Umami Cooking Class in Kyoto Featuring Local Delicacies

In this cooking class, you’ll be introduced to the art of cooking Japanese Zen dishes, often served at Zen temples across Japan. The class will include preparing for, making, and cooking a full course meal from scratch. We will begin with a sesame tofu appetizer, often served at the start of any meal because of its symbolism of hospitality. This is then followed by a “yuba” dish (beancurd appetizer), also a common dish in many Kyoto cuisine. Salads made from fresh produce will also be something you’ll have a hand in arranging, including the citrus dressing that you will concoct from scratch. Once we are done preparing and making the appetizers, we will move on to the making of dashi stock, a savory broth that is fundamental to most Japanese cooking. The dashi broth will be used in the cooking of the next few dishes, which include “namafu dengaku” (toasted wheat gluten) and teriyaki chicken or fish. If you are a vegetarian, we are more than happy to replace the meats with “shiraae,” a tofu salad, served with a vegetarian sauce. In addition to these dishes, there will also be small side dishes to complement the meal. To conclude the meal, we will be hand-making and molding our Japanese wagashi, which can be enjoyed with a warm bowl of matcha green tea, whisked from refined matcha powder, harvested from the Kyoto region. You will also learn what each condiment, sauce and ingredient is used for in each step of the cooking process, so that you can customize and enhance flavors to your own taste, should you wish to replicate the dishes at home later on!