A Yoshoku Dinner at Home
Yoshoku is Western cooking adapted for the Japanese palate, and it is comfort food with a uniquely Japanese soul. Inspired by the Japanese drama [The Queen of Lunchtime Cuisineランチの女王], I recreated a full Yoshoku dinner at home for my siblings and their families. Five recipes, one unforgettable meal.
Butter Herb Rice
Inspired by the Yoshoku spirit of blending Western flavours with Asian sensibilities, this butter herb rice is fragrant, buttery, and deeply satisfying alongside the Japanese Hamburger Steak and Wabi-Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce.
Wabi-Sabi Chunky Brown Sauce
Wabi-sabi is a Japanese philosophy that finds beauty in imperfection and simplicity. This sauce is exactly that. Sllowcook’s take on the classic French demi-glace — not silky smooth, not hearty and chunky like a beef stew. Somewhere beautifully in between.
Japanese Hamburger Steak
A juicy, tender meat patty smothered in a rich and savoury sauce. This Japanese hamburger steak is simple to make at home. Once you try it, you will never think of a meat patty the same way again.
Spaghetti Napolitan
Ketchup as a pasta sauce? Only in Japan. Spaghetti Napolitan is a Yoshoku classic, a staple in Japanese family meals, and one of my all-time comfort foods.
Japanese Potato Salad
Creamy mashed potato, crunchy cucumber, carrot, and onion, savoury honey baked ham, and a tangy dressing of Kewpie mayonnaise and wholegrain mustard. A potato salad worth making again and again.
Banana Apple Chocolate Bread
Baking is supposed to be about precision. But this Banana Apple Chocolate Bread was built entirely on gut feel and whatever fruit I had on hand. No mixer, no added sugar. Just naturally sweet fruit, Greek yoghurt, and browned butter for that extra depth of flavour. Sometimes the best recipe is the one you make up as you go.
Fried Porridge
Fried porridge is a resourceful Malaysian-inspired recipe that gives leftover porridge a second life. Cooked over high heat with dried shrimp, garlic, ginger, and sesame oil, it develops a rich, smoky wok hei flavour right at home.
French Butter Cake
Baking is not really my strength, but this French Butter Cake took years of tweaking to get just right. More almond flour, less sugar, and good French butter — every bite is dense, rich, and deeply buttery.
Kombu Butter
This one started with an ingredient I almost threw away. I bought a 200ml tub of crème fraîche with grand plans for salmon rillettes — but life happened, and it sat untouched in my fridge past its expiry date. Three days past, to be exact. Still sealed. It still smelled clean and tangy. No mould, […]
