Come celebrate with us, get signed cookbooks, have some matcha cake and tea, and shop for delicious ingredients and gorgeous cookware and dishware at my favorite shop in the neighborhood. (Along with their sister store Honoki, just around the corner – where I bought many of the props and ingredients for photographing the recipes in the cookbook!)
Order a signed copy of The Lotus and the Artichoke – JAPAN (in English🇺🇸 or German🇩🇪) … which also includes a sticker/bookmark set & immediate download of the e-book!
The Lotus and the Artichoke – JAPAN
My 8th cookbook of vegan recipes inspired by my travels, stays with families, and cooking in the kitchens of homes and restaurants worldwide
based on 4 visits to Japan – and adventures in 50+ other countries
224 pages with 120+ vegan recipes and over 90 full-page color photographs
packed full of quick eats, appetizers, mini-dishes, salads, soups, street food, soulful breakfasts, boxed lunches, delicious dinners, memorable set meals, fantastic feasts, and delightful desserts
travel stories from my international adventures & experiences
compact, no-nonsense, easy-to-follow recipes designed to satisfy and impress eaters of all ages, tastes, and minds
created for cooks of all levels, from beginner to advanced
recipes feature easy-to-find ingredients
lots of variations for simplification & substitutions
extensively tested & approved by cooks, foodies, friends, families, and hungry recipe testers in over 25 countries
available in ENGLISH… und auch auf DEUTSCH!
The Lotus and the Artichoke – JAPAN
(English edition 🇺🇸)
The Lotus and the Artichoke JAPAN (English) E-book A Culinary Adventure with over 120 Vegan Recipes (224 pages. PDF, 34 MB) €7
The Lotus and the Artichoke – JAPAN
(Deutsche Ausgabe 🇩🇪)
The Lotus and the Artichoke JAPAN (Deutsch) E-book Eine kulinarische Entdeckungsreise mit über 120 veganen Rezepten (224 Seiten. PDF, 34 MB) €7
Yasai Izakaya Genki. One of the best dining experiences of my life! Tokyo (2019) Photo by Liz Miu
My Japan Travels 1999 / 2019 / 2023 / 2024
Ryokan Yunomineso – on the Kumano Kodō temple trek (2019)
Hiroshima Okonomiyaki
Osaka Okonomiyaki
Katsu Tofu Cutlet – Bento
Gyoza – steam-fried dumplings
Onigiri – Ume, Gari, Kyuri
Onigiri – Negitoro, Hijiki Tofu
Toro Nigiri & Akami Nigiri
Tamago Nigiri
Hiyayakko – sliced, chilled tofu with tangy soy sauce
In December 2021 I was invited to go to Munich for a week of intense filming with the incredible Vegan Masterclass team. We filmed over 30 videos dedicated to my favorite country & cuisine – INDIA!
…and now I can share with you my passion and experience. Currently the entire course is in German, but I’ll be posting lots of content (especially on Instagram but also new recipes, photos, and videos here) in English.
Although I’ve been cooking Indian food for almost 30 years and speaking German for over 20, making this Masterclass was one of the most challenging (and rewarding) experiences in my life and career. I’d rank it right up there with the adventure of living and working in Amravati (Maharashtra) India for a year, teaching Art and English at an international school. It was definitely a peak achievement which puts a shiny crown on my move to Berlin, Germany in September 2001, and the 8 months of German language courses!
I’d like to dedicate this Indian Masterclass to all of the generous and brilliant friends, families, and masters of Indian cooking that have inspired me and led me on my own journey of discovery and delights. In my ten trips to India I have spent countless hours in kitchens of homes and restaurants, at street food vendors, and devoured unforgettable meals in every corner of the subcontinent. I’ve learnt so much, but I’m always still learning — and never shy to share my appreciation, love, and excitement.
(I’ve been back to India twice since I made this graphic… in 2018 and 2019 with my family!)
In my cookbooks and in the Indian Masterclass video series, I talk a lot about the individuals that have guided and inspired me, and there are many (wacky and wild) stories from my journals about my adventures – in the kitchen and beyond.
This course dives deep into the theory and magic of (mostly) North and South Indian cooking, but we must remember that these are very broad and general strokes attempting to classify and unimaginable breadth of different cuisines, techniques, traditions, and ideas. India offers an incredible wealth and diversity of foods and culinary ways, and many are underrepresented in cookbooks and courses. I hope to expand this Masterclass series in the future to include many other Indian cuisines, including Northeastern and more specific subcategories of Northern, Southern, and West Indian traditions.
I also address the concept of authenticity and ownership in my cookbooks, but it’s necessary for me to drop a few lines here, too: You can’t really cross the street or turn around in India without a new voice challenging the authenticity and correctness of any particular dish or spice mix. Debates on what does or does not belong in a dish, or which shape something must be, are very common and all part of the regional, community, family traditions, woven intricately into the cultural fabric, history, and interpretations. I will never claim to know all the secrets or have the most ‘authentic‘ recipe for anything, whether Indian cooking or otherwise. My recipes are the result of my very best efforts to repeat and reflect the traditions and culinary wonder shared with me. I always encourage you to explore and learn deeper and focus on appreciation and enjoyment.
Outside India it is not always possible to stay absolutely true to ingredients and methods as I’ve learned them, but I always try to address adaptations and modifications meant to render the recipes more accessible and practical on other continents and for a variety of audiences and cooks of all skill levels.
I promise you that my cookbooks and this Masterclass will offer you – and your loved ones – some of the most thorough, heartfelt, and sincere explorations of Indian cooking you’re likely to find outside of India. I’m always open to feedback and would love to hear your thoughts!
Here are some preview and promotional videos and photos from the course and also the obligatory (German) marketing text fun! :-)
Die indische Küche ist ein Traum für Gemüsefans! Sie überrascht mit einer Vielfalt an Geschmacksrichtungen, Aromen und Gewürzen. Traditionelle Köstlichkeiten aus der süd- und nordindischen Küche.
Egal ob herzhafte Fladenbrote wie Chapati oder Naan, oder aromatische Currys wie Chana Masala oder Palak Paneer – lass dich überraschen von der Raffinesse, den duftenden Gewürzkombinationen und den regionalen Delikatessen. Indien bietet ein Schatz voller Köstlichkeiten!
To celebrate the launch of my Indian Masterclass, last night I cooked Malai Kofta for the family! It’s one of my favorite recipes from my INDIA cookbook!
I was recently interviewed for Kochen ohne Knochen – Das Vegane Magazin. The original interview is in German, but I’ve translated it here for you to read in English, and added more detail to a few answers. I also included photos from the printed magazine’s design and layout for the article. I’m super pleased with how it turned out.
Justin, an American living in Berlin, has traveled to more than 40 countries and compiled over 100 delicious recipes. In his cookbook, The Lotus and the Artichoke (first published in English) which was recently published in German, he documents his culinary adventures from around the world.
