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How to cook "with visual instructions" "using familiar ingredients from your local grocery stores" healthy, traditional and delicious Japanese dishes!!


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Lotus Root Dumpling (Vegan/Vegetarian/Gluten-free)

Today I introduce you to lotus root dumpling. It is a popular dish in Japan. The dumpling has great smooth texture and delicious dashi sauce gives the dish amazing flavor.

Lotus root is a very nutritious vegetable; high in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and polyphenol. It doesn’t have a particularly strong taste or aroma, so it suits all taste.

In this recipe, grated lotus root is cooked in a microwave. This makes the recipe easy.

Grate peeled lotus root and mix with cornstarch and salt.
Put about 3 tablespoons of the mixture on a piece of wrap and make a ball shape.
Place the wrapped lotus root mixture on a microwavable plate and microwave for 2 minutes (1000w).
Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, combine dashi stock, cooking sake, soy sauce and mirin, and bring to a boil. Stir in slurry. Drizzle the dumpling with the sauce and top with chopped green onion and grated ginger to taste.

Ingredients (serving 2)

  • 10 oz. lotus root, peeled
  • 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup dashi stock (any kind)
  • 1 Tablespoon Cooking Sake
  • 1 Tablespoon Gluten Free Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Mirin sweet cooking rice wine
  • Slurry (Mixture of 1 Tablespoon cornstarch plus 2 Tablespoons water)
  • Chopped green onion to taste
  • Grated ginger to taste


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Pickled Lotus Root (gluten-free/vegan)

Today I introduce you to “Pickled Lotus Root” which is basically one of Japanese new year’s dish. But it is delicious, easy-to-cook and very healthy so I make it all the time. The dish can be stored in the refrigerator for about 5 days.

Lotus root is high in vitamin C, potassium, fiber and polyphenol. Their crunchy texture is amazing! Lotus root is versatile enough to be eaten deliciously in every cooking way, such as tempura, sauté, simmering, and roasting.


Ingredients (servings 2-3)


The recipe is very easy. It takes less than 10 minutes.

  1. Slice the lotus root thinly and soak in some water for about 5 minutes.
  2. Meanwhile, in a microwavable bowl, combine mirin, salt, vinegar, sugar and water, and mix well.
  3. Drain off the water from the lotus root and add the lotus root to the vinegar mixture.
  4. Cover the bowl, microwave for 1 minute, and sprinkle some crushed red pepper to taste. Let it cool at room temperature before serving or storing in the refrigerator.