JOC Cooking Challenge March 2025

Welcome to our March 2025 JOC Cooking Challenge!

An indigo round plate containing chopped cabbage dish called Yamitsuki Cabbage served with a pair of chopsticks and small dishes and sake cups and the table.

I’m excited to kick off our first cooking challenge of the year by encouraging everyone to find simple joy in the kitchen and make cooking the best part of their day.

This month, we’ll be making an easy yet incredibly healthy recipe that requires just one vegetable and a few pantry staples. There’s no reason not to join—everyone’s invited!

This Month’s Recipe Challenge: Yamitsuki Cabbage

Deliciously crunchy and savory, Yamitsuki Cabbage is a popular izakaya side dish made famous by the Japanese BBQ chain Gyukaku. Today, many Japanese home cooks prepare their own variations of this dish because it’s an affordable and quick way to serve vegetables!

Please take time to read the entire post and recipe first before you head to the kitchen. I’ve included variations and customizations that you’re welcome to try.

If you have any recipe questions, please leave them in the comment section of the recipe post. If it’s related to the cooking challenge rules, please leave your comment below. We’re ready to help!

The Prizes!

This contest is open to everyone worldwide. We will randomly select 3 winners at the end of the challenge using random.org. Each winner will receive a $100 Amazon gift card.

Everyone who has completed submission for the JOC Cooking Challenge is automatically entered into the prize draw.

Please note that we will NOT select winners based on the creations, but you need to make sure your submission meets the scope of the recipe.

How to Join the JOC Cooking Challenge

Make Yamitsuki Cabbage and follow the recipe as closely as possible so your final dish will look similar to mine.

To enter for your chance to win the prize (only one entry per person), please complete the following two steps:

Email us your picture: Send one picture of your final dish via email (contest@justonecookbook.com) before 12 pm PST on March 31, 2025, and;
Leave a (honest) star rating and feedback on the Yamitsuki Cabbage recipe post: Use the same email address as your photo submission. We’d love to hear about your fun cooking moments, kitchen mishaps, or any challenges and feedback you encounter along the way. We know sharing takes an extra step, and we truly appreciate your time and insights!

Make sure to follow these two steps to complete your submission!

Feel free to share your picture on social media and tag us @justonecookbook.

Past Cooking Challenges & Recipes

This is a quarterly online event on Just One Cookbook. We host the challenge in March, June, September, and December. We’d love for you to join us in each challenge! To receive the updates, be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter.