Learn How to Make Ramen, Sushi, and Gyoza at Home From Japanese Locals
In recent years, more people have been turning to online cooking classes for hassle-free inspiration in the kitchen. It also means that you don't need to wait for your next holiday to eat Japanese food! airKitchen is a popular Japanese cooking class provider that connects cooks in Japan with international food lovers. With the introduction of its online cooking classes, you can finally learn how to cook Japanese favorites like ramen, sushi, and gyoza from your very own kitchen! Read on to learn more about this brand new service.
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The Benefits of Online Cooking Classes
Have you ever had the experience of trying to follow a recipe in a cooking book or YouTube video, only for it to turn out differently than what you had hoped? If you've ever felt frustrated by an unclear explanation in a recipe, or have fruitlessly tried to find answers to a cooking question online, then an online cooking class might be just the thing for you.
There are a number of advantages to learning to cook with an online teacher. Because you can take these classes from home, it's great for anyone with a busy schedule or who lives somewhere without a cooking class nearby. Using your own kitchen also means you can learn in a familiar environment. You'll also find lesson costs to be very affordable!
The online classes offered by airKitchen are typically one-on-one, or small private groups, meaning you're totally free to ask questions, or to slow down and take your time if you need it. Best of all, since the entire lesson will be in real time, the teacher can watch what you're doing and make corrections when necessary, so you're guaranteed to end up with a delicious result!
What Is airKitchen?
airKitchen is a Japanese company that connects international foodies with Japanese hosts who offer authentic cooking classes in their own homes. Guests can book a cooking class with a local host through airKitchen, then visit their kitchen during their Japan travels to learn how to make homemade Japanese food from them. By making and sharing a meal with your host, airKitchen users leave with not just new cooking skills, but also some valuable insight into Japan’s food culture.
Many airKitchen hosts are now offering their classes as private lessons over video chat! This means you can learn how to make authentic Japanese dishes like sushi, ramen, and gyoza from a real Japanese cook right in your kitchen! These classes are a fun and affordable way to use your free time to expand your cooking skills.
Recommended Online airKitchen Cooking Classes
You Can Even Cook Ramen From Home
Ramen is a Japanese dish with a legion of diehard fans, many of whom know from experience just how tricky it is to get right at home! From cooking the noodles to getting the broth just right, there is a surprising amount to get your head around.
Hosted by airKitchen teacher Nahoko, the Online Veggie/Non-Veggie Ramen Noodle from Scratch Class teaches you to make ramen completely from scratch! Even in Japan, this would be considered pretty impressive. Over the four hour workshop, you’ll be able to make everything from the chicken-based soup to fresh ramen noodles. If you're vegetarian or vegan, not to worry: Nahoko has great ramen recipes to teach you, too!
A great feature of Nahoko’s classes is that she accepts up to five students. If you’re missing your friends or family during isolation, why not organize a group lesson together over Zoom?
Make Inside-Out Sushi Rolls and Mini Sushi Balls at Home
Have you been craving a stop at your local sushi train? In the Learn Crab and Tuna Inside-Out Sushi Rolls, and Mini Sushi Balls class, you can learn how to make sushi yourself from airKitchen host Mai. Mai is a chef, food writer, and professional cooking teacher at Asia’s largest culinary school, and she also uses airKitchen to teach visitors how to make Japanese food in her kitchen in Tokyo.
In this online class, Mai will teach you how to make two super Instagrammable dishes: inside-out sushi rolls and mini sushi balls. If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make your own sushi, why not use your time at home to get the basics down?
Since you don't need to use the stove or oven to assemble sushi, it's a great activity for kids. Once you learn the techniques from Mai, you can get everyone into the kitchen for a sushi making party!
One great point is that Mai has selected fillings that are easy to find outside Japan, so you won’t need to worry about tracking down any specialty ingredients. Sushi is naturally lactose and gluten free, and the class comes with vegetarian and vegan options, too.
Once you’ve learned how to make sushi rice and roll it correctly, you can apply these skills to make all different types of sushi. This hour-long class will go a long way! For a primer on how to eat the sushi after you make it, check out our guide here.
Learn How to Make Pan Fried Gyoza from Scratch
Online Cooking Class of Gyoza from Scratch is a two hour cooking class held by Junko, an airKitchen teacher from Tokyo. Junko has been teaching cooking in her home kitchen to rave reviews from her students, and now offers a private online gyoza cooking class that anyone can take from home.
"Gyoza" is a type of Japanese dumpling filled with ingredients like minced pork, cabbage, garlic, and leek. They have a thin wrapper, and are often pan fried on one side to create a crispy texture. The great thing about this class is that you can make the gyoza wrappers from scratch from regular wheat flour, so you won’t need to hunt down any special ingredients. Plus, if you have any dietary concerns, Junko has scheduled time to discuss them in advance.
There is a bit of a technique to learning how to fold the gyoza wrappers properly! While it’s not too hard, having someone to show you how to do it will save you a lot of trial and error. It’s a great technique to learn because not only do handmade gyoza look impressive, but once you have the base technique down, the sky is your limit when it comes to experimenting with fillings!
Check out a learner's experience of a class with Junko below!
How Do airkitchen's Online Cooking Classes Work?
airKitchen online classes are completely easy! Just book your lesson, connect with your teacher on a video conferencing app like Zoom, and get started. You don’t need any special equipment besides your phone, tablet, or laptop.
If you live somewhere where it’s hard to find certain imported ingredients, rest assured. Teachers have gone out of their way to ensure that it's as easy as possible for international students to make their recipes. Plus, airKitchen online classes tell you exactly what you’ll need before you book, so you won't be caught out.
Since these classes are aimed at international students, your instructor will teach you in English. Many offer a number of set time slots for classes that can be adjusted if needed to accommodate different time zones. It's no problem if you have special dietary requirements, either. Many classes have meat-free options as standard, and because airKitchen online classes are private, you can chat with your teacher about substitutions, too.
Learn to Cook Japanese Food with airKitchen!
These online cooking classes are sure to be useful for beginners and seasoned cooks alike. As more airKitchen hosts set up online classes, you'll have plenty to explore! Click here to browse all the online classes currently available at airKitchen. They even have cooking classes for cuisine other than Japanese!
Of course, there are hundreds of in-person classes to take, too. Why not do some armchair travelling and bookmark a few for your future trip to Japan?
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The information in this article is accurate at the time of publication.
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