Classic Japanese Breakfast: Miso, Natto, Sunomono & Salmon!

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Place 4 cups of water into a pot. Then add in an iPhone-sized piece of Kelp (Kombu). Place the pot on a medium heat and slowly bring to a boil. Once the pot is boiling, add in a large handful of Katsuobushi (Dried Bonito Flakes). Then turn off the heat. Let it seep in the water for 10 minutes.
While you wait, let's prep soup ingredients: Cut Tofu into bite-sized cubes. Then place Dried Seaweed (1 Tablespoon) into a bowl of cold water. Let it soak for 5-10 minutes, until it blooms. Now, empty the water and squeeze the water out of the seaweed. Cut the seaweed into bite-sized pieces if needed. Finally, cut a green onion stalk into thin slices (we'll use for garnish).
After 10 minutes of seeping, pour the broth through a strainer and remove the bonito flakes. Now pour this broth into a pot and place it on a medium-high heat. Scoop out Miso Paste (3 Tablespoons) into a separate bowl. Add a few scoops of the hot broth into the bowl and stir the miso paste into a liquid. Then add this into the broth. Now, add in the tofu blocks and chopped seaweed as well. Give it a stir and let it boil for 1 minute. Then turn off the heat - it's ready to serve.
Remember to garnish each soup with some chopped green onion slices!

Thoroughly wash the two cucumbers. Chop the ends off each. (Optional: If you're cucumber has small bumps like ours, use a peeler and spot remove them - don't peel off the entire skin). Now, use your knife and cut the cucumber into very thin slices. Place the thin slices into a mixing bowl.
Add Salt (½ teaspoon!) to the cucumber slices and mix it with your hands. Set the cucumber pieces aside for 10-15 minutes - they will become flexible and release their water. After 15 minutes, firmly squeeze the water out of the cucumber slices and set them aside.
Optional Ingredient: Add dried seaweed (1 Tablespoon) into a small bowl. Add in cold water and let them blossom. After 10 minutes, squeeze the water out of the seaweed and give it a quick chop.
Take out a mixing bowl and make the cucumber salad sauce: Mix Vinegar (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (½ Tablespoon), Sugar (½ Tablespoon), Sesame Seeds (½ Tablespoon), Sesame Oil (1 teaspoon!).
Add the squeezed cucumber slices as well as the squeezed seaweed pieces. Mix everything together. Plate and enjoy with a bowl of hot rice!

Pat-down the salmon filets with a paper towel. We want them dry so they develop a nice crispy crust. Season each side with a few shakes of salt and pepper.
Optional Sauce: Mix Mirim (2 Tablespoons), Sugar (1 Tablespoon), Soy Sauce (2 Tablespoons)
Place frying pan on a medium-high heat. Put-in some olive oil (or oil of choice). Once the oil is hot, place your salmon filets on. Cook on both sides until you get a nice crispy surface. Then plate and wipe out the frying pan with a paper towel.
Give your soy sauce a quick mix again, then pour it into the frying pan. Let the sauce cook and reduce until you get large bubbles. Once it starts to thicken (like a runny syrup), turn off the heat immediately and place into a small bowl. (Remember: The sauce will continue to thicken from the residual heat - it's better to take out earlier than later)
Before eating, squeeze some lemon juice on to the salmon fillet. Then drizzle on some of the soy sauce marinade. Enjoy with a bowl of hot rice - Bon Appetit!

Open the natto package. Add-in all of the soy sauce and mustard packets. Give it a good mix until you see the silky, sticky strands form. Then add-in some chopped green onions and dried seaweed flakes (optional). Give another mix! Plate it and give it final garnish with more chopped green onions on top.
Enjoy with a bowl of hot rice - Bon Appetit!