isfor WA

A Taste of Japanese Teishoku 🥢
In Japan, everyday meals are often enjoyed as a teishoku — a set meal with rice, soup, a main dish and a couple of small sides.
It’s based on the idea of Ichiju-Sansai (one soup, three dishes), but in a relaxed, practical way — simple, balanced, and satisfying.
Some examples:
🐟 Kabayaki Fish Teishoku — grilled fish with a sweet and savoury glaze, served with rice, miso soup and vegetable sides
🥟 Shumai Teishoku — steamed dumplings with rice, soup and light side dishes
Each dish is simple, but together they create a meal that feels complete without being heavy.
This is the kind of cooking I love to share at isfor WA.
✨ I also offer One-Off Classes where you can learn how to put together a Japanese meal like this at home — simple, balanced and full of flavour.
Try a One-off special Class:
A Taste of Sushi
Japanese Set Meal – Fish
Japanese Set Meal – Meat
Japanese Set Meal – Tofu
Bento (lunchbox) Essentials
Little Chefs: Japanese Cooking





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A Mother’s Day idea with tofu 💐
Have you thought about what you might do for Mother’s Day this year?
Why not cook something special using tofu — a wonderfully versatile ingredient rich in isoflavones, which are often said to help support hormonal balance. It’s high in protein, low in calories, and very kind to the wallet too.
A few delicious ideas:
🥢 Teriyaki Tofu Steak — golden pan-seared tofu glazed in a savoury-sweet teriyaki sauce.
🥢 Shira-ae — vegetables dressed in a creamy tofu and sesame mixture.
🥢 Agedashi Tofu — lightly fried tofu served in a warm, umami-rich dashi sauce.
Simple dishes, but full of comfort and flavour — perfect for a homemade Mother’s Day meal.
By the way, did you know Mother’s Day is celebrated on different dates in Japan and the UK? This year it’s 10 May in Japan.
I completely forgot about the difference and sent a gift to my mother last week! But I suppose it doesn’t matter as long as she’s happy.

Monday night dinner? 🥢
What do you cook when you don’t want to spend much time in the kitchen on a Monday night?
For me, it’s all about quick comfort dishes that still taste homemade.
One favourite is stir-fried udon noodles with whatever vegetables I have on hand, seasoned with dashi soy sauce and oyster sauce, then finished with a drizzle of sesame oil for aroma.
Another go-to is my instant-style pasta. I sauté minced meat with cabbage or kale, add dashi and soy milk, and cook the pasta directly in the same pan. It turns creamy, full of umami, and ready in no time.
You can always add a twist with a little garlic, mixed herbs, or your favourite spices. 🍝✨
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Start your first month for £5 with code SPRING5
Membership £25/month thereafter — cancel anytime

More Than Sushi and Ramen 🥢
Do you have a favourite Japanese dish other than sushi or ramen?
Recently, we invited a local family over for a temaki-zushi (hand-rolled sushi) lunch. While chatting, I asked if there were any Japanese dishes they enjoyed besides sushi. One of them mentioned agedashi tofu — which genuinely surprised me. Such a refined choice! I was quietly delighted.
It reminded me how wonderfully diverse Japanese home cooking can be. Of course sushi and ramen are famous around the world, but everyday Japanese meals are often simpler, seasonal, and quietly comforting.
Personally, I love dishes like nasu dengaku (grilled aubergine with sweet miso) or seasonal vegetable ohitashi, lightly dressed with a delicate soy-based seasoning. Simple dishes that let the natural flavours shine.
Japanese home cooking is full of these small dishes that bring harmony to the table.
What about you?
Is there a Japanese dish you love that isn’t sushi or ramen?
✨ Spring Founding Member invitation closing soon
Start your first month for £5 with code SPRING5
Membership £25/month thereafter — cancel anytime

Spring Founding Members are now open.
First month £5.
Limited spring places.
If it feels like the right time,
you’re warmly invited.
Link in bio.

Kagami Mochi & a Japanese New Year Tradition 🇯🇵
You may have seen Kagami Mochi — the decorative rice cakes displayed in Japanese homes at New Year.
But do you know about Kagami Biraki?
Kagami Mochi means “mirror rice cakes” and is offered to the gods as a wish for good health and prosperity.
In mid-January, the mochi is gently broken and eaten — a ritual that symbolises opening good fortune for the year ahead ✨
My favourite way to enjoy it?
Isobe-mochi — toasted mochi wrapped in nori and dipped in dashi soy sauce 🤍
At isfor WA, I’m sharing a lighter, healthier isobe-mochi–style recipe made with tofu and dashi soy sauce — perfect for this season.
Bring a little Japanese New Year tradition into your kitchen 🌸

Do you like aubergines? 🍆
If not… you might want to skip this post (just kidding! 😆).
In Japanese cooking, aubergines are the ultimate all-rounder — grilled, simmered, or fried, they soak up any flavour beautifully and make the perfect side dish with rice.
We’ve shared a few recipes already at isfor WA, but more are coming — think Aubergine Kabayaki, Aubergine Katsu, and Teriyaki Aubergine.
Stay tuned for more umami-filled ideas! 💜🍚