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Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
Japanese food continues to grow in popularity in the United States. Yet enjoyment of Japanese cooking is still largely limited to an occasional night out at a Japanese restaurant, and for far too long it has been assumed that this food is difficult to make in one's own kitchen. Actually,
Japanese cooking is surprisingly simple. Raw ingredients should be glistening fresh and of the best quality, and flavors, however elaborate, are built up from just two basic seasonings - dashi, an easily made, delicate stock, and shoyu, naturally brewed Japanese soy sauce.
This cookbook is much more than an accumulation of recipes. In his preface, the author (whom Craig Claiborne calls "a sort of Renaissance man of Japanese and world gastronomy") discusses the essence of Japanese cooking, with its emphasis on simplicity, a balance of textures, colors, and flavors,
seasonal freshness, and beauty of presentation. The expertise of the staff of the professional cooking school headed by the author is evident throughout the book.
After introducing ingredients and utensils, the 20 chapters of Part One are made up of lessons presenting all the basic Japanese cooking methods and principal types of prepared foods-grilling, simmering, steaming, noodles, sushi, pickles, and so on-with accompanying basic model recipes. Part Two
consists of 130 carefully selected recipes. These range from simple dishes for daily fare to well-chosen challenges for the adventurous cook. Together with the 90-odd recipes included in Part One, these enable the cook to build up a repertory, dish by dish, from the basic everyday "soup and three"
formula to a gala banquet.
Whether preparing a snack for oneself or something special for friends, readers will find themselves reaching for this volume. Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art is a sourcebook of cooking concepts and recipes from one of the world's outstanding culinary traditions.
Over 220 recipes 510 sketches 16 color pages chart of North American and Japanese fish extensive list of shops in North America where ingredients can be purchased calorie and weight chart of typical Japanese foods metric conversion tables.
Japanese cooking is surprisingly simple. Raw ingredients should be glistening fresh and of the best quality, and flavors, however elaborate, are built up from just two basic seasonings - dashi, an easily made, delicate stock, and shoyu, naturally brewed Japanese soy sauce.
This cookbook is much more than an accumulation of recipes. In his preface, the author (whom Craig Claiborne calls "a sort of Renaissance man of Japanese and world gastronomy") discusses the essence of Japanese cooking, with its emphasis on simplicity, a balance of textures, colors, and flavors,
seasonal freshness, and beauty of presentation. The expertise of the staff of the professional cooking school headed by the author is evident throughout the book.
After introducing ingredients and utensils, the 20 chapters of Part One are made up of lessons presenting all the basic Japanese cooking methods and principal types of prepared foods-grilling, simmering, steaming, noodles, sushi, pickles, and so on-with accompanying basic model recipes. Part Two
consists of 130 carefully selected recipes. These range from simple dishes for daily fare to well-chosen challenges for the adventurous cook. Together with the 90-odd recipes included in Part One, these enable the cook to build up a repertory, dish by dish, from the basic everyday "soup and three"
formula to a gala banquet.
Whether preparing a snack for oneself or something special for friends, readers will find themselves reaching for this volume. Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art is a sourcebook of cooking concepts and recipes from one of the world's outstanding culinary traditions.
Over 220 recipes 510 sketches 16 color pages chart of North American and Japanese fish extensive list of shops in North America where ingredients can be purchased calorie and weight chart of typical Japanese foods metric conversion tables.
Hardcover
First published November 15, 1980
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 7, 2014
This is a remarkable cookbook that, more than thirty years after its initial publication, has lost none of its impact. Shizuo Tsuji writes polemically, intent on persuading the world as to the merits of Japanese cuisine and, given the rise and rise of Japanese restaurants in the West - and especially in the USA, whose language this is written in - he can probably be said to have largely succeeded. He also, however, writes prescriptively and, in that regard, he'd probably be horrified by supermarket sushi, if not by instant ramen and katsu kits.
The first two thirds of this worthy book are taken explaining the origins, techniques and philosophy of Japanese cuisine as clearly as possible. That makes it truly eye-opening for this Westerner, who knew some but not all of the details, and also explains the prescriptiveness. Think of Auguste Escoffier and remember I said 'cuisine' not 'food'. I suspect that Tsuji's high-minded prose reflects his position as an eminent chef and the way that he thinks Japanese people should regard their food rather than they way that they actually do.
For that reason, in the final third of the book, which contains most of the recipes, I can see that I inserted remarkably few bookmarks. When I first get a new recipe book I sit down, read it from cover to cover, and insert bookmarks for recipes that I'd like to try and work into my repertoire. Much like French haute cuisine (which I confess I'm not a fan of anyway) many of the recipes here involve an inordinate amount of preparation (often hours, sometimes days) as well as cooking time. I've said before though that a good cookbook (note how I use that word separately from recipe book in my reviews) should inspire and that's why this book gets five stars and a spot on my kitchen shelf - it fascinates, intrigues and inspires me to try new flavours and combinations and, most importantly, develops my understanding of a different food culture.
The first two thirds of this worthy book are taken explaining the origins, techniques and philosophy of Japanese cuisine as clearly as possible. That makes it truly eye-opening for this Westerner, who knew some but not all of the details, and also explains the prescriptiveness. Think of Auguste Escoffier and remember I said 'cuisine' not 'food'. I suspect that Tsuji's high-minded prose reflects his position as an eminent chef and the way that he thinks Japanese people should regard their food rather than they way that they actually do.
For that reason, in the final third of the book, which contains most of the recipes, I can see that I inserted remarkably few bookmarks. When I first get a new recipe book I sit down, read it from cover to cover, and insert bookmarks for recipes that I'd like to try and work into my repertoire. Much like French haute cuisine (which I confess I'm not a fan of anyway) many of the recipes here involve an inordinate amount of preparation (often hours, sometimes days) as well as cooking time. I've said before though that a good cookbook (note how I use that word separately from recipe book in my reviews) should inspire and that's why this book gets five stars and a spot on my kitchen shelf - it fascinates, intrigues and inspires me to try new flavours and combinations and, most importantly, develops my understanding of a different food culture.
February 9, 2017
I read the older edition from 1980, and it has become pretty dated by this point. But if you appreciate Japanese food, and enjoy trying your hand at cooking some of it, then you will still enjoy this. It is a standard recipe book, but with a good amount of discussion and description of ingredients, techniques, and Japanese food traditions. Some of the ingredients would be very hard to get, even at Asian food shops (like fresh burdock root and chrysanthemum leaves), and you need to keep some dashi and other mainstays of Japanese cuisine on hand if you want to make some of this stuff. However, a majority of the dishes are straightforward and would not be too difficult to do. It is fascinating to see all the delicious things that Japanese cooks have been able to create using a fairly limited set of food items.
August 18, 2017
This is one of my best gambles in Amazon. I can't remember how I stumbled into this book but upon checking out Amazon, I saw there weren't many reviews but all were amazed at how thorough and authentic the book is. I guess this one is a classic. The edition I have was first published 25 years ago!
This book tells me all I need about Japanese cooking. The writer conveys the spirit of Japanese cooking while acknowledging that it is OK to substitute as long as the spirit is there. The book is divided into two parts: part one elaborates the culture of food in Japan, ingredients, utensils, and various cooking techniques. There is even a dedicated section on knives in this part one. Part two contains recipes following the cooking types.
Although the writer can be a little too much in his chauvinism (that Japanese food is the best), I enjoy the book immensely and read it from cover to cover, all the 470 pages. It is such a good read. I learn useful things like good cutting techniques and otherwise unfamiliar ingredients and a few interesting facts (the Japanese word for potatoes is Jaga-imo which reflects their journey from Europe to Japan through Jakarta or so I am told).
The cooking method can be tiresome at times. Fried food must be blanched in boiling water to get rid of excess oil, all veggies must be parboiled separately but some are really simple. I've been having craving for tempura and am really surprised to find that it's very easy to make. No special flour is required but special mixing technique is needed to avoid heavy and oily batter. I will definitely try this.
The recipes are classics. From the simple beef-bowls, rice-bowls (donburi), salads, pickles, noodles to the more challenging teriyaki, yakitori, tempura, etc. Some are not so well-known or exotic such as the sake-steamed abalone or salt-grilled sea-bass. Each recipe is accompanied by serving recommendation (for example,foil-cooked enoki mushroom is said to go well with deef-fried kebabs and clear soup with shrimp).
I tried one simple recipe, udon in broth with corn, dried sea-weed, and shitake, and I was transported to rainy days when we used to patron a Japanese noodle shop in Jakarta, but with less MSG.
This book is not cheap but worths every penny, especially considering that good japanese food is almost impossible to find here. Furthermore, this handsome book is printed in Japan and the paper quality shows. However, be warned that there is no photograph in the book, only illustrations to describe some utensils or technical aspects.
This book tells me all I need about Japanese cooking. The writer conveys the spirit of Japanese cooking while acknowledging that it is OK to substitute as long as the spirit is there. The book is divided into two parts: part one elaborates the culture of food in Japan, ingredients, utensils, and various cooking techniques. There is even a dedicated section on knives in this part one. Part two contains recipes following the cooking types.
Although the writer can be a little too much in his chauvinism (that Japanese food is the best), I enjoy the book immensely and read it from cover to cover, all the 470 pages. It is such a good read. I learn useful things like good cutting techniques and otherwise unfamiliar ingredients and a few interesting facts (the Japanese word for potatoes is Jaga-imo which reflects their journey from Europe to Japan through Jakarta or so I am told).
The cooking method can be tiresome at times. Fried food must be blanched in boiling water to get rid of excess oil, all veggies must be parboiled separately but some are really simple. I've been having craving for tempura and am really surprised to find that it's very easy to make. No special flour is required but special mixing technique is needed to avoid heavy and oily batter. I will definitely try this.
The recipes are classics. From the simple beef-bowls, rice-bowls (donburi), salads, pickles, noodles to the more challenging teriyaki, yakitori, tempura, etc. Some are not so well-known or exotic such as the sake-steamed abalone or salt-grilled sea-bass. Each recipe is accompanied by serving recommendation (for example,foil-cooked enoki mushroom is said to go well with deef-fried kebabs and clear soup with shrimp).
I tried one simple recipe, udon in broth with corn, dried sea-weed, and shitake, and I was transported to rainy days when we used to patron a Japanese noodle shop in Jakarta, but with less MSG.
This book is not cheap but worths every penny, especially considering that good japanese food is almost impossible to find here. Furthermore, this handsome book is printed in Japan and the paper quality shows. However, be warned that there is no photograph in the book, only illustrations to describe some utensils or technical aspects.
April 13, 2008
This book was recommended in Trevor Corson's Zen of Fish, so I picked it up at the library, and found it to be one of the best cook books I've ever read, in any tradition. Returning the book to the library was a sad experience.
Yesterday, I made my first Miso soup from the ground up, and after dinner, my wife gave me a copy of this book as an advance anniversary present!
Happy me :-)
Yesterday, I made my first Miso soup from the ground up, and after dinner, my wife gave me a copy of this book as an advance anniversary present!
Happy me :-)
September 19, 2016
Still one of the books on food and culture I treasure and regularly urge on others. Read it and it will add a new depth to your enjoyment of Japanese food. Certainly, you will never again be able to stomach the over-sauced offerings of too many Americanized "Japanese" restaurants. And, now you will know why.
March 23, 2010
This is one of the best reading-cookbooks I have ever read, and I have no doubt that it will also be one of the best cooking-cookbooks. From the '80s, this book is sort of an analog to Julia's Child's French cookbook--the first book that comprehensively introduced Japanese cuisine to the Western home cook, around the time that the largely Japanese-inspired West Coast fresh food revolution was going on in American restaurants.
The book is structured as a systematic introduction to Japanese cooking, starting with sections on ingredients and tools, and moving on to each different type of food (sashimi, sushi, simmered food, fried food, steamed food, etc.). A few recipes are interspersed with the prose and then a larger number of recipes are stuck in the back.
I feel very lucky to live near a few specialized Japanese food stores where I can get the appropriate ingredients, but Tsuji is also at pains to focus on the mindset and values of the cuisine, which stand apart from the ingredients, and to talk about what common American ingredients can substitute when the Japanese specialties aren't available.
Reading this book has coincided with an effort on my part to start getting much more of my food from the farmer's market (not sure in which direction to trace the causality; probably both). Tsuji is no ideologue, but fresh high-quality ingredients simply prepared are the soul of his cuisine. I'm already planning a Japanese barbecue for when the cherry blossoms come out in Brooklyn.
The book is structured as a systematic introduction to Japanese cooking, starting with sections on ingredients and tools, and moving on to each different type of food (sashimi, sushi, simmered food, fried food, steamed food, etc.). A few recipes are interspersed with the prose and then a larger number of recipes are stuck in the back.
I feel very lucky to live near a few specialized Japanese food stores where I can get the appropriate ingredients, but Tsuji is also at pains to focus on the mindset and values of the cuisine, which stand apart from the ingredients, and to talk about what common American ingredients can substitute when the Japanese specialties aren't available.
Reading this book has coincided with an effort on my part to start getting much more of my food from the farmer's market (not sure in which direction to trace the causality; probably both). Tsuji is no ideologue, but fresh high-quality ingredients simply prepared are the soul of his cuisine. I'm already planning a Japanese barbecue for when the cherry blossoms come out in Brooklyn.
March 21, 2016
An exhaustive and thorough explanation of Japanese cooking. Half of the book covers techniques and the methodology behind Japanese cooking. This book is not for beginners. Its focuses mainly on seafood, with a few poultry and meat recipes.
There is a marvelous section on Japanese ingredients. If you can't source the ingredients for the recipes online or your local store, I would pass on this one. Mainly for those that really want to understand the concepts and/or get inspiration for Japanese cooking, with intricate recipes that are explained to the letter, Julia Child style.
The dashi recipe and its variants have clear instructions. I loved the miso-soup after making my own dashi from this book.
I would not pick this up if you want to thumb randomly to a recipe and cook on a weeknight. An excellent addition to anyone's who really wants to understand Japanese cooking.
There is a marvelous section on Japanese ingredients. If you can't source the ingredients for the recipes online or your local store, I would pass on this one. Mainly for those that really want to understand the concepts and/or get inspiration for Japanese cooking, with intricate recipes that are explained to the letter, Julia Child style.
The dashi recipe and its variants have clear instructions. I loved the miso-soup after making my own dashi from this book.
I would not pick this up if you want to thumb randomly to a recipe and cook on a weeknight. An excellent addition to anyone's who really wants to understand Japanese cooking.
April 13, 2008
This is pretty much the standard go to in every Japanese kitchen I've worked in. I suppose you could compare it to Pepin's "Method and Technique" for French cookery or Artusi's "Science In the Kitchen, and the Art of Eating Well" for Italian. Pretty much anything you need to know about everyday Japanese cooking like you'll eat in the thousands of wonderful family owned restaurants (as well as some of those owned, alas by mega-corporations) in Japan.
March 3, 2018
เป็นสุดยอดของสุดยอด 'ตำรา' การประกอบอาหารญี่ปุ่น ที่บอกว่าเป็นตำรานั้น เพราะหนังสือเล่มนี้ไม่ใช่หนังสือสอนทำอาหารที่สอนการทำอาหารแต่ละเมนู มีส่วนผสมอะไรบ้าง วิธีทำ และภาพประกอบสวยๆ แต่หนังสือความยาว 500 หน้าที่อัดแน่นด้วยเนื้อหาเล่มนี้ สอนเทคนิคการประกอบอาหารญี่ปุ่นแบบต่างๆ สอนตั้งแต่พื้นฐาน เช่น ชื่อของมีดและเครื่องครัวแต่ละชนิด วิธีเก็บรักษาเครื่องครัว ส่วนผสมต่างๆ เทคนิคการแล่ปลาแต่ละชนิด ฯลฯ ซึ่งทำหมด จะทำให้เราเข้าถึงแก่นของความเป็นอาหารญี่ปุ่นได้อย่างแท้จริง
April 7, 2017
I read this book when I was ten, and staged a general coup d'etat against my mother's standard fare of deep-fried pork chops and cooked-to-death eggplant mush. It introduced fresh flavors that did not rely on heavily-salted sauces or deep-frying, and finally removed the fear of preparing seafood at home when we learned how to cook them properly. Plus, I now love eggplants.
April 15, 2021
I really enjoyed, but was more of a book on "the proper japanese way" to cook, than great recipes to try.
January 17, 2022
This is a master work for chefs. The weekend or occasional cook may find this a bit overwhelming but if you want the definitive work, this is it! It will answer all your questions if you read the whole thing.
March 25, 2008
This is the 25th anniversary edition of an absolute classic - the first authoritative book for Westerners on Japanese cooking, written by the founder of a revered Japanese cooking academy.
I read most of this book but haven't cooked much out of it yet besides Dashi (seaweed/tuna stock; base for most Japanese soups) and Miso Soup, so I'll have to report back on the results of the recipes another time, but the reading experience alone is worth spending time with this book. It is beautifully put together with very detailed illustrations, clear typography (surprising large type size, very helpful actually), and a pretty pale lavendar binding.
The writing is also clear, direct and fascinating while absolutely free pretension or presumption. It explains not only the practice but the theory and even philosophy of Japanese cooking. It also is very empathetic of the fact that the reader is coming from a Western background and has to deal with the limitations of what equipment and ingredients might be available in a Western country, suggesting passable substitutions and ways to jury-rig cooking setups, while also warning against those substitutions that will doom your cooking to inauthentic mediocrity.
I read most of this book but haven't cooked much out of it yet besides Dashi (seaweed/tuna stock; base for most Japanese soups) and Miso Soup, so I'll have to report back on the results of the recipes another time, but the reading experience alone is worth spending time with this book. It is beautifully put together with very detailed illustrations, clear typography (surprising large type size, very helpful actually), and a pretty pale lavendar binding.
The writing is also clear, direct and fascinating while absolutely free pretension or presumption. It explains not only the practice but the theory and even philosophy of Japanese cooking. It also is very empathetic of the fact that the reader is coming from a Western background and has to deal with the limitations of what equipment and ingredients might be available in a Western country, suggesting passable substitutions and ways to jury-rig cooking setups, while also warning against those substitutions that will doom your cooking to inauthentic mediocrity.
February 22, 2022
Shizuo Tsuji (1933-93) was the founder of the Tsuji Culinary Institute in Osaka, today still Japan's most prestigious institution for training professional chefs, so you can be certain that this "Renaissance man of Japanese and world gastronomy" knows what he is talking about! Although "Japanese Cooking, A Simple Art" is a cookbook containing recipes, it is also much more. The author first discusses the essence of Japanese cooking, with its emphasis on simplicity, seasonal freshness and beauty of presentation; next he introduces ingredients and utensils; and after that follow 20 chapters presenting all the basic Japanese food techniques, such as making basic stock (dashi), making soups, slicing and serving sashimi, grilling, simmering, deep-frying, steaming, one-pot cooking, making pickles, sushi, noodles, etc. This is followed by a second part containing 130 carefully selected recipes, which together with the 90 recipes already contained in the first part, help you to build up a repertory ranging from the basic everyday "soup and three dishes" formula to preparing gala dinners. This book is truly the Bible of Japanese Cuisine!
When you are interested in Japanese food and drink, please also see my blog https://adblankestijn.blogspot.com/p/...
When you are interested in Japanese food and drink, please also see my blog https://adblankestijn.blogspot.com/p/...
July 13, 2014
Bought this book when I was stationed on Okinawa in 1981. It has since been revised. To my mind it is one of the ‘classics’ on Japanese cooking.
The introduction is very well written and, among other things, it gives you insight into Japanese etiquette and why they, for example, make sucking sounds when they slurp noodles or tea. The Japanese are also keenly aware of the functional beauty of plating and while we were still eating with wooden spoons and our hands, they realized that you eat with your eyes first. The color photos which precede the actual recipes are also excellent and serve to graphically illustrate things like the difference between wakame and konbu. There is also an excellent narrative description of the typical Japanese meal and extended discussion of ingredients, knives and cutting.
Actual recipes do not begin until page 146 and it starts with making basic stick or daishi. The recipes are well detailed, easy to follow, and written with precision.
The introduction is very well written and, among other things, it gives you insight into Japanese etiquette and why they, for example, make sucking sounds when they slurp noodles or tea. The Japanese are also keenly aware of the functional beauty of plating and while we were still eating with wooden spoons and our hands, they realized that you eat with your eyes first. The color photos which precede the actual recipes are also excellent and serve to graphically illustrate things like the difference between wakame and konbu. There is also an excellent narrative description of the typical Japanese meal and extended discussion of ingredients, knives and cutting.
Actual recipes do not begin until page 146 and it starts with making basic stick or daishi. The recipes are well detailed, easy to follow, and written with precision.
August 20, 2012
After wanting a copy of this, the ultimate guide to Japanese Cooking, for years I picked up a mint 1980 copy in a charity shop for £2!
Most countries cuisines have stars of their art, some lasting longer than others. Shizuo Tsuji is certainly a star if not the star in Japan.
No cook/chef who has an interest in Japanese cookery will be without this on their shelf.
It's daunting in size but as it covers every aspect of the cuisine it has to be.
Get a copy!
Most countries cuisines have stars of their art, some lasting longer than others. Shizuo Tsuji is certainly a star if not the star in Japan.
No cook/chef who has an interest in Japanese cookery will be without this on their shelf.
It's daunting in size but as it covers every aspect of the cuisine it has to be.
Get a copy!
January 7, 2010
Although I wish I still had the copy I bought in Japan 25 years ago, this updated version is even better. It's a must-have for anybody interested in Japanese culture and cuisine. It is to Japanese cooking what Joy of Cooking is to American cooking.
April 7, 2010
I use this cookbook all the time. It's great for learning the basic and more advanced techniques of Japanese cuisine, and is geared towards those living outside of Japan, so has lots of useful substitution ideas for hard-to-find ingredients. A thoughtful and well-written book with lots of great recipes.
November 7, 2011
this is the japanese cooking bible. it's beautifully and clearly written. i would love to cook my way through this book (except for the meat dishes), however, the japanese market in SB isn't well-stoked enough to really try all these recipes. this book is amazing--but you'll need to live in a big city with a good japanese market to really get everything you could out of this.
December 5, 2015
Made the Primary Dashi (pg 148), and it turned out fantastic! Used the dashi as the base for my miso and it was delicious.
October 20, 2015
This book contains traditional Japanese recipes. The cooking techniques are clearly explained, some more complex techniques have step-by-step diagrams. Most dishes will have some historical anecdotes that allows the reader chef to appreciate and understand the cuisine in respect to a different dimension. Insightful, easy to understand it is a wonderful book that I keep going back to.
August 22, 2010
A rather technical look at Japanese cuisine, but still the best. If you think that all Japanese food is just sushi and raw fish, guess again. This is a very good book, and recommended for anyone who wants to get serious about Japanese food.
April 3, 2015
Nederlandse versie 2de hands. Mooie filosofische inleiding, het laat een speciale sfeer na rond het pure. De man leeft ervoor. En de presentatie van het voedsel. Best eerst een "cursus snijtechnieken" volgen en dan eens iets uitproberen.
March 16, 2007
The cookbook that started my fascination (turned passion) with the Japanese cuisine, and the introduction by M. F. K. Fisher alone is worth the price.
February 4, 2012
Fantastic, accurate, and authentic-tasting Japanese recipes. This is a bible for Japanese cooking. The whole book provides insight into the mindset of how the Japanese view their food and cooking.
November 2, 2008
Glad I didn't buy this...was looking for more soups (only has 5). Spends many pages on equipment.507p.,c1980.
January 8, 2009
Tasty, well-organized, but sparse on visual instruction.
June 1, 2010
There aren't any photos but it is packed with information and the recipes are well-written. Everything is described with such detail that the lack of photos isn't a big thing
April 16, 2011
This cookbook has great descriptions and recipes for very traditional Japanese recipes. I haven't actually cooked that many yet but it's been fun to read.
August 22, 2011
A good basic Japanese cookbook. There is more to Japanese cooking than sushi and tempura.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews