Introduction:
Sometimes you have to cross an ocean to realize how small the world is...
Nancy Singleton Hachisu is the leading English-language author about Japanese cuisine. She has published five cookbooks on the subject, from her first, Japanese Farm Food published in 2012, to her latest, Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook published in 2023. Nancy has been on TV and is widely published including in The Art of Eating, Lucky Peach, Saveur, Food & Wine, Travel & Leisure, National Geographic Food, BBC Travel, Fool Magazine, and more. A James Beard Award winner, Nancy is passionate about Japanese artisanal ingredients and producers.
In 2015 as Greg and I were forming The Japanese Pantry, we were fortunate to attend a dinner at Izakaya Rintaro for Nancy and her second book, Preserving the Japanese Way (a wonderful dinner, especially the shime course using her family’s rice). A bit later, as I was describing the plans for The Japanese Pantry to my good friend Sarah, she told me that Nancy was a dear family friend. Knowing Nancy’s dedication to traditional Japanese cuisine and focus on artisanal ingredients, it was clear we needed to know Nancy. Introductions were made, emails were sent and fast forward these last nine or so years and we have been fortunate enough to meet with Nancy many times (including at her farmhouse in Japan), support her with artisanal products during her book tour dinners, and generally learn from her deep knowledge of Japan’s food culture.
We are constantly awed by her steadfast championing of Japanese cuisine, her undying support for artisanal ingredients and their makers, and her love for her adopted country. She has led the charge to show the world the depth and nuance of Japanese cuisine and the quality of its ingredients. We thank her for her support and guidance over the years.
We are overjoyed to work with Nancy on the ingredient kit for Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook. Below Nancy discusses why she selected each ingredient and you'll also learn in which recipe to use them. We know you’ll really enjoy cooking from Nancy’s book using some of the same ingredients she uses in her farmhouse kitchen in Japan.
Nancy describing why she selected these artisanal ingredients:
Preparing Japanese vegetarian dishes at home should be neither complicated nor incredibly time consuming. The most important point to consider is the ingredients, however. Sourcing seasonal vegetables and other excellent raw materials takes a bit of forethought, but keeping a carefully selected Japanese pantry is simple. Here are my recommendations:
Yamaki Jozo Organic Soy Sauce: This is my local shoyu and we have been using it for over 35 years. It is made from Japanese organic soybeans grown by people I know, sun-dried salt, and deep mountain spring water from the forest above Yamaki Jozo. This pristine water gives the shoyu a clarity that is immediately discernable when you let a spoonful run down your throat. The shoyu goes through two summers of fermentation (Japanese summers are hot and humid—with temperatures in the 100s at the height of August, so this is the peak fermentation period for shoyu and miso). Unlike many other houses, Yamaki does not use climate control, so the depth of flavor builds naturally, creating a multi-layered, nuanced product. There are three toji (chief brewers) tending the mash they blend between the barrels to create the quintessential Yamaki taste in each bottle. All fermentation at Yamaki takes place in over 100-year-old cedar barrels and they have about 70 barrels of shoyu in house.
Recipes: Kaeshi, Daikon Leaf Tsukudani, Spinach Shira-ae, Eggplant with Wasabi, Stir-Fried Green Peppers with Pine Nuts
Yamaki Jozo Organic Barley Miso: This is one of the best misos you will ever taste. It is made from Japanese organic beans grown by Yamaki’s contract farmers. The beans are pressure steamed in large cauldrons, smashed, then mixed with barley koji (steamed barley that has been inoculated with koji spores which propagate in a warm, humid, anaerobic environment for 24 hours), and sun-dried salt. Miso mash is made during the winter months when the weather is cool so the mash can gain strength while it rests. As the weather begins to warm from the late spring into the early summer, fermentation in the mash slowly gathers momentum until it is actively fermenting during the hot and humid month of August into September. Yamaki’s barley miso goes through at least one summer of fermentation. Because of the natural rhythm of the fermentation process, the miso develops complexity and nuanced flavors that are not found in miso that is made more quickly using climate control or other time-saving methods. Also of note, once each miso reaches its optimal flavor, Yamaki stores it in a chilled environment to maintain that perfect state. Use this miso in Japanese dishes, or to add a “hidden taste” to western dishes such as gratins, butter sauces, or dressings. This is also the miso you should use for baking since it has appreciably more flavor than “white” miso.
Recipes: Okra with Miso Mayonnaise, Chopped Eggplant with Miso, Bamboo Shoot with Spicy Miso, Mabodofu with Tera Natto, Grated Turnip Miso Soup
Iio Jozo Pure Rice Vinegar: Arguably the best vinegar in the world, Iio Jozo is certainly the best vinegar house in Japan. Located deep in the countryside a couple of hours from Kyoto, I visited here with a television crew several years ago and immediately recognized that Iio Jozo embodies all the values that make it one of the top artisanal food companies in Japan. Not only do they make flawlessly delicious vinegars, but they do it in the most visibly ethical and sustainable way. True rice vinegar is fermented from sake, though most of the rice vinegar on the shelves of supermarkets is not. Iio Jozo’s process begins with local organic rice. Organic Japanese rice is a bit of a unicorn so the few artisanal vinegar companies that still exist probably need to source organic rice from elsewhere in Japan. But the grandfather of current president Akihiro Iio felt using local organic rice was crucial to the Iio Jozo vinegar process, so he visited all the rice farmers in the deep countryside surrounding Iio Jozo, and by some miracle, persuaded them to convert to organic farming methods. Even today, that would be a feat, in the early 1960s, it was unheard of. The rice is dehulled and polished in house, and Iio Jozo then produces top quality sake to ferment into vinegar. Their red vinegar is pressed from several-year fermented sake lees—the solids that are left after pressing the rice mash that has converted to alcohol for sake. Akihiro’s father was rightfully proud of the excellent vinegar his family made and was disappointed when his customers complained that it “smelled too much like rice.” To realize his father’s long-term dream of creating a better vinegar with more rice, but less pronounced aroma of rice, Akihiro went to graduate school to study the science of vinegar-making: the result is Iio Jozo Premium rice vinegar (the one with the light blue label). I use the red label every day and the brown rice vinegar and premium when the spirit moves me. Not just for Japanese vinegar treatments, these vinegars all complement top shelf olive oil beautifully in Western vinaigrettes.
Recipes: Sanbaizu, Cold Tofu with Cucumber Vinegar, Five-Colored Vegetables with Peanut Vinegar, “Always on Hand” Pickled Carrots
Aimono Konbu Rausu Konbu: Characterized by its deep flavor and thickness, Rausu konbu yields a rich dashi with a yellow-green cast. The dashi is naturally sweet with an elegant after finish. Because of its strength of flavor, dashi extracted from Rausu konbu matches well with powerful organic farm vegetables, so it is the konbu I always use. While writing my third book (Japan: The Cookbook) I made a trip up to Rausu, located at the far tip of the Shiretoko Peninsula in northeastern Hokkaido. Konbu is strictly controlled and can only be harvested for six weeks from around July 20 through August 31, and only for a couple of hours in the morning. There were about six families harvesting Rausu konbu along a short stretch of beach and we befriended one of the families. The three days we spent observing and photographing the whole process from harvest, to drying, stretching, rolling, and weighting was fascinating and made me love and appreciate konbu even more than I had before. Konbu is magical, pure and simple. (I recommend recycling the konbu left over from making dashi and using it to boil your potatoes or any other vegetables—it will impart a gentle brininess.) Tragically, despite strict controls, the konbu harvests began experiencing steep declines since 2019, so the prices have increased exponentially. One reason for the lower harvests (besides waste buildup along the seashore) is that the sea urchin (uni) population in the underwater konbu “forests” has increased dramatically because the local fishermen are no longer harvesting the uni. Uni harvesting has shifted to larger companies with big boats. Uni thrives on konbu but was previously kept under control by the individual fishermen hand plucking it off the konbu strands. Without question, konbu is dear, but it is essential for Japanese cooking. Using a bit less and soaking overnight can help stretch your konbu.
Recipes: Deep-Fried Daikon in Broth, Dashi-Simmered Tomatoes, Citrus-Dressed Grilled Mushrooms, Chilled Muscat and Ginger Soup, Carrot Pilaf
Takehisa Dried Shiitake Mushroons, Donko: It is worth pointing out that sun-dried Japanese donko (thick-capped shiitake) are nothing like the ubiquitous non-Japanese machine-dried ones you find at supermarkets. These Japanese donko have an intensely deep flavor that resonates of the forest where they are grown. One or two is all you need for most dishes. Once I started writing Japanese cookbooks about 15 years ago, I began drilling down on the ingredients and the sourcing. I had never been a fan of dried shiitake until I tasted these sun-dried donko. They have a meaty texture and an intense, though thoroughly appealing flavor. These are not substitutes for fresh shiitake, and fresh shiitake are not suitable as substitutes for dried shiitake: they are both used in completely different ways in Japanese dishes.
Recipes: Asparagus Shira-ae, Spring Cabbage with Sesame Vinegar, Deep-Fried Temple Triangles, Shiitake Sushi
Wadaman Golden Sesame Oil: When I say that Wadaman Sesame is the best sesame roastery in the world, this is no exaggeration. It is without argument the best in Japan, and since Japan has the most refined techniques for processing sesame, ergo Wadaman is the best in the world. Much like a top shelf olive oil, this oil is pricey, no question, but it is worth every penny. Visiting Wadaman Sesame for the first time in 2016, I was awestruck by the attention to detail and the rigorous sorting process to ensure quality control. After cleaning, the seeds are roasted with a low-high-low technique similar to coffee roasting. From there, seeds with cracks, discolorations, or other anomalies are winnowed out in a multiple-step sorting process (the last of which involves the seeds going through a screening using a laser jet of air to ping out the “bad”). Finally, the seeds are packed by color (black, white, gold), cold-pressed for oil, or ground into pastes. Once you taste Wadaman sesame products, all others will pale. I use the lightly roasted oils more than the dark roasted one but that is merely a matter of palate preference. The dark roasted gold Wadaman oil is heavenly (and this is coming from someone who previously loathed dark sesame oil). Obviously, this oil is beautiful in Japanese dishes, but I also make a salad dressing with 1:1 Suehiro Ponzu and Wadaman Golden Sesame Oil that many people all over the world have called “the best vinaigrette” they have ever tasted.
Recipes: Vegetable Miso, Ume Miso–Sautéed Summer Vegetables, Celery Kinpira with Salt, Stir-Fried Taro Root, Clear Soup with Tofu, Carrot and Daikon
Wadaman Organic White Sesame Paste: This paste is essential for many recipes in Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook. In the farm kitchen, we would tend to grind the seeds in the suribachi (grinding bowl) rather than use paste, but I have become a convert thanks to Wadaman’s exquisite pastes. Wadaman’s white sesame paste is full flavored but not overpowering, it adds unctuousness to smashed tofu treatments (shira-ae) and is the essential base for sesame dressings (goma-ae). Before using, be sure to work the paste well to amalgamate any of the oils and solids that might have separated. Store in the refrigerator. Caveat: Do not substitute tahini for Japanese dishes calling for white sesame paste. The sesame in tahini is not roasted and the taste is not as fully developed as with Wadaman’s roasted sesame pastes.
Recipes: Dashi-Steeped Figs with Sesame Sauce, Fava Shira-ae, Chrysanthemum Goma-ae, Okara-Fried Peppers, Vegetarian Japanese-Style Curry
Wadaman Organic White Sesame Seeds: These elegant, understated, yet beautifully flavorful roasted white sesame seeds are the main sesame seed used throughout Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook. After opening, reseal, and store in a zippered bag.
Recipes: Kiriboshi Daikon and Carrot with Sesame Vinegar, Konnyaku with Ume and Sesame, Persimmon and Apple Shira-ae, Flowering Greens Rice, Creamy Napa Cabbage
Wadaman Organic Black Gomashio: While you can certainly make your own—there is a recipe in the Shikomi (Prep) chapter of Japan: The Vegetarian Cookbook—but that would require roasting and grinding the salt and sesame seeds separately before putting them together. Keeping a small bag of Wadaman Organic Black Gomashio in your pantry makes sense since it is not only convenient, but also incredibly delicious. Use as an instant way to pep up raw celery when you need a quick snack, but it’s also lovely on soft tofu with a bit of fresh wasabi, or rice dishes such as okayu (savory rice porridge).
Recipes: Yuba and Sesame Salt Nori Rolls
Yamatsu Tsujita Shichimi Togarashi: A chile mixture that includes about seven ingredients—shortened to “shichimi” (seven tastes) if need be, but never “togarashi” (chile). Yamatsu Tsujita Shichimi Gokujyou contains Japanese takanotsume (native dried red chile), gold and black sesame seeds, sansho, dried yuzu peel, green nori powder, poppy seeds, and dried shiso. It is darkly rich, with a full, well-developed balance of flavorful spices. Use sparingly on grilled foods, miso dishes, tofu, country soups, eggs, and pickles.
Recipes: Seven-Spice Mayo, Spicy Soy Milk Gratin, Pan-Roasted Spring Cabbage, Miso-Pickled Broccoli Stems, Quick Pickled Napa Cabbage
Yamasei Organic Karashi Mustard: Organic mustard is highly prized and difficult to source, even in Japan. Yamasei’s artisanal stone ground organic yellow mustard powder is essential for any Japanese dishes that call for mustard and therefore worth having on hand. The difference in quality from off-the-shelf powdered mustard is immediately discernable so it is not worth cutting corners on this reasonably priced ingredient given the small amount you ever use at a time. Most powdered mustard outside of Japan is brown mustard, and flavor-wise cannot be substituted for yellow mustard.
Recipes: Negi Nuta, Nanohana with Mustard Dressing, Mustard-Flavored Bean Sprouts and Daikon
Murakami Syouten Okinawan Brown Sugar: This is one of the most remarkable sugars you will ever taste, and it goes particularly well with soy milk. Called “black sugar” (kurozato) in Japan, one spoonful will give you a midafternoon pick up should you need it. The extraordinary depth of flavors and minerals and amazing balance will shock you. I’ve not experimented yet but would imagine any dark full-bodied Western stews or braised dishes would benefit from a bit of this incredible sugar. There are other black sugars in Japan, but this one is undeniably the best.
Recipes: Soy Milk Custard with Black Sugar Syrup