Baku Kitchen! An independent reference of traditional food

Japan

Ask what Japan eats and the answer starts with this: seasonal precision built on rice, dashi and seafood, from sushi counters to slurped noodle bowls. Look for Sushi (vinegared rice with raw fish or seafood, as nigiri or rolls), Ramen (wheat noodles in pork, soy or miso broth with chashu and egg) and Tempura (seafood and vegetables in gossamer batter, fried and dipped in tentsuyu). Fermented narezushi arrived from Southeast Asia via China; Hanaya Yohei popularised hand-pressed nigiri as Edo fast food in the 1820s. This atlas has 55 Japan dishes catalogued below, from everyday cooking to food kept for festivals and special occasions.

55 dishes.

ShiokaraShiokaraSquid fermented in its own salted viscera, intense brine chaser for sakeShochuShochuDistilled spirit from barley, sweet potato or rice, drunk with hot water or iceSobaSobaNutty buckwheat noodles served chilled with tsuyu or in hot brothSukiyakiSukiyakiBeef and vegetables simmered tableside in sweet soy, dipped in raw eggSushiSushiVinegared rice with raw fish or seafood, as nigiri or rollsTaiyakiTaiyakiSea-bream-shaped waffle filled with red bean paste or custardTakoyakiTakoyakiOsaka griddled batter balls with octopus, drizzled with sauce and bonitoTakuanTakuanWhole daikon dried then cured in rice bran and salt; bright yellow.TempuraTempuraSeafood and vegetables in gossamer batter, fried and dipped in tentsuyuTonkatsuTonkatsuPanko-breaded deep-fried pork cutlet with shredded cabbage and tangy sauceTsukemonoTsukemonoRice-bran or salt pickles of daikon, cucumber and aubergine served with every mealUdonUdonThick chewy wheat noodles in hot dashi broth or chilled with dipping sauceUmeboshiUmeboshiFiercely sour salt-pickled plums dyed red with shiso, one per rice boxUmeshuUmeshuGreen ume plums steeped with rock sugar in spirit, sweet and tartUnadonUnadonGrilled eel lacquered with sweet kabayaki sauce over riceWagyu BeefWagyu BeefIntensely marbled beef from Japanese black cattle, seared in small rich portionsYakisobaYakisobaWheat noodles griddled with cabbage, pork and sweet-savoury sauce.YakitoriYakitoriCharcoal-grilled chicken skewers glazed with sweet tare or simply saltedYuzu KoshoYuzu KoshoFiery paste of yuzu zest, chili and salt from Kyushu, dabbed on grills

  • Gyudon

    Rice bowl topped with soy-simmered beef and onions, fast-food classic. Ready in 10 min prep and 15 min cooking. 4…

  • Ikayaki

    Whole squid grilled with soy glaze, eaten on a stick at festivals. Ready in 20 min prep and 10 min…

  • Japanese Curry Rice

    Thick mild curry with potatoes, carrots and meat over rice. Ready in 30 min prep and 1 hour 15 min…

  • Kakigori

    Feather-fine shaved ice drenched in syrup, often with condensed milk and beans. Ready in 20 min prep and 10 min…

  • Karaage

    Marinated chicken pieces dusted in potato starch and fried juicy and craggy. Ready in 20 min prep and 20 min…

  • Kusaya

    Fish steeped in a centuries-old brine then dried; overwhelmingly pungent. A fermented & pickled recipe from Japan.

  • Matcha

    Whisked powdered green tea, heart of the tea ceremony. 5 min to prepare. 1 bowl. A drink recipe from Japan.

  • Melonpan

    Soft bun under a crisp cookie crust scored into a melon pattern. Ready in 45 min prep and 15 min…

  • Mizuwari

    Whisky stirred with ice and soft water in exact proportions. Ready in 5 min prep and none cooking. 1 glass.…

  • Mochi

    Chewy pounded glutinous rice cakes, grilled or served in New Year soup. Ready in 30 min prep and 40 min…