Editor’s note: The theme of Gohan Lab is to help people make simple, tasty “gohan” (meals). This week we will feature “kuromame,” sweet simmered black soybeans that are a must in “osechi-ryori,” the ...

Steaming, poaching, simmering, and boiling — both novice and experienced home cooks frequently find these terms confusing. All of them refer to cooking food using heated water, but at different ...