Japanese Cuisine

Aspergillus Oryzae [麴菌, kōji-kin]:

A filamentous fungi used in fermentation processes for Japanese and Chinese cuisine. In Japan, it is sometimes known as the national microbe (国菌, kokkin) due to its central role in Japanese cooking and related industries. A. Oryzae is used to produce soy sauce, miso, mirin, shōchū, awamori and sake.

 

Awamori [泡盛]:

Rice brandy unique to the southern islands of Okinawa. Alcohol content is usually 25-30%, though can be found at 43%. Unlike sake, it is distilled rather than brewed. Thai rice is used (the process was imported from Thailand). It can be drunk neat, on the rocks, diluted with water or in a cocktail.

 

Bentō, also Obentō [お弁当]:

Japanese boxed lunch. The term refers to both the box as well as the complete meal. Bentō are divided and filled with a variety of food (typically rice accompanied by combinations of meat, fish and vegetables). They are readily available in many places, such as convenience stores, department stores and train stations. Housewives often take great pride (or feel the pressure of outdoing the Yamadas) in preparing bentō for their husbands and offspring.

 

Chankonabe [ちゃんこ鍋]:

Stew eaten by sumo wrestlers. A one-pot dish, diners are served from the communal nabe. Rich in protein, the dish can contain chicken, beef, pork, fish balls, tofu, as well as vegetables. The broth contains dashi, sake and mirin. At the end of the meal udon may be added to the leftover broth.

 

Daikon [大根]:

Giant white radish, indigenous to East Asia. Revered.

 

Dashi [出し, だし]:

Stock. Made from konbu and katsuobushi. It forms the base of many Japanese sauces, soups and broths. One of the core ingredients of Japanese cuisine (along with mirin and soy sauce).

 

Hijiki [鹿尾菜,ヒジキ]:

A green to brown seaweed indigenous to the shores of Japan, Korea and China. Hijiki is usually sold dried. The process results in the characteristic black colour. Dried hijiki should be soaked in water before consumption. Many people have lauded its health benefits. Hijiki is high in fibre, calcium and iron; I just think it’s tasty in a simple salad with soya beans and konnyaku and slivers of carrot.

 

Katsuobushi [鰹節, かつおぶし]

Dried, fermented and smoked bonito flakes

 

Konbu, also Kombu [昆布, こんぶ, コンブ]:

Kelp. Used to make dashi. Dried konbu has a powerful salt and vinegar flavour: umami heaven. Konbu is also pickled and eaten as a side dish, snack or onigiri filling.

 

Konnyaku [蒟蒻,こんにゃく]:

Japanese root jelly, similar to gelatin. It is made from Amorphophallus konjac, colloquially known as the konnyaku potato (). The jelly is pale white, being a mixture of the konnyaku flour, water and calcium hydroxide (extracted from eggshells). However, hijiki is often added, providing the characteristic dark, speckled colouring. Konnyaku comes in block or noodle (しらたき, shirataki) form. It is also made into candy.

 

Mirin [味醂, みりん]:

Sweet sake, used exclusively for cooking. One of the core ingredients of Japanese cuisine (along with soyasoya sauce and dashi). Adds balance to dishes, as well as neutralising the odour of fish.

 

Miso [味噌, みそ]:

Fermented soybean, rice or barley paste. It is a staple of Japanese cuisine. There is a great number of miso available, with variance in taste, texture and colour. A versatile ingredient, it is used in soups, sauces, spreads, pickles, marinades, glazes as a condiment.

 

Nabe [鍋], also Nambemono [鍋物, nabe = cooking pot, mono = things]:

Nabe refers to both a cooking pot and the one-pot dishes made using it. Common dishes include chankonabe, sukiyaki and shabu shabu.

 

Onigiri [お握り, おにぎり]:

Rice ball: the Japanese equivalent of the sandwich. Whether you’re preparing a bento, in need of a quick snack or on a budget, the humble onigiri with its multitude of fillings is perfect for filling that hole in your stomach.

 

Sake, also Nihonshu [日本酒, nihonshu]:

Japanese alcohol, made from fermented rice. One thing worth nothing for visitors to Japan is that sake [酒]can be used to denote alcohol in general, or a specific local variety. Ask for nihonshu [日本酒, literally Japanese alcohol] if you want what we call in English sake.

 

Shōchū [焼酎]:

Distilled Japanese alcohol. Alcohol content is usually around 25%, but can be over 40%. Usually made from one of the following raw materials: sweet potato [芋, いも, imo], barley [麦, むぎ, mugi], rice [ 米,こめ, kome], sugar cane [黒糖,こくとう, kokutou] and soba [buckwheat, 蕎麦,そば].  However, there several other variations, using such diverse materials as chestnuts, corn, squash and carrots. Kyushu and the western part of Honshu are famous for producing shōchū. Their climate, warmer than the rest of Japan, is less conducive to nihonshu brewing.

 

Soya Sauce, also Soy Sauce [醤油, shōyu]:

Dark brown sauce, adding saltiness and depth to food. Made from fermented soya beans, wheat, salt and water. Japanese soya sauces are categorised according to ingredients and method of production. They are distinct from Chinese soya sauces.

 

Umeshu [梅酒]:

Plum liqueur. Alcohol content 10-15%. Sweet, sour and sour tasting, it is usually drunk on the rocks, with a mixer (soda, tonic, green tea, water) or as part of a cocktail. The most common base is shōchū, though other kinds, such as sake, are also used. Often enjoyed by those who do not like the taste of stronger alcohol.