Yumiko Kano

Elizabeth Andoh sensei took me to vegetarian cooking classes with Yumiko Kano about twenty years ago. Kano sensei is a prolific cookbook author with over 30 cookbooks, in Japanese. I have cooked from many of her cookbooks over the years and have learned so much about the many expressions of vegetables and unique cooking techniques. Like crushing cucumbers or cooking with amazake. She includes a recipe for amazake in her newest English cookbook.

One of my clients hired Kano sensei for a private cooking class and I interpreted for the lesson. We both learned a lot. 🥰

Kano sensei is out with an English cookbook published by Tuttle called Japanese Style Plant-Based Cooking, Amazing Vegan Recipes from Japan’s Leading Macrobiotic Chef and Food Writer. She has traveled around the world and some of the spices from her travels make their way into her recipes.

I have cooked five recipes and enjoyed all of them. Kabocha Squash Spring Rolls, Komatsuna Ohitashi with Chinese Yam, Pan-Fried Taro Root with Herbed Breadcrumbs, Pan-Fried Turnips with Sesame, and Crispy Burdock Chips.

Many of the recipes are simple and require few ingredients and easy steps. There are 20 pickle recipes, a glossary of Japanese ingredients, her tips for pantry seasonings, and preparation methods – including a steam-stewing method which I learned from her and have been putting to practice over the years.

This book will appeal to both beginning cooks and Japanese food aficionados wanting to add more dishes to their repertoire. If you read basic Japanese I recommend her Japanese cookbooks.

Japanese Style Plant-Based Cooking by Yumiko Kano. Tuttle Publishing. 112 pages. 2,400 yen.

I see that the book is available on Amazon in the U.S. I recommend buying at an independent bookstore, if at all possible. 

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