This is more than a cookbook of Japanese cuisine. Malte Härtig is an expert in Japanese Kaseki cuisine. Today the term is used for a special style of a light multi—course menu consisting of 7—10 different courses in a Japanese restaurant. It is a particularly light meal that is strictly vegetarian in accordance with its origin from the Zen philosophy. Particular care is taken in the selection of ingredients and prepared in such a way that their own taste is emphasized.
The recipes are accordingly simple, but excellent in combination and taste. The vegetables are prepared according to the seasons from the garden or weekly market, with few ingredients. This cookbook combines local vegetables and fruits, rice and other cereals with Japanese ingredients such as miso, soy sauce, sake, the sweet wine mirin or the soup stock dashi and prepared using Japanese cooking techniques, such as tempura, Japanese—style barbecue way. They are simple and light, nourish body and soul and open up a new perspective on cooking and how we deal with food.
The accompanying text illuminates the cultural background of the recipes and tells entertaining stories from the land of the rising sun. When a philosopher and trained chef team up with a gardener and food photographer, you can expect something special.