Japanese

Active time: 10 min Start to finish: 15 min

Serve the salmon with steamed rice tossed with shelled edamame (fresh green soybeans). Market tip: Choose wild Alaskan salmon, which is abundant and well regulated. Farmed salmon is controversial; salmon farms pollute wild salmon habitats and spread disease to wild salmon stocks.

At Aqua, the sea bass is presented with shrimp tortellini in lobster consommé.

"Recently, I had dinner at the super-romantic Shadowbrook Restaurant in nearby Capitola," writes Holly M. Sharps of Menlo Park, California. "To get to Shadowbrook, you have to take a cable car down a hill. The restaurant is on several levels and has spectacular views of the ocean — not to mention great food. The salmon was absolutely delicious." The sake- and soy-based ponzu sauce is traditionally a Japanese dipping sauce. Here, it’s used to baste the fish as it cooks.

Can be prepared in less than 45 minutes.

This classic Japanese comfort food is a combination of chicken and egg (oyako means “parent and child”) simmered in sweet-savory broth and served over rice.

Spicy tinned salmon (or tuna!) is a fast track to flavor in these simple hand rolls—particularly when mashed with some oil from the can and a slick of mayo.

A 20-minute dinner everyone will ask for again.

Bouncier than a bobblehead and fluffier than a cloud, this cheesecake is a keeper.

Comprised of a custardy pantry-forward okonomiyaki batter studded with shredded cabbage and bacon, this Japanese pancake is a fast track to dinner.

These Japanese rice balls filled with salty-sweet salmon are customizable, fun, and great for snacking.

Brussels sprouts get a high-heat roast (key for crispy edges and zero boiled-cabbage flavor) before getting tossed in a sweet soy glaze.

This weeknight meal hits all the high notes of the beloved sushi roll.

Instant dashi and shaved beef provide both ease and deep flavor in this weeknight dinner spin on the Japanese-style hot pot.

This brothy bowl is just what the doctor ordered, with lots of fresh ginger and kicky jalapeños.

The secret to success? Kneading with your feet.

Umami broth, springy noodles, crisp vegetables, chewy tofu—it doesn’t get better than this.

This simple noodle soup is packed with flavor thanks to instant dashi.