Our Story

When I was growing up in Osaka, in the 1980s, we ate traditional Japanese food at home, and it wasn't common to find food from other countries. But there was a nearby supermarket that carried a few imported snacks. Every time I discovered something new, I secretly added it to my mom's basket. I still remember my first taste of Skippy chunky peanut butter, and the Doritos that stained my fingers for days. 

My parents thought I was crazy for always wanting to try new things—Japanese food was enough for them. While in college, my curiosity let me to explore cooking, not just as a chore but as something to enjoy. It made me feel so independent and empowered to take a train to a wholesale market to buy ingredients in large quantities that were very non-Japanese: an entire chain of garlic, or two kilos of halibut for fish and chips.

In 2005, I married Ba (a nickname of my husband), who grew up in New Delhi. When his parents visit us in Seattle, my mother-in-law—a retired university professor who loves cooking as much as, if not more than, I do—cooks an Indian meal every day. At first, I found the aroma of the spices overwhelming, and I was worried it would stay on my clothes and house. Years later I need that smell, and miss it when it's gone.

Now I'm as passionate as ever about cooking: as a way to nourish my need for creativity and exploration, make a living (as a food photographer), and not just feed my family and friends but make them happy.

I call this blog Dashi & Tadka because each is a fundamental building block of its cuisine. Dashi is the stock, made from umami-rich ingredients like seaweed, fish, or shiitake, that serves as the base for many Japanese dishes—starting with humble miso soup. Tadka is another word for "tempering," a technique common to Indian cuisine where spices like cumin and mustard seeds are cooked quickly in oil, unleashing their flavor and aroma to enhance a variety of dishes.

I'm excited to share my love of food with you, through recipes and stories. Thank you for visiting my kitchen!