Japan

Mentsuyu, also known as Tsuyu, is a Japanese soup base typically prepared using sake, mirin, soy sauce, kombu and katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes). It is usually added to soba and udon noodle dishes, and its flavor is said to be subtle yet strongly savory. Because of the addition of soy sauce and bonito flakes, this …

Basashi is a traditional Japanese horse meat sashimi dish. It is typically accompanied by condiments including sliced onions, grated ginger and garlic, and is then dipped in sweet soy sauce. It is usually consumed cold (almost frozen in the middle) and is considered to be a popular side dish for drinks. It is said that …

Ponzu sauce is a traditional Japanese dipping sauce prepared using soy sauce or tamari, citrus juice, mirin, katsuobushi (bonito flakes), kombu (kelp) and rice vinegar. The sauce is typically consumed as a condiment for sashimi, shabu shabu (hot pot), tataki (grilled meat), gyoza (dumplings), cold noodles and tempura. Ponzu sauce can also be used as …

Unadon is a typical Japanese dish consisting of grilled unagi (eel) fillets placed over steamed rice. The unagi is made kabayaki-style, like teriyaki. The fillets are coated with a sweetened soy-based sauce (also known as tare) and caramelized, generally over a charcoal fire. Traditionally, pulverized dried berries of sanshō (also known as Japanese pepper) are …

Tanuki soba is a traditional Japanese noodle dish prepared using buckwheat soba noodles. The dish is typically served in a dashi broth which is seasoned with soy sauce and then finished off with crumbled tempura batter. The tempura helps to provide the dish with a crunchy texture. Usually consumed hot, this Tanuki Soba is sometimes …

Japanese 7 spice, also known as shichimi togarashi, is a Japanese spice mixture that translates to ‘seven-flavor chilli pepper’. It is usually prepared using seven ingredients, which include red chilli pepper, sansho pepper, hemp seeds and/or poppy seeds, white sesame seeds and/or black sesame seeds, ground ginger, yuzu or mandarin orange peel and nori. This …

Turtle soup is a delicacy prepared in many different variations in countries including China, Singapore, Taiwan, Malaysia, Japan and the United States. The ingredients vary accordingly depending on the culture but all recipes use the meat of turtles in a type of soup or stew. Turtle soup is believed to taste like a mix of …

Udon is a traditional, thick Japanese noodle prepared using wheat flour. Udon can be prepared in many different ways and is considered a comfort dish for many locals. However, the simplest version is in a hot soup known as kake udon, along with a broth (commonly known as kakejiru). The broth is prepared using dashi, …

Sea urchins are spherical, hard-shelled animals generally found on the seabed of every ocean. They usually live in cracks and crevices on coastal rocks and reefs. Despite the fact that it may appear odd to consume the spiny sea urchin, it is in fact relished in several countries around the world. Some of them include …

Dorayaki is a Japanese dessert comprising of two small pancake-like patties that are prepared by first making a castella cake. The castella cake is made into patty shapes which are then stuffed with sweet azuki bean paste. Many variations also use custard cream, chestnuts, and cream (matcha cream, cream with fruits, etc.) as the filling. …

Takuan, also known as takuan-zuke, is a pickled Japanese daikon radish. The pickle is yellow in colour, comes in thick strips and is frequently served along with other kinds of tsukemono (Japanese-style pickles) in typical Japanese cuisine. Japanese daikon radish is generally sweet and mild in taste and has a good crunch to it. Hence, …

Castella, also known as Kasutera, is a traditional Japanese sponge cake prepared using bread flour, sugar, honey, and eggs. It is a type of wagashi (a traditional Japanese sweet meat) consisting of dark brown top and bottom crusts. The inside of this cake is a creamy yellow and its texture is very moist and bouncy. …

Wasp crackers, also called Jibachi Senbei, are a Japanese snack similar to senbei rice crackers but filled with digger wasps. Other ingredients include water, eggs, sugar, salt, oil, sesame seeds and soy sauce. Old wasp hunters (most of them in their 80s) set traps near the neighboring countryside to capture the wasps. They are then …

Tekka maki is a popular type of Japanese sushi roll made of raw tuna. Also known as Tuna roll, tekka maki is a typical hosomaki, covered with nori seaweed on the outside. The dish is prepared using just a few ingredients, which includes the whole slices of lean tuna, sushi rice, rice vinegar, salt, and …

Takoyaki, also known as octopus balls, is a Japanese dish consisting of minced octopus meat (tako), tempura scraps (tenkasu), pickled ginger (benishoga), and green onion (negi) in a wheat flour-based batter. It is then cooked in a unique molded pan in the shape of balls. The cooked balls are then coated with takoyaki sauce and …

Okonomiyaki sauce is the sauce used on Okonomiyaki, which are like Japanese pancakes or frittatas made from eggs, flour, cabbage, slices of pork belly and scallions. However, it’s the sauce that brings it all together, a condiment that is typically brought in a bottle and added to the pancakes to give it a sweet, tangy, …

Fugu is a puffer fish delicacy eaten in Japan which, if prepared incorrectly, can be deadly to eat. This is because there are toxic parts of the poison tetrodotoxin in the fish’s organs which neat to be prepared properly in order to prevent it from contaminating the meat. There are always those who cannot resist …

Bukkake udon is a refreshing summer dish eaten in Japan that consists of cold boiled udon noodles and a variety of different sauces and garnishing combinations, depending on taste. Common seasonings include ginger, vegetables, scallions, meat, poached egg and wasabi. Whilst Bukkake Udon is a filling and hearty dish, it is a fairly light meal, …