Gyoza (餃子) are Chinese dumplings made with meat and vegetables wrapped in round pasta-like flour skins and then pan-fried. Gyoza are originally based on Chinese fried dumplings, but they are now a popular and well-rooted part of Japanese cuisine today. Recently, really authentic Chinese food called “Gachi-Chuka” is becoming very popular in Japan, but Gyoza is the opposite end of the spectrum. Japanese Gyoza have changed through time to accommodate the preferred taste of Japanese people and have, like Ramen, really become part of Japanese food.
Karaage (唐揚げ) is Japanese-style fried chicken (two words: kara age). It is a great appetizer to go with drinks, a kid (and adult) friendly…
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…
Fried Squid Ring (イカリングフライ) is squid sliced into “rings,” coated with Panko and deep-fried. It could be an appetizer dish to go with drinks…
Soba Sushi (そば寿司) is rolled Sushi made with cooked Soba inside instead of Sushi rice. The soba is seasoned with rice vinegar just like…
Tuna Poke is raw Tuna cut into cubes and marinaded with a spicy soy-based sauce. Poke is actually a Hawaiian dish, but Japanese immigrants…
Aspara Bacon (アスパラベーコン) is asparagus spears wrapped with a bacon strip and pan-fried. It doesn’t sound like a very Japanese dish, but it is…
Stuffed Shiitake Mushroom (椎茸の肉詰め), Shiitake Nikuzume, is Shiitake mushrooms stuffed with ground meat and cooked with Teriyaki sauce. It is just like Renkon Hasamiyaki,…
Nikudango Amazuan (肉団子甘酢餡) are meatballs coated with sweet and sour sauce. Nikudango literally means meatball and Amazuan means sweet and sour sauce in Japanese.…