Yasujiro Ozu

Following its recent hugely popular theatrical retrospective of world-renowned Japanese director Yasujiro Ozu’s entire surviving films, the BFI will release all 32 films on DVD over the next three years. At least seven of these films will also be made available on Blu-ray for the first time.

The Ozu Collection launches on 19 July with the Dual Format Edition releases (both a Blu-ray and a DVD disc in one box) of Tokyo Story (1953), Early Summer (1951) and Late Spring (1949). Extra features with each of these three titles, and with subsequent releases, will include an early Ozu film that has never been available in the UK before.

KOROKKE

Japanese korokke is a deep fried dish which originates from croquettes in French cuisine where a selection of meat, potato and vegetables are made into small round patties and fried until golden and crispy. Korokke are usually divided into two different varieties, a meat and potato variety, and one which is made from a creamy white sauce.

Check our recipe to find out the easy way to make the popular meat and potato variety of this tasty snack. Don’t forget the all important tonkatsu sauce too to make this dish really stand out from the crowd!

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GYOZA

Gyoza is the Japanese name for those tasty little Chinese dumplings which are sold in many Asian restaurants all over the world. Usually made from minced pork and cabbage or other vegetables, gyoza are a perfect starter or side dish to many meals. Making gyoza at home can be time consuming if you make the dough skin yourself, but we are going to take the easy way and use premade skins.

Gyoza are a very versatile dish which can contain many different types of ingredients or be cooked in different ways. This recipe will focus on the most popular Japanese gyoza which is made from minced pork and then pan fried.

YAKITORI

If you have ever visited Japan, you may have seen a selection of small stands floating around train stations which emanate a delicious aroma of gently grilled chicken. These stands specialise in yakitori, traditionally made from tender pieces of chicken on a wooden skewer, barbecued over an open flame with a slightly sweet, soy based sauce and washed down with an ice cold Japanese beer.

With this barbecue weather set to continue and Sundays now designated “official bbq days”, now is a great time to try this tasty Japanese finger food by grilling authentically over charcoal. Check the recipe below to find out how you can impress your friends this weekend!

HIYASHI CHUKA RAMEN

Noodles in soup are great in winter as they are a perfect food to warm you up when you are cold. But what if you fancy noodles in the summer when you need something light and cool? Well, this is where Hiyashi Chuka Ramen comes in! This dish is made from chilled ramen noodles with a colourful decoration of shredded toppings such as egg, ham, cucumber and ginger, all served in a tasty Japanese soy or sesame sauce.

This dish is really simple to make and because there are so many different toppings you can use, it can be a very flexible dish which is suitable for everyone!

BRAND NEW NORTH ACTON STORE

A new large Japan Centre store is opening Monday 28th June in Acton. We will be offering a wide range of sushi, lunch box, fresh vegetables, Japanese ingredients and much more. It is just 3 minutes walk from North Acton station and has space for 30 car parking spaces outside. Check our website for more information and a map.

OMURICE

Have you ever heard of a tasty Japanese dish called omurice? Like many modern Japanese words which are a contraction of two English words, omurice is a combination of omelette and rice. This comforting food is made with chicken flavoured fried rice wrapped up in an omelette and decorated with lashings of tomato ketchup.

You often see this classic dish at western style family restaurants in Japan, but now you can make it at home with our easy to follow recipe.

TAKOYAKI

Takoyaki is a very popular Japanese fast food snack which is made from grilled balls of batter with a small piece of octopus inside. Admittedly, “octopus balls” doesn’t sound amazingly appetizing, but once you try these, you will finally found what has been missing in your life… they really taste that good!

Originating from Osaka, takoyaki is one of the most common foods you will see there, as well as at festivals and special events all over the Japan.

Now you don’t have to wander down the backstreets of Osaka next time you fancy some authentic takoyaki, simply follow our recipe and make yourself this delicious snack at any time.