Cooking Better by Empathizing with Vegetables: 'Shirasaki Chakai' Proposes a New Standard for Vegetable Dishes!
Diamond, Inc. will release 'The Say of Vegetables' by Hiroko Shirasaki, head of the famous cooking class 'Shirasaki Chakai,' on April 22, 2026. This cookbook features 130 recipes that translate subtle signals from vegetables into delicious results.
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A new recipe collection focusing on vegetables has arrived from the 'impossible-to-book' cooking school, Shirasaki Chakai! Written by Hiroko Shirasaki, 'The Say of Vegetables' (Yasai no Iibun) will be published by Diamond, Inc. on April 22. It translates the tiny signals vegetables give—what the author calls their 'say'—into cooking tips and recipes.
Have you been missing the voice of your vegetables?
A fun and useful recipe collection to discover the most delicious ways to eat.
Vegetables are essential to our tables, yet many struggle with repetitive menus or feel they can't cook them well. This book addresses those concerns with recipes where vegetables take center stage. While we often treat vegetables freely—eating them raw, heating them, or tossing them with seasonings—vegetables are actually sending quiet hints: 'I would be so much tastier if you did this...!'
Carrots: 'Don't rub me immediately after sprinkling salt!'
Cabbage: 'When I'm not so fresh, simmering is a good idea.'
Broccoli: 'Removing the crunch brings out my original flavor.'
By listening to these 'sayings,' the book presents 130 recipes across 30 types of vegetables that maximize their charm. From standard salads and snacks to main dishes and staples, you'll encounter unexpected new ways to enjoy vegetables that change their expression remarkably depending on the cooking method and combination.
The author, Hiroko Shirasaki, leads the renowned cooking class 'Shirasaki Chakai.' She has long proposed body-friendly ways of eating, including plant-based, gluten-free, and fermented foods. For Shirasaki Chakai, vegetables are the foundation of everything. In this book, she suggests recipes that expand the repertoire of vegetable consumption through simple methods. It is a volume filled with care, conveying the full appeal of vegetables.
Featured recipes include 'Carrot Sticks' that wake up when hot water is poured over them, 'Zucchini with Shiso' (a surprisingly perfect match!), 'Pan-fried Corn' (given a drink of water first!), 'Simmered Broccoli and Enoki' (highlighting original flavor), 'Octopus and Tomato Paella,' and 'Penne with Garland Chrysanthemum and Tuna.'
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Standard Vegetables (Carrot, Cabbage, Potato, Onion)
Chapter 2: Leafy, Stem, and Flower Vegetables (Greens, Chinese Cabbage, Leeks, Celery, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc.)
Column 1: Homemade Seasonings
Chapter 3: Fruit Vegetables (Tomato, Cucumber, Eggplant, Bell Pepper, Zucchini, Okra, Corn, etc.)
Extra: Bean Sprouts
Column 2: Vegetable Stocks
Chapter 4: Root Vegetables (Radish, Turnip, Lotus Root, Burdock, etc.)
Recommended Seasonings
Conclusion
Author Profile: Hiroko Shirasaki
Born in Tokyo, raised in Saitama. After teaching at the 'In-yo-do' natural food store in Zushi, she started 'Shirasaki Chakai' in a traditional house in Hayama. Now, she hosts the online lesson 'Shirasaki Chakai Recipe Lab' and will open a small studio in Tokyo in 2025. Her previous books 'New Sweets of Shirasaki Chakai' and 'Heta Oyatsu' won the Japan Recipe Book Award in the sweets category for two consecutive years.
Book Details:
Title: The Say of Vegetables (Yasai no Iibun)
Author: Hiroko Shirasaki
Price: 1,848 yen (tax incl.)
Release Date: April 22, 2026
Publisher: Diamond, Inc.
Format: A5, 208 pages
Have you been missing the voice of your vegetables?
A fun and useful recipe collection to discover the most delicious ways to eat.
Vegetables are essential to our tables, yet many struggle with repetitive menus or feel they can't cook them well. This book addresses those concerns with recipes where vegetables take center stage. While we often treat vegetables freely—eating them raw, heating them, or tossing them with seasonings—vegetables are actually sending quiet hints: 'I would be so much tastier if you did this...!'
Carrots: 'Don't rub me immediately after sprinkling salt!'
Cabbage: 'When I'm not so fresh, simmering is a good idea.'
Broccoli: 'Removing the crunch brings out my original flavor.'
By listening to these 'sayings,' the book presents 130 recipes across 30 types of vegetables that maximize their charm. From standard salads and snacks to main dishes and staples, you'll encounter unexpected new ways to enjoy vegetables that change their expression remarkably depending on the cooking method and combination.
The author, Hiroko Shirasaki, leads the renowned cooking class 'Shirasaki Chakai.' She has long proposed body-friendly ways of eating, including plant-based, gluten-free, and fermented foods. For Shirasaki Chakai, vegetables are the foundation of everything. In this book, she suggests recipes that expand the repertoire of vegetable consumption through simple methods. It is a volume filled with care, conveying the full appeal of vegetables.
Featured recipes include 'Carrot Sticks' that wake up when hot water is poured over them, 'Zucchini with Shiso' (a surprisingly perfect match!), 'Pan-fried Corn' (given a drink of water first!), 'Simmered Broccoli and Enoki' (highlighting original flavor), 'Octopus and Tomato Paella,' and 'Penne with Garland Chrysanthemum and Tuna.'
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Chapter 1: Standard Vegetables (Carrot, Cabbage, Potato, Onion)
Chapter 2: Leafy, Stem, and Flower Vegetables (Greens, Chinese Cabbage, Leeks, Celery, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc.)
Column 1: Homemade Seasonings
Chapter 3: Fruit Vegetables (Tomato, Cucumber, Eggplant, Bell Pepper, Zucchini, Okra, Corn, etc.)
Extra: Bean Sprouts
Column 2: Vegetable Stocks
Chapter 4: Root Vegetables (Radish, Turnip, Lotus Root, Burdock, etc.)
Recommended Seasonings
Conclusion
Author Profile: Hiroko Shirasaki
Born in Tokyo, raised in Saitama. After teaching at the 'In-yo-do' natural food store in Zushi, she started 'Shirasaki Chakai' in a traditional house in Hayama. Now, she hosts the online lesson 'Shirasaki Chakai Recipe Lab' and will open a small studio in Tokyo in 2025. Her previous books 'New Sweets of Shirasaki Chakai' and 'Heta Oyatsu' won the Japan Recipe Book Award in the sweets category for two consecutive years.
Book Details:
Title: The Say of Vegetables (Yasai no Iibun)
Author: Hiroko Shirasaki
Price: 1,848 yen (tax incl.)
Release Date: April 22, 2026
Publisher: Diamond, Inc.
Format: A5, 208 pages