Mukoita II, Cutting Techniques: Seafood, Poultry, and Vegetables

Mukoita II, Cutting Techniques: Seafood, Poultry, and Vegetables is a meticulous, visually structured guide to Japanese knife work—this time extending beyond finfish to cover a broader range of ingredients essential to the cuisine. It’s part of the Japanese Culinary Academy Series, and maintains the same technical precision and photographic clarity as the other books in the set.

The book opens with the fundamentals: correct posture, grip, and sanitation. It then completes the seafood section begun in Mukoita I, covering smaller fish like sardine and horse mackerel before turning to eel, mollusks, and crustaceans—including octopus, crab, and lobster. Every step is shown in detail through instructional photo sequences that are both informative and exacting.

The poultry section includes chicken, mallard, and quail, with clear breakdowns of each bird that reflect professional training standards. From there, the book shifts to vegetables, separating functional cutting for cooking from more refined work meant for garnish and presentation. Techniques such as precise peeling, scoring, and decorative carving are presented in the same rigorous format used throughout the volume.

Recipes are included throughout to connect technique with finished dishes, but the primary value of the book lies in its methodical approach. For cooks looking to develop or refine traditional Japanese knife skills across a wider range of ingredients, this volume offers uncommon depth.

Hardcover. Color photographs throughout.

Also in this series:

Introduction to Japanese Cuisine: Nature, History and Culture

Mukoita I, Cutting Techniques: Fish

Flavoring and Seasoning: Dashi, Umami, and Fermented Foods

Yakiba Grilling Techniques: Shio-yaki, Furishio-yaki, Yuan-yaki, Tare-yaki, and Yakitori