Thinking of Japanese food dishes the first thing that come to mind is sushi and the second, raw and uncooked food. But, believe me, Japanese food dishes are a lot more than that.
Here are some common and favorite Japanese food dishes.
- Ramen – Not to be confused with the instant ramen, “real ramen” generally has a slab of pork in it, sometimes a boiled egg and lots of vegetables. The soup base is for you to choose: salt, miso or even a spicy soup base are options. This is big-time comfort food in Japan.
- Sushi – Common and very popular Japanese food dishes all over the world need no introduction. Japanese are infamous for always eating sushi just like the Americans are associated with eating burgers.
- Soba Noodles – Japanese soba noodles are buckwheat noodles that have a grey appearance and are eaten on New Year’s Eve for good luck.
- Nabe – This is a one-pot meal where everything but the kitchen sink is thrown in. The Japanese love nabe in the winter and you’ll find lots of tofu, mushrooms, leeks and meat in this great soup.
- Udon – Classic Japanese noodles. Thick white noodles in a soy base soup.
- Japanese Curry – You’ll forget the Indian curry, this is a true Japanese meal that isn’t spicy at all, and is generally cooked with potatoes and beef.
- Miso – This traditional Japanese soup is made from the miso paste and is a favorite at all times of the day, even for breakfast. It commonly contains tofu and green onions, although each Japanese home will have its own version.
- Gyoza – While not really a dish in the strict sense, gyoza is similar to Chinese pot stickers and generally contains pork, cabbage and garlic on the inside. The Japanese love to fry the outside so their crispy.
- Beef Bowl –This is nothing more than sticky white rice topped with fried beef and onions.
- California Roll – Okay, some don’t consider the California roll one of the real Japanese food dishes, but who can ignore rice and cucumbers rolled up in seaweed? Come on now!
- Tempura Batter – You can make tempura with various vegetables, meat, and seafood. Knowing how to make basic tempura batter is basic.
- Teriyaki Chicken – Teriyaki chicken is grilled chicken with sweet teriyaki sauce. You can serve teriyaki chicken with steamed rice.
- Beef Sukiyaki – Sukiyaki is a popular one-pot meal. The main ingredient is thin sliced beef, and it is simmered in skillet with sukiyaki sauce and lots of vegetables.
- Spicy Tuna Roll – It’s a sushi roll with seasoned fresh tuna.
- Yakisoba – Yakisoba is a popular Japanese fried noodle.
- Tentsuyu – Tentsuyu is tempura dipping sauce. Serve this delicious sauce with your tempura.
There are a variety of Japanese food dishes to be tasted and tried and it does involve cooking and is not always raw!
Why not try some sake to go with your Japanese meal?
Need additional information?
Recipes
Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
Harumi’s Japanese Home Cooking: Simple, Elegant Recipes for Contemporary Tastes
Simple Delicacies: Japanese Recipes from Hirozen
A Dictionary of Japanese Food: Ingredients & Culture
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Matsutani Ajitsuke Seasoned Seaweed Snack — 100 Individually Wrapped Bags
10 Assorted FOOD CAKE DESSERT Japanese Erasers IWAKO
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Tempura Batter Mix 10 Oz. Hime
Kaneku Premium Wasabi Ko – Japanese Horseradish Powder – 0.88 Oz (Expiration Date Format: yymmdd)
Kitchenware
Zojirushi Mr. Bento Stainless Steel Lunch Jar
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[...] Japanese food dishes generally consists of several different okazu accompanying a bowl of cooked white Japanese rice, a bowl of soup and some pickles. The most standard meal comprises three side dishes (okazu`s) and is termed ichijū-sansai (“one soup, three sides”). Different cooking techniques are applied to each of the three sides; they may be raw (sashimi), grilled, simmered, steamed, deep-fried, vinegared, or dressed. [...]