Give Me Umami
I share practical, everyday Japanese recipes—from quick weekday meals to seasonal and traditional favorites—so you can enjoy simple, healthy home cooking without the stress.
🍡Yakisoba Made Easy: Authentic Japanese Stir-Fried Noodles in 35 Minutes!
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Summer in Japan means festivals… the music, fireworks, and the mouthwatering aroma of street food sizzling on grills. One iconic smell? Yakisoba! This bold, savory stir-fried noodle dish is beloved across generations, and now you can make it at home in under 35 minutes. Bonus: my homemade yakisoba sauce is better than store-bought, I promise! 💌 Curious what you missed? Browse past newsletters and catch up anytime! 🍳New Recipe: Easy & Authentic Yakisoba (焼きそば)...
🍡6 Cold Brew Dashi Recipes to Chill With This Summer
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, You know I’m all about making Japanese cooking feel easy, intentional, and doable, even on the busiest days. And this week’s recipe? It’s my favorite kind of cooking: the kind where the fridge does all the work. Introducing: Cold Brew Dashi (水出しだし / Mizudashi Dashi), a hands-off way to make clean, flavorful Japanese soup stock without ever touching the stove. 💌 Curious what you missed? Browse past newsletters and catch up anytime! 🍳New Recipe: Cold Brew Dashi...
🍡The Final Dashi Recipe: Easy Niboshi Dashi (Dried Anchovy Broth) 🐟
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, This is the last dashi recipe in our dashi series! I’m a little sad to wrap it up, but I hope you’ve picked up some great ways to make homemade dashi and feel confident in trying it yourself. Our grand finale: Niboshi Dashi, made from dried anchovies, a classic umami-rich broth. 💌 Curious what you missed? Browse past newsletters and catch up anytime! 🍳New Recipe: Niboshi Dashi (Dried Anchovy Dashi) In this post, I share a simple trick to unlock even more flavor...
🍡Two Stress-Free Ways to Make Perfect Katsuo Dashi
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Lately, I’ve been diving deep into dashi research, and guess what? Making homemade dashi from scratch is not only super easy but also incredibly relaxing. I hope that calming joy comes through in what I share with you! This week, I’m excited to introduce you to one of the most elegant and beautifully colored dashi varieties: Katsuo Dashi (bonito flakes broth). 💌 Curious what you missed? Browse past newsletters and catch up anytime! 🍳New Recipe: Katsuo Dashi...
🍡Kombu Dashi Made Easy (Even if You’re Short on Time ⏱️)
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Let’s be honest… traditional kombu dashi feels a little intimidating, doesn’t it? High-end kombu, soft water, special thermometers... not exactly everyday kitchen vibes. But! What if I told you that you could make a deeply flavorful kombu dashi using just kombu and water, no fancy tools required? Today’s new recipe is all about that; two simple, beginner-friendly methods that bring bold umami into your home without the stress. 🍳New Recipe: Kombu Dashi (Dried Kelp...
🍡[New Recipe] Shiitake Dashi – The Easy, Cozy Way
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Did you get a chance to make one (or both!) of the dashi recipes I shared last month? If not, no worries! You can still check out my awase dashi and vegan dashi recipes. They're a great place to start! To me, making dashi is a way of taking care of myself with extra love. Sure, you can buy high-quality dashi packets (I love Kayanoya!), but there’s something grounding and almost meditative about making it from scratch. And the best part? It really doesn’t take...
🍡Vegan Dashi is Here! No Cooking, Big Flavor 🌱
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Did you enjoy my inner cooking nerd last week? 🤔 I promise I only bring her out when she's fun at parties (or making dashi). If you missed it, check out my Awase Dashi post for a little science + a lot of umami. This week, we’re still riding the dashi wave, but this time, it’s plant-powered! 🍳New Recipe: Vegan Dashi (Japanese Kombu & Shiitake Soup Stock) Learn how to make a rich, umami-packed broth using just two ingredients: kombu and dried shiitake. That’s...
🍡How to Make Awase Dashi: The Most Classic Japanese Soup Stock
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, I hope you got a chance to try the nikujaga recipe I shared last week. If not, now’s the perfect time to check it out! It’s a cozy meat-and-potatoes dish that comes together surprisingly easily (without even needing dashi!). Speaking of dashi though... this week, I’m diving into the most classic type: Awase Dashi, made with kombu and bonito flakes. It’s the base of so many iconic Japanese dishes like miso soup, oden, and nimono (simmered dishes). 🍳New Recipe:...
🍡New Recipe: The coziest Japanese stew (no dashi needed!)
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, My husband and I usually try to visit Japan once a year, but this time, we chose Europe for our summer vacation (which was amazing!). Still… I’ve been feeling so homesick lately. So, to comfort myself, I made nikujaga, Japanese meat and potato stew. It’s one of my all-time favorite dishes from my mom, and I ask her to make it every time I go back home. 🧡 After a lot of testing (and tasting, definitely the best part), I’m excited to share what might be my best...
🍡First Newsletter + This Week's Recipe: Inari Sushi
by Kurumi Lawrence Hi Reader, Guess what...? This is my very first newsletter from Give Me Umami HQ!🎉 I’m honestly a bit nervous (pressing "send" feels like handing someone your bento box and hoping they like it 😅), but I’m even more excited to connect and grow a fun, cozy community together! It’s been warming up (and getting a bit too hot!) here in Wisconsin lately. I’ve been soaking in all the seasonal joys… pool days, juicy watermelon, lots of tomatoes and cucumbers, and spending more time...
I share practical, everyday Japanese recipes—from quick weekday meals to seasonal and traditional favorites—so you can enjoy simple, healthy home cooking without the stress.