Miso Soup (味噌汁) is, as many of you may already know, a soup flavored with Miso Paste and usually includes Tofu and vegetables. It is a very essential dish of Japanese cuisine, and comes with any traditional Japanese meal. Many of you might have had Miso Soup once before even if you didn’t order it at a Japanese restaurant, just because it came with your Chicken Teriyaki.
Ramen (ラーメン) is Chinese-style noodles served in strongly seasoned hot soup with various toppings. Ramen has been a very popular dish in Japan for many years. Now the world is catching up with us. Ramen shops are absolutely everywhere, inside and outside Japan. And people just love it.
Tonkatsu (トンカツ) is one of the most beloved western style Japanese foods called yōshoku (洋食). It is a pork loin breaded with flour, egg, and Panko (bread crumbs), then deep fried. It’s not the healthiest Japanese food, but it is rather a comfort food which everybody can’t get enough of.
Chicken Karaage (唐揚げ) is a Japanese-style fried chicken, and it is one of the most popular Japanese dishes. It is a great appetizer to go with drinks, a family-friendly dinner entree, and a perfect item for a Bento lunch box. Chicken is marinated well before coated lightly with flour and starch, and deep fried. With simple ingredients you can find anywhere, it is very easy to make Karaage at home.
Zaru Soba (ざるそば) is cold buckwheat noodles with dipping sauce. It is a cool noodle dish often served in summer in Japan. Zaru means a colander or a strainer in Japanese, and cold Soba noodles are usually served on a slotted bamboo mat that lets water drip through. Zaru Soba is a great dish to beat brutal summer heat and humidity in Japan.
Chicken Udon (鶏うどん) is a simple yet satisfying dish made with Udon noodles and tender chicken thigh pieces simmered in a flavorful hot soup. It’s a light meal but hearty enough to enjoy on its own. While Chicken Udon is great any time of the year, it’s especially comforting and delicious during the colder months.
Mitarashi Dango (みたらし団子) is one of many very traditional Japanese Mochi sweets. Small round Mochi balls are skewered on bamboo sticks and covered with a gooey sweet and salty brown sauce. Mitarashi Dango is a great snack and quite satisfying without being overly sweet. You may want to try it one afternoon with hot green tea.
Kinpira Sweet Potato (さつまいものきんぴら) is braised sweet potato seasoned with Soy Sauce and sugar, just like Kinpira Gobo or Kinpira Carrot. This is a great small side dish that goes very well with any kind of entree, fish or meat. Or make it as a snack to have with tea in the afternoon.
Kinpira usually means Kinpira Gobo which is braised burdock root and carrot cooked in a sweet and salty sauce, but here we made it with Japanese sweet potato. Japanese sweet potato has yellow meat with purple skin, and it is quite dense and sweet when cooked. The American counterpart, often called a yam, has orange flesh, is less starchy than the Japanese kind, and has more water content. It is much easier to find Japanese sweet potatoes at local stores today, and you can most likely find them at American supermarkets. If you can’t try any Asian market.
Niratama (ニラたま) is stir-fried garlic chive/Chinese chive and scrambled egg. A variation of Nira Tama is similar to a Chinese dish, but what we made here is more home-cooking than anything else. Nira Tama is easy to make with simple ingredients, so it can be an additional side dish for an everyday dinner.
Ham Katsu Sandwich (ハムカツサンド) was known as “Katsu” sandwich in the 70s and 80s in Japan, and it was more thriftily made with ham rather than with Tonkatsu pork or chicken cutlets. Ham Katsu soaked in a savory sauce is a perfect filling by itself for this simple and nostalgic sandwich. without lettuce or cabbage or any condiments.