Everyday Harumi: Simple Japanese Food for Family & Friends

Created expressly for Westerners, the latest stylish volume from Japanese cooking star Kurihara (Harumi's Japanese Home Cooking) shows Americans how they can incorporate Japanese styles, flavors and techniques into weekday meals. A sort of Japanese Rachel Ray, Kurihara offers 70 home-style recipes big on flavor and short on effort. Arranged by main ingredient or flavor (rice, miso, shellfish, potato, etc.), readers will be able to crank out fare such as Rice with Sea Bream, Ginger Pork or Tonkatsu (pork shoulder steaks that have been breaded, fried and served with cabbage and a sauce of the same name) in almost no time at all, provided they have a few sauces on hand. Japanese riffs on fried chicken and sliders with teriyaki sauce make pleasant surprises, but there are enough classics like yakitori, egg drop and miso soup (three variations), and ubiquitous Sweet Pickled Ginger to please traditionalists. Those with a soft spot for Japanese flavors and techniques, or traditional cooks looking to branch out will find this a welcome, sharply-produced introduction.