My most popular class of the past month was no doubt gyoza! I've had gyoza class requests every week for the past few weeks. Although not a genuine Japanese cuisine, gyoza has become one of the most popular dishes here in Japan among Japanese and Foreigners alike. 

My class uses store bought gyoza skins to wrap the filling unlike the Chinese style gyoza which uses homemade skins which are a bit thicker. A typical gyoza in Japan are also pan fried (actually pan-steamed) as opposed to the boiled ones in China. You can get Japanese style gyoza skins in Asian supermarkets overseas in the frozen food section.

In my class, we usually make a salad using daikon radish and fried pork gyoza, followed by boiled shrimp gyoza. There is a vegetarian option too.  For those of you who have attended my gyoza class and wondered what to do with leftover daikon radish that we used for the salad, or the remaining nira (Chinese chives), please check out my recipes at the OYSHEE RECIPES website or APP for recipes on Stewed Daikon Radish with Minced Pork and  Nira Tama (Chinese Chives with Scrambled Eggs)!

Yesterday, was a reunion for Certified Tofu Meisters at a private residence. We asked  Sushi Chef, Mr. Kurosawa who specializes in Sushi using Tofu and vegetables to come and make sushi. His Sushi is a work of art and it was a great experience to not only eat his sushi but also watch him make it. Also, the tofu makes a great difference in how the sushi tastes. All the tofu used in this course was made from Mr. Arai, a real meister in making Tofu, he is one of the best Tofu makers in Tokyo using different kinds of soy beans creating tofu and other soy product in a traditional style. His Tofu is also available online. He also offers one day courses to make your own tofu. 

Sushi Catering from Mr. Kurosawa: https://www.facebook.com/kurosawasushi/
Mr. Arai's Tofu Shop (Kiaidofu) : http://saitamaya.net/ 
Mr. Arai's Tofu Academy :http://www.kiaitofu.com/

Photos courtesy of Ms. Rikako Tanoue

This week I hosted a ohanami (Cherry Tree Blossom Viewing) party at my house with my Cooking Instructor friends. It was a potluck party and every body brought a dish with a bottle of wine. Unfortunately, the flower blossoms season was close to an end along the meguro river and there wasn't so much to view, so I got some branches from a flower shop to decorate my  dining room and it turn out just fine.
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As everyone joining the party were professionals of culinary art, the table was a work of art itself, and we all had a wonderful lunch, needles to say. And yes, I made two Tex-Mex dishes, a layer dip and a chopped salad to add color. 

OYSHEE Recipes is giving away a free gift to anyone who attends my cooking class and will download their apps. You can choose a free gift (Japanese Souvenir) from the following  (while stocks last) : 

• Matcha Green Tea
• Green Tea (Sencha) in a Can
• Grounded Sesame Seeds

If you can write a review on OYSHEE’s app download page after you download it, you can also receive an OYSHEE original apron!

I will be adding more recipes using the ingredients I've used in class, so be sure to check it out!

I've teamed up with Rakuten's Oyshee, a recipe site that you can search recipes for Japanese dishes in English. I will be providing recipes that can be made fast and easy using the ingredients we use in my class. This site can be accessed online or by downloading an APPs for iphone and Android. This website not only lets you search recipes, but has also explains about the Japanese ingredients. So if you haven't visited them, check it out!

OYSHEE Website: http://recipe.rakuten.com/
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I will be holding a wagashi (Japanese Traditional) sweets class on the 16th of April (Saturday) at 10 am. We will be making 2 kinds of wagashi (spring mountain kinton and sakura flower motif)  followed by a tasting session with match green tea.
You will take home 4 pieces of wagashi. If you are interested to join, please book a spot! Class fee is 6000 yen. 

Next weekend wagashi class is May 21st (1 spot left!) where we will be making a early summer motif.