Recipes by Kenji Nakamura
20 recipes
Crispy Pan-Seared Pork Belly with Spiced Tamarind-Sake Pan Reduction
Succulent, tender pork belly scored and pan-seared to a glass-shattering crisp, paired with a luscious, glossy pan reduction bridging tart Southeast Asian tamarind, toasted coriander, and umami-rich junmai sake. Balanced with a brisk herb and shaved daikon salad, this dish is a masterclass in texture and acid-fat harmony.
Pan-Seared Pacific Halibut with Caramelized Kabocha & Guajillo-Miso Reduction
Crisp, golden-crusted Pacific halibut paired with tender, deeply caramelized kabocha squash crescents. An elegant weeknight dinner brought together by a rapid pan reduction of smoky guajillo chile, sweet shiro miso, and dry sake mounted with cold butter.
Pink Grapefruit & Green Yuzu Kosho-Cured Hokkaido Scallop Bowl
Sweet, velvety Hokkaido sea scallops are quick-cured in a zesty pink grapefruit and green yuzu kosho leche de tigre, then layered over nutty dashi-steamed quinoa. Topped with quick-pickled fennel sunomono, seared avocado, and toasted sesame, this bowl is the ultimate bright, umami-loaded Nikkei lunch.
Kombu & Charred Habanero-Cured Seared Yellowfin Tuna Bowl
Inspired by the fiery coastal flavors of the Yucatán collided with Tokyo tataki precision, this vibrant lunch bowl features yellowfin tuna dry-cured in glutamate-packed kombu and charred habanero, hard-seared to leave an icy-rare center. Balanced over garlic-dashi jasmine rice with a sunomono crunch and sweet mango-ponzu dressing, it's an explosion of clean heat, acid, and pure umami.
Seville Orange & Shiro Shoyu-Cured Wild Sockeye Salmon Bowl
Brilliant crimson wild sockeye salmon takes a quick, high-acid cure in bitter Seville orange juice and delicate white shoyu. Served over warm ginger-scallion short-grain rice with smoky charred avocado and crunchy pickled chayote ribbons, this bowl bridges vibrant coastal Mexican ceviche and Tokyo sashimi precision.
Pan-Seared Duck Breast with Maracuyá-Tamari Pan Reduction
Crisp-skinned duck breast seared gently from a cold pan meets the punchy, high-voltage acidity of Peruvian maracuyá (passion fruit). Deglazing the pan's caramelized duck fond with sake, ají amarillo, and tamari creates a glossy, mouth-watering reduction that cuts right through rich duck fat.
Pan-Seared Kurobuta Pork Chops with Charred Pineapple-Sake Pan Reduction
Thick, heavily marbled Kurobuta pork chops seared to a deep mahogany crust, basted with ginger and Mexican oregano, and draped in a glossy reduction of dry sake, pineapple, and smoky chipotle. It is a cross-cultural collision of Al Pastor vibrancy and Japanese izakaya comfort.
Black Cardamom & Kumquat-Cured Duck Breast Bowl
Rich, succulent duck breast undergoes a quick citrus-spice cure that seasons the meat deeply while drawing out surface moisture for impossibly shatter-crisp skin. Served over warm ginger-jasmine rice with a bright Asian pear and herb slaw, finished with a zippy kumquat-tamari tare.
Pan-Seared Wagyu Denver Steak with Fermented Morita-Sake Pan Reduction
Buttery, heavily marbled Wagyu Denver steak hard-seared to a caramelized crust, bathed in a glossy pan reduction combining smoky Morita chiles, Junmai sake, and black garlic. Balanced with charred scallion chimichurri and earthy roasted maitake for an electrifying fusion of Japanese precision and Mexican warmth.
Black Lime & Lemongrass-Cured Hokkaido Scallop Bowl with Coconut-Ginger Rice
Sweet, silky Hokkaido sea scallops undergo a quick hypertonic cure in ground Persian black lime, fresh lemongrass, and sea salt to tighten their texture and concentrate their marine sweetness. Piled over warm coconut-ginger sushi rice with crisp chayote sunomono and a bright calamansi-white shoyu dressing, this lunch bowl delivers an unforgettable contrast of warmth, acidity, and pure umami.
Kombu-Cured Hokkaido Sea Urchin with Charred Aji Amarillo Silk on Crispy Nori Crisps
Buttery, sweet Hokkaido uni is lightly cured between sake-misted sheets of kombu, firming its delicate texture and infusing deep oceanic umami. Served over shatteringly crisp nori-rice crackers and balanced by a smoky, velvety charred aji amarillo and white miso silk, this bite is a masterclass in Nikkei-inspired precision.
Beetroot, Sumac & Yuzu-Cured Atlantic Salmon Bowl with Warm Furikake Farro
Silky, rich Atlantic salmon gets a stunning ruby-rimmed cure infused with earthy roasted beets, tart sumac, and floral yuzu zest. Sliced thin and nestled over nutty furikake farro with chilled shaved cucumber and a velvety yuzu-tahini drizzle, this bowl is an electrifying collision of Nordic gravlax technique and Japanese street-food soul.
Umeboshi & Smoked Paprika-Cured King Oyster Mushroom Bowl with Fresh Calamansi-Shiso Dressing
Thick-cut king oyster mushrooms undergo a fast salt-and-acid cure with Japanese umeboshi and Spanish smoked pimentón, transforming their cell structure into a deeply savory, remarkably meaty bite. Piled high over warm short-grain rice with buttery avocado, charred edamame, and a snappy, vibrant dressing pounded with fresh calamansi and shiso.
Cacao Nib & Sansho-Cured Duck Breast with Celery Root Silk and Tart Cherry-Umeshu Gastrique
Succulent duck breast quick-cured in roasted cacao and tingling sansho pepper, seared to glass-crisp perfection in a cold pan. Paired with a velvety kombu-dashi celery root purée and a tart cherry gastrique sharpened by Japanese plum liqueur, this dish is a masterclass in balance, texture, and fat-cutting acidity.
Toasted Hojicha & Aji Panca-Cured Venison Loin with Kabu-Miso Silk and Black Currant-Sake Jus
An electric collision of Japanese precision and Andean depth featuring lean venison loin dry-cured in roasted hojicha and sun-dried aji panca before taking a scorching sear. Served over a velvety Japanese turnip purée laced with white miso and finished with a tart black currant-sake reduction that cuts right through the game's mineral richness.
Smoked Wakame & Cascabel-Cured Hokkaido Scallops with Creamy Charred Poblano Dashi & Crispy Sunchokes
Plump Hokkaido sea scallops undergo a quick curing process in ground smoked wakame, earthy Mexican cascabel chile, and sea salt before a scorching pan-sear. They are served over a velvety, fire-charred poblano-dashi reduction and finished with nutty fried sunchoke chips and cilantro-yuzu oil.
Marmite & White Miso-Cured Dakidashi Tofu Bowl with Charred Sweet Corn Rice
Dakidashi tofu is cured in an umami-packed paste of white miso, yeast extract, and smoked paprika, then seared until caramelized and crisp. Paired with sweet corn dashi sushi rice, quick-cured Persian cucumbers, and an herby aji verde drizzle, it's a deeply satisfying, plant-powered lunch.
Hibiscus & Crushed Coriander-Cured Yellowfin Tuna Bowl with Charred Tomatillo-Wasabi Dressing
Lustrous sushi-grade yellowfin tuna flash-cured in tart hibiscus and cracked coriander, sliced into ruby-rimmed ribbons over warm sushi rice with a smoky, punchy charred tomatillo-wasabi vinaigrette.
Pasilla & Red Shiso-Cured Seared King Salmon Bowl with Chilled Soba and Charred Corn Sunomono
A vibrant midday lunch bowl showcasing wild king salmon quick-cured in ground pasilla chile and red shiso, hard-seared tataki-style to retain a buttery, sashmi-grade core. Served over chilled buckwheat soba tossed in a citrus ponzu, alongside sweet charred corn and crunchy edamame sunomono.
Morita & Kombu-Cured Seared Duck Breast with Brown Butter-Kabocha Silk & Pomegranate-Yuzu Jus
Plump duck breasts are cured in a pulverized blend of smoky chile morita, dried kombu, and tingly sansho before being gently rendered to paper-thin crispiness. Served over a velvety brown butter-kabocha squash purée and glossed with an umami-rich pomegranate pan jus, this dish bridges Tokyo's precision cooking with the vibrant depth of Oaxaca.