Pantry Picks

Rice

Japanese rice

A short-grain Japanese rice for everyday meals, rice bowls and onigiri. Rice is the first pantry staple I would choose because it is at the heart of so many Japanese meals.

Curry roux

Java Curry roux medium hot

One of my favourite Japanese curry roux brands. I feel like it has a little more spice than some other curry roux, so this is the one I often buy.

Soy sauce

Kikkoman soy sauce

A smaller bottle of all-purpose Japanese soy sauce that is easy to start with. I like this size because you can use it up while the aroma and flavour are still fresh.

Soy sauce

Yamasa soy sauce

A 1-litre everyday Japanese soy sauce that I often keep in my own kitchen. It is useful if you cook Japanese food regularly and want one bottle for sauces, simmered dishes and marinades.

Soy sauce

Kishibori shoyu

A richly flavoured soy sauce that is lovely for dipping, finishing dishes or enjoying with sashimi and sushi.

Mirin

Mirin

I often use this when I do not have hon-mirin at home. It is easy to keep on hand and works well for teriyaki sauce, simmered dishes and adding gentle sweetness and gloss.

Sake

Cooking sake

Useful for marinades and everyday dishes with meat or fish, helping the seasoning settle in and the finished dish feel more tender.

Sauce

Japanese Worcester sauce

A Japanese-style Worcester sauce for making quick katsu sauce at home. I like keeping it on hand for sweet-savoury yoshoku-style sauces and that familiar Japanese sauce flavour.

Miso

Shiro miso

A gentle, slightly sweet miso that I use often for everyday miso soup. It is also lovely for mild sauces, dressings and marinades.

Miso

Aka miso

A darker miso with a deeper flavour. I like mixing a little aka miso into miso soup for extra depth, and miso soup made only with aka miso is also delicious.

Dashi

Dashi packs

This pre-seasoned dashi pack makes it easy to create a rounded, well-balanced base for everyday dishes.

Sesame

Sesame oil

I love cooking with sesame oil because it adds such a lovely aroma to simple dishes. A small amount works well in dressings, soups and everyday side dishes.

Vinegar

Japanese rice vinegar

I like Japanese rice vinegar because it adds a gentle brightness without tasting too sharp. I use it for sushi rice, dressings and quick vegetable sides.

Karaage

Potato starch

Useful for fried dishes like karaage. I used this to make karaage with a crisp, light coating.

Miso soup

Dried wakame

I always keep dried wakame at home. It is so handy for miso soup, and I also chop it finely and mix it into onigiri for my children.

Sesame

Sesame seeds

I always keep sesame seeds in my fridge because they add aroma so easily. Useful for dressings, rice, small side dishes and simple puff pastry sweets.

Matcha

Matcha powder

I keep matcha powder at home and drink it as tea almost every day. It is also useful for making matcha lattes and simple homemade sweets.

Panasonic rice cooker

A simple rice cooker for everyday Japanese rice at home. A good option if you are buying your first rice cooker and want something easy to use.

Zojirushi MICOM rice cooker

A reliable option for families who cook Japanese rice often. I would look at this one if you want a smarter rice cooker for short-grain rice.

Standing rice paddle

I love this standing style because it keeps the rice paddle off the bench and is easy to reach when serving rice.

Miso strainer

So useful for making miso soup. It helps dissolve miso smoothly into the soup without leaving large lumps behind.

Rice storage container

Useful for keeping Japanese rice neat and easy to scoop, especially if you buy 5 kg bags. It fits neatly along the side of the fridge.

Tamagoyaki pan

I like using a tamagoyaki pan because it makes the egg easier to roll into a neat rectangle. It is especially helpful if you want your tamagoyaki to look tidy.

Oil draining tray

A must-have if you make karaage often. It is especially useful for resting the chicken between the first and second fry, and for draining fried foods like karaage, tempura or katsu.

Japanese knife set

This is the knife set I use at home. I like the clean stainless-steel design, and every knife in the set feels useful for everyday cooking.

Book

Japanese Home Cooking

A thoughtful Japanese cookbook filled with simple home-style meals and pantry-based cooking that feels practical and comforting.