"I love Kayanoya’s Original Dashi most of all, along with the Vegetable Dashi and Mushroom Dashi. I use the Original Dashi in everyday dishes like miso soup, simmered dishes, and udon. The Vegetable Dashi pairs perfectly with soups, and the Mushrooms Dashi works wonderfully in pasta and seasoned rice dishes."
Kayanoya’s People’s Voice is a series of short interviews with our community—sharing how they cook, what they reach for, and the pantry staples they rely on.
In this edition, Harumi shares how those staples fit into daily routines.
I’ve lived in Michigan for 30 years. I work as a film and entertainment producer while sharing simple, beginner-friendly Japanese and Western recipes on a popular Japanese cooking site and Instagram. Using locally available ingredients and no more than three seasonings, I focus on easy, straightforward cooking. I love cooking and have developed many original recipes, and I use Kayanoya dashi in my everyday dishes.
Instagram: @_haru_usa.life_
Here are a few dishes Harumi often makes—simple, flexible recipes that fit into everyday routines.
Roman-Style Chicken Stew
“For best results, use dark meat like drumsticks or thighs. Bone-in pieces will give you more flavor as they simmer, and don’t forget to cook uncovered for the first 10 minutes—it makes a difference.”
6 chicken drumsticks, 3 bell peppers (½ each, mixed colors), 1 medium onion, 1 zucchini, 2 large tomatoes, 1 ⅔ cups sake (or white wine), 2 packets Kayanoya Original Vegetable Stock Powder, olive oil, Kayanoya Basil & Garlic Sea Salt
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1. Pierce the chicken, coat with Kayanoya Basil & Garlic Salt and olive oil, and marinate for about 1 hour, then sear until browned.
2. Cut the vegetables into bite-sized pieces and sauté them (except the tomatoes). Add sake, tomatoes, and Kayanoya Vegetable Dashi, then simmer uncovered for 10 minutes.
3. Add the chicken, cover, and simmer over medium-low heat for 30–40 minutes until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Mushroom Takikomi Gohan (Seasoned Rice)
2 rice cooker cups (about 1 ½ cups) uncooked rice, a generous amount of mushrooms (such as shiitake, enoki, shimeji, and king oyster), carrot, 2 packets Kayanoya Original Mushroom Stock Powder, 1 tbsp soy sauce, a pinch of salt
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Rinse the rice, then add all ingredients to the rice cooker with the usual amount of water. Cook using the standard setting.
Chicken Meatball Soup
“A nourishing, comforting soup that’s especially nice when you’re feeling under the weather.”
For the meatballs: 7 oz (200 g) ground chicken, ½ tsp grated ginger, a little soy sauce, potato starch
For the soup: 3 ⅓ cups (800 ml) water, 2 packets Kayanoya Original Vegetable Stock Powder, about 1 tbsp soy sauce, preferred amount of daikon radish, napa cabbage, onion, carrot, glass noodles
For the finish: chopped green onions
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1. In a bowl, mix all the meatball ingredients and form into bite-sized balls. Bring water to a boil, cook the meatballs, then drain and set aside.
2. Add all the soup ingredients to a pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the meatballs and simmer over medium heat for about 20 minutes.
3. Finish by sprinkling with green onions.
Harumi, thank you for sharing your everyday cooking with Kayanoya!
We would love to hear how you enjoy Kayanoya products in your everyday life.
As a token of our appreciation, you will receive an assortment of Kayanoya products.
Cucumber Sandwich
Egg Roll
Spring Cabbage Hot Sandwich
