Yakibuta is roast pork similar to Cha Siu of China. While Cha Siu uses a variety of spices such as star anise and cinnamon and also honey to flavor the meat, Japanese Yakibuta has a much simpler taste. Yakibuta is usually sliced thinly and served as a dish for an appetizer or a part of meals, and it is also a very popular topping for Ramen.
Shumai originated from Chinese-style dumplings, but changed to match Japanese taste just like Gyoza. Shumai are steamed pork fillings stuffed in Shumai wrappers. They are eaten alone or dipped in vinegar soy sauce with mustard. In the US, you can find Chinese shumai at Dim Sum in Chinese restaurants for breakfast/lunch. They can be wonderful in your lunch box and also as a tasty main dish for dinner.
Tonjiru (or Butajiru) is a kind of Miso Soup with pork and a lot of root vegetables such as Gobo (burdock root) and carrot. Even though it is a Miso soup, Tonjiru tastes very different from ordinary Miso Soup. Tonjiru has a distinct pork flavor and strong taste from Gobo. Don’t get alarmed because of Gobo, it actually tastes very good. All the flavor of the pork and vegetables mix very well, and you will like it if you like Miso Soup.
Pork Shogayaki is another popular dish for lunch and dinner in Japan. The flavors of spicy ginger (shoga) and soy sauce with a touch of sweetness from Mirin taste great with steamed rice. It is not as sweet as a typical Teriyaki sauce. This tasty ginger sauce may stimulate your appetite, and you might have to watch out or you’ll be taking a second serving of rice.
Pork Shigureni may not be as popular as beef, but it is as tasty as Beef Shigureni, I think. The way you cut the meat changes the texture as well. Although you can use thinly sliced meat if you want, here I cut pork into thin strips. It is chunkier and gives a more substantial feel to the meat.
Gyoza is Chinese dumplings that ground pork and vegetables wrapped in round (pasta like) flour skins and pan-fried. Isn’t Gyoza Chinese food then? What is it doing in Japanese cooking 101? Yes, gyoza is originally from Chinese fried dumplings, but it is so popular and rooted well in Japanese cooking today. It is crispy outside and juicy inside dipped in tangy sauce….mmm, it’s so good that you would not care where it is actually from.