Japanese cuisine

Japanese cooking runs on umami: dashi, soy sauce and miso build depth without long simmering or fat.

Almost everything in a Japanese home kitchen starts with dashi, a broth of kombu and bonito flakes that takes minutes rather than hours. It supplies the depth other cuisines get from bones and fat.

The second rule is not to overcook. Miso must not boil, fish is rarely taken to dryness, and vegetables are blanched more often than stewed.