Photo Credits: https://www.thejakartapost.com/life/2017/02/28/words-you-have-to-know-before-enjoying-japanese-cuisine.html
Japanese cuisine was widely influenced by the surrounding countries such as China, Korea, and even Portugal. When we think of Japanese food today, ramen and sushi are the first to come to mind. The savory broth of ramen can cure any hangover and make a sick person feel better. The melty fish of sushi is not only delicious, but also they improve eater's health while extending the longevity of people's lives. Don't even get me started on Kobe and Wagyu beef! Quite honestly, I have never had the opportunity to try it for myself, but it is on the top of the list of foods I have to try in my lifetime. I have seen popular influencers and content creators who visited wagyu beef restaurants and showcased the process of cooking the beef into the deliciousness that all meat-lovers salivate over.
A well-known Japanese dish is tempura, which the word itself is of Portuguese descent. In the past, Portuguese people could not eat meat so fish was the next big thing. They believed that frying fish was better tasting so they called it tempura. Although the Japanese have different recipes for their tempura dish, they were influenced by the outside environment. As many Asian cultures use soy sauce as a main ingredient for their dishes, the Japanese was introduced to the product only in the past century. Similarly, Germany is known for their beer and alcoholic beverages. Sapparo, a well-known and widely-favored beer company in Japan, was influenced by the German people and their tastes for beer. Mayonnaise is a main ingredient in Japan's famous sandwiches which are made of toast and commonly with eggs, cucumber, and ham. They use mayonnaise to give the sandwich more taste and helps it melt into people's mouths. As a matter of fact, the Japanese people are known to be the country who has the highest per capital consumption of mayonnaise.
Rice is a widely-accepted dish and is used in almost all Asian cultures, but the Japanese were not introduced to rice until about 2,400 years ago through immigrants who came from nearby countries such as mainland China. Nowadays, there are a variety of sizes and types of rice made with different types of grain. Unlike the people of India, Japanese people are not accustomed to eating long-grain rice. Majority of the rice that Japanese people use is sticky (used for sushi) and is considered within the short-grained category. However, the Japanese have used rice to create Mochi, which are Japanese rice cakes. Mochi is made from a specific type of rice called mochigome. It is then pounded into a paste and steamed. Then the paste is molded into the desired shape. Mochi is considered a traditional food and is typically eaten in traditional ceremonies. Another product made from rice by the Japanese people is sake. Sake is commonly referred to as a rice wine. This alcoholic beverage is made by fermenting rice.
Sushi today is also very different from traditional sushi. In the past, sushi was made by preserving fish for several years and then cut into bite-sized pieces and then salted and rolled in rice topped off with vinegar.
