Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata

Book excerpt: Yoshihiro Murata, one of the most accomplished and respected figures in Japan's culinary world, has combined his expertise and artistry with his enthusiasm for teaching Japanese cooking to create this exciting new book. Japanese Home Cooking with Master Chef Murata presents over sixty healthy home recipes, from classic to modern, ranging from popular restaurant offerings like yakitori, tempura, and shabu shabu to typical home dishes like onigiri (rice balls), miso soup, and tonkatsu fried pork cutlets. All of the dishes can be made using Western kitchen tools and ordinary ingredients readily available from the supermarket; if a more exotic ingredient is called for, Murata suggests alternatives. And, while he strives to retain the authenticity of a recipe, he also recommends ways for the Western chef to adapt it. For example, in a number of the recipes, he suggests using high-quality store-bought chicken broth, which is also used in Japan, instead of traditional Japanese dashi stock. Another important aspect of Chef Murata's approach to home cooking is his emphasis on presentation. With vivid color photographs, the book showcases Murata's simple and beautiful ideas for serving and plating the food. Best known in the U.S. as the owner and chef of the fabulous Kikunoi restaurants, Murata has made it his mission to educate and enlighten food lovers everywhere about his native cuisine, in all its variety. As Chef Murata writes in the Introduction, "So let's begin cooking healthy food at home. I assure you that with this book, you can cook Japanese food quickly and easily, and develop a close feeling for the cuisine. I look forward to helping you, even if only a bit little to lead a healthier life and make yourself and your loved ones happier."