Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art by Shizuo Tsuji

Shizuo Tsuji provides a great primer on Japanese cooking. Tsuji aims the book specifically at a Western audience that might be unfamiliar with a lot of the techniques employed in Japanese cuisines. Many of the dishes probably appear a lot less exotic than when the book was written over 20 years ago, but the book is hardly dated. Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art covers many of the Japanese classics well-known outside of Japan as well as some homey dishes that might not be as familiar. The book also contains an excellent guide to making sushi and sashimi.

Tsuji organizes the book in a unique way. Instead of dividing the book by course or ingredient, he creates a section for each cooking technique (grilling, steaming, deep-frying). Each technique is discussed in depth with one recipe accompanied by illustrations to clarify each step. Later Tsuji includes another section for additional recipes for each technique. This organization is a great way to learn a new technique. On the flip side, it's less convenient for quick meal planning based on ingredient.

With its clear illustrations, and detailed explanations on Japanese cooking techniques, customs, and ingredients, Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art is a great place to start for those looking to learn more about cooking Japanese cuisine.

** One quick caveat... while Tsuji's insistence on freshness of ingredients is admirable, I would be cautious of his advice to use local freshwater fish for sushi and sashimi. Freshwater fish has a higher risk of parasites. It's probably best to stick with saltwater fish that has been flash-frozen at sea unless you really, really know what you're doing. Many Asian supermarkets have sushi-grade fish available for your convenience.

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