Udon are thick noodles made from wheat flour, salt, and water, widely popular in Japanese cuisine. Ideally, all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour is used in traditional recipes, but this recipe uses Aashirvaad Chakki Khapli Atta. This recipe comes with a twist: the dough made with this flour does not require flattening with feet and should be kneaded gently rather than aggressively. These noodles are prepared by adding a small amount of salt to wheat flour, kneading it with water, rolling it out, cutting it into strips, and then boiling it. They are renowned for their distinctive firm and slightly chewy texture. Slurp these toothsome noodles in soup, add them to stir-fries, or toss them in salads for quick weeknight meals.

One of the simple sandwich recipes from Japan is the Japanese fruit sando, which is a beloved dessert sandwich that you might have seen on social media. The classic fruit sando has thick slices of fluffy shokupan bread, which is Japan's iconic milk bread, filled with sweetened whipped cream and whole, fresh fruits like strawberries, kiwis, and oranges. When sliced diagonally, the cross-section of the fruit embedded in the whipped cream filling makes for a visual that is as stunning as it is delicious. Before it took its place among the simple sandwich recipes in the country, it took a while to be invented. Fruit sando goes back to Kyoto in the early 1920s, while another theory credits Tokyo's Senbikiya, Japan’s first fruit parlour, established in 1868. Either way, the pairing of fresh, sweet and juicy Japanese fruit with the softness of shokupan bread feels almost dream-like once you try it. To make the perfect sweet sandwich, you need to get the consistency of whipped cream right and plan the placement of the fruit. This is one of the easiest simple sandwich recipes for a fruit sando, which needs a chilling time of at least one hour before it is cut to reveal the cross-section. Before cutting, the sandwich also needs to be compressed to get the sandwich to cut perfectly without the fruit popping out or the whipped cream being squeezed out. If you follow the recipe well, you will get those anime-style sandwiches which look like they were drawn by hand with a lot of love and dedication.

A delicious salad dressing can make even the simplest greens feel like a gourmet dish, and Miso Honey Vinaigrette is a fantastic example of that. This dressing harmonises sweet, tangy, and savoury notes in a way that feels perfectly balanced and wonderfully comforting. The main ingredient here is miso, a traditional Japanese paste made from fermented soybeans. Miso is known for its rich, deep umami flavour. When you blend it with honey, rice vinegar, and olive oil, it transforms into a dressing that’s smooth, slightly sweet, and pleasantly tangy. Adding just a hint of sesame oil and soy sauce enhances the depth and aroma beautifully. This vinaigrette pairs perfectly with light green salads, but it really takes off when you drizzle it over roasted vegetables, grain bowls, grilled chicken, fish, or even tofu. Just a spoonful can enhance the flavour of your dish. Another fantastic aspect of Miso Honey Vinaigrette is how quick and easy it is to prepare. You only need a few ingredients from your pantry and about five minutes to make it. Just whisk everything together until it’s smooth and creamy. It’s one of those easy recipes that quickly becomes a beloved favourite in your kitchen.