Are you looking for a unique culinary experience? Look no further than Japan! Western Union (WU) has compiled a list of five traditional Japanese dishes that will tantalize your taste buds. From sushi to sashimi, tempura to soba, and sukiyaki to natto, these dishes are sure to make your mouth water. Let's start with sushi. This popular dish is highly prized in the Western world and comes in a variety of forms and prices.
Kaiten-zushi (sushi on a conveyor belt) is a great way to enjoy sushi for a reasonable price of about 100 yen per plate. For a more traditional experience, try Edomae sushi (Edo-style sushi). Here, you'll sit at a quiet counter to eat while the sushi is being prepared before your eyes. Sushi generally refers to a plate of vinegar-pressed rice with a piece of raw fish or seafood, called netto, on top.
It's usually eaten with soy sauce and wasabi, but those who don't like wasabi too much can order sabi-nuki (i.e., without wasabi). Sushi can be eaten with chopsticks or directly with your hand. Just be sure to turn it over and apply the soy sauce to the net, instead of the rice itself, to prevent the rice from absorbing too much soy sauce and erasing the original flavor of the net itself. Similar to sushi but without rice, sashimi is raw fish cut into easy-to-eat pieces. The high quality of fish caught in all regions of Japan makes it an excellent choice no matter where you visit.
Some of the most common and popular varieties are maguro and other varieties of tuna, salmon, mackerel, and sea bream. You can also try clams, uni or sea urchins and salmon roe. Sashimi is usually eaten with soy sauce for flavor. You can also add a wasabi dot to the top of the sashimi to give it more warmth, but it's not necessary.
Certain varieties, such as horse mackerel, will be served with ginger instead of wasabi. Soba is a noodle dish made with buckwheat flour with water and flour, thinly spread and cut into noodles with a width of 1 cm to 2 cm. After boiling the noodles in hot water, they are eaten dipped in cold soup or by pouring hot soup on top. Soba broth (tsuyu) is usually made with kombu or dry bonito broth, seasoned with soy sauce and mirin, and is crucial for enjoying a delicious soba experience. Soba is enjoyed hot or cold, making it an ideal dish all year round. Udon is another unique dish known for its thick noodles.
The dough is made from flour and salt water, which is thoroughly kneaded and cut into noodles. After boiling the udon noodles in hot water, the udon is enjoyed in a seafood broth soup or by pouring soup and dressings such as tempura on top. Like soba, you can savor udon hot or cold - there's no designated way to eat udon!Sukiyaki is cooked in a shallow iron skillet and became popular in Japan around the 19th century. Made both at home and available on restaurant menus, it's a dish you'll want to try when you feel like something filling.
It's traditionally enjoyed in autumn and winter in Japan but can be enjoyed all year round!Natto is another popular breakfast dish in Japan made from fermented soybeans. It's served as part of a natto rice bowl which also includes other ingredients such as eggs, vegetables, seaweed, and pickles. Natto has an acquired taste but once you get used to it you'll find it hard to resist!These are just some of the many delicious Japanese dishes you should try when visiting Japan or making them at home! From sushi to sashimi to tempura to soba to sukiyaki to natto - there's something for everyone! If you're looking for an authentic experience while learning how to prepare classic dishes like miso soup or ramen - check out AirKitchen's cooking classes!.
