More than 70 recipes for moreish Japanese small plates and bites, designed to be enjoyed alongside a drink, plus tips on presentation and menu planning. Otsumami is the Japanese term given to snacks and simple dishes, designed to be eaten alongside a drink. (‘Tsumamu’ means to grab something with your fingers or chopsticks so any foods that can be eaten easily in this way came to be known as ‘otsumami’.) They are common at izakaya bars, pubs and at house parties in Japan — even if you are at home having a snack with your evening drink, you are still enjoying otsumami! There are countless delicious flavour pairings to be enjoyed and included here are small bites and dishes to tempt everyone, from existing devotees of Japanese food to new-comers keen to discover more. Popular ingredients such as dashi, ponzu, miso, soy, teriyaki and more, all make an appearance in a myriad of mouth-watering morsels including dips, pickles and salads, gyoza and tempura, sushi and sashimi, plus beautifully presented meat, fish, vegetarian and vegan plates. Also included is a basic guide to Japanese beverages, and deliciously inventive cocktail recipes.

"Expertly takes readers into a world of Japanese home cooking far from the austere precision of the sushi counter, or the late-night rush of the ramen-ya. . . .This welcome primer goes a long way toward making Japanese cooking accessible to home cooks curious but perhaps intimidated by the cuisine." Publishers Weekly Learn how to make the enigmatic and umami-rich comfort food of Japan, with over 75 recipes straight from Atsuko Ikeda's authentic yet modern Japanese Kitchen. Japanese home-cooking is full of comfort, but a version of comfort food that is stylish, mouth-watering and less unhealthy than most. For those who aspire to recreate the Japanese dishes enjoyed in restaurants or on holiday, and to discover even more about the secrets and techniques involved in Japanese home cooking, you are invited into Atsuko's Kitchen. Learn the subtle art of creating a balanced meal as demonstrated with an easy-to-follow infographic. Learn the basics, such as how to season food the Japanese way, how to prepare dashi stock and how to make variations on basic rice. Choose from the delicious array of main dishes you might be familiar with, such as chicken teriyaki, tonkatsu pork, beef tataki, gyoza, seared tuna with ponzu, vegetable tempura, okonomiyaki, grilled aubergine with sesame sauce, plus recipes from Atsuko's own family and modern creative repertoire. Also featuring 'izakaya' small plates for sharing and sumptuous modern desserts, there is Japanese comfort food for every occasion. With tips on how to present your dishes in the traditional way, anecdotes and cultural explanations of dishes, discover the secrets of Japanese home-cooking for yourself.

A masterclass in sushi making from London-based teacher Atsuko, who combines authentic knowledge and skills with contemporary, innovative ideas to give 60 recipes for rolls, wraps, moulded and deconstructed sushi. The word 'sushi' refers to 'vinegared rice', which is used for any kind of sushi with raw, pickled, smoked, grilled or seared ingredients. In this book, the simple secrets behind making good sushi are revealed, such as how to select your sushi components based on the three principles of colour, taste and texture. Author Atsuko offers an approachable, diverse and colourful selection of sushi dishes. Classic white sushi rice will always be a favourite, but here you will find options to use brown rice, quinoa and pink beetroot rice too. Familiar rolls and wraps are included as well as sushi burgers, bombs and deconstructed salad bowls. The book opens with Your Sushi Pantry, listing essential ingredients. After this comes Basic Cooking Methods and Step-by-step Techniques. The recipes are then divided into Sushi Rolls which include Futomaki, Uramaki, Temaki cones and Gunkanmaki. Moulded Sushi features classic Nigiri, Temari, Oshi Sushi and pretty Chakin Sushi parcels. Creative Moulded Sushi includes new ideas like Sushi bombs, Burgers and Sushi Cakes. Deconstructed Sushi features celebration Chirashi sushi, Poke Bowls and Jarred Salads. Finally, Vegetarian and Vegan sushi offers a delicious selection of plant-based treats sush as Inari Sushi and Vegetable Nigiri.