General: Japan > Reviews > A Guide to Japanese Food

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Japanese food is gaining greater and greater acceptance all over
the world. Naturally there is demand for Japanese food items by
expatriates from that country but more and more non-Japanese are
also acquiring a taste for this fascinating cuisine Perhaps the
growing enthusiasm for this food reflects the belief than the clean
methods of preparation, the neatness, the delicacy, visual beauty
and presentation generates a high degree of confidence over the
freshness and purity of the basic ingredients. This cuisine delights
the senses! Japanese food, however, is not only visually very
appealing, it is also healthy with its strong reliance on fresh fish,
seafood, noodles, and the freshest seasonal ingredients.

Authentic Japanese food is now widely available in the US, Canada,
throughout much of Western Europe, East and South East Asia,
Australia and New Zealand, and sushi bars have sprung-up in the
most unusual places. Seemingly non-Japanese diners have grown to
appreciate the simply beauty and healthy nature of this cuisine.

Here’s a selection of some of the more popular Japanese dishes.

Sukiyaki : comprises beef and vegetables which are lightly
simmered in a sweetened sauce, served together with a raw egg as
a dip.

Okonomiyaki : a large savoury pancake which is cooked in front of
you on a hotplate. You can choose the ingredients and make it
yourself.

Korokke : deep-fried and breaded coquettes, usually comprising of
mashed potatoes and minted meats.

Teppanyaki : tender beef, seafood and vegetables cooked on a
metal hotplate set in the center of the table in front of the diner.

Sushi : small pieces of raw seafood typically a finger length of
prawn, tuna, squid, yellowtail, eel, sardine or salmon placed on top
of a ball of lightly vinegared rice. Wasabi is usually added: this is a
hot horseradish paste.

Sashimi : raw seafood such as salmon, tuna, shrimps, scallops, sea
bream and octopus eaten with the likes of soy sauce and the fiery
wasabi which is a very pungent green horseradish sauce.

Yakitori : There are various varieties but usually small chunks of
chicken, ox tongue, beef and vegetables are grilled on skewers.
During the cooking, it is flavoured with either salt or lightly brushed
with a mild, sweet, soy sauce.

Shabu-Shabu : can best be described as the Japanese version of
steamboat where, items such as thin slices of beef, chicken,
prawns, squid, are simmered with bean curd, vermicelli and various
vegetables. You dip the slices in sesame or soy sauce.

Kitsune Udon : comprises wheat flour noodles cooked in fish broth
with fried bean curd and vegetables such as leeks.

Ramen Noodles : are Chinese-type noodles cooked in a meat broth
with thinly sliced meat, spinach and leeks.

Tonuki-Sabe : comprises buckwheat noodles cooked in fish boullion
and topped with fried flour crust, spinach and fish cake.

Beef Usu Yaki : thin and delicate sliced beef rolls with garlic.

Tempura: is cooked by frying vegetables and shrimps or prawn in
fresh vegetable oil after coating each morsel with a batter made of
eggs, water and wheat flour. Eaten hot and dipped in specially
prepared soy sauce and grated radish, Tempura, was originally
introduced to Japan by Spanish and Portuguese missionaries in the
late 16th century.

The best accompaniment to Japanese meals is probably sake,
fermented liquor made from rice, another option is the highly
refreshing and much less potent green tea but even a lager beer
goes fine with these foods.