This classic Japanese side dish highlights how a good dashi can completely transform simple ingredients. Using a high-quality dashi sachet brings a clean, layered umami that elevates the natural sweetness of spinach and the richness of nuts—without the need for heavy seasoning. Method 1. Toast a handful of walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for about a minute, until fragrant. Roughly chop, then grind using a mortar and pestle until finely crushed. 2. In a bowl, combine the ground walnuts with dashi (prepared from a premium dashi sachet or liquid stock), sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. Mix until smooth. If the dressing is too thick, loosen it gradually with a little water or extra mirin until it reaches a creamy consistency. 3. Blanch the spinach briefly, then transfer ... Continue Reading
umami
Why most Miso Soup Tastes Flat — And How Proper Dashi Changes Everything
Let’s clear something up. Miso soup is not just miso paste dissolved in hot water. In fact, I recently came across a market stall serving miso soup exactly like this—just miso dissolved in hot water. Unsurprisingly, it was simply salty. Flat. One-dimensional. Missing something. That “something” is what the Japanese have understood all along: Dashi. Think of Dashi as the Soul of the Soup If miso is the flavour (like the tomato in your tomato soup), then dashi is the foundation. It’s the equivalent of a beautifully made stock in Western cooking —the quiet backbone that makes everything else shine. But here’s the part many people get wrong: 👉 Dashi is the main source of umami in miso soup—not the miso. Miso brings saltiness, body, and character. Dashi ... Continue Reading
10 Reasons to Add Our Quality Sushi Nori to Your Daily Diet
Premium Premium Sushi Nori is not just tasty but there are amazing health benefits that most people don't know about. Here are the benefits of taking this Japanese delicacy into your daily diet. 1. Vitamin C for beautiful skin Nori contains more vitamin C than mandarin oranges, which helps reduce melanin production, prevents skin spots, and fades existing spots. Unlike other sources of vitamin C that are destroyed by heat cooking, Nori's vitamin C is heat resistant and allows for efficient intake. 2. Dietary fiber cleans you out! Nori is rich in dietary fiber, which aids in normalizing bowel movements, relieving constipation, lowering blood cholesterol, and preventing diseases like colon cancer. Nori has softer fiber compared to vegetables, making it easier on the stomach ... Continue Reading