Japan

Extraordinary … a must have book for anyone who loves vegetables!’ – Amanda Cohen, James Beard-nominated chef and owner of Dirt Candy

From the author of global bestseller Japan: The Cookbook, more than 250 delicious, healthy vegetarian Japanese recipes for home cooks

In this collection of new recipes, Nancy Singleton Hachisu, the most authoritative voice in Japanese home cooking today, showcases Japanese vegetarian dishes, bringing the exquisite flavors of the nation’s elegant cuisine to those who follow a plant-based diet or want to lower the amount of fish and meat they eat.

Recipes are divided by cooking style – dressed, vinegared, deep-fried, simmered, steamed, stir-fried, grilled, pickled, and sweet – alongside which Hachisu shares her expert knowledge of the ingredients, culture, and traditions of this unique culinary style.

Editorial Reviews

05/29/2023

„Japanese vegetarian food is prepared with mindfulness,“ writes Hachisu (Food Artisans of Japan) in this thought-provoking collection, before wryly admitting that it took her two decades to achieve the proper mindset about rinsing rice. That combination of gentle encouragement and humor sets this cookbook apart. The breadth of Hachisu’s knowledge is impressive, whether discussing varieties of mountain yams or conveying the experience of dining on „soul-soothing“ food in a Buddhist temple. Elsewhere, she waxes eloquent about konbu kelp and small vegetable dishes, „the heartbeat of Japanese vegetarian food.“ Chapters are organized by cooking method, occasionally loosely defined. For example, the chapter of stir-fried and grilled selections includes a baked gratin of pressed tofu, potatoes, bamboo, and tomato sauce. Recipes for fried foods include a salad dressed with curry vinaigrette and topped with homemade potato chips, and fried okra with seared tomatoes. Rather than attempting to imitate meat, the author allows plant-based ingredients to shine, making full use of resources: a rice dish with grated carrots incorporates the oft-discarded tops of the root vegetable, and a moist chestnut cake calls for okara, the pulp left after making tofu. A glossary and a section on sourcing hard-to-find ingredients round things out. This complex and lovingly presented effort is sure to whet appetites. (May)
– Publishers Weekly

‘Persuasive evidence that Japanese vegetarian food is rich, diverse, and certainly not boring … a very solid geographic-based cookbook in Phaidon’s powerful lineup.’ – VICE

‘[A] thought-provoking collection … this complex and lovingly presented effort is sure to whet appetites.’ – Publisher’s Weekly

‘A spare, seasonal, entirely surprising book, offering deep insight into the culture and its cooking practices.’ – Air Mail

‘Many of the recipes would feel at home on tasting menus, like fava bean gelée and salt-massaged eggplant with shiso, sesame seeds, and freshly grated wasabi.’ – Plate Magazine

‘A beautiful celebration of [Japan’s] vegetarian cooking … A delightful, spare, and alluring cookbook that gets at the heart of Japanese cooking.’ – Foreword Reviews

‘Gorgeously produced with lush photography, it’s the deepest of deep dives into Japanese vegetarian cooking.’ – Edible LA

‘Another remarkable cookbook from Nancy Singleton Hachisu! Page after page of mouth-watering recipes and gorgeous photos, with rich cultural context and extensive notes about ingredients and methods.’ – Sandor Ellix Katz, author of The Art of Fermentation, Wild Fermentation, and Fermentation Journeys

‘A fresh, expansive exploration of an ancient heritage, and a terrific addition to Nancy Singleton Hachisu’s set of essential books about Japanese cooking and food culture.’ – Harold McGee, author of On Food and Cooking and Nose Dive

‘What an extraordinary book Nancy Singleton Hachisu has written about Japan and its vegetarian cuisine. The breadth of recipes is astonishing but never overwhelming and each page offers new delights. This is a must have book for anyone who loves vegetables!’ – Amanda Cohen, James Beard-nominated chef and owner of Dirt Candy

‘I adore this book! Whether you think of this food as vegetarian or temple food, it is Japanese and Nancy Hachisu is a wonderfully knowledgeable guide, offering gentle encouragement at the start of each recipe…I was struck by the smallness of the portions, the beauty of each, and the balance they offer in a meal.’ – Deborah Madison, author of Vegetable Literacy and The New Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone

‘Of all nationalities, the Japanese have to be those who do vegetarian to perfection, mainly because of their particular attention to all things seasonal; and there is no better person to guide you through the seasons and how to make use of the earth’s bounty than Nancy Hachisu. Despite not being Japanese, Nancy has immersed herself in the food culture of her adopted country thanks to her 35 years living on the farm with her Japanese husband. In The Vegetarian Cookbook, her latest book, Nancy gives the reader a fascinating and comprehensive overview of what it means to be vegetarian in Japan, explaining among other things their deep gratitude for the earth’s produce that sustain them and their no-waste approach.’ – Anissa Helou, author of Feast: Food of the Islamic World and Mediterranean Street Food
– From the Publisher