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Kaiseki
Kaiseki ranks as one of Japan’s greatest culinary experiences. The combination
of artful presentation, attentive service and, of course, superbly prepared food
makes it as much an aesthetic experience as it is a dining experience.
Every dish served in what is often a ten-course meal is a celebration of the artistry
and subtleties of nature. Traditionally, not only every season but every month
has a particular spirit to be expressed in the food. Chefs therefore pay strict
attention to the quality and freshness of the produce they use. Preparations aim
to complement and enhance the flavours already present in the ingredients and
dishes are often deceptively simple.
After the initial spread, individual dishes are brought to the table in an order
that is as carefully thought out as the dishes themselves. Presentation is also
important. In high class restaurants, the plates and bowls may well be antiques
and the perception of a dish is as important as its flavour. Each dish has a character
entirely its own, meaning that by the end of the meal you have experienced something
of a sensory journey in flavours, fragrances and visual impressions.
Though expensive, a kaiseki meal is an essential experience for those with more
than a passing interest in food. At cultural centres such as Kyoto and Kanazawa,
kaiseki is especially worthwhile. You will find nothing to approach it anywhere
else in the world. |
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Noodle (Ramen,Soba,Udon)
Ramen
Ramen is a Chinese dish of noodles in soup that the Japanese have made very much
their own. It is the cornerstone of Japanese fast food and millions of bowls are
consumed every day, not counting that other Japanese institution - instant ramen.
Many regions of Japan have their own particular style of ramen and even individual
ramen shops have their own distinctive flavour and style. Arguments rage over
the ideal thickness of the noodles, the right constituent ingredients for the
soup stock and what toppings work best. What is certain is that everyone has their
favourite place and a local's recommendation is always worth getting.
Ramen shops are usually at street-level and so are easy to spot. Often they are
little more than a kitchen and a counter. Many have standing space only. There's
no ceremony to eating ramen so abandon convention and slurp to your hearts content.
You might get the choice between miso (bean paste), shoyu (soy) or shio (salt)
flavoured soup though the stock base is always made from meat bones. Many places
however serve only one kind that may have been honed and developed over many years.
Popular toppings follow its Chinese origins and include fatty slices of chashu
(roast pork), crunchy fresh bean sprouts and menma (seasoned bamboo shoots). |
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 Soba
and Udon
Soba and udon are both popular types of traditional Japanese noodle and, though
quite different, they are often served in the same ways. Thick, doughy udon noodles
are white in colour as they are made from wheat flour. Soba, by contrast are thinner,
greyish and are made from buckwheat flour.
Restaurants usually serve both but it is not uncommon to find places that specialise
in one kind only. This is a sign that the noodles are made in house, probably
by hand. Handmade soba and udon are especially good as they have a texture that
mass production can’t achieve.
Soba and udon have rural origins and they are served reflect rustic tastes and
ingredients. Both can be served hot in a thin soup of fish stock and soy or cold
with soy based dressings. Dishes vary with the garnishes you add. Wild vegetables,
tempura, seaweed and raw egg are all common additions but meat is almost unheard
of. One of the most popular ways of eating soba and udon is zaru, which is a simple
tray of cold noodles served with a cup of soy-flavoured broth to dip them into.
Something to bear in mind is that both soba and udon are quite light meals and
may provide only temporary relief from hunger. Soba and udon restaurants will
always have a selection of teishoku (set menu) to choose from which come with
rice dishes on the side. |
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Sushi and Sashimi
Contrary to popular belief, the word sushi is not synonymous with raw fish. It
refers to anything made with vinegared rice. This is often topped with raw fish
to make nigiri-zushi but vinegared rice with cooked fish, other meats, egg or
vegetables is also sushi. Cuts of raw fish on their own are called sashimi. This
is considered a quite different dish from sushi. It is usually served, beautifully
presented, at the beginning of a meal of other dishes.
You are likely to be familiar with nigiri-zushi already as it is now widely available
outside Japan. These are bite-sized pads of rice with raw fish (or other ingredients)
pressed on top. This is the kind of sushi that you get at sushi bars. Calling
them bars is appropriate since the chefs work behind the counter with cuts of
fish rather like a barman works with bottles.
Popular raw fish include salmon, tuna, squid and yellowtail. These are the most
palatable for those still getting used to the idea of eating fish raw. Cooked
eel and shrimp and Japanese-style omelette are also used on nigiri-zushi. More
adventurous diners should try raw shrimp, abalone and sea urchin roe - some of
the most distinctive flavours around. Both sushi and sashimi should be eaten with
a touch of pungent wasabi horseradish and just a little soy sauce.
If you need any convincing that eating raw fish is a good idea, consider the health
benefits. It is high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids as well as low in fat,
rice is a great source of complex carbohydrates and seaweed is rich in iodine.
A typical sushi dinner of 7 to 9 pieces may only contain a healthy 300-450 calories.
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Sukiyaki and Shabu-shabu
Both of these popular Japanese dishes involve thinly-sliced beef cooked at the
table. The beef is served raw, arranged aesthetically on a large plate, giving
you a chance to see the fine marbling of fat that is necessary to give the beef
the required tenderness and flavour.
For sukiyaki, the pan is cast iron and shallow. Into it are added the beef along
with vegetables such as green onions, shiitake mushrooms and edible chrysanthemum
leaves as well as tofu and konnyaku noodles. The seasoning consists of liberal
amounts of soy, a brewed sweetener called mirin and sometimes sake. Each person
has a small bowl containing raw egg into which the cooked items are dipped before
eating. The result is succulent and sweet beef and vegetables given a silky coating
by the raw egg. Sukiyaki is a relatively new dish to Japan. It is said to have
been thought up in the Meiji Period (1868-1912) after the emperor instructed his
people to eat more beef.
Shabu-shabu is cooked differently though the ingredients are largely the same.
The pot used is earthenware and half-filled with a stock made from kelp and dried
bonito. Into the pot, diners add the meat and vegetables in small batches. The
dipping sauce used is a citrus-flavoured soy mixture called ponzu which gives
everything a nice zing. “Shabu-shabu” is said to be the sound that
thinly-sliced beef makes when being cooked lightly in a bubbling broth.
Many restaurants serve sukiyaki and shabu-shabu but it is also easily made at
home. Both are great to enjoy with family and friends gathered round the steaming
pot. |
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Tempura
Typical of such successful cultural magpies, the Japanese took their inspiration
for tempura from the Portuguese and made it into something that they love as their
own. It is said that the ailing Shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu, liked this new culinary
acquisition so much that he gorged himself on it and died as a result.
Over the years, cooking techniques have been highly-refined. Not only the proportions
of flour and water in the batter but also the degree to which they are mixed are
important, as are the oil type and temperature, the method of cutting the ingredients
and the precise time which the items are fried. Timing is so important that it’s
best to sit at the counter in a good tempura restaurant so that you can eat immediately.
Commonly used for tempura are seafood such as shrimp, white fish and squid and
vegetables such as eggplant, sweet potato and perilla leaf. All items should be
dipped briefly into a thin soup of fish stock and soy sauce to which grated radish
and ginger has been added. Good tempura is light, crisp, succulent and hardly
greasy at all. The idea is to achieve a batter so light as to be barely there
and use the freshest ingredients cut so they can be cooked quickly. |
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Yakitori
“Yakitori” literally means “grilled chicken” and you get
many variations of exactly that at yakitori restaurants - small pieces of chicken
on bamboo skewers broiled over charcoal.
The range of what is on offer might surprise a first-timer. A choice between white
and dark meat is really only the tip of the iceberg. The meat can skewered alongside
vegetables such as leeks, dressed with a plum or a wasabi sauce and seasoned either
with salt or a sweet sauce called tare.
Perhaps less tempting but equally popular in Japan are hearts, livers and other
organs as well as chicken skin and cartilage. Some places even serve chicken sashimi.
Leave any fears of raw meat at the door and try it. Especially kimo (liver), it's
a dreamy, melt-in-the-mouth experience.
All this is usually washed down with cold beer or some sake, just the kind of
thing for office workers to chow down on with colleagues before getting the train
home. |
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Izakaya
Going out for drinks in Japan generally means going to an izakaya. These are really
more like restaurants that serve a wide range of drinks as well as food, the menu
is usually extensive on both counts. Most of the food will be otsumami which is
a name given to dishes that are not meals in themselves but are designed to be
eaten while drinking.
After taking your order for drinks, your waiter or waitress will return to take
your first food order. You may want to order several times over the course of
an evening. Larger, chain izakaya usually have colourful, laminated menus with
a wide variety of dishes to choose from. These will include such things as sashimi,
salads, deep-fried titbits, grilled and small pizzas. Anything that is easy to
pick at works well in an izakaya. Smaller, family-run establishments will have
a more traditional selection. The advantage is that you get something closer to
Japanese home-cooking. You can spot these more traditional izakaya by the red
paper lanterns that hang from their shop fronts.
Eating at an izakaya can be great fun as there will certainly be something for
everyone and plenty for the adventurous diner to experiment with. As for drinks,
if you ever get bored with draft beers and sake, there are always plenty of shochu
cocktails and other fruity tipples to try. |
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