Luiz Hara

I've always enjoyed Japanese food - excluding seafood, I find the flavors and the style to be to my liking. That said I've had trouble finding an authentic cookbook that gives me the very basics in a way that I can replicate in a style that I like.

The JAPANESE LARDER definitely offers something for someone looking to understand the basics and some fancy prep for the dishes. Hara breaks down the why, the how, and the interesting before jumping into anything complicated. Sometimes knowing WHY there are multiple different ways to pickle a vegetable helped me understand which to use in my recipes.

The recipes do take some time, especially if you're not one who has patience (like me) when prepping. It is important to pay attention to his measurements and to how he says to prepare the basics like dashi or the ponzu sauces.

I've also found new dishes I want to try before I attempt to make (like Nikujaga - Japanese style beef & potato hotpot) and I'm glad that he gave a good overview for Tempura at home! I love Tempura so that section in particular has been helpful.… (més)

There are so many Asian cookbooks out there, but I have found few that concentrate on just the Japanese region. Even fewer that are so well written as this one! And also beautifully photographed.
Hara really does a great job of introducing the reader to Japanese cuisine. He covers everything that I could ever think of. There are chapters on key seasonings, various ingredients, spices, teas, sauces, marinades, and on and on. The author describes the different kinds of fruits and vegetables used in Japanese cooking. And a great chapter on just rice and noodles.
Throughout all the chapters, he introduces the reader to easy to understand recipes. As well as where and how some of the ingredients are produced.
Hara makes the entire book easy to read, and inviting. Now that I understand what some of the items are, I can't wait to go to the Asian grocery store to find some of them to try!
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley, in exchange for a fair review. I can honestly say that I will be purchasing additional copies for my friends who love to cook!… (més)