Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
- Year
- 1980
- Era
- 20th century
- Origin
- Japan · East Asia
- Language
- English
- Category
- Japan
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art, written by restaurateur and culinary school director Shizuo Tsuji and issued by Kodansha International in 1980, offered English-language readers the first truly comprehensive treatment of Japanese cuisine. Combining philosophical context, technical instruction in cutting, stock-making and grilling, and several hundred recipes, the work introduced washoku to a wide Western audience and remains a foundational reference, carrying a noted foreword by M.F.K. Fisher.
Cooking from this book
Dashi
Signature dishTsuji's landmark volume is forever linked with dashi, the clear, fragrant stock drawn from kombu seaweed and dried bonito flakes that underpins almost every savoury preparation in the Japanese kitchen. By devoting careful attention to this seemingly humble broth, Tsuji introduced Western readers to the concept of umami long before the term entered common usage, framing dashi as the quiet foundation on which the simple art of Japanese cooking is built.
An editorial note on a dish associated with this book, written for The Coquinist. It is not a reproduction of the book's recipe.
