Living in an increasingly globalized and interconnected society, we often see food options that are not native to where we live. Needless to say, Japanese food is one of these options. Although people want to explore new cuisines, they are intimidated by the idea that Japanese people only eat sushi. There indeed is a negative connotation associated with the thought of eating raw fish mounted on a ball of rice, but fear not. These alternative options from the great island nation of Asia may prevent stress when dining.
Noodles
Much like Italy’s wide-range of pasta variations, Japan too has its own variety of noodles. The most common types are soba, udon, and ramen. What differentiates these types of noodles is the ingredient and the width of each – skinny buckwheat is soba, fat wheat flour is udon, and skinny, but curly buckwheat flour is ramen. Udon and ramen have hot broths brewed from seaweed or katsuobushi that boil your inner organs and release steam through your ears; soba sits in an ice-cold soy-sauce-based soup that chills your body to its core. So understandably, summer is when soba is traditionally eaten; udon and ramen are usually saved for the winter.
In fact, ramen is so popular in Japan that there are these weird inventions made to ease the eating experience:
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Meat
For those seafood-phobes, there are also meat options available. Anything ranging from teriyaki to katsu don falls in this category. Teriyaki sauce, a salty yet sweet sauce that has revolutionized the United States and Canada, is a key player in these carnivorous dishes. They are often found in fast-food chains, like Edo, where all dining options are teriyaki-sauce-based. Different meats – chicken, beef, and more – are first grilled then drowned in this magical sauce. On the other hand, donburi meats are something completely different. These are deep-fried meats dipped in batter, placed on top of a bowl of rice, and served for your culinary pleasure. (With hybridization of cultures, donburi with curry is increasingly becoming popular, as well).
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Tempura
Tempura – fried vegetables and seafood dipped in a similar batter to that of donburi – is eaten as a side dish or even dessert with the main dish. Tempura is also known to be a street food. It is easy to make and is a non-messy delicacy that appeals to people of all walks of life. But here’s the catch: you can fry ice cream in this same way. Usually of basic flavours, such as vanilla or green tea, ice cream tempura has the jarring difference between the hotness of the coating and the coldness of the inner ingredient.
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Now, when your significant other or your family wants to go out for some Japanese food, you no longer have to make up lame excuses to try to avoid eating sushi. You can go and order at restaurants confidently and maybe even impress others for being knowledgeable in Japanese cuisines.
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