Japan is famous for its rich culinary tradition and a variety of dishes that tantalise the palate. If you're looking for authentic taste experiences, you should try the following ten traditional Japanese dishes.
- Sushi: Let's start with the classic that everyone knows - sushi. This dish features fresh raw fish combined with perfectly seasoned rice and nori seaweed leaves. Nigiri, maki and sashimi are just some of the variations you can try - either in a restaurant or try your hand at the delicious bites at home.
- Ramen: This hearty noodle soup with a rich broth, thin noodles, meat, vegetables and a boiled egg is a real treat. Every region in Japan has its own way of preparing ramen. You can read more about ramen preparation and taste in our interview with ramen crack Sebastian.
- Tempura: These are crispy, breaded and deep-fried seafood, vegetables or even ice cream. Tempura is a fried dish not to be missed and is also great for vegans. The light and crispy texture and the slightly spicy taste make tempura a popular dish.
- Sukiyaki: Have you heard of the Japanese stew sukiyaki? It's a hot-pot dish where thinly sliced beef is cooked with vegetables, tofu and glass noodles in a sweet soy sauce and mirin. Before eating, the ingredients are dipped in a bowl of beaten egg. Traditionally, the dish is cooked in a cast-iron pot and prepared right at the table with family or friends.
- Okonomiyaki: As you may know, this is a savoury pancake made with a variety of ingredients including cabbage, meat, seafood and vegetables. Okonomiyaki is often served with a spicy sauce, Japanese mayonnaise and bonito flakes.
- Yakitori: Meat lovers should try these delicious grilled skewers, which consist of marinated chicken, sometimes vegetables or seafood. Yakitori is often coated with teriyaki or soy sauce and grilled on charcoal. If you don't have a Japanese barbecue restaurant nearby, you can fire up your own grill. Beforehand, cut the chicken (usually breast) into bite-sized pieces, which are then coated with a marinade of soy sauce, mirin, a little peanut or sesame oil and sugar. The skewers of marinated meat, which are often complemented with spring onions, are put on the grill for five minutes, brushed with the sauce in between and are then ready to eat. If you like, you can sprinkle roasted sesame seeds on top.
- Miso soup: This hearty soup is an integral part of every Japanese meal and is, of course, old news to lovers of Japanese cuisine. It consists of a miso-based broth with tofu, seaweed and often vegetables or fish.
- Tonkatsu: This is a breaded and deep-fried pork cutlet served with a spicy Worcestershire sauce. It is often eaten with rice, a miso soup and pickled vegetables. To bread the schnitzel properly, you can find panko flour for it in our shop. Of course, we also have the delicious tonkatsu sauce in our range.
- Udon: Udon doesn't just mean the thick noodles, but also the soup that goes with them, which is often made with a dashi-based broth and served with spring onions, tempura or other toppings. Udon is a warming and satisfying meal. If you want to know more about the preparation and type of different Japanese noodles, find out more in our blog article!
- Chirashi sushi: Huh? We've already had sushi. But this sushi is a bowl of rice on which various seafood, vegetables and eggs are artfully arranged. The colourful bowl with delicious ingredients, especially fresh fish, is an exciting option for sushi lovers.
Have you now also got the desire to cook Japanese food?
MYCONBINI tip: If you don't want to assemble all your ingredients individually, try our practical and carefully selected ramen kit! It's sure to make you a delicious Japanese dish. And if you're hungry for other dishes, we also have cookbooks on offer for you. :)