7 Recipes For A Full Japan-Inspired Dinner At Home

All you need for an easy Japan-inspired full course dinner.

While most people associate holidays with traveling and dining out (sometimes more frequently than recommended), there are those like us who prefer to stay at home and catch up on things we haven’t been doing in a while. Like cooking, for example. If you’re like us and want to make sure that you can still cook despite not having done it for a while, or are expecting a few guests over the holidays, here are several recipes you can use to create an impressive full course menu inspired by Japan — from appetizers to desserts. Click on the name of each dish to read the full recipes.

1. Edamame Hummus

Rich in fiber, protein, antioxidants and a number of vitamins and minerals, edamame, or those lovely green young soybeans we love ordering at the izakaya, is a popular healthy snack that also happens to be extremely versatile. Apart from eating them directly from the pods, there are countless of other different ways that you can use edamame — including turning them into a delicious dip.

2. Tuna Tataki And Mango Salad

Tuna — the fish king and all-time favorite dish to all Japanese, is one addition to your daily menu that makes a difference every time you taste it. Add mango to it and it gets an even fresher and colorful twist. This is an extremely easy but super Instagrammable salad to make that will surely impress your guests.

3. Teriyaki Beef Mince Canapé

This is an easy dish to be served as a starter and especially good for home parties because you can make a lot of these in a single frying pan. The ingredients are simple and it takes less than 10 minutes to make.

4. Hosomaki And Gunkan Sushi

You’ll be the queen (or king) of every party if you manage to pull a few handmade sushi off for your guests, especially if you live away from Japan. This recipe tells you how to do everything from scratch — starting from the sushi rice. You can start rolling even after your guests have arrived, or even better — invited them to join in.

5. Yuzu And Pomegranate Lamb Chops

Lamb is always a popular meat option once spring arrives. It doesn’t take particularly long to prepare and the light yuzu (a popular Japanese citrus) dressing really compliments the taste of the meat. Serve with oven roasted sweet potato, rice or salad at your preference.

6. Takenoko (Bamboo shoots ) Rice

Bamboo shoots are a staple of springtime in Japan. Takenoko Gohan, or steamed rice with bamboo shoots, is a very popular Japanese dish in the spring, and is very easy to prepare. Plus, it looks and tastes great!

7. Chocolate Tofu Cupcakes

If your guests have food restrictions, this is a great, easy-made dessert to finish off your dinner with. This is a vegan, gluten and refined sugar-free recipe but it tastes so good that you’ll have everyone drooling over for more. Give it a try. For another gluten-free dessert option, see this Brown Rice Banana Bread recipe.

Now take out the wine (or nihonshu) and enjoy your party. Wishing you a happy and relaxing Golden Week ahead!