Japanese food. Japanese Cuisine: Food Aesthetics Everyday Japanese Food

There are not so many cuisines of the world classified as UNESCO World Intangible Cultural Heritage. The pearl of this collection is Japanese cuisine. Small plates of various shapes on the table, small pieces of food that are convenient to grab with chopsticks and put into your mouth, the clear appearance of the ingredients that make up the meal - this expresses the Japanese desire for elegance of design and aesthetics. Japanese attention to detail can also be seen in their attitude to food: young people are served larger portions than older people due to different metabolisms, food in the winter season is different from the summer, and the presentation of dishes turns into a real art.

Simplicity, ease of preparation, freshness of products are the foundations of Japanese cuisine. A regular corner grocery store or a high-end restaurant downtown will offer equally fresh food to their customers. In Japan, food packaged and offered for sale has a shelf life of no more than a day. It’s hard to believe that the beloved and famous Japanese cuisine was once closed to the world due to the policy of national reclusion carried out before 1868.

History of the kitchen

The earliest evidence of Japanese cuisine dates back to the Mesolithic and Neolithic times, when the main diet of the Japanese of that time was fish, various types of millet, and shellfish. Even then, the Japanese used pots in which all kinds of stews were cooked. The famous Japanese dish shabu-shabu, also called “one-pot dish,” dates back to this period. Archaeologists who conducted excavations in Japan noted that even then people used natural refrigerators in the form of deep pits and preserved food with salt.

The main product of the kitchen - rice - began to be cultivated in Japan in the 3rd century BC. e., and rice was not only a food product, but also a monetary unit, a measure of remuneration for samurai until the end of the 19th century. Rice reserves indicated the financial wealth of the family. In the 6th century, China influenced Japanese cuisine and the foundations of the tea ceremony were laid.

During the same period, Buddhism entered the country, and therefore, already in 675, a law prohibiting the consumption of meat appeared. Violation of the ban was punishable by death. True, the ban itself did not apply to all types of meat. For example, the meat of wild pigs and deer could continue to be eaten with impunity. In 752, fishing was also prohibited. Fishermen were left without work and a source of food. But to prevent the fishermen from starving to death, the imperial house assigned them a certain amount of rice annually. Chopsticks are not a Japanese invention. The Japanese borrowed them from the Chinese, just like the recipe for soy sauce and udon noodles.

“Rice was not only a food product, but also a currency”

With the beginning of the aristocratic era, which began in 710 after the founding of the permanent capital in Nara, Japanese cuisine acquired its inherent features. The dishes at the imperial court are elegant and understated; the refinement and external aesthetics of the dishes are valued, not their abundance. Everything that is on the plates acquires a certain symbolism; the color of the dishes is determined by the season and current events.

Before the arrival of the first Portuguese in Japan in 1543, sweets as such were absent from the population’s diet. Although sugar was discovered by the Japanese in the 8th century, it was considered a cure for lung disease and was not eaten. Most often, fruits, chestnuts, and honey were sweetened with tea. Everything changed with the arrival of Europeans in Japan. Sweet candies, caramels, cookies and lollipops - “sweets of the southern barbarians”, with which they tried to persuade the Japanese to Christianity. Japan closed itself off from the world again in 1639 and only opened up to the West after 1868. Bakeries, steakhouses, breweries, ice cream and chocolate shops, coffee and wine shops - all this came to Japan and became cosmically popular among young gourmets and intellectuals. Cheeses, milk and butter did not appear due to the popularity of the cheesecake dessert until the 1970s.

But American hamburgers were not destined to flood the market. Back in 1958, Ando Momofuku came up with revolutionary instant noodles in plastic cups, which all of Japan, and not only Japan, loved. Japanese food traditions are losing relevance in their own country, but suddenly the Japanese discover that it is their cuisine that inspires the entire modern world. Applicants from all over the world flocked to train with Japanese chefs. After all, a line on your resume stating that you were trained by a Japanese chef increases your competitiveness.

Japanese catering

Eating out became popular during the Edo era at the beginning of the 18th century, when the population of the city (which would later be renamed Tokyo) was twice the population of what was then Paris and the bulk of the residents were unmarried men and visiting provincials. Many of them huddled in small rooms and there was simply no place to cook. This gave a major boost to the fast food industry. In 1751, the world's first restaurant opened in Edo. The ability to understand the quality of food began to be considered a matter of honor. The first booklets with restaurant ratings began to be printed in Edo, Osaka and Kyoto.

In modern Japan, the main feature of public catering that distinguishes it from the rest of the world has become the tradition of displaying display cases at the entrance with replicas of main dishes and their prices. Green tea will always be served with your meal, and tips will be considered an insult - it is not customary to leave them here. You can often see a picture of a Japanese waiter catching up with a European on the street to give him a tip that he left out of habit.

“You can often see a picture of a Japanese waiter catching up with a European on the street to give him a tip that he left out of habit.”

All active life in big cities takes place around metro stations and train stations, so most cafes and restaurants are concentrated there. Food prices can be either quite reasonable or indecently high. It all depends on the level of the restaurant, the range of dishes and the quality of service.

An inexpensive and tasty snack option for tourists would be sushi establishments organized on a conveyor belt principle, where small plates pass by you and you can take what you like straight from the belt. The cost of dishes is determined by the color of the plate. After finishing the meal, the waiter counts the number and color of the plates and records them in the payment receipt, which you pay at the checkout when leaving the establishment. Ordering is usually done using an electronic display installed near each table.

It happens that a cafe only offers complex food options and it is impossible to change anything in the stated combinations. For example, if you want a bowl of soup with meat and vegetables, but without a bowl of rice, don’t even hope that they will understand you and fulfill your wish or adjust the price. There is a menu and that's it, no other items are provided.

“Back in 1958, Ando Momofuku came up with revolutionary instant noodles in plastic cups, which all of Japan, and not only Japan, loved.”

Superstitions/habits/signs

There are a number of rules associated with chopsticks in Japan. For example, women can only eat food with chopsticks, while men can eat some food with their hands. You cannot insert chopsticks vertically into food, especially rice; this is only done at funerals. The chopsticks are not used to move the plates, do not point them, do not hold them in a fist or place them across the bowl. Before asking for more rice, chopsticks should be placed on the table.

Before the meal, a “bon appetit” is always said and a damp, warm, or sometimes hot, oshibori towel is provided to wipe your hands before eating. It is impolite to get up from the table with half-eaten rice in your bowl; the rice is eaten to the last grain.

Dishes

Japanese cuisine can be divided into three groups: rice dishes, noodle dishes, and fish and meat dishes. The degree of heat treatment varies from completely raw meat and fish to products fried in batter over high heat.

Japanese noodles come in three types: ramen, udon and soba.

Ramen brought to Japan from China. It's basically noodles in broth. Most often, in chicken, but it can also be in pork or seafood broth. Vegetarian ramen have also been gaining popularity lately. Ramen noodles are made from wheat flour with the addition of eggs.

Noodles udon made from wheat flour, but without adding eggs. Due to its composition, it takes a little longer to cook than ramen noodles, but it is also more nutritious. Unlike ramen, udon noodles are consumed both as an independent dish with soy sauce and as part of a soup.

soba made from buckwheat flour, sometimes with the addition of wheat. This dish has been famous since the Nara era, when it was served at tea ceremonies. Soba is usually eaten cold with seasonings and soy sauce, but is sometimes added to hot broth.

When eating noodles of any kind, in Japan it is customary to smack your lips, thus showing that the dish is tasty.

Tempura- shrimp, fish and seasonal vegetables fried in batter. Use it with soy sauce broth. This crispy dish was brought to Japan by Christian missionaries.

Sukiyaki- “dish from the cauldron,” just like shabu-shabu, is cooked in a saucepan right on the table. Thin slices of beef, noodles, tofu and vegetables. Nothing complicated, but the taste is very refined.

Shabu-shabu- the cooking principle is close to sukiyaki, although here a thin piece of meat is dipped into a pot of boiling water, due to which excess fat is removed from the meat and the calorie content of the dish is reduced. The broth with meat is traditionally seasoned with onions, cabbage and vegetables.

Sushi, known and loved by everyone, initially looked completely different. Previously, rice and fish were carefully marinated and left for at least a year, and most often for three, before being eaten. The modern look of sushi was given by the samurai, who appreciated the taste of raw, fresh fish. It was thanks to their taste preferences that sushi became a ball of rice and a piece of fish. Typically, sushi is dipped in soy sauce and flavored with the "Japanese horseradish" wasabi. We are used to seeing wasabi on the table in a separate bowl, but in Japan, wasabi is placed directly inside the sushi. It is believed that different types of sushi should be eaten with pickled ginger in order to fully experience the different tastes.

Sashimi- chopped fillets of raw fish of various types, which are eaten dipped in soy sauce. Daikon, a Japanese radish, is often served with sashimi, which helps to fully reveal the taste of the fish.

Japanese curry- the only rice dish that is eaten with spoons. The dish came to Japan from India and was positioned as English (at that time India was a colony of Great Britain). Subsequently, the Japanese transformed the curry sauce to suit their taste and now this dish cannot be called a fusion version of Indian, the taste of the sauce is completely different.

Yakitori- a favorite snack for alcoholic drinks in Japan. Chicken meat, vegetables and mushrooms on bamboo skewers, grilled over charcoal. Mini-kebabs are offered in numerous izakaya bars and pubs.

Tonkatsu- a super popular dish in Japanese cafes. Just like tempura, it is deep-fried, but it is a pork chop and served not with soy, but with another sauce, slightly sweet in taste.

It is impossible to ignore the delicacy - fugu fish, which is considered food for extreme sports enthusiasts. After all, just a drop of poison, contained mainly in the liver of a fish, can lead a gourmet to complete paralysis and death. All chefs who prepare fugu fish have a special license to prepare it. According to Japanese tradition, a cook who poisons a client is obliged to commit hara-kiri, but is this still relevant today? That is the question.

The second famous Japanese delicacy is considered marbled meat. The meat of the bulls is especially tender and soft due to the fact that they are almost never allowed out of the stall and are generously fed with beer.

Well, of course, wagashi- all kinds of Japanese desserts based on rice, legumes, agar-agar. It’s difficult to call them sweet in the usual sense, but once you get used to it and discover the taste of wagashi, it’s difficult to refuse them.

Alcohol

The technology for preparing the most famous alcoholic drink - sake - is similar to brewing beer, but the amount of alcohol in Japanese sake vodka is three times higher than the “degree” of beer. Sake is also called rice wine because of the rice and water it contains. Sake is drunk warmed up - to achieve quick intoxication, or chilled, which is more familiar to Europeans. Sake is considered a drink for smart people, since research by Tokyo scientists suggests that the IQ of those who drink this drink daily is higher than that of those who abstain from it.

No less popular alcohol in Japan is beer, the advertisements of which are usually decorated with pretty, smiling Japanese women in short skirts. Whiskey that came from outside also found favor. Low-alcohol fruit drinks are popular among young people. Fruit and berry wines, which we contemptuously call “ink,” in Japan are made from plums - unlike ours, they have their own sophisticated, interesting taste.

Fast food

The most popular Japanese way to snack is to buy onigiri. This is a triangular-shaped rice pie with filling (salmon, chicken, caviar, egg, vegetables, and so on). Once upon a time, peasants took onigiri with them to the field, but now children take them with them to school and for walks.

Okonomiyaki - "Japanese pizza". Only its base is not made from dough, but from shredded cabbage, held together with raw eggs. Noodles, seafood, and vegetables are used as filling. A quick and economical meal, topped with sweet sauce and topped with dried fish.

Takoyaki are small balls of flour with pieces of octopus meat inside. The sauce and dried fish are the same as in okonomiyaki. Usually takoyaki is sold in 6 or 9 pieces. It seems that this snack can only “kill a worm,” but despite its size, takoyaki is a very filling meal.

“Many of them huddled in small rooms and there was simply nowhere to cook. This gave a powerful boost to the fast food industry."

Bento is a camping lunch option. It is a box divided into sections, each of which contains different ingredients. Bentos were originally sold at train stations for travelers who had a long journey ahead of them. The basis of the bento is rice and various mini-dishes (meat, fish, vegetables). Previously, they were prepared by caring wives and mothers; now they can be bought in any supermarket. However, it is not possible to take a wooden bento box out of Japan as a souvenir. They are considered a national treasure and are prohibited from export.

In addition, Japanese street food includes fried squid, fried corn, pancakes such as French crêpes, fried chestnuts, steamed dough buns with niku-man meat filling, kushi-yaki chicken on a stick, skewers of various types of meat and fancy forms of tofu. You definitely won’t go hungry in Japan!

Photo by Lady and Pups , I am a Food Blog, Fitness on Toast

Until recently, many people associated Japanese cuisine exclusively with sushi and rolls, but gradually other dishes from the Land of the Rising Sun are gaining popularity around the world. In today's article we will briefly talk about 50 dishes that are definitely worth trying if you find yourself in Japan.

1. Sushi / Sushi

Sushi is a dish that combines Japanese rice and seafood (although other ingredients are sometimes used). There is also a type of fermented sushi known as nare-zushi, but the most typical types of sushi are nigirizushi and temakizushi.There are many other ingredients for those who don't like raw fish, including boiled shrimp and fried eel.

You can find sushi all over Japan, but... of the high-end restaurants, such as those in the Ginza area or near the fishing ports, are especially delicious. If you want to eat inexpensively, then you should go to a kaitenzushi sushi restaurant or conveyor belt sushi, where you can enjoy it for only 100 yen per plate.

2. Tempura / Tempura

Tempura is a dish in which seafood, fresh vegetables and other ingredients are first dipped in flour and egg batter and then deep-fried. Although you can enjoy tempura in many restaurants, if you want to try a particularly tasty and fresh dish, it is better to visit a specialized tempura restaurant. In such an establishment, dishes are served on the table immediately after preparation.

3. Sukiyaki / Sukiyaki

Sukiyaki is a dish in which meat and vegetables are stewed in an iron pot. The sauce added to sukiyaki, known as warishita, is made from soy sauce and sugar.

There are many variations in ingredients and methods of eating this dish depending on the region. For example, some areas mix a beaten egg with the sauce to create a milder flavor. Overall, if you want to enjoy a lot of beef, then this dish is definitely for you.

4. Ramen

Ramen is a dish made from wheat noodles that has become incredibly popular. The soup was originally prepared with chicken, but in recent years pork, beef and seafood have also been added. In addition to the traditional version, today you can also enjoy ramen with the addition of curry. It is worth mentioning this type of ramen, where noodles and soup are served separately, it is called tsukemen.

5. Curry rice

If we talk about curry seasoning, it originated in India. But in our case, we mean a unique, localized dish based on curry that came to Japan from the UK. It is made with meat and vegetables (carrots, potatoes, onions, etc.), seasoned with curry, stewed and served with rice. Sometimes pork cutlets may also be added on top of the dish. You can taste this dish both in specialized curry restaurants and in a regular restaurant.

6. Tonkatsu

Tonkatsu is a dish consisting of pork cutlets as they are prepared in the West, that is, when a thick slice of pork is dipped in flour and beaten egg batter, then coated with breadcrumbs and fried in oil. The best place to try tonkatsu is at a specialty restaurant.

7. Soba noodles / Japanese Soba

A dish of noodles made from buckwheat flour, eaten with soy and sugar sauce, and with fillings such as egg, tempura, etc. Soba noodles, which you can buy in stores, are especially tasty, but at the same time very expensive, so we recommend try soba in a restaurant. There you can easily decide on the fillings that are listed on the menu.

8. Udon noodles

Udon is a noodle made from wheat flour. They eat it the same way as soba, with soy and sugar sauce. You can taste udon in many restaurants, but, again, the most delicious food is prepared in specialized udon restaurants. And in winter, we recommend trying a delicious noodle stew known as nabe yaki udon.

9. Karaage / Karaage

Karaage is chicken seasoned with soy sauce, salt and a number of other spices, sprinkled with starch and fried in oil. The dish is similar to the Japanese version of fried chicken, but the taste is completely different.

There are many different variations of karaage in Japan, depending on the region. For example, chicken nanban in Miyazaki, where the karaage is seasoned with tartar sauce, or Tebasaki in Nagoya, where the karaage is served with a sweet and spicy sauce. They are definitely worth a try.

10. Yakitori / Yakitori

Yakitori is shredded chicken skewers cooked on a barbecue and flavored with a sweet or soy sauce. We also recommend trying the pork shish kebab (yakiton in Japanese).

11. Yakiniku / Yakiniku

Yakiniku is beef soaked in sauce and grilled. It is very important to use the freshest possible meat for this dish. By lightly grilling the dish, you can enjoy the mild flavor of Japanese beef.

The most popular yakiniku are sirloin (known to the Japanese as rosu) and galbi (Korean marinated meat). At yakiniku restaurants you can taste all kinds of meat. The price of meat depends on the quality, so if you want to try real yakiniku, we recommend going to an upscale restaurant.

12. Sashimi / Sashimi

Sashimi is a traditional Japanese dish of raw fish cut into pieces. Served with soy sauce. By adding seasonings such as wasabi or ginger, the sashimi becomes even more delicious.

You can enjoy sashimi in other countries, but the degree of freshness will most likely be lower. If you want to try inexpensive sashimi, then order a meal set at a restaurant near the fishing port. But if you're willing to spend a little more, then you should try a sushi restaurant or a traditional Japanese restaurant. When staying at a ryokan or traditional Japanese inn, you'll likely get sashimi for dinner.

13. Robatayaki

Robatayaki is not really food, but rather a restaurant. In the restaurant, fish and vegetables are cooked over an open fire in front of customers. Dishes are cooked directly on charcoal, which gives them a unique aroma.

14. Shabu-shabu / Shabushabu

A dish in which meat and vegetables are boiled in water seasoned with konbu and other ingredients. A typical sauce for shabu-shabu is ponzu or sesame sauce. The main point is to lightly immerse the meat in water before eating it.

You can order both beef and pork shabu shabu. Sometimes udon noodles are added to the dish at the end of the meal. Unlike some other dishes, you won't be able to find shabu-shabu in non-specialty restaurants other than a few sukiyaki restaurants.

15. Gyutanyaki

This dish originates from Sendai, where beef tongue (gyutan) is cooked in a special way that tenderizes the meat. You can find this dish only in special restaurants.

A typical gyutanyaki contains rice cooked with barley (mugimeshi), and beef soup along with beef tongue. Tororo, or grated yam, is typically served with mugimeshi, along with various pickles such as cabbage or chili. Please note that in special gyutan restaurants the beef tongue is quite thick.

16. Kaiseki Ryori

Kaiseki-ryori is again not a dish, but a style of eating most suitable for a banquet. In this case, the menu usually consists of:

• ichijusansai (soup, sashimi, fried dish),
• snacks (otooshi),
• fried foods (agemono),
• stews (mushimono),
• Japanese salad (aemono), pickled dishes.

At the end of the meal, it is customary to serve rice, miso soup, pickles (konomono) and fruit (mizugashi). Naturally, such food is only available at designated kaiseki ryori restaurants, and reservations are usually required. It’s also worth mentioning that the price of kaiseki-ryori is often very high.

17. Gyudon / Gyudon

This dish is rice with beef. Gyudon, or beef bowl, has already become a popular dish around the world, but gyudon prepared in Japan may be slightly different from gyudon prepared in other countries. Firstly, the quality of rice differs. Also, the quality of beef may be different. By the way, if you want to try a really tasty gyudon, we recommend pouring a beaten egg over the beef.

18. Chankonabe

Chankonabe is prepared in a large pot using very nutritious meat and vegetables. This dish is popular among sumo wrestlers who use it to gain weight. If you want to try real chankonabe, then go to a restaurant run by a former sumo wrestler.

19. Motsunabe / Motsunabe

A famous dish from Fukuoka in which beef and pork meats are cooked in a pan with various vegetables such as cabbage and Chinese leeks (nira in Japanese). You can add other ingredients during cooking. After the main course, the soup is usually accompanied by Chinese chanpon noodles or rice. You can find motsunabe restaurants in Tokyo, but it’s better to try the original motsunabe in Fukuoka.

20. Onigiri / Onigiri

Onigiri is a ball of cooked rice, lightly salted and often with ingredients such as umeboshi (dried plum), salmon or cod, wrapped in a sheet of nori (dried seaweed). The21.re - specialized onigiri stores. However, you can buy them in other stores. This dish is very popular among foreigners.

21. Unagi-no-kabayaki

Unagi no kabayaki is eel ("unagi" in Japanese) coated in sauce and grilled over charcoal. In some regions it is steamed rather than fried. There is a type of kabayaki that is not dipped in sauce before frying, known as shiroyaki, however, generally the eel is dipped in soy and sweet sauce before frying.

You can enjoy unagi either as a separate dish or with rice (the second option is more popular). Nagoya has a unique way of eating unagi known as hitsumabushi, where the tea is poured over rice and then eaten.

22. Kani (crab) / Kani (Crab)

Kani, or simply crab, is found in all parts of the planet, but the crab in Japan is special. Hairy crab (kegani in Japanese) has exquisite meat and deep flavor. The Japanese especially love the part of the crab called kanimiso. It is a dark green paste from the intestinal cavity that has a slightly bitter taste.

If you want to try crab, we recommend Red King Crab (tarabagani in Japanese), which can be found in Hokkaido restaurants and specialty restaurants.

23. Yakizakana / Yakizakana

Yakizakana is a traditional fish dish that is grilled directly over an open fire, resulting in a crispy fish. Most often, mackerel (aji), saury (sanma), mackerel (saba) or salmon (shake) are chosen for this dish. Yakizakana can be enjoyed throughout Japan, and if you stay in a ryokan or traditional Japanese inn, you will be served this dish for breakfast.

24. Nizakana / Nizakana

Nizakana is fish cooked in soy sauce. Mackerel (saba), right-eye flounder (karei) or alfonsino (kinmedai) are commonly used for this dish. Another popular dish is buridaikon, where fish is boiled with daikon. You can enjoy nizakana at a variety of restaurants, including izakaya.

25. Fried dishes from western-style restaurants

Besides tonkatsu, there are a number of fried dishes that are prepared similarly to tempura. These include korokke (croquettes), menchikatsu (deep-fried mince pie), ebi fry (fried shrimp), kani cream korokke (crab croquettes) and kaki fry (fried oysters). You can enjoy these delicious dishes in Western style restaurants. The method of serving the dish depends on the specific restaurant.

26. Jingisukan / Jingisukan

This is a local dish from Hokkaido and Iwate Prefecture. Jingisukan is meat and vegetables cooked in a special pan with a raised center. The meat is cooked in the center of the pan, allowing the juices from the meat to drain and be absorbed by the vegetables on the sides. Please note that lamb has a very distinct smell, so you may not like the dish.

27. Kansai-style Kushikatsu

A popular dish in the Kansai region is meat and vegetables that are skewered and then fried in a batter, like tonkatsu. There are many different types of kushikatsu, so you can enjoy a wide variety of flavors if you wish.

Before eating kushikatsu, you should dip it in Worcestershire sauce. But please remember that the sauce is shared with other customers, so you should only dip the kushikatsu into it once. Also note that non-specialty kushikatsu restaurants in the Kanto region serve deep-fried pork and onion skewers as kushikatsu.

28. Oden / Oden

Although there are often large differences in preparation between Japanese regions, typical oden is a dish in which daikon, meat and fish balls, boiled eggs and other ingredients are simmered in a broth of dried bonito or konbu mixed with soy sauce. You can try oden in specialized oden restaurants; this dish is also sold in regular stores.

29. Okonomiyaki

This dish consists of vegetables, meat, seafood and other ingredients that are mixed with wheat flour and eggs and cooked on the stove. In some regions of Japan, the ingredients are placed on top of the flour and egg mixture rather than mixed into them.

It is worth mentioning that in most regions, chefs in restaurants prepare okonomiyaki themselves, but in the Kanto region there are many restaurants where the customer makes it himself. However, if you are not confident in your abilities, you can contact the restaurant staff and they will do everything for you.

The special sauce is the usual flavoring and adding mayonnaise to the dish makes it even better. You can also find okonomiyaki stalls at various festivals and events.

30. Buta-no-shogayaki / Buta-no-shogayaki

Buta no shogayaki is made with thinly sliced ​​pork and ginger, and is flavored with soy sauce and sake (Japanese rice wine). This dish can be found on the menu of any restaurant.

31. Katsudon / Katsudon

This dish consists of tonkatsu and onions cooked in soy sauce and topped with beaten eggs. Freshly fried tonkatsu is delicious on its own, but katsudon is a whole new flavor experience. Katsudon can be found not only in special tonkatsu restaurants, but also in regular restaurants. However, to enjoy the best katsudon, we recommend visiting a tonkatsu restaurant.

32. Fugu / Fugu

Fugu fish is a poisonous fish that can only be legally prepared in licensed restaurants. This is a rather expensive dish. At fugu restaurants, you can enjoy a variety of fugu dishes such as fugu hot pot, fugu karaage and fugu sashimi.

33. Gyoza

Gyoza are traditional Chinese dumplings. In China, suigyoza, or boiled gyoza, is mainstream, but in Japan, yakigyoza, or fried gyoza, is more popular. Another difference is the use of garlic in the fried gyoza. Gyoza dumplings are usually dipped in soy sauce, Chinese chili sauce, vinegar and other sauces that you can choose to suit your taste.

34. Nikujaga

This is one example of traditional Japanese home cooking, where potatoes and meat are boiled in soy and sugar sauce. Sometimes carrots and shirataki (konnyaku noodles) are also added to the dish. This typical dish can be found in both izakaya and regular restaurants.

35. Takoyaki

To prepare takoyaki, a mixture of wheat flour, water and broth is poured into a special frying pan with semicircular shapes. The filling is then prepared with chopped squid, cabbage and dried shrimp, which are added to the mixture and then fried. After some time, turn the pan over to fry the other side.

Takoyaki has a similar taste to okonomiyaki. Before eating, they need to be poured with sauce. A plate of takoyaki in restaurants costs about 500 yen (almost 300 rubles).

36. Sauce Yakisoba

Yakisoba sauce is a dish of fried noodles, pork, cabbage, bean sprouts and other ingredients seasoned with Worcestershire sauce. Yakisoba sauce is usually garnished with red pickled ginger and sprinkled with green dried seaweed. You can find Yakisoba sauce at stalls or okonomiyaki restaurants, as well as in stores.

37. Rice omelette / Omelette rice

To prepare this dish, you need to fry rice, chicken and onions together, seasoned with ketchup, and then pour a thin layer of omelette over it. The resulting dish is usually topped with demi glace sauce. Rice omelet is very popular with children, but adults love it too. This dish can be found in Western style restaurants and set menu restaurants.

38. Napolitano / Napolitan

Napolitano is sausage, onions and green peppers fried with cooked pasta and topped with ketchup sauce. The end result is a Japanese version of spaghetti with tomato sauce, but with a completely different taste. You can find Napolitan pasta in Western-style restaurants and cafes.

39. Kamameshi / Kamameshi

Kamameshi is a dish in which individual portions of rice are cooked in an iron pot called a kama with soy sauce, mirin (sweet sake for seasoning) and other ingredients. Before cooking, rice, chicken, seafood, vegetables, etc. are also added to the pot. Salmon roe is added after cooking. The finished dish is not eaten from kama, but is served in bowls. You can enjoy kamameshi in special kamameshi restaurants.

40. Tamagoyaki / Tamagoyaki

Tamagoyaki is a type of rolled omelette. This flavorful dish is very easy to make. In some cases, soy sauce or broth, known in Japan as dashi, is added to tamagoyaki. Tamagoyaki with added dashi is called dashimaki tamago, and although its appearance is similar to regular tamagoyaki, the taste is completely different. You can find tamagoyaki in both regular stores and specialized tamagoyaki stores.

41. Potato Salad

Japanese version of potato salad. This dish uses Japanese mayonnaise, which has a slightly different taste than European mayonnaise, thus giving the potato salad a different taste than it does overseas. Corn, cucumber, carrots and onions are also often added to this salad.

You can find potato salad in stores, but we recommend trying it at a restaurant or izakaya, where the homemade taste is truly fantastic.

42. Miso-shiru (Miso soup)

Misoshiru (miso soup) is a standard Japanese soup. It is prepared by mixing miso paste, bonito flakes, konbu and other ingredients. Common miso soup ingredients also include tofu, wakame and daikon. By the way, there is a dish called buta-jiru, which is prepared almost exactly the same as misoshiru, but it also adds pork (buta nike in Japanese), daikon, carrots and taro (satoimo in Japanese) .

43. Tofu / Tofu

Tofu has become well known overseas, but while you're in Japan, be sure to try real tofu. A very simple dish that uses tofu is hiyaakko. This is when bonito flakes and ginger are placed on tofu and soy sauce is poured on top. You can try it at izakaya and other restaurants. We also recommend trying dengaku, which is sliced ​​tofu, grilled and topped with miso.

44. Chawanmushi

A dish in which various ingredients such as chicken, white fish, shrimp, fish paste (kamaboko) and gingko nuts (ginnan) are added to a mixture of eggs and dashi in a bowl (chawan) and steamed. You can order chawanmushi in traditional Japanese restaurants. The dish is similar in appearance and texture to custard, but has a unique aroma.

45. Tsukemono / Tsukemono

Tsukemono are vegetables soaked in salt, vinegar or sake. Tsukemono is usually served in traditional Japanese restaurants, but tsukemono from specialty stores is a real delicacy. There are many different types of tsukemono that are definitely worth trying.

46. ​​Tamago kake gohan / Tamagokake gohan

This rice dish is prepared by mixing raw egg with soy sauce and pouring the mixture over hot rice. Recently, tamago kake gohan has become so popular that you can even find tamago kake gohan restaurants in Japan.

47. Edamame / Edamame

Edamame are young soybeans boiled directly in the pods in lightly salted water or steamed. This is an excellent beer snack, which is often ordered at a bar. Although edamame has a simple taste, many people still like it.

48. Chazuke / Chazuke

This is a dish in which tea is poured directly onto rice. It is often eaten at the end of a meal. It has a very light and refreshing taste, so you can eat it even if you are already full. Toppings such as dried seaweed, cod roe and salmon are often sprinkled on top of the dish.

This Japanese snack is very popular abroad. It is said that there are no children in the world who do not love umaibo, which cost only 10 yen. There is a wide range of flavors including salami, takoyaki and cheese.

50. Kasipan / Kashipan

A type of sweet bun that can be bought in stores or bakeries. There are different flavors of kashipan and different fillings, such as anpan (with sweet paste) and curry (with curry sauce), and also flavored ones, such as melon flavor). They usually cost around 100 yen, so they're definitely worth a try if you find yourself in Japan.

Without exaggeration, we can say that Japanese dishes arouse genuine interest among Europeans. The unusualness of dishes in terms of taste and aesthetic parameters attracts an increasing number of fans, and the passion for Japanese cuisine is quickly spreading throughout the world.

Nowadays, no one will be surprised by Japanese food and specialized restaurants are springing up like mushrooms. We can safely say that Japanese cuisine is a paradise for gourmets and healthy food lovers.

What is very common and popular among us, for example, sushi, rolls, is not a typical daily food for the Japanese. Often what the Japanese eat is much simpler. Even based on the example of what our Japanese teachers treat us to at various thematic meetings, we can conclude that the Japanese prefer healthy food and I would probably prefer our food, which is richer and brighter in taste.

But I also love it very much and, on occasion, I either or do not miss the opportunity to visit Japanese cuisine establishments.

As an example, we were treated to soba (buckwheat noodles), boiled with finely chopped nori (seaweed), and you could add wasabi and soy sauce if desired. Another time it was beans (adzuki) with gravy and with the addition of something white, like rice flour balls. Traditional sweets are also made with the addition of rice flour and adzuki is used as a sweet filling. And of course, traditional Japanese green tea.

What do the Japanese prefer? Today we will walk from north to south across the Japanese islands and see the most delicious, or rather not very well known, but popular dishes in Japan.

Hokkaido is the northernmost and coldest island of the Japanese archipelago; what dishes are preferred here?

They prefer... actually, the specialty of Hokkaido is crabs, but today we will focus on the cheesecakes of the company Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts, already known outside Japan; in order to try hot pies with cheese filling, the Japanese line up. Hokkaido is famous for its dairy products and three types of cheese are used to make cheese pies. The ingredients of the cheese filling are a closely guarded secret.

The pies have the perfect balance between sweet and savory, with a silky custard and crispy crust that frames the deliciousness of the cheeses. Cheese pie is eaten both warm and frozen, then the custard becomes like a popsicle.

Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tarts is a trademark and is widely known outside of Japan; in particular, in Australia, the locals enjoyed the delicacy.

The next dish is typical of Hokkaido - Jingisukan (Genghis Khan) - you know this Japanese dish Genghis Khan is a variation of it - it is fried lamb cooked on a grill or dome-shaped frying pan with the addition of onions and various local vegetables - bell peppers, green onions, etc. This dish is also popular in China and Thailand, and although its origins are controversial, Japan is rightfully recognized as its home. Spring and summer in Hokkaido are the time for picnics and Genghis Khan is the most popular dish of these seasons.

A favorite treat and must-have souvenir from Hokkaido is the Rokkatei Marusei sandwich - a cookie or sponge cake filled with white chocolate, raisins, and butter made from milk produced in Hokkaido.

Ramen is an iconic dish of Japanese cuisine. Every region, prefecture, and even every cafe and restaurant has its own version of such a popular dish. Hokkaido is no exception. During the cold winter months, a large dish of hot ramen is just what you need for peace and comfort (the Japanese are big fans and even fans of food, especially delicious food).

Ramen prepared in Sapporo usually features a rich broth and lots of noodles with sweet corn added. Typically in Hokkaido, there is a long line at the ramen shop.

In Tahoku, the signature dish is はらこ飯 (Harakomeshi)

With the arrival of autumn, from mid-September to December, residents of the Tahoku region, Miyagi Prefecture enjoy this delicious and delicious dish. Literally it means rice with salmon or rice with caviar. At this time of year, the Abukuma River begins to fish for select salmon.

The rice is cooked in salmon broth and sprinkled with caviar on top - I can imagine that it is really tasty, at least it is very beautiful.

IN THE KANTO REGION YOU CAN FIND A VERY DIFFERENT DISH: Monjayaki

For local residents, this dish takes the crown for the title of the most delicious and at the same time the most “ugly” non-aesthetic dish. The principle of preparing monjiaki is the same, but a lot of seafood and a jelly-like sauce are added to them, as a result of which the dish does not take on a solid form, but remains soft and vague, which is not so easy to eat.

SWEETS OF OKINAWA AND KYUSHU

Dango are sweet balls on sticks made from rice dough. This is a very popular and favorite sweet of the Japanese. Depending on what seasoning will be used when preparing dango, its type and therefore its name are determined, for example, if dango is made from red beans or with azuki paste, then it will be called An-dango, and if with the addition of soy flour, then its name there will be Kinako Dango. Well, in Okinawa and Kyushu, dango is traditionally made from pieces of raw sweet potato with the addition of moderately sweet anko (red beans). All this is wrapped in dough and steamed.

Kyushu is also famous for tonkatsu ramen - pork bones are boiled for several hours until the broth turns into a jelly-like mass, then noodles, pork meat and spices are added to the broth. At first, this dish originated as fast food for people who worked in the fish market. Today, it takes considerable time to prepare and a special chain of restaurants based in Fukuoka specializes in its preparation.

In Kagawa Prefecture, the most popular and common dish is sanuki udon. There are more than 800 specialized restaurants here, and each taxi driver can provide tourists with information in which of the restaurants you can eat or try this or that type of sanuki udon.

At first glance, I didn’t see anything unusual or “healthy” in the above dishes. Meat broths (about which they write that it would be better not to eat them), cookies, noodles. On the other hand, a large amount of greens and various seaweeds are added to each dish; vegetable fillings predominate in sweets.

Do you think these beautiful Japanese dishes can be called healthy food? Although, of course, this article was not intended to list specifically “healthy” Japanese food. Personally, I really liked はらこ飯 (Harakomeshi), I would gladly include it in my diet if there was a nearby Abukuma River in which there were selected salmon.

So, what do you think is the most popular dish in Japan? I am sure that many will say sushi and this is not far from the truth. Sushi is really loved and often eaten in Japan, but there are other, more popular dishes. So, let's go..

Ramen

1. Ramen- These are Japanese wheat noodles with meat or fish broth. Many people believe that only very poor people eat this dish. However, in Japan, ramen is very popular because it is considered both very tasty and healthy food. Most often they prefer ramen with meat and vegetables. Different regions of the country prepare their own type of broth for the dish. The most popular broths are those with soy sauce.

Ramen is very easy to prepare: put boiled noodles in a bowl, fill with broth, add the rest of the ingredients on top: vegetables, eggs, pickles.

Donburi

2. In Japan, this is the name for rice dishes with meat, fish or vegetables. The recipe for the dish is very simple: put boiled rice in a cup, and boiled or fried meat and vegetables on top. Rice with fried pork is called tonkatsu, but if you add beef and onions to the rice, you get gyudon.

Sushi

3. Sushi is a traditional Japanese dish made from thin pieces of raw fish and rice mixed with a vinegar seasoning. Sometimes the fish is placed on small triangles, which are sculpted from rice, but mostly they are rolled into a seaweed roll. (nori) and rice, after which the roll is cut (rolls) across, in circles.

Japanese curry

4. This is a very popular dish in Japan. Japanese curry is less spicy than Indian curry. The dish consists of meat and vegetables in a thick curry sauce, laid out on top of rice.

Onigiri

5. Onigiri They are a rice ball with a piece of fish (salmon, tuna) or pickled plum placed in the core.

Onigiri is prepared as follows: we place warm rice in the palm of our hand, put the filling in the middle of the rice, after which we begin to slowly squeeze it all. The main thing is not to overcook the rice, as pressed rice is not as tasty.

Nabe

6. Nabe called a large pan of meat and vegetables cooked in broth. Nabe with soy sauce-based broth is called oden. Shabu shabu, sukiyaki and chanko are all also varieties of nabe.

Tyahan

7. Tyahan- This is fried rice with all kinds of additives. The most common chahan includes fried rice, egg and onion, with the addition of soy sauce.

Tempura

8. Tempura- This is seafood and vegetables in batter, deep fried. Tempura is served with various specific sauces. The most common vegetables used are potatoes, bell peppers, onions and bamboo. Shrimp are especially popular for making seafood tempura.

Udon

9. This is a type of flour noodle served with fish broth along with seaweed, fish cakes and vegetables. The main difference from ramen is that egg is not used when preparing the noodles.

Fried meat "Yaki"

10. "Yaki" means "fried" in Japanese. Yakiniku- chicken skewered and grilled. This can be bought both in restaurants and on the streets during various events. Yakizakana is fried fish. Conventional Japanese stoves do not have an oven, but there is a small grill where you can fry fish.

For a long time, many internal social and everyday aspects of Japanese life remained closed. Until the mid-twentieth century, little was known about Japanese cuisine. Today, Japanese cuisine recipes with photos and detailed descriptions can be found in any source (magazines, booklets, Internet).

Becoming special

Traditional Japanese recipes may seem unusual and different from other Asian dishes. Minimal heat treatment, fresh food, small portions, etiquette - a brief description of recipes for preparing Japanese cuisine.

Preserving the original, natural properties of the product is the main skill of Japanese chefs. Not to create, but to find and discover is the most important commandment of kitchen masters. But to prepare Japanese cuisine at home, you don’t need any special skills or professional kitchen equipment.

Main cast

The best Japanese recipes contain a small amount of ingredients. For the Japanese, the phrase "Japanese cuisine" means a devotion to ancient foods eaten before the break of cultural isolation.

The range of products is determined by climate, the nature of farming, accessibility to the sea, and seasonality.

Japanese cuisine recipes include:

1. Rice is the main ingredient, the food basis of the Japanese. It is associated with the general concept of food. Highly sticky varieties (easy to eat with chopsticks) are popular. Rice dishes in Japanese cuisine are an integral part of the national culture.
2. Seafood - Japanese dishes are not complete without fish and other marine life. The Japanese do not disdain algae.
3. Soy is a traditional product borrowed from China. In recipes of Japanese national cuisine it serves as a nutritious mass, in the form of a seasoning (sauce), as a first course (miso soup) and as enzymes (beans).
4. Beans - act as an ingredient for soups and fillings.
5. Vegetation - ubiquitous cucumbers, lettuce, cabbage, carrots. Peculiar: wasabi, daikon (a radish of unusual shape and color), bamboo are part of many sauces and side dishes. The Japanese cuisine website will tell you more.
6. Noodles - several types of different composition are used. Soba is buckwheat, tyukasoba is wheat, udon is made from wheat flour without eggs. Many recipes for Japanese salads, soups and side dishes contain noodles as the main component.
7. Meat - national dishes of Japanese cuisine rarely contain it. The product is a later borrowing from Chinese and European recipes.

Form required

Japanese cuisine recipes are easy to master at home. You should pay more attention to the presentation of dishes. The function of food is not only to satiate the body. It should please the eye and fill a person spiritually.

A Japanese cuisine menu with pictures will help create an appearance that is given no less importance than the freshness of the products. Learn Japanese cuisine with photos. This will help you quickly understand and master Japanese cuisine recipes.

Where is it from?

We prepare Japanese cuisine with simple and aesthetic appliances and utensils. Having examined the recipes of Japanese cuisine with photographs, the many shapes and colors of national dishes become noticeable. There are no traditional table services. The exception is small, stylized sets for sushi and tea. Dishes are made from ceramics, wood and porcelain. Today you can also find plastic utensils. Simple Japanese dishes are eaten from simple utensils.

About the nature of the dishes

How to cook Japanese cuisine? Some dishes will require special utensils. For example, a bamboo mat for sushi/rolls. Sometimes the manufacturing process itself is intricate. Video recipes for Japanese cuisine will help you learn how to use ingredients and equipment correctly.

Rice everywhere

There is no main course category in Japanese cuisine. Lunch consists of small portions of various dishes. The simplest Japanese recipes are rice dishes. It is boiled in unsalted water, stirring with a wooden spatula. No oil or seasonings are added. The volume of water in relation to rice is calculated as 1/1.5 liter.

Gokhan - boiled rice can be eaten immediately, sprinkling a portion with salt, herbs or sesame seeds. The overwhelming majority of Japanese national cuisine recipes contain gohan.

The names of Japanese dishes are interesting. In addition to the root name, prefixes are used to characterize the dish. Chahan is a Japanese pilaf, the prefix “ebi” means cooked with shrimp, and “tori” means cooked with chicken. In the list of Japanese cuisine there are names that are not entirely euphonious (for Russians). Beef fried on a special shovel - “sukiyaki”.

Recipes for Japanese cuisine with pictures explain how to prepare food and serve portions. Video clips are often used to learn how to prepare sushi and rolls. The picture will not show you how to give sushi the desired shape or how to properly roll a roll. Sushi is a typical cold dish of Japanese cuisine.

Not only Japanese cuisine is of interest, but also cuisines from around the world. Details. Certain Japanese dishes are great for vegetarians. Read in this article.

For hot dishes

The main component of Japanese soups is miso (soybean paste). Broths are prepared from fish, mushrooms and seaweed. Hot dishes of Japanese cuisine: pieces of meat, fish, vegetables and mushrooms can be fried in batter, breadcrumbs, grilled or spatula.

Salads

The preparation of Japanese cuisine occurs with minimal heat treatment of the ingredients (the composition and properties are preserved). The recipe allows you to use plants, mushrooms, rice, seafood and meat. Salads are seasoned with soy sauce, sake and rice vinegar.

Sweets (wagashi)

Japanese culinary recipes do not contain sugar or cocoa. The Japanese replace them with rice, seaweed and red beans.

Recipes for Japanese cuisine at home with photos are posted on websites visited by people who are interested in cooking.