It’s undeniable that Japanese cuisine is trending, and Japan has been on consumers radars over the last few years. With 12.8 million viewers watching the Rugby World Cup Final in 2019 and millions expected to visit and watch the 2020 Summer Olympics – it’s time to put a focus on Japanese cuisine.

As a food manufacturer we are keeping an eye on popular global cuisines and our chefs have been busy developing various Japanese dishes and recipes.The team have completed a Japanese food safari to gather more insights into the cuisine and gather further information on menu offerings in popular Japanese restaurants. If this is something you would like further information on let us know and we would be more than happy to share it with you!

Japanese cuisine very much puts an emphasis on seasonal ingredients and dishes are designed to celebrate the four seasons. There is a huge variety of dishes and regional specialities across the country.

We’ve chosen a select few Japanese dishes worth a try….

Yakisoba

A popular Japanese dish made by stir frying noodles, cabbage, pork and vegetables with a barbeque style yakisoba sauce. Always a firm favourite at summer festivals in Japan, it’s a great street food option with a number of different variations across many cuisines.

Yakitori

Chicken skewers grilled over a charcoal fires. They are often seasoned with sauce or salt, and utilise every part of the chicken. There are different varieties such as chicken thigh, chicken meatballs or chicken and spring onion.

Sushi

Sushi is probably the most well-known Japanese food around the world. Sushi actually refers to a dish made with Japanese rice that has been seasoned with rice vinegar. Often people associate sushi with raw fish or sashimi in Japanese, it is a popular ingredient in sushi but not the only one! You might use shrimp, tuna, salmon, cucumber, avocado, green onion – the list is endless!

Miso Soup

Miso soup is made with a mixture of miso paste and dashi stock. It is part of most Japanese meals and often includes seaweed, tofu etc. Various vegetables and ingredients can then be added after the miso soup has been cooked. It is said to have various health benefits such as encouraging a healthy digestive system, a good source of nutrients and it is good for bone and heart health.

Kare Raisu (Curry rice)

Curry is not a native Japanese spice and this dish was brought to Japan by the British Royal Navy in the late 1800’s. It is a favourite dish amongst Japanese natives for its convenience and comfort appeal. A popular addition to this rice dish is Tonkatsu which are pork cutlets coated in panko breadcrumb and deep fried, as well as pickled vegetables. The consistency of Japanese Curry is a little thicker than Indian or Thai curries and tends to be a little sweeter too.

Ramen

A dish of noodle soup consisting of wheat noodles, broth, and topped with various ingredients of meat and vegetables. Ramen is widely available across Japan and ramen bars are opening up in cities and towns around the world proving to be a popular dish with all nationalities.

Contact Us

If you are exploring Japanese cuisine and would like to develop some Japanese inspired stocks, sauces, pasta, flavoured butters or culinary ingredients get in contact with the Culinary Food Group Team. We would be more than happy to help you find a solution that fits your needs!