An Intangible Cultural Heritage As many of you already know, Japan has a wonderful and unique cuisine. In 2013, the traditional cuisine of Japan was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage asset by UNESCO. The
An Intangible Cultural Heritage
As many of you already know, Japan has a wonderful and unique cuisine. In 2013, the traditional cuisine of Japan was recognised as an Intangible Cultural Heritage asset by UNESCO. The cuisine varies and differs greatly from region to region.
Being an ancient cuisine, the Japanese diet addresses many of the challenges that affect the way people eat today! It is fast to prepare, relatively healthy and created simply from very few ingredients. The Japanese diet embodies many of the points that modern science has proven is a healthy eating habit. The diet focuses on fish and vegetables more than red meat.
Japanese cuisine does contain fermented foods for the digestive health through simple pickles such as nukazuke which accompanies almost every meal. However, you will ask yourself what about rice which is also central to the dishes? Rice is always served as a separate element to other dishes, meaning that it is very easy to reduce the amount of refined carbohydrates eaten with each meal. One of the most attractive and reasonable aspects of the Japanese diet is its moderation!
The Most Famous Dishes
Whether it is sushi taking the global culinary world by storm or Ramen making a slow but steady emergence over the world, one thing is sure; Japanese food always dishes out a tasty eating experience.
In order to enjoy Japanese food, you need to love subtlety and harmony because it is not without its quirks and challenges. If you are new to the Japanese cuisine and are unsure about the dish which will suit you best. Before entering a restaurant, you need to have a different view about the food culture in Japan which will help you know what to order.
Some most famous dishes are:
1. Sushi & Shttps://www.diffen.com/difference/Sashimi_vs_Sushiashimi
When people think of Japanese cuisine, the food item that most people associate Japan with: Sushi and Sashimi. Sushi is recognized all over the world and is unique in its conception because every piece of rice is seasoned with rice vinegar mix which is made with sugar and salt. The rice is then mixed with different ingredients such as seafood, vegetables, nori (seaweed) and more.
Such is eaten using chopsticks or even the hands, all you need to do is take a piece dip it into soy sauce, wasabi or both. It is an explosion of flavours in the mouth which will leave you wanting for more!
Sashimi is essentially raw fish or seafood served with wasabi (a spicy Japanese condiment), soy sauce and generally, it comes with slices of radish on the side. The name sashimi comes from the story of the fish that is used to come with the meal to recognize which kind of fish you are eating.
2. Ramen
Ramen is one of the most widespread options when choosing something to eat. It is a bowl of wheat noodles served in a soy sauce or miso soup mixed with many kinds of ingredients. The most typical ingredients are slices of meat, green onions, seaweed and egg. The most important part of this dish is the soup. It is the tastiest flavour accompanied with noodle and can range from soft to strong based on where you order it. The way the meat is cooked makes it so soft that sometimes it breaks into pieces as soon as you catch it with your chopsticks. With one order of ramen and a side dish of rice, you can be sure that you will be satisfied when you finish your meal.
3. Tempura
Tempura is a Japanese fried snack made from seafood and vegetables but you can also find tempura made from fowl and fish, seasoned with a sauce made of soy sauce, ginger and sugar. Tempura can be made using almost any and every vegetable. The size of the piece has to be able to be eaten in one bite and despite being deep fried, it does not have an oily texture.
4. Miso Soup
Miso Soup is a side dish that is often consumed before the main course of mostly every meal. It is prepared using soy, hondashi, tofu, chives and many other vegetables.
Choosing the Right Restaurant
If you want to enjoy the best of Japanese cuisine, you, however, need to make sure you choose the best restaurant in town which uses the finest ingredients. Based in St Kilda, Oshokujidokoro FUJITEI is not just another Japanese restaurant! It crafts authentic Japanese cuisine and infuses creatively. Moreover, they recommend that you order a few dishes to share because it is the Japanese way. By dining there, you are sure to indulge in a profound taste of Japanese cuisine and culture!