooking, you are invited into Atsuko’s Kitchen. First, understand the Japanese philosophy of the five pillars of Washoku, an essential part of Japanese traditional culture recognized by Unesco, and the culmination of centuries of cooking practices. Learn the subtle art of creating a balanced meal as demonstrated with an easy-to-follow infographic. Learn the basics, such as how to season food the Japanese way, how to prepare tofu and how to make variations on basic rice. Choose from the delicious array of main dishes you might be familiar with, such as chicken teriyaki, tonkatsu pork, beef tataki, gyoza, seared tuna with ponzu, vegetable tempura, okonomiyaki, grilled eggplant with sesame sauce, plus recipes from Atsuko’s own family and modern creative repertoire. Also featuring ‘izakaya’ style appetizers for entertaining and sumptuous modern desserts, there is Japanese comfort food for every occasion. With tips on how to present your dishes in the traditional way, anecdotes and cultural explanations of dishes, discover the secrets of Japanese home-cooking for yourself.

Atsuko Ikeda is a Japanese chef, writer and food photographer. She was born in Kyushu, a southern island of Japan also known as ‘Food Island’ and famous for its fresh seafood. After traveling the world, she was inspired to teach people to cook authentic Japanese dishes miles away from home and has been teaching in the UK since 2008. She is founder and owner of Atsuko’s Kitchen, offering corporate and private catering and sell-out classes in Japanese cookery based in London's trendy Shoreditch. Atsuko also teaches at the esteemed Divertimenti cookery school. This is her second book for Ryland Peters & Small.