Instagram story viewer> @miyukijapanesecooking> Posts
Miyuki Nakao/Registered Dietitian(@miyukijapanesecooking)'s profile avatar HD Profile

Miyuki Nakao/Registered Dietitian

@miyukijapanesecooking

4.9K
followers
202
following
🇯🇵 Registered Dietitian (Japan) 👩🏻‍⚕️
🌿Japanese Diet / Healthy Recipes
🌱 Food you want to eat
👀 Real Japan → Stories & Highlights
👧🏻 & 👨🏻 Family
POSTS STORIES REELS
DAY 91 | Homemade Japanese Furikake 🇯🇵🍚 Have you ever tried Japanese furikake? 🇯🇵 Furikake is a Japanese rice seasoning that makes a simple bowl of rice even more delicious! 🍚✨ Today, I’m making an easy homemade version with wakame, nori, and sesame seeds. I’m Miyuki, a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan 🇯🇵
I share easy, healthy Japanese home cooking to help you enjoy a healthier diet at home. Save this recipe and give it a try! 🛒 Ingredients * 10g dried wakame * 1 sheet nori * White sesame seeds, as needed * 1 tbsp sesame oil Seasoning * 1 tbsp mirin * 2 tsp soy sauce * 2 tbsp soft water * 1.5g instant dashi powder * 1 tsp sugar 🍳 Instructions 1. Crush the dried wakame into small pieces. 2. Mix all the seasoning ingredients together. 3. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan. Add the wakame and seasoning mixture. 4. Cook, stirring well, until the moisture evaporates. 5. Add the sesame seeds and torn nori. 6. Cook again until dry. 7. Let it cool completely and transfer to a clean, dry jar. 💡 Tips For this recipe, I recommend store-bought instant dashi powder because it dissolves quickly. If you don’t have it, replace the 2 tbsp soft water with 2 tbsp prepared dashi. ⚠️ Always mix the seasoning before adding it to the pan.
Adding each ingredient separately can make the liquid evaporate too quickly, preventing the wakame from being seasoned evenly. Store in the refrigerator and use a clean, dry spoon. Enjoy your homemade Japanese furikake! 🇯🇵🍚 Follow for more easy & healthy Japanese recipes! 🇯🇵 #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking #nutrition by @miyukijapanesecooking
DAY 89 | Homemade Japanese Dashi Soy Sauce 🇯🇵 Make your own UMAMI-packed Japanese soy sauce at home! 😍✨ It’s surprisingly easy — and you only need 5 ingredients! I’m Miyuki, a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan 🇯🇵 This homemade dashi soy sauce gets its rich, natural umami from kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms. 🍄 Dried shiitake → Guanylate
🌿 Kombu → Glutamate Combining these two umami components creates an amazing UMAMI boost! ✨ It’s a simple and delicious way to add more depth and umami to your everyday cooking. Save this recipe and give it a try! ❤️ 🥢 Ingredients * 100ml soy sauce * 100ml mirin * 100ml sake * 8g dried shiitake mushrooms * 8g kombu 👩‍🍳 Instructions 1. Add the soy sauce, mirin, and sake to a small saucepan. 2. Bring to a boil, then simmer for about 1–2 minutes, until the strong alcohol smell has faded. 3. Turn off the heat and let the mixture cool. 4. Place the dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu in a clean, dry jar. 5. Pour the cooled soy sauce mixture into the jar. 6. Cover and refrigerate overnight to let the umami flavors develop. 7. It’s ready to use the next day! ✨ ⚠️ IMPORTANT:
For best quality and to prevent the kombu from becoming too slimy, remove the kombu and dried shiitake mushrooms within 3 days. 🍚 How to Use It This homemade dashi soy sauce can be used in many dishes, just like regular soy sauce! * 🍚 With tamago kake gohan (Japanese egg rice), rice, or onigiri * 🥢 On chilled tofu or hot tofu * 🍜 For noodle dishes such as udon, soba, and somen * 🥬 With blanched or steamed vegetables * 🍳 For seasoning stir-fries * 🐟 For seasoning fish or meat * 🍲 For Japanese-style simmered dishes * 🥗 In dressings and vegetable dishes * 🍳 With fried eggs and other egg dishes Note:
Sake and mirin are traditional ingredients commonly used in Japanese cooking. This recipe heats the mixture to reduce the alcohol content. #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking #nutrition by @miyukijapanesecooking
DAY 86｜Homemade Japanese Dashi Powder 🇯🇵 Have you ever made your own Japanese dashi powder? Most store-bought versions are convenient, but making it yourself is surprisingly easy and lets you enjoy the natural umami of each ingredient. I’m Miyuki, a Japanese Registered Dietitian.
I’ve maintained my weight for over 25 years. ✨ The secret is combining three natural umami compounds:
🍄 Dried shiitake → Glutamate & Guanylate
🌿 Rausu kombu → Glutamate
🐟 Bonito flakes → Inosinate When these natural umami compounds are combined, they create an umami synergy, giving your dishes a deeper, richer flavor. 💡 My favorite tip!
For miso soup, use a little less miso than usual and add 1 teaspoon of soy sauce. It creates an even deeper, richer umami flavor! Save this recipe and make your own healthy Japanese dashi powder at home! 🇯🇵✨ ❤️ Follow for healthy Japanese recipes! Ingredients * 30 g dried shiitake mushrooms * 30 g Rausu kombu (or any dried kombu) * 20 g bonito flakes (optional) * 1/2 tsp salt Instructions 1. Cut the kombu into smaller pieces. 2. Add the dried shiitake mushrooms, kombu, and bonito flakes to a blender. 3. Blend until everything becomes a fine powder. 4. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and blend briefly to combine. 5. Store in an airtight container. How to Use * Miso soup * Soups * Stir-fries * Fried rice * Simmered dishes * Noodle broth Homemade dashi powder keeps well in an airtight container in the refrigerator. 🇯🇵 Healthy Japanese cooking starts with great dashi! #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking #nutrition by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 Homemade Ponzu 🥢 Ingredients • 10 g kombu
• 5 g bonito flakes
• 50 ml mirin
• 50 ml sake
• 50 ml soft water
• 100 ml soy sauce
• 50 ml citrus juice
• 50 ml vinegar (rice vinegar recommended) 🍳 How to Make 1. Place the kombu and bonito flakes in a clean jar. 2. Add the mirin, sake, and soft water to a small saucepan. 3. Simmer over low heat for 2–3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. 4. Remove from the heat and cool quickly in an ice bath. 5. Once cooled, pour the mixture into the jar with the kombu and bonito flakes. 6. Add the soy sauce, citrus juice, and vinegar. 7. Mix well and refrigerate overnight. And your homemade ponzu is ready! 🇯🇵✨ Did you know that ponzu can be a useful seasoning for creating healthy Japanese meals? One of the reasons is umami. In this recipe, kombu provides glutamate, while bonito flakes provide inosinate. Together, they create the deep umami flavor that is so important in Japanese cooking. As I explained in my previous post, umami is one of the five basic tastes that our taste system can detect. Research also suggests that using umami may help maintain the palatability of food even when salt is reduced. In a randomized, blinded sensory study involving 584 participants across Japan, adding an umami substance (MSG) to lower-salt solutions significantly improved palatability. These findings suggest that using umami appropriately may help compensate for the loss of palatability that can occur when salt is reduced. This is one of the reasons I believe umami can be such a useful tool for creating healthy and delicious Japanese home cooking. This homemade ponzu contains no added oil, so using it instead of an oil-based salad dressing can be a simple way to reduce the amount of added fat and calories in your salad. The information shared here is for general nutrition education and should not be considered individualized medical or dietary advice. From now on, I’ll also explain in each caption why Japanese cooking can contribute to a healthy way of eating! 🇯🇵 Follow me if you’d like to learn more! by @miyukijapanesecooking
I’m Miyuki, a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan.
I studied nutrition at a Japanese university and have worked in clinical settings for 21 years. 🔬 A quick review of DASHI & UMAMI! Umami is one of the five basic tastes. Umami compounds are detected by taste receptors, including T1R1/T1R3, in our taste buds. 🌿 Kombu → Glutamate
🐟 Bonito flakes → Inosinate (IMP) Combining glutamate and IMP creates umami synergy, enhancing the perception of umami. This is one reason I believe umami plays such an important role in Japanese home cooking. Using umami to enhance flavor and satisfaction can help maintain palatability with less salt, supporting sodium reduction. Umami can also add depth without relying excessively on rich sauces or added fats. When it replaces higher-calorie ingredients, it may help reduce the overall energy content of a dish. 🥢 INGREDIENTS • 10g kombu
• 5g bonito flakes
• 400ml soft water
• 100ml mirin
• 100ml sake
• 1 tbsp salt
• 1/2 tbsp soy sauce 👩‍🍳 INSTRUCTIONS 1. Soak the kombu in 400ml soft water in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. 4. 4. 4. Transfer to a saucepan and slowly heat over medium heat. Remove the kombu just before it comes to a boil. 7. 7. 7. Turn off the heat and add the bonito flakes. Let sit for about 2 minutes, then strain. 10. 10. 10. Add the mirin and sake to a saucepan and simmer over low heat for 2–3 minutes to cook off the alcohol. 11. Add the prepared dashi, salt, and soy sauce. Gently heat until the salt is completely dissolved. 14. 14. 14. Let it cool, then transfer to a clean, sterilized jar and refrigerate. 🌿 MY PREFERENCE I love a deeper kombu flavor, so I add a small piece of kombu to the shiro dashi and leave it overnight in the refrigerator, then remove it the next day. If you may not be able to remove it the next day, I recommend storing the shiro dashi without the kombu. ✨ HOW TO USE SHIRO DASHI Tamagoyaki｜Udon｜Chawanmushi｜Clear Soup｜Simmered Dishes｜Pickles｜Takikomi Gohan｜Carbonara Udon｜Hot Pot｜Salad Dressing So many ways to use it! 🇯🇵 ♻️ DON’T WASTE THE KOMBU & BONITO! Save the kombu and bonito flakes l by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 Soooo Easy Frozen Miso Soup ❄️ 🥣 Ingredients — 9 servings • 100 g miso
• 1 tsp dashi powder
• Bonito flakes, as desired
• Dried wakame, as desired
• Boiled okra, spinach & cabbage, as desired 🥢 How to Make 1. Mix the miso and dashi powder. 2. Add the bonito flakes and dried wakame. 3. Add the boiled vegetables. 4. Divide into 9 portions. 5. Freeze. 🔬 Why add bonito flakes to miso? During fermentation and aging, proteins in soybeans are broken down into amino acids. One of these, glutamate, is a major compound responsible for umami in miso. Bonito flakes contain inosinate (IMP), a nucleotide that also contributes to umami. When glutamate and inosinate are present together, they can enhance the perception of umami more strongly than when either is present alone. This is known as umami synergy. That’s one reason miso and bonito flakes work so well together — they create a deeper, more satisfying umami taste. ❄️ About Freezing Vegetables naturally contain a high amount of water. During freezing, water inside and around plant cells forms ice crystals. The formation and growth of these ice crystals can physically damage cellular structures, including cell membranes and cell walls. As a result, water and water-soluble compounds held within the cells can be released as drip during thawing, which may affect texture, flavor, and overall quality. Freezing greatly slows microbial growth, but freezing is not a sterilization process. Some microorganisms can survive freezing, which is why hygienic handling before freezing and proper frozen storage are important. Home freezing conditions are also different from the rapid-freezing processes commonly used in commercial food production. For best quality, I recommend using these frozen miso soup portions within 2 weeks. I’m Miyuki, a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan. I studied nutrition at a Japanese university, including food hygiene, and worked in clinical settings for 21 years. I share easy Japanese home cooking along with the nutrition and food science behind it. #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #miso by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 Homemade Matcha Salt 🍵🧂 Do you know what matcha is actually made from? Matcha is green tea. 🍃 More specifically, matcha is a finely ground Japanese green tea made from specially cultivated tea leaves. Matcha naturally contains various compounds, including catechins such as EGCG and L-theanine. 🍃 Catechins
Catechins are a type of polyphenol found in green tea. EGCG is one of the best-known catechins and has been widely studied for its antioxidant activity. 🍵 L-theanine
L-theanine is an amino acid naturally found in tea and is one of the compounds that contributes to the characteristic umami taste of matcha. Now, let’s make Homemade Matcha Salt! Ingredients
• 5 g matcha
• 2 g coarse salt
• 2 g dashi powder Add everything to a blender or grinder and blend into a fine powder. That’s it! 🍚 Matcha Salt Salmon Ochazuke Be sure to use fresh, unsalted salmon, not salted salmon. This homemade matcha salt combines salt with dashi powder. The umami from dashi adds depth and flavor, helping food taste satisfying without relying too heavily on salt. Since the matcha salt already contains sodium, using salted salmon could make the dish unnecessarily high in salt. Grill the fresh salmon and place it over warm rice. Top with: • Homemade matcha salt
• Nori
• Sesame seeds Pour hot water over everything, and it’s ready! 🍵🍚 The delicate aroma and gentle bitterness of matcha pair beautifully with the umami of dashi. I studied nutrition at a Japanese university and am a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan. Follow for more easy Japanese home cooking and evidence-based nutrition insights from Japan. 🇯🇵 #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking #matcha by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 RESCUE Your Dashi Leftovers! After making dashi, what do you do with the leftover kombu and bonito flakes? In Japanese home cooking, we can give them a second life. Today, I’m turning them into homemade furikake! 🍚✨ 🥢 Ingredients • 50–60 g leftover kombu
• About 25 g leftover bonito flakes
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 4 tbsp soft water + extra as needed
• 1 tbsp vinegar
• 2 tbsp mirin
• 1½ tbsp soy sauce
• Sesame seeds, as needed
• 1 sheet nori 🍳 How to Make 1. Finely chop the kombu, just like in the video. Cutting it very finely is the key! 2. Finely chop the bonito flakes and cut the nori into small squares. 3. Add the kombu, brown sugar, soft water, and vinegar to a pan. 6. 6. 6. Simmer over low heat for about 5 minutes. If the liquid evaporates during cooking, add a little more soft water. 7. Add the bonito flakes, mirin, and soy sauce. 8. Cook until the liquid has evaporated. 9. Add the sesame seeds and nori, then stir-fry until dry. Done! 🇯🇵🍚 🔬 What happens to the nutrients after making dashi? Water-soluble compounds such as 5′-IMP (inosinate), amino acids, and minerals move into the broth, but not all nutritional components are extracted. 🌿 KOMBU — DIETARY FIBER Kombu contains polysaccharides such as alginate, an important component of seaweed dietary fiber. While glutamate, minerals, and other water-soluble compounds are extracted into the dashi to varying degrees, much of the solid structure remains. By eating the leftover kombu, you can still consume dietary fiber that is not completely transferred into the broth. 🐟 BONITO FLAKES — PROTEIN According to the Standard Tables of Food Composition in Japan, dried bonito flakes contain approximately 77 g of protein per 100 g before dashi extraction. Although inosinate, free amino acids, and other water-soluble compounds move into the broth during dashi preparation, this does not mean that all the protein is lost. Make dashi. Enjoy the umami. RESCUE the rest. 🇯🇵✨ Save this recipe for your next batch of dashi! Follow for more Easy Japanese Cooking 🇯🇵 by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 Easy Dashi — Just Add Soft Water! Did you know you can make Japanese dashi without cooking? Just add the ingredients to soft water and refrigerate overnight! 🥢 Kombu & Bonito Dashi
• 500 ml soft water
• 8 g kombu
• 4 g bonito flakes 🦐 Dried Shrimp Dashi
• 500 ml soft water
• 10 g dried shrimp How to Make
Add the ingredients to soft water and refrigerate overnight (about 8–12 hours). That’s it! 🇯🇵 I’m a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan.
I studied nutrition at university and have worked in clinical settings for 21 years. 💡 Can umami really be extracted in cold water? Yes! One of the main umami compounds in kombu is glutamate, while bonito flakes are rich in inosinate (IMP). Research on kombu found that when it was heated without prior soaking, the glutamate concentration in the dashi was 646 nmol/mL. When the kombu was soaked in water for 30 minutes before heating, it increased to 2,898 nmol/mL — more than four times as much. This shows that soaking time, not just temperature, is important for extracting umami from kombu. What about bonito flakes? Research has shown that bonito components can also be extracted in cold water. In one study, extraction increased over time and reached its maximum at around 32 hours at 5°C. This doesn’t mean you need to wait 32 hours — it shows that lower temperatures require more time for extraction. So, two important factors in making dashi are: Temperature + Time. 🔥 Dashi made with heat
Heat allows flavor to be extracted in a shorter time and helps bring out the characteristic aroma of bonito dashi. ❄️ Cold-water dashi
It takes longer, but it’s incredibly easy — simply prepare it the night before and refrigerate. Neither method is better. Each has its own advantages. ⚠️ Food Safety Tip
I recommend heating cold-water dashi before eating. ❄️ Storage
Keep refrigerated and use within 2 days, or freeze for up to 2–3 weeks. I share Japanese home cooking from a nutrition perspective. 🇯🇵 Want to learn more about Japanese food and nutrition? Follow me for more! by @miyukijapanesecooking
🇯🇵 Homemade Kombu and Vegetable Dashi Powder I am a registered dietitian in Japan. I studied nutrition at a Japanese university and then worked in clinical settings for 21 years. One reason traditional Japanese home cooking can support a healthy diet is its thoughtful use of umami. By incorporating umami, you can enjoy rich, satisfying flavors without relying too heavily on sauces or seasonings. So, what exactly is umami? Our tongues contain many small sensory organs called taste buds. Taste buds are found not only on the surface of the tongue but also under the tongue. When compounds in food interact with taste receptors in the taste buds, signals are sent to the brain through the nerves, allowing us to perceive flavor. The five basic tastes are sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami. In 1908, Japanese chemist Dr. Kikunae Ikeda noticed that kombu dashi had a distinctive taste. He discovered that this taste came from glutamate and named it “umami.” Today, umami is scientifically recognized as one of the five basic tastes. This dashi powder also includes dried daikon radish, carrot, and cabbage, adding natural sweetness and depth of flavor from vegetables. Because all the ingredients are finely ground and used without straining, you can use the ingredients whole, including their fiber and minerals. I believe that learning how to use umami is one of the key ways to understand Japanese home cooking. 🇯🇵 🥣 Ingredients ・10 g kombu ・10 g dried shiitake mushrooms ・10 g dried daikon radish ・10 g dried carrot and dried cabbage combined ・1/2 teaspoon salt 👩🏻‍🍳 Instructions Finely grind all the dried ingredients in a blender or food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix well. That’s it! With simple ingredients, you can enjoy deep, savory umami flavor. 🇯🇵 For more easy and authentic Japanese home-cooking recipes, be sure to follow me!#japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking #nutrition by @miyukijapanesecooking
Homemade Instant Miso Soup 🇯🇵
3 Easy Freezer Flavors Want miso soup anytime?
Just take one from the freezer, add hot water, mix well, and it’s ready! 🍲 This homemade instant miso soup is easy to prepare ahead and packed with vegetables. Today, I made 3 flavors:
• Spinach
• Fried eggplant
• Okra Choose your favorite — or try it with other ingredients! Ingredients For the miso base:
• 100 g miso
• 4 g instant dashi powder
• Dried wakame, as needed For the vegetables:
• Spinach
• Eggplant
• Okra
• Oil for frying the eggplant How to Make 1. Mix the miso, instant dashi powder, and dried wakame. 2. Boil the spinach, squeeze out the water well, and chop. 3. Cut the eggplant and deep-fry until cooked. Let it cool completely. 4. Boil the okra, drain well, and cut into pieces. 5. Line a clean container with plastic wrap.
I reused an empty egg carton this time, so no special container was needed! 6. Divide the miso mixture into portions, then top each one with spinach, fried eggplant, or okra. 7. Cover well and freeze. #japanesefood 8. When you’re ready to eat, take one portion from the freezer, place it in a bowl, add 150 ml hot water, and mix well. Done!
Itadakimasu! 🇯🇵 For best quality, I recommend using them within about 3 weeks. I’m Miyuki, a nationally licensed Registered Dietitian in Japan 🇯🇵
I share simple Japanese home cooking and healthy Japanese-inspired recipes. Follow me for more Japanese recipes! 🇯🇵 #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #homecooking by @miyukijapanesecooking
I'm 48, and I've maintained my weight for 25 years. 🇯🇵 As a Registered Dietitian in Japan, I believe healthy eating shouldn't be complicated. For me, it's never been about strict dieting.
It's about enjoying balanced Japanese home cooking with simple, everyday ingredients. That's exactly what I share here—easy, healthy Japanese recipes you can actually make at home. Save this recipe and follow for more Japanese Diet / Healthy Recipes! ✨🇯🇵 #japanesefood #japanesehomecooking #easyrecipe #nutrition by @miyukijapanesecooking

Download All

Save the photos and videos currently loaded on this page.

0Photos
0Videos
Ready to download 0 / 0

Keep this tab open until your download is ready.
back to up