Among the many delicacies in the world, Japanese food is particularly attractive to me. Like exquisite sushi, fragrant ramen, crispy tempura, every time I think of it, I am so greedy.
I have been looking forward to going to Japan to start a food adventure. Finally, when I set foot on the land of Japan, I was so excited. I can’t wait to shuttle through the streets and alleys, looking for those delicious foods hidden in the corners. Every time I come to Japan, it is a new and exciting taste bud exploration journey for me.
1.Sushi
In Japanese cuisine, sushi is a well-known signboard, and it is very famous. When many people mention Japanese food, the first thing they think of is sushi. There are so many types of sushi that they can’t count them, and each one has its own unique charm.
Nigiri sushi is the most common one. The chefs are very skilled. They gently put fresh sashimi or other ingredients on the small rice ball, and then gently press it with their hands, and a beautiful sushi is formed. The sashimi here is carefully selected and must be guaranteed to be as fresh as possible. Tuna tastes plump and mellow; salmon tastes fresh and smooth; sweet shrimps are sweet and elastic. Paired with soft and glutinous rice, the taste of the sea and the sweetness of rice blend perfectly in your mouth, which is so satisfying.
Rolled sushi is also very popular. It is a combination of rice, sashimi, vegetables, etc., cleverly rolled up with seaweed, like a delicious little package. The classic California roll contains crab meat, avocado and cucumber. The flavors of various ingredients are matched just right, with a particularly rich taste and distinct layers. Taijuan is more substantial, with more ingredients, such as egg omelette, shiitake mushrooms, and dried radish, which are rolled thickly, and you will feel full after eating one.
2.Ramen
Ramen is a national delicacy in Japan, and ramen restaurants can be seen everywhere in the streets and alleys. Whether it is a bustling city or a quiet rural town, as long as you are hungry and want to find a bowl of steaming ramen, it is very easy.
There are many types of Japanese ramen, and pork bone ramen, soy sauce ramen, and miso ramen are more common. The soup base of pork bone ramen is made from pork bones, and it takes a long time to cook. During the cooking process, the nutrients such as collagen and bone marrow in the pork bones all run into the soup, so the soup base is rich milky white, smells particularly fragrant, and tastes mellow. The noodles are also chewy, and paired with tender barbecued pork, delicious fungus, and smooth soft-boiled eggs, every bite is particularly satisfying.
The main seasoning of soy sauce ramen is soy sauce. The soup base is very clear, but the taste is very rich. The traditional soy sauce ramen soup base is made from ingredients such as bonito flakes and kelp, and then seasoned with an appropriate amount of soy sauce. The taste is particularly unique. The noodles are generally thin and slippery, and they go particularly well with the soup base and side dishes.
3.Tempura
Tempura is a representative of fried food in Japanese cuisine. It is very delicate and looks like a work of art.
Tempura is mainly made of seafood and vegetables, such as shrimp, fish, eggplant, pumpkin, sweet potato, etc. These ingredients are carefully selected and must be fresh. When making tempura, the frying technique is particularly critical. First, you have to prepare the batter, which is usually a mixture of low-gluten flour, eggs and water. The proportion of these three ingredients must be just right, so that the fried tempura will be crispy on the outside and the ingredients inside can remain fresh and juicy.
The dipping sauce for tempura is also very special. It is usually made of soy sauce, mirin and grated radish. The salty fragrance of soy sauce, the sweetness of mirin and the freshness of grated radish, the three flavors blend together to add a rich flavor to tempura. When eating tempura, dip it lightly in the dipping sauce and put it in your mouth. It is really a pleasure to feel the crispness of the skin, the tenderness of the ingredients inside, and the unique flavor brought by the dipping sauce.
4.Japanese food set meal
Japanese food set meal is a very distinctive dining style in Japanese cuisine. It combines many different dishes together, just like a food gift package, which can bring diners a particularly rich taste experience.
A complete Japanese food set meal generally includes appetizers, sashimi, boiled food, fried food, steamed food, and desserts. Appetizers are usually some exquisite side dishes, such as cold vegetables, pickled side dishes, etc., which taste very refreshing and can make people’s appetites open at once. Sashimi is the focus of Japanese food set meal. The fresh sashimi is neatly arranged and the colors are particularly bright, which makes people greedy. Common sashimi includes tuna, salmon, sea bream, sweet shrimp, etc. Each piece of sashimi is very tender and melts in the mouth with a light sip.
Boiled food is to cook various ingredients in soup, such as boiled vegetables, boiled tofu, and boiled seafood. The soup of boiled food is very rich, and the ingredients absorb the taste of the soup, which tastes particularly delicious. Fried food is usually tempura. As mentioned before, tempura has a crispy outer skin and is tender and juicy inside. It tastes great with a unique dipping sauce.
5.Takoyaki: Fun and delicious
Takoyaki originated from Osaka. Its round appearance is super cute and its taste is even better. It is particularly famous among Japanese street snacks. Walking on the streets of Osaka, you can see takoyaki shops everywhere. There are many people queuing up just to taste this delicacy.
The process of making takoyaki is very interesting. The chef first pours the special batter into a round mold, then puts fresh octopus pieces, cabbage, onions and other ingredients into it, and then turns the mold to bake. As the temperature rises, the fragrance wafts out, and the smell makes people drool. The baked takoyaki is golden yellow, crispy on the outside, and soft on the inside. Take a bite, and the tender octopus pieces will pop in your mouth. It tastes delicious and is particularly elastic.
When eating takoyaki, it is usually paired with special takoyaki sauce, salad dressing, and sprinkled with seaweed powder and bonito flakes. The takoyaki sauce is sweet, the salad dressing is mellow and delicate, the seaweed powder is fresh and fragrant, and the bonito flakes also have a unique flavor. These are paired with takoyaki, and every bite is rich and delicious.
6.Okonomiyaki: Representative of Kansai flavor
Okonomiyaki also has an interesting name, called “Japanese pizza”, which is a specialty food in the Kansai region. It is mainly made of flour as raw material, and then eggs, water, vegetables, meat, seafood and other things are added. After mixing into batter, it is grilled on an iron plate. The ingredients of Okonomiyaki can be freely matched according to your own taste. Common ones include pork, shrimp, squid, octopus, cabbage, carrots, bean sprouts, etc.
When making Okonomiyaki, the chef pours the batter on the hot iron plate, spreads it with a spatula, and makes it into a round pancake shape. Then put various ingredients on the batter, and press it with a spatula to fully mix the ingredients and batter. As the temperature of the iron plate rises, the bottom of the Okonomiyaki becomes golden and crispy, and the surface becomes particularly tempting.
Okonomiyaki tastes particularly rich, with a crispy outer layer and soft inside. The flavors of various ingredients blend together to form a unique flavor. When eating, a thick layer of teriyaki sauce and salad dressing is usually squeezed on the surface, and then sprinkled with bonito flakes and seaweed powder, so that the taste and flavor are even better.
Conclusion: The continuation of the food journey
Japanese food is really so charming! From their strict requirements on ingredients, to exquisite and beautiful plating, to unique dining etiquette, and countless traditional foods and street snacks, each one is unforgettable. Every dish is full of the chefs’ care and love for food. Every bite is like an intimate dialogue with Japanese culture.
I sincerely recommend everyone to go to Japan in person to experience the food there. I believe you will be deeply shocked and moved.
