Japanese Cuisine From Miso to Matcha

Otoso, p.101

Introduction

It’s been a little over ten years since my first trip to Japan, and when I look back on it now I see so clearly how little I knew about Japanese gastronomy then. Like so many other tourists, I assumed that Japanese cuisine basically consisted of sushi, white rice, and a few kinds of noodles. And I came home with all the same shibboleths about vegetables being hard to find there and fruit being unaffordable, because I had seen the beautifully, individually packaged strawberries being sold like gourmet pastries.

Now that I live half-time in Japan and experience everyday life there, I understand that Japanese cuisine is the exact opposite of all these assumptions. Far from being plain and predictable, the flavour palette is unbelievably complex, and the variety of ingredients is tremendous –not to mention the textures, which in Japanese cuisine are every bit as important as the flavours. I gradually came to appreciate the chewiness of a good mochi and the slimy threads of the infamous nattō; when the day came that I had raw sea squirt for the first time, and someone asked me how it was, I responded with a hearty “oishii!” (“yummy!”) and I meant it. In short, not only did I discover that Japanese cuisine offers a whole universe of experiences (with many dishes being true revelations), but I also fell in love with the subtlety, balance and incredible variation.

And yet, every time I come back from Japan I still get the same question from friends and family: “Did you eat sushi every day?” No. I don’t even particularly like sushi, and to be honest, I hardly ever eat it. You want to know what I did eat? Japanese curries, fragrant enoki mushrooms, chicken necks, sweet omelettes, stews with fish cake, sea grapes... I could go on and on. I did drink sake, of course, but more often than that I drank iced coffee, Japanese beer and plum liqueur. And still, every time I set foot back in that extraordinary country I discover something new: local specialties like edamame-flavour mochi, a variation on the Japanese dessert treat yōkan, or a new ingredient like shio kombu.

Places to eat

The basics and other ingredients

Breakfast

Tōfu

Seaweed

Yakumi: seasonings

Noodles

Sushi

Donburi: the Japanese rice bowl

Eggs

Crispy and fried

Yōshoku: “Western” dishes

Seafood and shellfish

Fish

Spring Summer Autumn Winter

Sake: Japanese rice wine

Alcoholic drinks

Tea

Wagashi: traditional sweets

Otsumami: savoury snacks

Yōgashi: “Western” sweets

Baked goods

Kissaten: the coffee house

Konbini: the convenience store

Bentō

Matsuri: festivals

Izakaya

Yakitori

Shōjin ryōri: the temple

Recipes

17

柚子

ゆず Yuzu Yuzu

An aromatic citrus fruit that ripens in the autumn, yuzu is one of the most iconic Japanese flavours. All of the fruit can be used: the juice adds brightness to dishes, while the pungent peel is also eaten, often sliced into thin strips. Yuzuponzu is a zesty dipping sauce made from yuzu, soy sauce and vinegar. Sometimes the hollowed-out fruit is used as a serving bowl. And the winter solstice yuzu bath has been a tradition since the Edo period (1603-1868). Floating in the hot water, the fruits steep and spread their aroma, moisturising the skin and relaxing the mind.

18

生姜

しょうが ·

茗荷

みょうが

Shōga • Myōga

Ginger • Japanese Ginger

In Japan, two different types of ginger are popular: myōga (Japanese ginger) is slightly pink in colour and its flavour is more subtle and somewhat more herbal than ordinary ginger. Only the buds and young shoots are eaten. Sliced finely, myōga is used as a garnish, for example alongside grilled fish, and added to summer dishes. What we know as ginger is called shōga in Japan, where it is grated and used as a dip for tempura (p.57), or served thinly sliced and marinated in sugar and vinegar alongside sushi as a palate cleanser. Sometimes shōga is also added to fish dishes to neutralise strong odours.

Donburi

Donburi, meaning “porcelain bowl,” is a Japanese dish combining steamed rice and various toppings like fish, meat or vegetables. Unlike many other Japanese dishes in which rice and side dishes are served separately, in donburi it all goes into the same bowl, making a complete meal in itself. A common addition to donburi is egg in some form, whether soft-boiled, beaten and steamed with the dish, or even raw. Donburi is traditionally eaten with chopsticks, but if you have trouble with that feel free to use a spoon–no one will mind. Donburi is often called “don” for short.

親子丼

おやこどん

Oyakodon

Chicken and egg donburi

Oyakodon is one of the most popular donburi in Japan, and the ultimate comfort food. The name is a compound of the words for “parent” (oya) and “child” (ko), a reference to the dyad of chicken and egg. Chicken and a beaten egg are steamed in a mixture of soy sauce, sugar and dashi, and then finished with thinly sliced spring onion. Substitute pork for the chicken and you have tanin donburi, or “the stranger’s donburi” (tanin is the Japanese word for a person who is not a relative) (see recipe p.173).

Eggs

Japanese eggs merit a chapter unto themselves; they are astonishingly rich in flavour and their yolks are a startlingly deep yellow. Because in Japan eggs are often eaten raw, they are sold very fresh and have a very short shelf life. But contrary to what many people think, the intense yellow of the yolk is not down to their freshness; it’s because chickens in Japan get a different type of feed, which gives the yolks their deep yellow-orange colour. Eggs play a key role in a great many Japanese dishes.

36

卵かけご飯

たまごかけ

ごはん

Tamago kake gohan

Raw egg on rice

Hot rice with a raw egg and soy sauce is a classic Japanese breakfast dish. Some use only the yolk, others use a whole egg and first beat it quickly, but very often it’s a raw egg simply dropped onto the rice. It’s a quick, nutritious dish that is perfect for a busy morning. For the non-Japanese, the slimy texture of raw egg white might take some getting used to, but give it a chance!

Yōshoku

Broadly, within Japanese cuisine there are two major styles: washoku and yōshoku. Washoku is the traditional Japanese cuisine, while yōshoku refers to Western dishes that have been adopted by Japanese cuisine, usually with a Japanese twist. This style arose in the Meiji period (1868-1912), when Western ingredients and cooking techniques were introduced to Japan. Although the dishes have their origins in the West, they have been adjusted to Japanese tastes and cooking techniques down through the years. Yōshoku is often eaten with cutlery, in contrast to washoku, which is always eaten with chopsticks. Although the term “Western” is used to define yōshoku, it also includes influences from other Asian cuisines, including Chinese, Korean and Indian. 46

オムライス Omuraisu Omelette on rice

A classic yōshoku dish: fried rice with chicken and egg, add ketchup to taste, then wrap in a thin omelette and garnish with more ketchup on top. A modern variant seen in the 1985 film Tampopo uses a half-cooked omelette, so when cut open it delivers a creamy layer of egg scramble on top of the rice. This version has become so popular that it is now the standard. Sometimes, it is decorated with white sauce or demi-glace instead of ketchup. Omuraisu is also a beloved dish for children, especially when the ketchup is used to write something amusing on the egg.

Spring

As spring approaches, Japan turns pink. The blossoming of the cherry trees marks the arrival of the new season and the signs of new life. This time of the year is celebrated with hanami, or “flower viewing,” a tradition dating back to the 8th century. Dishes that not only reflect the season but celebrate the joy of being together with family and friends in the outdoors are enjoyed at picnics under the flowers. Fresh vegetables, fruits, and colourful bentō (p.145) bring spring to the table.

桜餅

さくらもち

Sakura mochi

Cherry blossom mochi

Sakura mochi is a traditional treat that consists of a pale pink mochi (p.113) with a filling of anko (sweet red bean paste). The mochi are wrapped in a pickled cherry tree leaf that you can also eat (or not). There are two main forms: Kansai style (region: Osaka and Kyoto), which uses steamed rice, giving the mochi a grainy texture, and Kantō style (region: Tokyo), which uses a thin dough of wheat flour that is fried and then folded around the filling.

かき氷

かきごおり

Kakigōri

Shaved ice

Kakigōri is a classic Japanese summer dessert made of finely shaved ice covered in syrup. The texture is airy, like newly fallen snow. The range of syrups is varied, from neon red strawberry to bright green melon and yellow lemon. This dessert is sometimes made extra-sweet with the addition of condensed milk. In the Heian period (794-1185) kakigōri was a luxury reserved to the aristocracy, but it became available to a broader public starting in the 19th century. It remains one of the most popular refreshments during the hot summer months.

ひやしちゅうか

Hiyashi chūka

Cold Chinese noodles

Hiyashi chūka is a refreshing dish made from cold Chinese noodles, often served with a sweet-and-sour soy or sesame sauce. The noodles are dressed with a colourful blend of ingredients: cucumber, tomato, thinly sliced omelette strips, steamed chicken, cold ham, or any combination thereof. Cold soba, udon and sōmen (p.39) are often eaten in summer as well, but this dish is the ulitmate go-to because its toppings are so refreshing (see recipe p.175).

Wagashi

Wagashi is an umbrella term that refers to a variety of traditional Japanese sweets. Unlike western sweets, wagashi are primarily vegan: milk, butter or cream are rarely used. They are made from rice flour, sugar and anko (sweet red bean paste). Wagashi was originally served during tea ceremonies to balance the green tea’s bitterness. There are three main types of wagashi; these are defined by the sweets’ moisture content. They are namagashi (fresh ingredients, high moisture content), higashi (dried sweets), and han namagashi (semi-dried). For many wagashi, the colour, design and subtle references to the seasons are at least as important as the taste.

96

団子

だんご

Dango Rice dumplings

Dango are small, soft and slightly chewy balls made from sticky rice flour and water. Unlike mochi (p.113), for which the rice is mashed, for dango the dough is shaped and then steamed. The usual serving is three to four balls on a wooden skewer, topped with sweet bean paste, black sesame, kinako (roasted soybean flower) or some other topping. Don’t pass up a chance to try mitarashi dango, which are grilled and seasoned with a sweet soy sauce. The colourful hanami dango (p.77) that is eaten during the cherry blossom season is so popular that it has long been immortalised with its own emoji.

Yōgashi

In Japan, along with traditional wagashi (p.111) you will also find many sweets inspired by Western desserts. These will often contain cream, butter, milk and eggs, ingredients that in the postwar period only became available again by import. Yōgashi are so popular that they are sometimes even more prevalent than wagashi in konbini (p.139) and bakeries. Imagine beautifully decorated cakes and airy pastries with fresh fruit, although they are rarely exact copies of the Western original; as with many things, in Japan they prefer to give imported Western ideas a refined Japanese twist. For one of the earliest examples of yōgashi, try a kasutera (castella), an airy cake introduced by the Portuguese in the 16th century, but now so well-established in the Japanese culinary landscape that it is considered a traditional Japanese dessert.

106

パンケーキ

Pankeeki Pancakes

Japanese pancakes, also called soufflé pancakes, are thick, fluffy and soft. The secret of their fluffy texture lies in beating egg whites to soft peaks, to which the rest of the ingredients are then gently added. These pancakes are often baked in tall, metal rings to get them as thick as possible. Although they can be eaten with savory ingredients, more often they are served with powdered sugar, syrup, whipped cream or butter.