Briefly blanched spinach cut into tidy bundles and dressed with freshly crushed toasted sesame, soy sauce, and sugar for a nutty side that stays green and structured.
Fine daikon and carrot matchsticks cured until supple, then steeped in clear sweet rice vinegar with lemon zest for the crisp red-and-white salad served at Japanese New Year.
Paper-thin cucumbers and tender wakame in a clear sweet-tart rice-vinegar dressing, briefly salted for crisp, pliant slices that refresh the palate without tasting heavily pickled.
A gentle water bath and softly folded meringue give this Japanese cheesecake its tall, fine crumb, delicate lemon fragrance, and light cream-cheese richness.
Cold buckwheat noodles, edamame, cucumber, radish, and scallion carry a light soy-rice vinegar dressing with ginger and sesame rather than a thick sauce.