Tag: japanese

Easy Bake Sushi

Sushi, though truly timeless and everlasting, isn’t typically thought of as a wintry dish. It’s a common misconception that it’s a dish best served cold, but unlike revenge, it’s still better with slightly warm, not chilled, rice. Regardless, when the thermometer outside is tracking single digits and warmer, heartier fare is top of mind, sushi doesn’t exactly make the cut. Perhaps, we’ve just been thinking of the wrong kind of sushi.

Hot Dish, Hot Off the Presses

Originally pitched as a “sushi casserole” roughly 15 years go, the concept really got hot when it was rebranded as a “sushi bake” during the height of the COVID19 pandemic. In the era of feta pasta and dalgona coffee, it fit right into the conversation about accessible global cuisine, comfort food, and culinary escapes. Familiar yet novel, easily adaptable to suit any available ingredients; looking back on it now, it made perfect sense. What I don’t understand is why it seems to have disappeared just as quickly.

Sushi for the People

Consider the sushi bake as sushi with training wheels, both for the cook and eater. No patience for hand-shaping individual rectangles of rice? Zero skill for rolling with sheets of nori? Throw everything in a pan and call it a day! Those of the most voracious appetites can finally satisfy the urge to eat an entire family platter of nigiri without being seen as gluttonous, and everyone can walk away from the table fulfilled. Especially during the colder months of the year, I can’t imagine a better way indulge in homemade sushi.

Layered with seasoned sushi rice, umami furikake, surprisingly convincing spicy crab made from shredded tofu, and a battery of crisp cucumbers, buttery avocado, and lashings of more savory sauces, it’s the complete package in every bite. You could easily double it and bake it off in an 8 x 8-inch pan for the whole family, or even quadruple it with a 9 x 13-inch pan for a genuine sushi party.

Serves You Right

Served warm, straight from the oven, a sushi bake is meant to be spooned, scooped, and shared with abandon. A brief rest on the counter allows the layers to settle into a more sliceable strata, but it should still arrive at the table hot, the rice plush and fragrant beneath its generous toppings. Set out stacks of toasted nori sheets or seaweed snacks and let everyone build their own bites, folding heaping spoonfuls into crisp wrappers that crackle against the creamy filling. It’s informal and tactile in a way traditional sushi rarely allows, encouraging seconds, and thirds, without ceremony or apology.

While I wouldn’t reheat it once topped, any leftover sushi bake is still just as delicious the next day, served cold. After winter relinquishes its grip and cooler cravings return, perhaps it can be a summertime staple, too.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)5 Comments

Ramen Revelry in Austin, Texas

Few dishes inspire such fanatic fervor as ramen. Combining noodles with soup is hardly revolutionary, and yet the Japanese specialty is the only example I can think of that has driven people to upend their entire lives on a quest to find and eat the best, or the pursuit of making their own, seemingly at the drop of a hat. Ramen made sense to unadventurous Americans long before “sushi” ever entered into everyday vernacular, captivating eaters from all walks of life. Everyone seems to share the same memories of eating ramen in their broke college days, still carrying a place for the dried noodles in their hearts well into adulthood.

Ramen continues to seduce diners across the world, only gaining in popularity year over year. Now, there are so many places to get not only passable, but excellent ramen that considering a comprehensive roundup became a truly daunting task. Even when you narrow down the criteria to Austin restaurants with vegan options, you may be surprised at the breadth and depth of unique variations you’ll find. Ranging from traditional to wildly creative fusion, thin noodles to thick, wholesome to downright decadent, the question isn’t, “do you want ramen for dinner?” but, “what kind of ramen do you want for dinner?”

What Came First, the Noodles or the Broth?

Trying to untangle which component is more important to making the best ramen is truly a fool’s errand. With such a simple composition, both carry equal weight. So, what makes the best ramen? It’s the combination of both, working in harmony together, neither one outshining the other. Toppings are interchangeable, spice is a matter of personal preference, but noodles and broth are indisputable.

  • Noodles: Ramen noodles are distinctive from other forms of pasta thanks to the inclusion of kansui, an alkaline solution that imparts a distinctive springy, chewy texture. The strands can range from angel hair-thin to udon-like in thickness, they can be round, flat, or squared off at the edges, they can be long or short, but no matter what, they must have that characteristic bite. Rarely, and not traditionally, egg may be included in more American-style noodles, so it’s wise to always double-check before ordering.
  • Broth: Traditionally made by simmering bones, aromatics, and seasonings for hours to extract deep umami and richness, this layered, savory foundation completely transforms the flavor of each bowlful. Classic styles include shio (salt-based, light and clear), shoyu (soy sauce-based), miso (fermented soybean paste for a hearty, earthy taste), tonkotsu (pork bone broth, creamy and rich), and paitan (same as tonkotsu, but with chicken). This is the biggest stumbling block for non-vegan restaurants, who often swap it with wan vegetable stock, lacking the depth and punch that the genuine article is known for. Kombu or wakame (seaweed), shiitake mushrooms, miso paste, soy sauce, roasted vegetables, and sometimes nuts or seeds can be used instead to draw out plant-based umami that’s every bit as compelling.

The Best Vegan Ramen in Austin

When I set out to find the best renditions of this beloved Japanese staple, I knew I had a task and a half ahead of me. Finding so many options scattered across the full length of the city is great problem to have. You’re never too far from your next great bowlful. Here’s my cheat sheet and personal assessment to help guide your ramen cravings.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)12 Comments

Egged On

Does anyone else have definitively different algorithms across platforms? Facebook seems to think I’m a complete Japanophile, never failing to remind me about sakura season and tips for packing bento boxes, while Instagram (though also owned by Facebook) feeds me a steady diet of gloom, doom, and horrid AI atrocities.

Though it’s been quite some time since I last visited Japan and have little hope of returning anytime soon, you can guess where I’d rather waste my time. Indulging in a bit of mindless scrolling before bed, I came across a very unremarkable video, no longer than 10 seconds at most, highlighting one more piece of evidence that “Japan is living in 2050.” Lo and behold, shelf stable packets of tamago kake sauce to squeeze over rice. Astounding.

Flipping through countless similar, forgettable contributions to this digital wasteland, I quickly moved on. For some reason though, the idea stuck with me. Tamago kake gohan, the most basic dish of hot rice topped with raw egg, could still be easier to make. To me, a lover of all things vegan egg-related, I was secretly captivated. I wanted to recreate this simple pleasure but got caught up in the complications of making a spherified vegan egg yolk, which is diametrically opposed to the elementary nature of the meal. If the egg could just be sauce, since it just gets broken up and stirred into the rice anyway, that changes things.

Dozens if not hundreds of recipes for vegan yolks are floating about on the web at this point, so if mine doesn’t strike your fancy, go off on a Google adventure and take your pick. My point here is that while a perfect golden dome, capable of bursting into unctuous, eggy sauce would look more impressive at first serving, the results are the same: it’s delicious. As someone prone to overthinking, it’s exhausting chasing the best, most perfect, most beautiful, most creative of everything. Tamago kake gohan should require zero thinking.

It’s not pretty and won’t get any likes on social media. I’m okay with that. I’ll make a big batch of egg sauce and rice, pack them separately in the fridge, and have easy food all week. Plus, all you have to do is add tofu for an instant scramble, if you’re more in the mood for that. Additional toppings are optional, but recommended, especially if you eat this frequently, to prevent palate fatigue. It’s good, maybe even great, though not enough to catapult me into 2050. Thank god for that.

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Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Spirited Secrets of Japan

Distinctly different from sake, and don’t you dare call it soju, shochu flies under the radar in most western liquor stores, yet is Japan’s top-selling spirit. Celebrated as the country’s national spirit, the fact that it’s nearly unknown to outsiders makes it feel like a poorly kept secret, whispered between izakaya stools while being passed around openly by patrons. Hidden in plain sight, shochu is primed for greater appreciation worldwide. Complex, storied, and incredibly versatile, I’m willing to wager that it’s the bottle missing on your bar cart right now.

Distilling the Highlights of Shochu

Shochu is a distilled spirit, bottled at no more than 45% ABV, and typically ranges quite a bit less. However, 24% ABV or lower isn’t even a thing in Japan. If you’ve seen something labeled “shochu” in California at wine-cooler strength, odds are it’s either a legal workaround or just plain mislabeling. To make things more confusing, some of it has been labeled as Korean soju to comply with the law.

Critical to the identity of shochu, it must be single-distilled. Because there’s only one pass through a pot still, every element leaves a strong impression.

Shochu can be made from just three ingredients. Some go solo while others create a blend from the full trio:

  • Sweet potato (imo) – earthy, funky, rich.
  • Barley (mugi) – nutty, clean, almost toasty.
  • Rice (kome) – soft, smooth, slightly floral.

Sweet potato and barley together account for 95% of shochu sales in Japan, which says a lot about the national palate. It’s grounded, earthy, umami, and robust.

Koji Craft

No matter the foundation of the ferment, shochu owes its depth to koji, the mold-based starter that’s the catalyst for transforming sugars into alcohol. Shochu producers employ a whole spectrum, and the differences dramatically affect flavor and aroma, creating unique regional styles.

  • White Koji Starter: This is the most common type used in shochu today. What’s wild is that it was actually discovered by accident as mutation from black koji. White koji is prized for its bright, balanced acidity and the ability to work well in both spirits and fermented foods that favor a cleaner, paler appearance, like white miso or amazake. It brings a gentle sweetness to shochu and is a go-to for distillers aiming for a crisp, clean finish.
  • Yellow Koji Starter: When koji mold sporulates, it forms yellowish-green spores—these are yellow koji starters. Traditionally used in foods like miso, amazake, and shio koji, yellow koji brings light, fruity, floral notes and low acidity. While it’s a staple in sake brewing, it’s less common in shochu. It forges delicate and nuanced flavors, but is not built for high temperatures or extended aging.
  • Black Koji Starter: Indigenous to Okinawa, black koji is the backbone of awamori, the bold, funkier counterpoint to shochu. Black koji thrives in hot, humid regions thanks to its high acidity, which naturally inhibits bacteria growth and spoilage. Flavor-wise, it’s earthy, spicy, and rich, full of character and perfect for deep, complex spirits with a bit of edge.

Cheers, To Your Health!

Besides being easy on the palate, shochu is refreshingly kind to your body, relative to other spirits. That’s because it’s…

  1. Lower in calories
  2. Additive-free by law (no artificial flavorings, colors, or added sugars)
  3. Historically recommended to combat gout, thanks to its very low purine content (¡Not medical advice!)

Mix It Up

While shochu is often enjoyed straight, on the rocks, or with hot water in Japan, it plays beautifully in cocktails. Clean, nuanced, and never overpowering, it blends seamlessly into many classics. For example, in a Sour, shochu’s crisp character complements the tang of citrus without overwhelming it, offering a sophisticated balance that’s both smooth and refreshing. In a Julep, barley shochu’s nutty, toasty notes blend beautifully with fresh mint and crushed ice, giving a lighter, more layered version of the traditional mint julep. You may not think it could stand up to the strong flavors of an Old Fashioned, yet aged barley shochu is often compared to whiskey for its dark, warm, subtly smoky notes.

With shochu, the goal is not to overpower but to enhance the flavors, creating cocktails that feel refined yet approachable—perfect for those looking for something familiar but with a new, subtly complex spin.

Start Sipping Today

It’s honestly baffling that shochu doesn’t enjoy even a fraction of the same popularity overseas. In 2022, Japan produced more shochu than Mexico produced tequila, and yet, many in the US have still never heard of it. In some ways, maybe that’s the beauty of it. Shochu doesn’t need to be flashy to be great. It just needs the right moment to find you, whether it’s a quiet night at home, a dinner with friends, or a curious detour through your local Japanese market.

Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments