Why I prefer Japanese cuisine

kachochan

So I've been living in Japan for 5 years now and here are some principles that I follow:

- A lot of tiny things
Japanese like to have many different things on their plate. They serve several things with very different tastes which makes it really adventurous - you try this sour pickle, and then this sweet bean, and then this boiled mushroom, and then this shrimp... Note that it's singular. In a classic obento box you'll often see one mushroom, one piece of a carrot, one sweet bean etc.
You combine sour with bitter and sweet with salty - it's just more fun to have a lot of different tastes instead of one giant portion of something.

- Portion size
Japanese are generally shorter and have a smaller frame than Europeans, it's genetic, but they also serve smaller portions.
Udon noodle serving is 100 gr, sweets in boxes are packed individually, miso soup serving is 150 gr, fish and meat are sold in tiny trays no more than 300 gr... I can go on.
Costco is a shocking experience for my Japanese friends because they believe that quality is more important than quantity.

- Heat short
There's raw fish, that's one thing. But they also like boiling, grilling and frying things for a very short period of time. Vegetables are almost never cooked to the point when you don't know what it is anymore. Keep the crunch, keep the taste.

- Visual
They appreciate delicate natural taste, but they also need to play with shapes and colors. Carrots are often cut in a shape of sakura or a maple leaf, white radish is grated into crunchy noodle strings, boiled eggs can take practically any shape and so on. They enjoy natural colors on the plate.

- Seasonal foods
Japan is a tiny country and they love seasons, because that's when you take the best from nature and enjoy it the most. Sweet potatoes time? Enjoy it grilled, steamed or fried. No amberjack is being sold now? Wait till winter. After all, the microbiotic diet was invented by a Japanese military doctor.

- Lots of healthy snacks
Of course there's cheap junk food, but in bars you would see a plate of... fresh cabbage, sprinkled with some light sauce. Or a bowl of boiled soy beans (edamame). Or once on the top of the mountain I bought a boiled egg out of the hot pan. Roast soy beans, grilled squid on a stick, rice balls... And the famous Kyoto snack - a fresh cold cucumber on a stick.

Japanese cooking is hard to reproduce in other countries and I honestly believe that it's not necessary (especially when it costs an arm and a leg), but adopting some of those general principles can be beneficial.

If you have any questions about recipes, feel free to ask! (I wish I could insert pics in my message)

What cuisine do you like and why?

chooriyah

Yum, I love Japanese food. Haven't been lucky enough to eat it in Japan yet - hopefully one day!

I watched a program that was talking about how in Japan, people will often gift fruit to a host, but - like you said - quality rather than quantity. They'll gift one perfect bunch of grapes, or a perfect melon, or three apples. Apparently the most perfect melon can cost a hundred dollars or something...

I also love Thai and Vietnamese food for some of the same reasons - the freshness, the crunchiness, the way that food doesn't feel heavy. I could eat green papaya salad for weeks.

I love Turkish food because of the way that each little plate concentrates on one or two ingredients, and is so unfussy. It's like they try to get each vegetable to taste as much like itself and as good as possible, without muddying it with other flavours.

AND...now I'm hungry.

crazy_ninja

I LOVE Japanese cuisine! So fresh, tasty, healthy.....yummy

kachochan

Yum, I love Japanese food. Haven't been lucky enough to eat it in Japan yet - hopefully one day!

I watched a program that was talking about how in Japan, people will often gift fruit to a host, but - like you said - quality rather than quantity. They'll gift one perfect bunch of grapes, or a perfect melon, or three apples. Apparently the most perfect melon can cost a hundred dollars or something...

Japan is so cool! Hope you can visit one day.

Yes, they do that all the time - a box of wonderful pink peaches or apples or tangerines that can easily be $100.
Before I moved here I hadn't really been into the idea of giving food as a present. I've changed my mind now. Japan is tiny and so are their houses, it's just more practical to give food as a present - you'll enjoy it this week with your friends and family or give it somebody else. It's good, it's healthy and it can usually please everyone.

Also google oseibo - year-end presents. Boxes of different cooking oils or meats or canned fish... see principle 1 - they love variety.
Hehe, I'm not hungery talking about it just because I had a nice big salad and a piece of fish

kachochan

I also love Thai and Vietnamese food for some of the same reasons - the freshness, the crunchiness, the way that food doesn't feel heavy. I could eat green papaya salad for weeks.

I love Turkish food because of the way that each little plate concentrates on one or two ingredients, and is so unfussy. It's like they try to get each vegetable to taste as much like itself and as good as possible, without muddying it with other flavours.

Thai food is amazing! Loved hot soups and fruits there!

Turkish food - aaawww, love it! Cacik and hummus are my favorite!

kachochan

Me too!