Miso Hungry Podcast
42 episodes - English - Latest episode: over 11 years ago - ★★★★★ - 25 ratingsEverything you never knew you wanted to know about Japanese food
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Episodes
Episode 31: Tsukimi, the Moon Viewing Festival
November 26, 2012 08:00 - 25 minutes - 23.5 MBTsukimi or Otsukimi (月見)literally means “moon-viewing,” and refers to Japanese festivals honoring the autumn moon. The days for the celebration of the full moon and the celebration of the waxing moon normally fall in September and October of the modern solar calendar. The tradition is thought to date back to the Heian era (794—1185) when […]
Episode 30: The Yaki Imo Girl!
November 05, 2012 11:10 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBThis week we have another special guest – Kate, aka the yaki imo girl, aka our #1 Miso Hungry Podcast fan, from Eat Recycle Repeat! She’s joining us to talk about her very favorite food – Japanese sweet potatoes! (Our apologies in advance about the sound quality this week – Kate was Skyping with us […]
Episode 29: Japanese Grocery Stores – an interview with Spilled Milk’s Matthew Amster-Burton!
October 29, 2012 09:14 - 41 minutes - 38.1 MBThis week, we were lucky enough to have Matthew Amster-Burton agree to do an interview with us. You might know him from his fantastic podcast, Spilled Milk that he does with Molly Wizenberg, his blog Roots and Grubs, or his book Hungry Monkey. We gave him the option of choosing whatever topic he wanted, and […]
Episode 28: Bento Buddies!
October 16, 2012 10:00 - 39 minutes - 35.7 MBBento boxes! We love them. You should too. You can get bento boxes pretty much anywhere in Japan. Train stations, convenience stores, department stores… and they’re almost always guaranteed to be delicious. One of our favorite things about bento boxes is the variety of foods you can get in a single bento. Rice, meats, veggies, […]
Episode 27: Going cookbook-crazy in Japan, and noodle bowls the size of your head!
September 24, 2012 07:00 - 22 minutes - 20.5 MBWe only had two more days together in Tokyo before Allison and Son headed to Kyoto for a few days and Rachael and her family stayed in Tokyo, and there was a lot for us to do! Day 6 First off, sushi. Because hello, we're in Japan... but we hadn't had sushi yet! (I know, what's wrong with us?) We headed off to a good kaiten sushi place ("conveyer belt" sushi) where we ate our fill of good, but super-inexpensive sushi. (Kaiten sushi, or "conveyer belt" sushi, is a type of sushi bar where...
Episode 26: So much good food… oh, and a typhoon.
September 18, 2012 09:52 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBWe just have to say, we have the most awesome fans ever. Seriously, you guys rock. While we love you all, you'll get to see who currently has the ranking of #1 fan in just a bit... Our next few days in Japan involved a lot of great food... oh, and a typhoon. (If you missed the first part of the trip, you can listen here!) Day 3 (Our 3rd day together was Allison's 5th day in Japan, which is why the day numbers might seem a little off sometimes...) So first things first, Allison just ha...
Episode 25: Miso Hungry Podcast goes to Japan – Part 1!
September 10, 2012 10:19 - 34 minutes - 31.2 MBWe're back from Japan! (Actually, we've been back for almost two months already. But we haven't been able to record until now, so...) We're back from Japan! We've fallen hard for the combinis (convenience stores, like 7-11 and Family Mart). We have a renewed obsession with onigiri. And we miss Japan like crazy now that we're back!!! So what did we do in Japan? Well, on the first day we were both there (Allison arrived a few days before Rachael did), we all went and visited the Tokyo ...
Episode 24: Let’s get pickled!
August 07, 2012 07:04 - 34 minutes - 31.7 MBTsukemono (漬物), literally “pickled things”, are Japanese pickles. They are valued for their unique flavors and textures and commonly used as a garnish, relish, condiment, palate cleanser or digestive. Served with rice as okazu (a side dish), with drinks as otsumami (a snack), as an accompiment to or garnish for meals, and as a course […]
Episode 23: Summer eatin’, having a blast…
July 23, 2012 09:50 - 38 minutes - 35.4 MBIt's summer! And aside from having songs from 70s movies that were set in the 50s stuck in our heads, we can't stop thinking about all the fantastic summer foods we love. So without further ado, let's dive right into all the fantastic summer foods Japan has to offer! Produce Cucumbers - look for them in tsukemono (pickled cucumber), sliced with miso-sesame dressing, and kappa maki (cucumber sushi rolls) Eggplant can be found grilled, steamed with miso glaze, in vegetable curries, and pic...
Episode 22: Japanese Food Etiquette
July 09, 2012 11:30 - 34 minutes - 31.5 MBIn which we try not to get kicked out of Japan, refer to dates as "yesterday" when in fact they happened nearly two months ago, and take shoyu shots (try saying that five times fast). It's been (ahem) 6 weeks since our last episode went up. Yeah... it was supposed to go up a week after our last one, but it turns out Rachael has a full-time family, Allison had a big deadline she had to meet, and oh right - we went to Japan! So yes, while we had all the best intentions of having episodes r...
Wherefore art thou, Miso Hungry Podcast?!
June 18, 2012 08:36It’s been two weeks since our last episode went up, and now yet another week is going by without an episode in sight! So what happened? Well… Miso Hungry Podcast has gone to Japan! We had intended to have episodes posted for your listening pleasure while we were gone (we even have a bunch of […]
Episode 21: 20 Easy Ways to Embarass and Insult with Chopsticks
May 28, 2012 11:36 - 37 minutes - 34.8 MBWe all know foreign countries have lots of rules that are strange to us… especially when it comes to Japan! * But since we’re foreigners, it’s expected that we can’t possibly remember all their etiquette rules… so it’s totally fine to throw all manners to the wind! ** To help you out with that, here […]
Episode 20: Hashi Hilarity
May 24, 2012 09:24 - 30 minutes - 28.1 MBHave you entered our Zojirushi rice cooker giveaway yet? If not, don’t forget to head on over and enter… the contest ends tomorrow! Chopsticks are called hashi in Japanese. They are also known as otemoto or o-temoto, a phrase which is commonly printed on the wrappers of disposable chopsticks. “Te” means hand and “moto” means […]
Episode 19: Miso Hungry… for Miso!
May 17, 2012 12:08 - 28 minutes - 26.3 MBHave you entered our Zojirushi rice cooker giveaway yet? If not, don’t forget to head on over and enter! Miso. It’s about time we talked about it… it is a part of our podcast’s name, after all! Alright… so we know miso is important in Japanese cooking. But what exactly is it? Fermented soybean paste. […]
Episode 18: Rice 102, and a Zojirushi giveaway!
May 09, 2012 09:52 - 40 minutes - 37.2 MBMake sure you don’t miss the Zojirushi giveaway we’re doing! How is rice grown? In Japan, young seedlings are first raised in nursery beds until they are large enough to be transplanted into water-filled paddy fields during the rainy month of June. The rice needs a long, hot growing season and a warm, dry maturing […]
Episode 17: Rice 101
May 02, 2012 09:47 - 31 minutes - 29.2 MBLast week, we talked about seaweed. This week (and next week), rice! (Hey, that means we’re halfway to sushi!) Rice is important. Super important. In fact, it’s one of the most important topics we could talk about because of the HUGE influence it’s had on Japanese society and culture. Rice is more than a staple […]
Episode 16: Eat your sea vegetables!
April 23, 2012 10:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBThis week, we’re talking seaweed… or as we like to call it, sea vegetables. In Japanese, the word for seaweed is “kaiso”. Kaiso are an important part of the Japanese diet. The Japanese have been harvesting them for thousands of years, both wild and cultivated. Kaiso are highly nutritious (many sea vegetables are especially rich […]
Episode 15: Putting together your Japanese pantry, Part 2
April 16, 2012 08:16 - 23 minutes - 21.6 MBPart two of our Japanese pantry episode in 3… 2… 1… (If you missed Part 1, listen here.) This week, we’re talking about all the other essential ingredients that should be in your Japanese pantry. Because, you know… Japanese food does consist of more than just rice and shoyu. So, what else is important? White […]
Episode 14: Putting together your Japanese pantry, Part 1
April 10, 2012 10:11 - 20 minutes - 18.9 MBIn which nobody’s gotten any sleep, Allison confuses herself about shoyu, and we go off on a ton of (interesting and relevant-ish, we promise!) tangents. Although this was supposed to be a single episode, we just had so much information we wanted to tell you about what ingredients are important for your basic Japanese pantry, […]
Goya Champuru – Bitter Melon with Tofu and Pork
April 05, 2012 11:55In this week’s tofu episode, we spoke with Andrea Nguyen, the author of Asian Tofu. Several times during our interview, she mentioned a dish she loved – a tofu scramble that she believes far exceeds most tofu scrambles you can find here in the US. So of course, we had to try it. And, well, […]
Episode 13: Tofu Nerds Unite! (Plus a giveaway!)
April 02, 2012 10:34 - 36 minutes - 33.4 MBPrepare yourself… today, we’re completely and totally geeking out. (Especially Rachael.) Why? Because today’s topic is something we get especially excited about – TOFU! You might think tofu is a silly thing to get excited about, but we’d bet that’s because you’ve never tasted fresh, homemade tofu. (Trust us. It’s amazing.) So what is tofu? […]
Episode 12: We’re Dreaming of (Sustainable!) Sushi
March 26, 2012 14:30 - 33 minutes - 30.2 MB“There are five attributes to a great chef: Take your work seriously Aspire to improve Maintain cleanliness Be a better leader than a collaborator Be passionate about your work.” -Masuhiro Yamamoto, Japanese Food Critic Jiro Ono in JIRO DREAMS OF SUSHI, a Magnolia Pictures release. Photo courtesy of Magnolia Pictures. Jiro Dreams of Sushi is […]
Bonus Mini Episode: Black Sesame Pudding
March 26, 2012 14:00 - 5 minutes - 5.2 MBOver the last few weeks, Rachael has developed a recipe for black sesame pudding that we’re such big fans of, we recorded a bonus mini episode all about it. Go visit her blog for the post and the recipe… then make the pudding, and come back and let us know how you like it!
Episode 11: The Deep-Fried Porky Goodness Known as Tonkatsu!
March 19, 2012 07:46 - 29 minutes - 27.1 MBTonkatsu (豚カツ, とんかつ, or トンカツ) is a breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet that is very popular in Japan. It is traditionally served with shredded cabbage, or miso soup, or both. Ton means pork in Japanese. Katsu is short for katsuretto (aka “cutlet”). Keep in mind that we’re talking about tonKAtsu, not tonKOtsu – make sure you […]
Tako Tidbits 7: Jiro Dreams of Sushi
March 16, 2012 10:57Jiro Dreams of Sushi comes out in LA this week (check here to see when it comes out near you), and we’re really excited about it! To celebrate, this week’s Tako Tidbits is all about Jiro and great sushi. There is an interesting interview with David Gelb, the director of Jiro Dreams of Sushi, on […]
Episode 10: It’s Cherry Blossom Season!
March 12, 2012 07:35 - 27 minutes - 24.7 MBIt’s almost one of our favorite times of the year… cherry blossom season! Which means it’s also time for Hanami festivals! These festivals have been happening for centuries. Hanami literally means flower viewings, or seeing the flowers. These days, that specifically refers to sakura – cherry blossoms. In popular places, it’s common to reserve a […]
Tako Tidbits 6: One year after the Great Eastern-Japan Earthquake
March 08, 2012 08:00As we mentioned in this week’s episode, March 11 marks the one year anniversary of the devastating Great Eastern-Japan Earthquake and tsunami that wrought disaster in Japan. We hope you have some tissues ready… this video “Arigato from the Japan Earthquake Victims” will bring tears to your eyes. The Japanese government suspects that the areas […]
Episode 9: One Year After the Japanese Earthquake and Tsunami
March 05, 2012 11:02 - 35 minutes - 32.7 MBIt’s been a year since the 9.0 magnitude earthquake struck Japan, on March 11, 2011. But did you know that the region hit was the 2nd largest food production region in Japan? Tohoku is one of Japan’s major seafood producing regions with a number of fishing ports being home to deepwater and tuna fishing fleets. […]
Tako Tidbits 5: Is Japan Cool?
March 01, 2012 08:00ANA is having an “Is Japan Cool?” campaign where you can enter to win a pair of airline tickets to Japan. If you’re in or near NYC, check out Japan Week, starting March 1st, and let us know how it is! We’re having a particularly gloomy week in LA, which makes it the perfect time […]
Episode 8: It’s Girl’s Day!
February 27, 2012 13:42 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBThis week, we’re all celebrating Hinamatsuri! Come join our Hinamatsuri party! (Which actually has nothing to do with wearing stuffed octopuses on your heads like hats. But, you know, that’s how we roll here at the Miso Hungry Podcast. We’re silly like that.) So what is Hinamatsuri? Hinamatsuri (雛祭り) is Girl’s Day, or the Japanese […]
Tako Tidbits 4: Flying octopuses and soba for all!
February 23, 2012 23:12Have you listened to our Tako episode and entered the contest to win one of three rice cubes yet? You have until Monday to enter! As a followup to this week’s episode, apparently Akashiyaki dumplings (similar to takoyaki) are believed to relieve fatigue! We think this is an excellent excuse to eat more of them… […]
Episode 7: Tako Time, and a giveaway!
February 20, 2012 11:59 - 31 minutes - 28.6 MBToday it’s tako time! (And we’re having a giveaway, so make sure to read the whole post!) But… don’t get that confused with tacos. There are no tortillas to be seen around here. When we say tako, we mean octopus. Yum. Tako is almost always cooked before eating; unlike many fish that are offered raw, […]
Tako Tidbits 3: Candy sushi, and soy sauce on bread?
February 16, 2012 11:09This is an old video, but we still think this kit for making candy sushi at home is pretty darn cool. We’ve been having a Ramen Renaissance lately… we can see that it’s definitely happening in Los Angeles, what about where you live? Watch a master make Dashimaki Tamago (a Japanese rolled omelet-type food): We […]
Episode 6: Chocolate!
February 13, 2012 12:00 - 26 minutes - 24.2 MBThis week, Rachael and Allison have learned that… they just can’t get away from those purple sweet potato mountain mushroom candies. Addicted? Yes, we are. Hey look, it’s the purple sweet potato mountain mushrooms again! (Yeah, we’re kind of obsessed.) But really, this week we’re talking about chocolate! Or, as they say in Japan, chokorēto […]
Tako Tidbits 2: How to eat your way through Tokyo
February 09, 2012 14:00This week, our Tako Tidbits are all about food (of course!) and eating your way through Tokyo. Is the quality of sushi in America on a decline? Jeffrey Steingarten (a well-known American food writer who is a regular judge in on Iron Chef America) wrote an excellent article about visiting and eating his way through […]
Episode 5: We’re going to Uni-versity…
February 06, 2012 14:00 - 26 minutes - 24 MBToday, we’re talking about uni (うに)! So… er… what is uni? When you’re eating uni, you’re eating the insides of a sea urchin… more specifically, you’re eating the reproductive organs of a sea urchin (but most people call it roe, since it sounds a little better). You’ll probably never actually know whether you’re eating a […]
Tako Tidbits 1: Dinner and a Movie
February 02, 2012 14:00Every week, we here at the Miso Hungry Podcast come across tons of fun links that we just don’t have the time to talk about in the weekly podcast episode. So we’re starting something we call Tako Tidbits – a weekly roundup of all the cool things across the web that we think you should […]
Episode 4: Bringing Japan to the Super Bowl
January 31, 2012 04:19 - 28 minutes - 26.2 MBThe Super Bowl is coming up this weekend! Wait, who’s playing? (Obviously, we’re just here for the food.) But how does this relate to Japanese food? Well, over there, they’re baseball fanatics… so we wanted to know what they eat when they’re watching sports! At the games, they eat all sorts of delicious things: hot […]
Episode 3: Onigiri
January 23, 2012 14:00 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBOnigiri! Japanese comfort food to the max. It can be anything from a ball of rice sprinkled with salt to rice surrounding tuna or salmon, wrapped with nori. But it's not sushi. Nope. No rice vinegar involved, thus... not sushi! They make excellent lunches. Bring them to school or to work - they'll stay fresh unrefrigerated for up to six hours, thanks to the wonderful, magical (okay, not so magical) preservation qualities of salt! And if you fill your onigiri with an umebosi - a very ...
Episode 2: Candy! And a giveaway!
January 16, 2012 14:00 - 41 minutes - 38 MBJapanese candy will ruin you. It’s ruined both of us… it’s so good, we can’t help but be addicted. Rice candy has always been Allison’s favorite. It has a yummy, light, citrusy taste, there’s a really cool edible rice paper wrapper that melts in your mouth, plus you get a sticker in every box. And […]
Episode 1: Happy New Year!
January 09, 2012 14:00 - 20 minutes - 18.4 MBHappy New Year! In this episode, we talk all about the Japanese New Year. It’s a big deal. You’ll find out why it’s a good idea to plan way ahead if you want to order food for your Japanese New Year celebrations, and why it’s a very, very bad idea to go shopping at an […]
Introduction
January 06, 2012 14:00 - 5 minutes - 5.26 MBWho are we? Why are we doing this podcast? We are Miso Hungry! (We hope we make YOU so hungry, too!) Allison Writes the blog Sushi Day Is half Japanese, third generation Japanese-American (her grandmother came over to the US at age three) Never even tried sashimi until she was an adult Is now trying […]