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Fermented foods and “gut health” can sound complicated. Many of my students tell me they're curious, but don't know where to start – spicy kimchi feels too strong, and sauerkraut is a bit much. I feel you! I also started with very simple, gentle recipes  that fit into my normal cooking flow.This water kimchi-style pickle is one of them: you use vegetables you already have, and rice-rinsing water  you usually throw away. No special tools, no strict rules – just a light, quietly fermented side dish that supports your digestion. I usually make this while I'm washing rice. It's not a “project”, just one small step in my everyday dinner routine.If you want to try fermentation without anything too strong or spicy, this is a soft first step☺　　 MIWA ▶ Makes 1 medium jar (about 3–4 servings) Ingredients Brine 2 cups rice-rinsing water (from the second rinse ) 2 tsp sea salt 2 tbsp mirin or 1 tbsp honey 1 clove garlic, thinly sliced A small piece of ginger, thinly sliced (Optional) 1 small dried red chili Vegetables 1 small cucumber, sliced 1 cup napa cabbage, bite-size ½ bell pepper, sliced You can also add carrot or radish. Firm veggies → slice thin / Soft veggies → a bit larger. Instructions 1. Rice-rinsing water Wash your rice. Quickly pour out the first  water. Add fresh water, gently rub the rice. Take 2 cups  of this second  milky water.(Cook the rice as usual – the rice is not used here.) 2. Make the brine Add rice-rinsing water, salt, mirin (or honey), garlic, and ginger to a small pot. Bring just to a gentle boil, then turn off the heat. Skim any foam, let cool completely. 3. Prepare vegetables Wash and cut all vegetables. Firm ones thin / soft ones bite-size. 4. Pack and ferment Put the vegetables into a clean jar. Pour in the cooled brine and add the chili if using. Make sure vegetables are mostly under the liquid. Close with a lid and leave at room temperature for 1.5–3 days , away from direct sun. When you see small bubbles and a light sour smell, move to the fridge. Chill at least half a day  before eating. How to Serve As a small side dish with rice and miso soup With noodles or grain bowls for extra crunch You can also sip a little of the brine like a light, savory “soup” MIWA’s Tips Around 20–25°C (68–77°F)  is ideal. Cooler rooms just need more time. If you're new to fermented foods, start with a small amount and see how you feel. If it smells off, looks strange, or has mold, don't eat it – trust your senses. This pickle is great to be served in this tableware . -If you’re ready to gently change your relationship with food—not with strict rules, but with small Japanese-style habits like this—I’d be happy to support you through my personal coaching .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s   are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^

▶VEGAN ＜Yield> 2 servings 6 minutes 0 minutes 1½ cup (300g) turnips or cucumber, sliced 4 shiso leaves 2-3 pickled plums/umeboshi 2 tablespoons mirin 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil 1 tablespoon ground toasted sesame seeds 1 teaspoon soy sauce ※Check out our SHOP PAGE ! 1. Thinly slice the turnips. Shred the shiso leaves thinly. 2. Remove the pit from the pickled plums and puree them. Heat the mirin in the microwave at 600W for 30 seconds to let the alcohol evaporate. 3. In a bowl, add the pureed pickled plums, mirin, soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Toss with the sliced turnips, shiso leaves and toasted sesame seeds. 4. Garnish with some reserved shiso leaves and enjoy! ※Watch more on YouTube! 1. You can swap shiso leaf for nori seaweed or any other herbs. 2. Adjust the taste with salt and soy sauce before you serve it. 3. There are many different varieties of umeboshi/pickled plum which all have different sodium contents. Adjust the amount of umeboshi accordingly, between 2-3 pieces. 4. Toss the vegetables with the dressing just before serving, otherwise the moisture will seep out and get too soggy. Store the dressing and vegetables separately. It will last up to 4 days in the fridge if stored in an air-tight container. - First E-cookboo k s are now available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^ -Please check out beautiful Japanese tableware to decorate your table! Use my code MIWA to get 5% off from your purchase! -If you need very sharp quality knife, I highly recommend this handmade Japanese knife made by 80 years old Japanese maker! 2020/02/26 MIWA

This recipe was created at the request of members in the Ikigai Cooking Club . We cooked this together in our zoom cooking session. Feel free to join if you are looking for like-minded Japanese food enthusiasts! Last call for enrollment for 2023! ▶Vegan (If you omit the eggs) ＜Yield> 2 servings 5 minutes 10 minutes 1½ cups shredded cabbage (200g) 1 cup sliced onion (150g) 2 pieces shiitake mushrooms ½ cup canned corn/ fresh corn kernels 1 cup tomato juice (unsalted) 1 cup water ½ tsp dashi powder / bouillon cube 1- 1½ tbsp yellow miso 10g ginger 2 eggs (optional) 1 tbsp flax seed oil (optional) Topping (optional) Parmagiano cheese 1. Shred the cabbage thinly. Thinly slice onion and shiitake mushrooms. 2. Into the pot add water, tomato juice, soup stock powder and all the vegetables from step1. Grate the ginger. Cover with a lid and cook it for about 5 mins or until it’s partially cooked. 3. Crack in the eggs if you want. When the eggs are cooked to your liking, remove from heat and dissolve in the miso paste. Serve the soup in a bowl. Drizzle on some flax seed oil. Top with p armagiano cheese. 1. If you are in a time crunch, shred your cabbage as thin as possible, so that you can speed up the cooking process. 2. Feel free to adjust the amount of miso you are adding. Store in an air-tight container for up to 3 days in the fridge. This TOMATO MISO SOUP  is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 2023/09/30 MIWA

▶vegan ＜Yield> 2 servings 8 minutes 2 minutes somen noodle 1½ cups tomato, diced (a large tomato) 4 shiso leaves ½ avocado Canned tuna(Optional) Dressing 3 tablespoons S oy sauce 1½ tablespoons rice vinegar 1½ tablespoons lemon juice (the juice from 1 lemon) 1 tablespoon olive oil 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ½ teaspoon Kombu dashi powder / vegetable dashi powder 1. Cook the noodles according to their package instructions. Let them cool down and set aside. Chop the tomato into small dice. 2. In a large bowl mix together the rice vinegar, lemon juice, soy sauce, sugar, kombu stock powder , olive oil and chopped tomato. 3. Thinly slice the shiso leaves. Slice the avocado. 4. To the dressing bowl from step 2, add in noodles, shiso leaves and avocado. Toss everything together. Serve it on a plate and garnish with some herbs and extra avocado if you want. ※Watch more on YouTube! -Adjust the amount of lemon juice to your preference. -You can use any thin noodle in this recipe. -Use any vinegar you have on hand. -If you are opting for canned tuna, add them in Step4. Store the noodles and dressing separately in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. This Tomato avocado noodle Salad  is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 2021/ 04/10 MIWA

▶Serves 2 Ingredients 1 1/2 cups cooked Japanese white rice (warm) 2 tbsp jako  ( small dried whitebait fish ) 1 tsp sesame oil 1/4 tsp salt 1 tsp soy sauce 2 tbsp ground toasted sesame seeds 1 tbsp dried wakame  ( seaweed , unsalted) Instructions Cook the rice Prepare Japanese white rice and keep it warm. You’ll need about 1 1/2 cups. Cook the jako Heat sesame oil in a small pan over medium heat. Add the jako  and sauté for 1–2 minutes until fragrant and slightly crispy. Rehydrate the wakame Place the dried wakame in a small bowl of water and let it soak for 5 minutes, or until softened. Drain well and gently squeeze out excess water. Finely chop the wakame with kitchen scissors or a knife. Set aside. Mix everything In a large bowl, add the warm rice. Add the cooked jako , salt, soy sauce, ground sesame seeds, and dried wakame . Combine Gently mix until evenly combined. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve Divide into bowls and enjoy warm or at room temperature. MIWA’s Tips If you don’t have jako , you can substitute with katsuobushi  ( bonito flakes ) or salmon flakes. Storage time Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 days, freezer for 2 weeks. This rice is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience

▶Vegan ＜Yield>   2 servings   3 mins   5mins 6 pieces shiitake mushrooms (100g) 150g maitake 200g shimeji mushrooms 2 - 2 ½ tablespoons shiokoji  1 tablespoon cooking sake / water 1; Trim the stem( ¼  inch or 5mm) of shimeji mushrooms.  Separate the cap and stem of shiitake mushrooms. Thinly slice the cap and tear the stem. Tear maitake into small pieces by hand. 2; To the pan, add mushrooms together with cooking sake or water. Close the lid and steam it for about 5 mins until mushrooms are cooked.  3; Remove it from the heat and add shio koji. Toss everything together.  4; In the picture, I top it on a silken tofu together with chopped spring onion.        1; It’s enjoyable when it’s combined with other dishes such as on top of the rice, soba noodle , tofu, salad and even added into the pasta.  2; If you are enjoying just as is, 2 tbsp is savory enough. Feel free to adjust the taste to your desired satiness. Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 3 days. This Side dish is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience.

▶vegan ＜Yield> 2 servings 10 mins ( It doesn't include the time for sitting in the freezer) 0 mins 2 large bananas 1 cup -1 ½ frozen berries ( depending on how strong the berry flavor to be. I personally like more berry the better) 1 tbsp almond milk/ soy milk/ milk 1; Slice bananas into coins. Place banana coins on the tray. Make sure it’s lined in a single layer and put parchment paper underneath so that banana coins won’t stick. Let it sit in the freezer for 2 hours. 2; To the blender, add frozen bananas, berries and milk. Blend them until it’s creamy. 3; Transfer to the container and keep it in the freezer until it’s frozen for 3 hours. 1;Make sure to use ripe bananas. Feel free to add maple syrup if it’s not sweet enough. 2; The ice cream becomes hard like sorbet after being in the freezer for a long time. I recommend leaving it at room temperature for 5-10mins until it’s thawed a little bit before serving. Keep in an air-tight container in the fridge for 2 weeks. This Icecream is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience 2021/11/27 MIWA

<🛒 Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches) :> Main fillings 1 grilled chicken breast (sliced) 1/2 ripe avocado (sliced or mashed) A handful of fresh greens (e.g., arugula, baby spinach) 4 slices of bread Carrot Slaw 1 cup thinly shredded carrot and red bell pepper 2 tsp rice vinegar 1 tsp sugar or honey A couple pinch of salt Sauce / Spread 1 tbsp seaweed paste 1 tbsp Japanese mayo (e.g., Kewpie) <👩‍🍳 Assembly Steps:> Prepare the slaw : In a small bowl, mix rice vinegar, sugar (or honey), and salt . Add shredded cabbage and toss well. Let it sit for at least 5–10 minutes to soften and absorb the flavor. Grill the chicken : Season it with salt and pepper. Grill the chicken breast, then slice into strips. Prep the bread : Lightly toast the slices. Build the sandwich : Spread seaweed paste on both slices of bread. Add a layer of mayo on both slices. Top with avocado slices, carrot slaw, grilled chicken, and fresh greens. Close the sandwich with the top slice. Place the sandwich in the center of the wrap. Fold the wrap tightly around the sandwich, pressing gently to secure it. Let it rest for 2–3 minutes to make slicing easier. Then, use a sharp knife to cut it diagonally. This sandwich is best enjoyed right after making. If needed, it can be stored for up to one day. Feel free to add some chopped purple cabbage or your favorite pickles along with the carrots. You can swap the chicken for a boiled egg or baked tofu for a plant-based twist. Instead of plastic wrap, you can also use parchment paper to wrap it up. This Sandwich is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. Recipe by MIWA July 25. 2025

▶VEGAN ＜Yield> 2 servings 10 minutes (does not include marinating time) 0 minutes 1 small carrot (80g) 1 small cucumber (80g) 50g daikon/ turnip Marinade 4 tbsp soy yogurt/ regular yogurt (100g) 2-3 tbsp miso paste ★Find Japanese ingredients here . 1. Thinly slice (about ¼ inch) the carrot, cucumber and turnip. 2. Into a container, mix together the miso paste and yogurt. You can use any type of miso. However, please note that the salt content varies between types. Use a smaller amount of red miso, which is saltier, and a larger amount of white miso, which has less salt. 3. Add in the vegetables (step 1) and toss them to coat. Let it sit in the fridge for at least 16 hours to a max of 48 hours. Rinse off the marinade under a faucet and transfer to a plate. ※Watch more on YouTube! 1. If you want to keep the pickles for more than 2 days, make sure to wash off the marinade then store it in a container, otherwise the pickles would be too salty. 2. Soy yogurt is the best for this recipe. 3. Leftover marinade can be utilized in a soup such as tomato soup and miso soup. If you add your choice of oil to the leftover marinade, it makes a delicious dressing. No wasting^^ Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days after removing the marinade. ★Do you need any help on starting Japanese cooking at home? Click here ! This MISO YOGURT PICKLES is great to be served in this tableware .   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 　　 2023/07/22 MIWA

< JAPANESE VEGAN CURRY NOODLE SOUP/ ビーガンカレーうどん> ▶VEGAN ＜Yield> 2 servings 6 minutes 18 minutes 2 servings frozen udon noodles 2 asian eggplants (150g) 1 ½ cups (200g) kabocha squash, diced 1 cup (150g) onion, chopped 1 cup (100g) carrot, chopped ½ cup (100g) small tomato, chopped ½ cup (50g) green pepper, shredded ½ cup (150g) cooked beans (chickpeas, lentils, black beans etc) 2 tablespoons (15g) ginger, minced 2 tablespoons (15g) garlic, minced 1 ½ tablespoons olive oil Seasonings 2 cups water ¼ cup (50ml) apple juice/ grated apple 1 tablespoon soy sauce 2 teaspoons all purpose flour 1 teaspoon vegetable stock powder (or vegetable bouillon cube) 1½ teaspoon miso paste (or 2 teaspoon) 1½ teaspoon curry powder ½ teaspoon salt 1. Dice the eggplants, tomato, green pepper and onion into approximately ½ inch dice. Thinly slice the carrots into a half moon shape. Chop the kabocha squash a little larger than the other vegetables. Mince the garlic and ginger. 2. Into a large pan or pot, heat the olive oil over medium. Add in the garlic and ginger. Cook until fragrant. Add in the rest of the vegetables all at once. Season the vegetables with salt and cook over high heat for about 4 minutes. Lower the heat and cover with a lid. Steam for another 4 minutes. 3. Open the lid and add in the curry powder and flour. Cook it for one minute. Add water, apple juice, soup stock powder and cooked beans. Once it comes to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for an additional 5-10 minutes with the lid on until all the vegetables are cooked. Season the curry with soy sauce and miso paste. Adjust the final taste with salt if it’s needed. Partially blend the soup immersion blender if you want. 4. Cook the udon noodles according to their package instructions. Transfer the cooked noodles to a serving bowl then pour the soup (step 3) over top. ※Watch more on YouTube! 1. I recommend cutting everything as small as possible to speed up the cooking process. 2. If you are sensitive to spicy food, reduce the amount of ginger in half. 3. Make sure to taste the soup before adding in the miso paste and soy sauce. You want to avoid over seasoning the soup. 4. If you have time, caramelize the onions before adding in the other vegetables to bring out even more flavor. 5. I highly recommend partially blending the soup, where part of it is smooth while still retaining some texture. This will allow the soup to better cling to the noodles. 6. Enjoy this soup with any other noodle or even rice. I used udon noodles in my YouTube video Store the soup and noodles separately. The soup can be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 2022/ 03/ 12 MIWA

Learn how to make the perfect Japanese tamagoyaki (tamago) learning from my mistakes!! Japanese tamagoyaki is a popular Japanese egg omelette made with fluffy egg layers. If you have ever made tamagoyaki before, you might have experienced that it ended up becoming burnt, too runny or having holes. haha In this video, I will give you 4 tips to make a perfect Japanese tamagoyaki by reflecting on my mistakes! ＜Yield> 2 servings 2 minutes 5 minutes 3 eggs 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon mirin ½ teaspoon soy sauce. ¼ teaspoon fish stock powder 1.Whisk the three eggs until you reach a uniformed yellow color. 2. Add in the sugar, fish stock powder, mirin and soy sauce. Mix them well. 3. Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Grease the pan well. Pour ¼ of the egg mixture. Spread the mixture evenly on the pan. Reduce the heat to low. Once cooked start rolling from the top towards you little by little with the chopsticks. Grease the pan again and then slide the rolled egg omelette to the top. Pour ⅓ of remaining egg mixture into the pan. Lift the rolled egg omelette so that the uncooked egg mixture goes under the roll. Once cooked, rtart rolling again towards you. 4. Repeat the same process twice. 5. Transfer to a sushi mat or a clean cloth. Cover the egg omelette to rest. When it’s cool enough to touch, cut into pieces. Enjoy with grated daikon radish if you like. ※more and more tips on YouTube!! ・Make sure the pan is well heated before you pour in the egg mixture. ・Keep the heat medium-low while you are cooking. Store in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 2020/11/11 MIWA

< ONE POT SPICY VEGAN ASAIN TOFU/ 厚揚げの辛味炒め> ＜Yield> 2 servings 5 minutes 10 minutes 300g atsuage/thick deep fried tofu (1 block) 2 cups leeks, sliced (1 leek) 3 pieces shiitake mushroom Seasonings 3 tablespoons water 3 tablespoons mirin 2 tablespoons rice wine 1½ tablespoons soy sauce 1½ tablespoons hoisin sauce 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil ½ teaspoon doubanjiang paste ½ teaspoon garlic, grated toasted black sesame seeds chopped green onions 1. Slice the leek into ¼ inch thick slices. Remove the stems from the shiitake mushrooms then tear the stem into pieces by hand. Thinly slice the cap of the shiitake mushrooms. Grate the garlic. Cut the fried tofu into large bite sized pieces. 2. In a deep pan, mix together the doubanjiang paste, hoisin sauce, mirin, rice wine, soy sauce, grated garlic and water. Add in all the sliced mushrooms (stem and caps), garlic and tofu. Start to heat the pan over medium and bring to a boil. Once it reaches a boil, lower the heat to low and cover. Cook for 10 minutes. 3. Once the leeks have wilt, add in the soy sauce and toasted sesame oil. Remove from heat and transfer to plates. Garnish with some green onions and black sesame seeds. Enjoy with a bowl of rice. ※Watch more on YouTube! ・If you cant find deep fried tofu, use extra firm tofu. ・Remember to adjust the taste with soy sauce before you serve. ・If you are sensitive to heat, reduce the amount of doubanjiang paste in half. It might be a little spicy for kids. ・Feel free to add in bok choy and spinach! JAPANESE PICKLES JAPANESE CLEAR DASHI SOUP Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.   - MIWA's E-cookboo k s  are available！ I hope this will be helpful and enjoyable in your kitchen^^   -(NEW) MIWA's Tableware  is NOW live! Enhance Your Culinary Experience with MIWA's Tableware! Miwa's Favorite Picks : Perfect for starting your Japanese food journey at home. Ideal for Celebrations and Gifts : Beautiful designs that make any occasion special. Enlighten Your Table : Add elegance and tradition to your dining experience. 2021/02/23 MIWA