Japanese cuisine: Miso soup, sushi rolls, mochi & more
Eating on a tatami mat, seasonal dishes and the world's most expensive beef
Sushi nights have become a staple for many and warm bowls of ramen have become go-to comfort food for late night snackers. Japanese food is a perfect example of a cuisine that has truly gone global.
We take a look at how the island country’s cuisine that is being enjoyed across the world highlights Japanese people's attention to detail, love for the best ingredients and appreciation for tradition.
An experience – not just a meal
Japanese food goes beyond taste. Just looking at a perfectly packed bento box with colourful portions of carefully placed dishes, one can tell that it’s all about precision, aesthetics and overall traditional dining experience. And it’s all done with simplicity.
It starts with the way the food is eaten - traditional Japanese low tables and cushions, usually found on tatami (mat used as a flooring material in traditional Japanese-style rooms) floors, are common. Tatami mats, which are made of straw, can be easily damaged and are hard to clean, thus shoes or any type of footwear are always taken off when stepping on tatami floors. The mats are used to regulate temperature.
Executive Chef at Tomo restaurant in Dubai, known for its “authentic Japanese experience”, Takashi Namekata, spoke to Gulf News about Japanese food.
“Japanese cuisine looks very simple and it follows a minimalistic approach, however once you try it, the taste and technique make a sensational impact,” said Namekata.
Rice is a staple in Japanese cuisine. Wheat and soybeans were introduced shortly after rice and have been the base of many dishes ever since.
As for where the Japanese get their protein in their dishes, their love for seafood and beef is widely known. Other meats such as chicken and pork are also commonly eaten.
Sara Saifi, Japanese expat currently living in the UAE spent her childhood in Tokyo, enjoying her mother’s cooking.
Sharing how her mother’s kitchen looked like, she said: “The kitchen in Japan usually has a grill specifically made for fish, and I used to smell my mum cooking Sanma (Pacific Saury), which filled the house with the smell of the fish covered in salt. It goes very well with soy sauce and grated Japanese radish.”
Even in the meat they eat, the Japanese have made it into an ultimate experience. Wagyu beef, one of the most expensive meats in the world, is produced in Japan and prized for its rich marbling and buttery taste.
According to news site Business Insider, high-grade wagyu can cost up to $200 (Dh734) per pound, and the cows themselves can sell for as much as $30,000 (Dh110,190).
The term wagyu literally translates to ‘Japanese cow’. And it generally refers to four main breeds. These cows were bred for physical endurance, giving them more intramuscular fat cells. The fat is distributed more evenly throughout their muscle, which is why wagyu beef looks pink and tastes tender. And the Japanese government tightly regulates wagyu production to protect the value and quality of the meat, according to the Business Insider.
In line with Japanese food philosophy, chef Namekata believes that ingredients are most important when it comes to producing a good dish.
“The dish’s quality depends mostly on the freshness and quality of the produce and ingredients. Cooking techniques come second,” he said.
Wagyu beef is exported abroad or used locally in Japan, in various dishes that often go into bento boxes.
A bento is a single-portion take-out or home-packed meal of Japanese origin. The Japanese believe in balanced meal, which often include meat, vegetables and rice or noodles for carbohydrates. Following the same, a traditional bento usually contains rice or noodles with fish or meat, pickled and cooked vegetables in a box, which is perfect for on-the-go meals needed in a fast-paced lifestyle in Japan’s metropolitan cities.
History and current popularity of Japanese food
While parts of Japan are known for dynamic city life, the country’s cuisine incorporates traditional flavours and techniques.
One of the country’s most popular dish, enjoyed around the world, is sushi. The dish is said to have originated in China between the 5th and the 3rd centuries BC, as a means of preserving fish in salt, according to food website, eat-japan.com.
For the sweet tooth: flavoured ice-creams and fruits
"They [Japanese cooks and people] are very straight forward when it comes to dessert. They love to serve fruits as dessert, because they have some of the best produce and are extremely high in terms of quality," said Chef Damien Duviau, Chef De Cuisine of Nobu, Dubai.
There are some very popular mochi ice-creams with unique flavours that have gained popularity. However, the unique flavours will not work in the UAE or rest of the world much, because here people like more straight foward flavours with a bit of a twist, nothing more. For instance, in Japan, it is quite common to see people eat ice-creams with soya sauce, miso paste, sweet potatoes, pumpkin, green tea, beef fat and fish flavours.
Another sweet food item that has become widely popular in other parts of the world is Mochi.
Around since the 18th century, Mochi is a Japanese rice cake made from glutinous rice. It is ground, steamed, and pounded into a sticky ball. Once filled, Mochi is called Daifuku. Typically, Mochi is traditionally stuffed with sweet filling, most commonly anko, sweetened red bean paste made from adzuki or red beans.
Seasonal dishes
Chef Namekata credits the uniqueness of Japanese food for its popularity.
“Eating raw fish in dishes like sushi and sashimi was not normal for many people for a long time. After they tried Japanese food, they enjoyed the taste and now it’s extremely popular. It [Japanese food] has introduced something new to people,” he said.
It is also popular to make specific seasonal dishes using ingredients that are available according to the crop cycle.
For instance, in spring, snow peas, aubergines, turnips and strawberries are used.
Shaved ice and chilled watermelon slices are enjoyed on hot summer days. Peaches, citrus fruits, and seafood like sea urchins and eels are also popular in the hot season.
In autumn, chestnuts, figs, pears, as well as sweet potatoes are used in dishes served in bento boxes.
As it gets even colder in winter, Nabe or ‘hot pot dishes’ are popular, because they help people stay warm. Nabe can come in the form of soups or stews and can feature a variety of proteins and a mix of seasonal vegetables, according to Japanese food business website bokksu.com.
“When dining, there is always a variety of dishes, each served in small portions so nothing goes to waste, while enjoying many different flavours and cooking styles at once. Different preparation techniques like boiling, serving raw, frying, steaming and pickling are used,” said Saifi.
Besides technique, taste is also essential to the Japanese. 'Umami' or savouriness is a key characteristic sought in dishes.
Foods like meats, broths, gravies, soups, shellfish, fish, tomatoes, mushrooms, and soy sauce have a strong umami element and are liberally used in Japanese cuisine.
The chef who brought modern Japanese food to the world
The one chef who has to be accredited for bringing modern Japanese food to the world is Chef Nobu Matsuhisa. If you are someone who is fond of sushi and sashimi then chances are you must have eaten or heard of - Nobu Matsuhisa restaurants. "In Dubai, since it opened in the year 2010, Nobu has been busy and consistenly topping the charts for its Japanese dishes," said Chef Damien Duviau, Chef De Cuisine of Nobu, Dubai.
It is dishes like sushi, all types of sashimi like whitefish sashimi dry miso, seared salmon karashi su miso and scallop with spicy garlic or wasabi pepper that are popular among diners at Nobu, said Chef Duviau. Their signature dish is the black cod miso which is a hit among diners.
The structure to a Japanese meal usually begins with a edamame followed by sashimi, salad, tempura, cooked meat and traditionally a meal ends with sushi.
A cuisine which uses as little as dairy and is rich in seafood content is also popular among people who want to move to a healthier lifestyle choice. In fact, they prefer using soya sauce instead of salt because is considered healthier than salt.
How should one eat sushi?
There is an ettiquette when it comes to eating sushi. A sushi aficionado will tell you that you should not dip the part with rice of a sushi in the soy sauce. Instead dip the corners (the seaweed bit) if you have to, put the wasabi on top and eat. "In Japan if you walk into a sushi bar and are served a small serving of sushi, you don't dip it in sauces or garnish, you simply put it in your mouth," explained Chef Duviau.
If you are wondering how to eat sushi with a chopstick, watch this beginner's guide by Head Sushi Chef Michio Iwata of Nobu restaurant, Dubai:
A Japanese kitchen's pantry staple
Speaking with the Food by Gulf News team, Chef Duviau explained what every traditional home kitchen and modern kitchen must have. A pantry staple, so to say. First, it is imporatnt to have a range of fresh fish, right from salmon, seabass to yellow tail, they are all very important. Second is the miso paste, which is basically fermented soya bean, with salt and koji-jin (cooked rice or soya beans that have been inoculated with a fermentation culture - aspergillus oryza). Then it is the Katsuobushi or bonito flakes which is smoked and fermented tuna, a key ingredient in dashi (Japanese soup stock).
The most important of them is soy sauce, yuzu citrus (sour yet mild floral, citrusy flavour) and dry miso that can be found in every Japanese kitchen.
The wave of Japanese food in the UAE
Now, no matter what the season is, Japanese cuisine is available around the world, with more of the lesser known dishes finding their way to different parts of the globe. In the UAE too, Japanese food has a big fan following, often fuelled by the youth’s love for manga (comics) and anime.
Japanese food experts have also flocked to the UAE in the past years to bring more food options to the region. Food by Gulf News spoke to Libor Dobis, Corporate Chef at Dubai's Roka restaurant to share his experience.
He showcases the Japanese method of cooking called robatayaki or shortened as robata. "The robata is a centuries old Japanese cooking method that we have brought into the modern day," Dobis said.
"They [the people of Dubai] are very open [to try out new food], I remember a time when I would offer guests some of our signature dishes and they would tell me that they do not like raw fish – but then when they try it you should see their faces. Now these guests are dining with us regularly and order not one, but sometimes four of this dishes."
The openness for trying out new cuisines and tastes in the people of the UAE has allowed chefs to bring authentic experiences to the country.
"They [the people of Dubai] are very open [to try out new food], I remember a time when I would offer guests our some of our signature dishes and they would tell me that they do not like raw fish – but then when they try it you should see their faces. Now these guests are dining with us regularly and order not one, but sometimes four of this dishes," said Dobis.
"Our bone marrow dish is another example, we launched it in Dubai and people were perhaps a bit sceptical but once they try it, they love it and now it’s one of our biggest sellers," he added.
As for the future of Japanese cuisine in the UAE, Dobis thinks that eateries focusing on certain dishes and perfected experiences have a large scope.
"I see the UAE becoming more specialised and regional. We're seeing restaurants with smaller menus that specialise in specific dishes like ramen or kushiyaki. Japanese food is so diverse, we're just starting to scratch the surface in this region," he said.
Besides restaurant experiences, snack items are widely available in affordable food stalls in places like Global Village, which will open shortly. There is something for everyone, when it comes to trying Japanese food in the UAE, give it a try!
Here is a guide to making sushi from Nobu