By ERICA EARL | Stars and Stripes | Published: December 23, 2020 Immerse yourself and your family in Japanese culture while still social distancing and staying home during the coronavirus pandemic by sampling local cuisine in your own kitchen. The first step must be a trip to a Japanese grocery store, still an essential activity. My friend Michele Tanabe, an English teacher and Japan Air Self-Defense Forces spouse, and I assembled a list of quintessential items to get you started. Dashi powder This is a quick and easy way to make soup stock and saves a lot of time in the kitchen. It typically comes in pre-packaged sticks with instructions for the powder-to-water ratio. The instructions also typically include pictures, adding ease. Dashi is a base ingredient for many Japanese culinary classics such as miso soup, udon and tempura dishes so having an instant option will make these recipes a lot easier. Dashi powder can be found in the spices and dry mix aisles.