It’s no secret that Japanese cuisine is a source of interesting and unusual products. That’s why you should order sushi to try some of them and find out what is actually often used for cooking in Asia itself.
Japanese cuisine and main ingredients
What does Japanese cuisine actually include and what are its most popular ingredients?
Vegetables
Daikon, bamboo, sweet potatoes, lotus, spinach, and others are most often on the table. Of the familiar vegetables, we find cabbage and carrots, eggplant and onions. Due to the peculiarities of climate and soil, preference is given to plants and their roots, because it is impossible to grow some crops due to high humidity.
Meat
More recently, at the beginning of the last century, the country began to cook dishes not only from fish but also from meat. Certain beef and chicken recipes are considered popular, but they have been adopted by visiting Portuguese and other foreigners. Different types of poultry are actively used, less often – pork, songs of its part. Dishes are often prepared in the form of tempura – a special way of frying.
Fish and seafood
Because Japan has access to water, its inhabitants do not have enough seafood on the table. You can safely add squid, crabs, shrimp, shellfish, and other crustaceans, including sea urchins. Fish are actively caught and eaten – salmon, tuna, perch, and others.
Noodles and rice
Considered the most used in Asian cuisine. Preference is given to round-grained rice, which has a sticky texture and is well suited for garnish and sculpting sushi. Brown and wild rice are actively used.
Speaking of noodles, we must mention that there are several types. In particular, udon (wheat flour), ramen (with the addition of mineral water), soba (buckwheat flour), somen (wheat), and other species, including shirataki.
Products from Japan: what else is brought from Asia
In addition to the main products, on the shelves of our stores, you can find a couple that will come in handy during cooking.
Pasta and broth
Miso paste, made from soybeans that have undergone fermentation, plays a key role in Asian cuisine. With its help, the first dishes are created – soups of the same name and others. It is also used for dressing, marinating, or frying products.
But the so-called dashi consists of tuna chips and dried seaweed. In the future, a mixture is obtained, on the basis of which the first dishes and dressings with marinade are also prepared.
Tofu
It is considered almost a national heritage. Made from soy, it has long been considered not just a meat substitute, but a complete dish or snack. Several types of it are used – hard, soft, and egg, which is a bit like pudding. It is used for frying, quenching, added to salads, soups, and so on.
