By Tadashi Ono and Harris Salat (Ten Speed Press, 247 pp.)
With the recent news that Japanese cuisine has been officially recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage by UNESCO, "Japanese Soul Cooking," is a good place to start for home cooks intimidated by Japan's often complex and precise dishes. From gyoza dumplings to tempura to udon to cooking with soba, ramen, and tofu there's plenty of comfort food recipes to work up an appetite. Lots of colorful photos and history behind culinary traditions prove this cookbook to be educational and informative but casual enough to inspire you to cook in new ways.
