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A bold, fresh new approach to Japanese cooking: 120-plus globally influenced recipes—from the author of Japanese Home Cooking

In this dazzling and wholly original cookbook, culinary authority Sonoko Sakai redefines what Japanese cooking can be. Wafu (literally “Japanese style”) food is fusion at its best, combining flavors, ingredients, and techniques from around the globe with a distinctly Japanese personality.

Wafu Cooking is a collection of recipes that captures the cultural exchange between Japan and the rest of the world in dishes that have come to Japan from abroad and been “wafu-ed” to suit local tastes, and in Japanese dishes that are reimagined through an American lens. From Dashi Cheese Grits with Honey Miso Butter, Collard Greens and Cabbage Miso Soup with Crispy Bacon, and Fish and Lotus Chips, to Caesar Salad with Aonori Croutons and Bonito Flakes, Shio Koji Marinated Roast Chicken, and Miso Apple Pie, these are recipes  that reflect—and celebrate—the multinational, interconnected way in which we all eat today. Sakai also introduces the essential building blocks of Japanese cuisine—dashi, miso, and soy sauce—that can be used to give any dish a wafu twist.

A book that reflects as much the author’s own journey—a life spent in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, and elsewhere—as it does the foods of Japan, Wafu Cooking is an utterly unique, thoroughly modern cookbook.

About the Author

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SONOKO SAKAI was born in New York  to Japanese parents, and she grew up in San Francisco, Kamakura, Mexico City, and Tokyo. She is the author of Japanese Home Cooking, Rice Craft, and The Poetical Pursuit of Food. She has worked as a recipe developer, producer, creative director, cooking teacher, and lecturer. She is also a grain activist. Sonoko lives in Los Angeles and Tehachapi, California, with her sculptor husband, Katsuhisa Sakai.

Praise For…

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“Sonoko Sakai’s Wafu Cooking is absolutely exquisite—a cookbook, yes, but also a guide and a map to the intricacies and love woven into Japanese cuisine. Approachable and expansive, Wafu Cooking is truly tremendous.” —Bryan Washington, author of Family Meal
 
“Sonoko Sakai’s love and respect for Japanese food comes through with every dish and recipe. She always does a wonderful job sharing the essence of Japanese food, and I know that readers will find the journey joyful and inspiring.” —Niki Nakayama, Chef/Owner of Two Michelin-starred n/naka
 
“I learned so much from reading Sonoko’s enticing recipes and deft informative notes, and from the beautiful photographs here. Sonoko invites us to use traditional Japanese techniques and flavorings to add depth and distinctiveness to familiar dishes, from roast chicken, hummus, and ceviche, to lasagna, bread, and ice cream. A stunning achievement.” —Naomi Duguid, author of The Miracle of Salt, Taste of Persia, and Burma: Rivers of Flavor
 
“Japan, India, Paris, Mexico City, California, Peru, and Queens . . . Sonoko Sakai’s culinary exploration and evolution from childhood curiosity to master artisan is breathtaking. A shared moment, flavor, or textural nuance within Sonoko’s art can gently open a unique window into the vast aroma and flavor histories of our world.” —Glenn Roberts, founder of Anson Mills
 
“This book is as perfect as Sonoko’s homemade soba noodles. The recipes are diverse and personal, and the directions precise. I have had the privilege of eating in Sonoko’s kitchen—and now we all will.” —Joan Nathan, author of King Solomon’s Table and My Life in Recipes
 
“Wafu Cooking is a palace of sensory delights. And by sensory I mean your taste buds will want to dance nonstop to the mouthwatering tune that is Sonoko’s creative wafu dishes. Remixing Japanese and Western cuisines together, Sonoko Sakai is an unparalleled DJ of recipes that are as delicious as they are comforting. Your taste buds’ hip new dance moves will thank you later.” —Irving Ruan, contributor, The New Yorker