Japanese Cuisine

The Peculiarity of Japanese Cuisine

Japanese Cuisine is one of the most distinctive cuisines in the world, one of the important characteristics of Japanese cuisine, both ancient and modern, is that it always uses only fresh ingredients. A Japanese hostess goes to the store or market every day and buys as many products as she will use that day. This tradition of using fresh food is part of the respect for nature. The Japanese believe that when cooking, food should retain its natural and natural look and taste. This applies not only to agricultural crops, but also to seafood.

Japanese Cuisine and Seasonal Products

In Japanese families, dishes are prepared according to the season, that is, the products that grow in that particular season are used. In the spring, Japanese cuisine uses the shoots of various plants that are collected in the forests. Summer, of course, brings more variety to Japanese cuisine https://kashevar.com/en/recipes/japan. There are dishes using tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, eggplants, beans, peas. Autumn is rich in mushrooms and of course the Japanese make the most of it. In winter, root vegetables such as carrots, turnips, daikon, large white radish, burdock root are involved in the preparation of various Japanese recipes. One thing that is constant all year round is the opportunity to buy fish. In the Japanese fish market, you can buy tuna, sea bass, herring, cod and other types of fish. You can also buy octopus, sea urchins, other seafood and a wide variety of algae, which are widely used in Japanese cuisine recipes. In addition to vegetables, fish and seafood, on the Japanese table you can see dishes from beef, pork, chicken.

Styles of Japanese Cuisine

Japanese cuisine has many styles of cooking. One of the most common ways is Nimono. This category includes dishes that are prepared by boiling. Ingredients - fish, meat, or vegetables - are boiled in a rich broth. The next category is called Yakimono, which is food grilled over charcoal at high heat. Agemono - food is fried, dipped in batter and deep fried. Japanese dishes that are prepared directly at the table are classified as Nabemono. They include meat, fish, vegetables, tofu and sometimes noodles. Dishes consisting of boiled vegetables and seafood served cold with a dipping sauce are categorized as Emono. The Tsukemono category includes pickled vegetables that are served with most Japanese dishes.

Japanese Cuisine Dishes

When preparing menus, Japanese chefs include all categories of dishes on the menu. Japanese breakfasts, lunches and dinners combine practically incompatible tastes. They are very contrasting and bright. A Japanese dish with a spicy taste can be served with teriyaki sauce, fried foods with a sweet sauce. As for the rules, the Japanese can have soup for breakfast, while in many countries soup is preferred at dinner.

Food Decoration of Japanese Cuisine

When cooking dishes, the Japanese think not only about the freshness of the products, but also about their appearance. The Japanese believe that good food should look beautiful and please the eye. They approach the preparation of recipes like artists, picking out colors and paints that should go together. The Japanese widely use special methods for cutting products. The choice of dishes also affects the beauty; on a plate or cup that is correctly selected in color and shape, different dishes will look different. In Japan, cooking and serving food is considered an art. But this art is an integral part of the everyday life of the Japanese.

Holiday Japanese Recipes

Holidays are an integral part of Japanese culture. For most Japanese, the holidays are a time to have fun with friends and family and, of course, cook up lots of recipes.

The most important holiday for the Japanese is the New Year, for which they prepare in advance. For the New Year, the most important decoration is kagamimochi. This decoration is made from two rice cakes (mochi) that are stacked one on top of the other and garnished with dried persimmon, fern leaves and seaweed. After New Year's celebrations, mochi are cut and distributed to all family members for good luck. On the New Year's table, the Japanese should always have noodles (toshikoshi), it is thin and long, which symbolizes a long life. In the morning after the New Year's Eve, the whole family gathers and drinks otoso - spiced sake or rice wine. After enjoying the New Year's soup ozoni. During the celebration of the New Year, the Japanese bake chestnuts, cook rice dumplings, scrambled eggs, sweet potatoes.

There is also such a holiday in Japan - Boys' Day. On this day, Mochi rice cakes are made with sweet an paste wrapped in oak leaves. Rice dumplings are also prepared, which are wrapped in bamboo leaves. For Girls' Day, pink diamond-shaped rice cakes, sweet rice crackers are prepared.

The Role of Rice and Soy in Japanese Cuisine

It is impossible to imagine Japanese cuisine without rice. No wonder rice means “food” in Japanese. Along with rice, the Japanese eat noodles called soba - it is made from buckwheat flour and is one of the most common in Japan. Two types of noodles are made from wheat flour - udon and somen. Soybeans are another staple in Japanese cuisine. It would probably be very difficult to cook a Japanese dish without the use of soy sauce. Not only sauce is produced from soybeans, but also many other products, such as, for example, Tofu cheese. Tofu is consumed on its own or used in the preparation of various dishes.

Japanese Cuisine Recipes

When you start cooking Japanese recipes, the first thing to understand is that there is no need to rush. Everything must be done very carefully, with a good mood and patience. And do not forget that you are a real artist who can create a picture on a dish. At the end of the work, especially when it works out, and you will definitely succeed, you will get the maximum satisfaction from a masterpiece made with your own hands.