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What Is Tofu?

Tofu is made from soybean milk; not from fuzzy green edamame pods but from mature, white soybeans. They are boiled, curdled, and pressed in a similar fashion to dairy cheese. The soybeans are soaked and ground with warm water and strained to become soy milk. This milk is combined with a coagulant (traditionally nigari) and simmered until curds and whey form. The curds are then placed into cloth-lined moulds and pressed until the whey drains out. The longer it's pressed, the more whey is released and the firmer the finished product will become.

Much of the food that exists in Korea today and the customs surrounding it have come from royal cuisine and the complex customs of the ancient court. The food is so well balanced, with careful consideration given to temperature, spiciness, colour and texture and presentation.

Starting with ritual bowls of rice and soup, the main meal is built around numerous shared dishes selected to complement each other. These multiple side dishes, known as banchan, traditionally accompany cooked short grain rice, noodles, vegetables and other dishes. The number of sides may vary from two to a dozen or even more!  Everyday shared meals include at least a few accompaniments served all at once, rather than in courses. The abundant plates of food are cooked using a wide range of techniques including steaming, simmering, frying, stewing, fermenting and leaving some items raw.

Rice is a staple of the Korean household and forms the backbone of almost every meal, although it is sometimes replaced with noodles. Other common aromatics and spices seen in Korean cuisine include sesame and sesame oil, garlic, ginger and chilli pepper flakes. Korean food tends to be intensely flavoured, pungent and often really spicy.

Miso is highly affiliated with the flavour sensation known as umami. The thick paste is deeply savoury, with a nutty, funky and salty/sweet richness. This source of umami forms the base of many delicious Japanese meals.

Have you ever eaten something only to have a hard time describing the yummy taste? What you may have been unable to describe is umami. Biologically speaking, your taste buds are equipped to experience four basic flavours: sweet, salty, sour and bitter. After many years of eating and research, cooks and chefs now add umami to dishes, the (almost mythical) fifth taste of glutamates and nucleotides. 

Dashi is an incredibly simple and delicious stock. It forms one of the culinary cornerstones of Japanese cooking and it’s made with just three ingredients: water, kombu (dried kelp), and bonito (fish) flakes. The Vegan version can replace the bonito flakes with umami rich shiitake mushrooms. The resulting broth has a rich aroma and tastes like the essence of the sea. Dashi can be used to make a warming bowl of miso soup or ramen, in dipping sauces, or to add savoury flavour to any number of Japanese dishes.

Here, the ultimate guide that is essential for Japanese recipes, from staples to intensely flavourful condiments and hot chillies.