Category: Traditional Food

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Makanan Yang Sangat Terkenal DI Jepang

Tahukah anda negara Jepang atau yang di sebut dengan negri Sakura merupakan negara yang kental akan budaya . Selain terkenal akan kebudayaannya Jepang juga terkenal akan wisatanya .Inilah yang di incar para turis karena di Jepang memiliki banyak sekali tempat wisata yang sangat terkenal dan tentunya sangat indah . Selain itu jepang juga memiliki kuliner yang sangat terkenal loh . di Jepang juga kaya akan kuliner dan tentunya sangat cocok untuk lidah Indonesia . Saya akan merekomendasikan untuk anda makanan apa saja yang musti anda coba jika berkunjung ke Jepang . langsung kita mulai saja dari yang pertama .

1. Sushi

Sushi juga sangat populer di Indonesia, sebagian dari kalian pasti sudah perna mencoba Sushi di Indonesia . Di Jepang varian sushi juga sangat banyak tetapi yang paling terkenal yaitu Dragon roll, Salmon roll dan California roll

2. Sashimi

Sashimi merupakan makanan khas Jepang yang sangat popular . Sashimi merupakan irisan daging binatang laut berupa ikan atau gurita yang segar biasanya di sajikan mentah dan nikmati denan kecap asin dan campuran wasabi .

3. Dorayaki

Bagi kalian yang suka menonton flim Doraemon pasti tidak asing lagi dengan makanan ini . Yapp betul sekali ini adalah makanan kesukaan Doraemon . Mirip dengan adonan pancake yang membedakanya adalah Dorayaki biasanya memiliki isi kacang merah di dalamnya . Tetapi di Indonesia dimodifikasi dengan isian coklat dan keju .

4. Onigiri

Onigiri merupakan nasi kepal khas Jepang yang memiliki isi seperti Tuna, Salmon, Ayam dan Sapi Yakiniku . Biasanya Onigiri merupakan makanan pengganjal perut bagi rakyat jepang saat sebelum pergi ke tempat kerja . Terkadang Onigiri juga sering di bawa anak – anak untuk bekal saat pergi piknik.

5. Udon

Udon merupakan maknan khas Jepang dengan mie yang memiliki ukuran besar dan memiliki tekstur mie yang kenyal dengan kuah yang cukup nikmat dan segar , bakal membuat kita ketagihan .

6. Soba

Selain Udon, Soba juga merupakan mie yang cukup terkenal di Jepang . Berbeda dengan Udon yang memiliki ukuran yang besar Soba memiliki ukuran mie yang kecil dan terbuat dari gandum . tentunya rasanya pasti sangat enak .

Itulah beberapa maknan Jepang yang bisa saya rekomendasi untuk anda dan tentunya masi banyak lagi makanan khas Jepang yang sangat nikmat yang harus anda coba jika pergi ke Jepang . maaf jika ada salah kata dan Terima Kasih

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Mengenal Lebih Jauh Tentang Sake Dari Jepang

Setelah sebelumnya terus menerus membahas soal makanan , kali ini maka akan di bahas tentang minuman tradisional khas dari negara Jepang  . seperti yang di ketahui bahwa di seluruh Negara di Dunia pasti ada minuman alkohol tidak terkecuali juga Negara Jepang .

Di Jepang minuman alkohol ini bernama Sake , Sake termasuk alkohol dari jepang yang berasal dari fermentasi beras atau nama lainnya biasa di sebut anggur beras . bahkan cara pembuatan alkohol ini tercatat dalam buku kuno yang berusia sekitar tahun 700 setelah masehi .

Sejak zaman dahulu , orang jepang telah membuat dan menikmati Sake sebagai bagian dari kebudaan jepang . karena sake adalah alkohol dari jepang yang benar-benar khas . tidak ada camput tangan dari bangsa lainnya . bangsa jepang berinovasi sendiri dalam meracik sake ini .

Cara pembuatan sake biasanya menggunakan beras dengan air murni dan Koji ( suatu mikroorganisme ). setelah di campur lalu di biarkan dalam beberapa hari agar bisa berfementasi .

Namun hal yang perlu dan sangat patut di ketahui adalah awal mula pembuatan sake ini sebelum adanya mikroorganisme Koji .

Pada awal mula pembuatan sake , orang jepang memanfaatkan air liur gadis perawan loh . ini karena jaman dahulu mikroorganisme koji masih belum di kenal banyak kegunaannya .

kuchikamizake inilah awal mula sake atau cikal bakal sake yang ada pada saat ini . sebelum orang jepang meminum sake , kuchikamizake  inilah yang sering di minum .

cara pembuatannya sama dengan cara pembuatan sake pada umumnya , jika sekarang beras di campurkan dengan air dan koji . maka kuchikamizake ini di campur dengan air liur gadis perawan .

pertama-tama gadis perawan jepang pada zaman dahulu akan memakan dan mengunyah nasi yang sudah matang sampai nasi tersebut halus dan lalu di keluarkan ke sebuah wadah sampai penuh . setelah penuh barulah ditutup dan di diamkan agar bisa berfementasi.

air liur diyakini memiliki enzim ataupun zat yang sama pada kandungan mikroorganisme koji .

bahkan cara pembuatan kuchikamizake ini sampai terdengar sampai seantero dunia pada zaman dahulu , jika di jepang mengunyah nasi untuk menjadi sake berbeda di negara lain seperti :
– . China mengunyah jawawut untuk menjadi xiaomi jiu ( arak jawawut ).
– . Meksiko mengunyah agave untuk menjadi pulque .
– . Amerika Latin mengunyah jagung untuk menjadi chicha dan yuca untuk dijadikan masato.
semua itu adalah minuman berakohol .

itulah beberapa hal mengenai sake jepang , semoga informasi ini menambah pengetahuan anda semua ya !

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Hal Yang Perlu Di Ketahui Dari Tanaman Wasabi

Bagi pecinta makanan jepang / japanese food pasti sudah tidak heran dengan namanya wasabi . wasabi merupakan salah satu menu pendamping bersama shoyu atau kecap asin pada menu utama sashimi dan sushi .

Sebenarnya apa sih itu wasabi ?
Tentu bagi pecinta makanan jepang seperti sushi atau sashimi sudah tidak heran dengan wasabi ini namun bagi yang tidak tahu akan kami jelaskan disini.

Wasabi sebenarnya termasuk tanaman herbal dan masih berkeluarga dengan kol atau kubis. Wasabi merupakan tanaman asli dari jepang dan mempunyai nama latin Wasabia Japonica atau Eutrema japonica ini berasal dari batang wasabi.

Batang wasabi biasanya di parut dan diolah dengan lebih lanjut , sehingga menghasilkan menu pelengkap atau menu pendamping yang memiliki tekstur seperti pasta .Namun bukan hanya batang wasabi saja yang berguna untuk bahan makanan , bagian tangkai daun dan akar wasabi yang memiliki rasa yang kuat juga kerap diolah jadi bahan makanan loh .

Rasa pedas pada wasabi bukan seperti rasa pedas pada cabai , jika pedasnya cabai hanya membakar lidah berbeda dengan pedas wasabi ini memberikan rasa pedas yang menusuk hidung sampai kepala .

Adakah kandungan nutrisi pada tanaman wasabi ?
Wasabi mengandung Protein , karbohidrat , serat dan sedikit lemak .
bukan hanya itu , wasabi juga di yakini mengandung beberapa vitamin seperti vitamin K , Vitamin E , Vitamin D , Vitamin C , Vitamin B12 , Vitamin B6 , Vitamin A bisa di dapatkan pada tanaman wasabi ini .
wasabi juga mengandung mineral seperti Kalsium , zat besi , tembaga , magnesium , mangan , fosfor , kalium , selenium  serta seng yang beguna untuk kebutuhan harian tubuh .

Adakah Manfaat untuk kesehatan ?
Tentu saja ada loh , meskipun rasanya yang pedas wasabi ini sangat bermanfaat untuk kesehatan tubuh . seperti yang sudah di jelaskan sebelumnya sangat banyak kandungan yang ada pada tanaman wasabi ini . dengan banyaknya kandungan pasti ada manfaat untuk tubuh . seperti :

1 . Menurunkan resiko kanker
2 . Mengobati peradangan
3 . Menjaga kesehatan jantung
4 . Meringankan masalah pernapasan
5 . Mencegah Obesitas
6 . Menlancarkan sistem pencernaan
7 . Efek antibakteri

Itulah beberapa manfaat yang ada pada wasabi , bukan hanya sebagai bahan makanan wasabi ternyata bagus untuk tubuh . semoga informasi ini bermanfaat dan konsumsi wasabi setiap hari :V . salam kesehatan !

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Liburan ke Jepang ? Jangan Lupa Cobain Buah Khas Dari Jepang !

Sebagai negara maju nomor satu di dunia dengan masyarakat yang memiliki etos kerja tinggi , disiplin dan pekerja keras . hal tersebutlah yang mendorong kemajuan negara Jepang dalam segala bidang terutama dalam membudidayakan buah-buahan. Petani di Jepang sangat berdikasi tinggi untuk membudidayakan buah-buahan .

Nah , jika sedang liburan ke jepang tidak ada salahnya untuk membeli dan mencoba buah-buahan khasnya . Buah-buahan khas Jepang tidak susah untuk di dapatkan kok , anda bisa mencarinya di pasar tradisional ataupun modern yang terdekat . jadi tidak perlu khawatir ya .

Pasti penasarakan apa saja buah khas dari jepang  ? berikut ini listnya :

1 . Hatsukoi no Kaori Ichigo


Hatsukoi no Kaori Ichigo bisa juga di sebut sebagai Stawberry Putih . Hatsukoi no Kaori Ichigo sendiri memiliki arti Aroma Cinta Pertama .

Berbeda dengan strawberry pada biasanya yang bewarna merah di Jepang strawberry putih ini sangat mudah di temukan , strawberry ini memiliki rasa yang sama seperti stawberry pada umumnya , namun ada juga strawberry putih yang memiliki rasa mirip nanas.

2 . Semangka Densuke


Berbeda dengan semangka pada umumnya , Semangka Densuke ini adalah semangka yang sangat langka di Jepang maupun di dunia . karena kelangkaan inilah yang membuat semangka ini memiliki harga jual yang tinggi .

Jika biasanya semangka bewarna Hijau muda , Hijau tua ataupun kekuningan berbeda dengan semangka Densuke ini , semangka Densuke ini bewarna Gelap namun tidak kehitaman . namun meskipun memiliki warna yang gelap semangka Densuke ini memiliki rasa yang lebih manis daripada semangka pada umumnya.

3 . Semangka Persegi


Nah loh , kok persegi ? karena bentuknya persegi makanya di namakan semangka persegi . jika biasanya semangka berbentuk bulat ataupun lonjong . Petani di jepang membuat inovasi dengan membentuk semangka bulat jadi persegi . sangat berbeda dari semangka pada umumnya kan ?
Jangan khawatir soal rasanya , semangka ini juga memiliki rasa yang manis loh.

Sebenarnya masih banyak lagi buah khas dari jepang , namun untuk kesempatan kali ini yang di bahas hanya Tiga dahulu ya . jangan lupa loh jika liburan ke jepang , tidak ada salahnya untuk mencoba Buah tadi .

Semoga informasi ini bermanfaat dan menambah referensi buah di Jepang ya !

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Miso Sup Khas Negeri Matahari Terbit

Di Seluruh negera di dunia tentu memiliki makanan khas tertentu yang hanya ada di negera tersebut , bisa juga terdapat di negara lain tapi pasti rasanya berbeda dengan rasa yang langsung dari negara aslinya bukan ?

Kali ini akan di bahas makanan khas dari Negeri Matahari Terbit , ada yang tahu Negara apa yang disebut Negeri Matahari Terbit ?
Yah , Negara Jepang lah yang biasa di sebut orang pada umumnya .

Sebagai negara yang maju dan termasuk negara yang menggabungkan Modern dan Tradisional , negara jepang memiliki banyak makanan khas yang sudah ada di zaman dahulu dan di lestarikan sampai sekarang . Ada Sushi , Sashimi , Tempura , Yakitori , Miso , Tsukemono Pickles , Udon , Soba , Sukiyaki , Kaiseki dan tentu masih banyak lagi yang tidak bisa di sebutkan satu persatu.

Nah , Seperti yang sudah di tuliskan di Judul kali ini akan di bahas mengenai Miso Soup khas dari Negeri Matahari Terbit ( Jepang ) . Biasanya Miso soup selalu jadi side dish ( menu pendamping ) di setiap makanan jepang . dan sangat cocok di makan saat musim dingin , karena soup hangat tersebut bisa membuat kita jadi hangat .

Miso Soup pada dasarnya terbuat dari Dashi dan bisa di tambah dengan makanan laut atau sayur –mayur . Apa itu Dashi ? Dashi adalah bahan dasar dalam pembuatan Miso sup , bukan hanya bahan dasar pembuatan miso sup , namun juga bahan dasar dalam semua masakan jepang .

Dashi  bisa disebut sebagai Kaldu nya jepang , yang di ambil dari Sari Kombu ( Sejenis ganggang laut yang bisa di komsumsi ) dan Katsuobushi ( Ikan cakalang yang di fermentasi dan di serut seperti serutan kayu , bisa juga di sebut ikan kayu di jepang ) .

Miso soup adalah menu pendamping yang Wajib ada karena mudah di buat dan di sukai oleh semua warga jepang pastinya . dan setiap pagi untuk sarapan orang jepang sering makan nasi hangat dengan miso soup karena praktis di buat .

Ada yang belum pernah mencoba miso soup khas jepang ? jika belum anda bisa coba ya di jamin mantul rasanya .

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Delicious Japanese Traditional Food

Japanese cuisine (日本 料理 nihon ryōri, nippon ryōri?) Is a food cooked by cooking that develops uniquely in Japan and uses food ingredients taken from Japan and surrounding areas. In Japanese, Japanese food is called nihonshoku or washoku.

Sushi, tempura, shabu-shabu, and sukiyaki are Japanese foods that are popular outside Japan, including in Indonesia. But besides these foods, there are still other foods that are no less delicious.

1. Domburimono

This dish consists of a bowl (domburi) of rice covered with various dishes such as boiled beef (Gyudon), chicken and eggs (oyakodon), fried shrimp (tendon) or fried pork and eggs (katsudon) with tofu and pickled soup. They often eat this because the price is more affordable.

2. Dorayaki

Dorayaki is a cake from Japan. Dorayaki belongs to a group of traditional Japanese cakes (wagashi) which are round-shaped in a slightly translucent shape, consisting of two pieces of cake glued together with red peanut butter. Dorayaki has a soft texture and is similar to a Japanese cake called Kastela because of a mixture containing honey.

3. Ochazuke

Ochazuke or chazuke is the name of Japanese food or how to eat in the form of white rice with a simple side dish which is poured with green tea water, dashi or hot water. Yūzuke is another name for rice poured with hot water. Side dishes are placed on top of rice before pouring tea water (green tea or hōjicha), dashi or hot water. Side dishes used for example umeboshi, tsukemono, shiozake, nori, tsukudani, shiokara, wasabi, tarako (mentaiko).

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Try Red Miso In Nagoya – Best Place To Eat Udon !

Nagoya – This city located between Tokyo and Kyoto has unique cuisine. Like an udon with a thick and tasty marinade of red miso sauce!

The city is often called ‘Chukyo’ because of its location between Tokyo and Kyoto, two major historical cities in Japan. The Nagoya name comes from the word ‘Nagoyaka’ which means peace.

Apart from seeing temples and enjoying unagi and Nagoya sea products, Nagoya special udon should not be missed. Generally, udon in Nagoya is made fresh and cooked with the right temperature and time so that the flavor is thick crunchy. Borrowing Italian words, like ‘al dente’ on pasta. Then what is special about Udon in Nagoya?

Udon in Nagoya is known as ‘miso nikomi udon’. Or udon in the soaking miso sauce. Miso is the result of fermented mashed soybeans. Miso is one of the ingredients of Japanese cuisine and in each region has a different type of miso. Nonetheless, miso can be distinguished into white miso or shiromiso, red miso or akamiso and both cmapuran miso, awasemiso.

Red Miso is characteristic of Nagoya, besides being an udon sauce, it is also used as a spread of fried or grilled chicken and roasted unagi. It tastes savory with a tauco-like aroma that is savory and sharp.

But red miso in Nagoya is slightly different, known as haccho miso, which is made only with soybeans without additional rice so that the taste is more savory.

If you want to enjoy miso nikomi udon, you can stop by the famous Nikomi Udon Yammamotoya Honten as the best place to taste udon. Not many menus provided. In summer they serve some cold udon menus.

The udon texture is made fresh with a spicy savory terrace, ‘al dente’ and the portions are quite filling. If you are still not full, Nagoya people usually eat it with white rice. The remaining udon sauce can be stirred with white rice. The part of half-cooked yolk can be enjoyed last so that it still remains tasty on the tongue. Itadakimasu!

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Unique Japanese Cooking Method: Kaminabe ( Japanese Paper Hotpot )

There is always something special about Japanese dishes. Like Kaminabe or the art of cooking using Japanese paper as this unique container. The heat-resistant and safe paper characteristics of the paper make it delicious to eat.

There is so much Kaminabe menu, like Tara Ciri Kaminabe, Beef Tuskune Kaminabe, Seafood Kaminabe and Tori Shima Kaminabe. The difference from the four is the composition of the ingredients and variations in the sauce.

Enjoying a fresh bowl of Kaminabe, it feels like a visit to this modern Japanese restaurant. Miyagi Restaurant carries the concept of Fine Japanese for Everyone so that its visitors can eat Japanese menus with the present concept.

Not only various variations of the taste of Kaminabe that you should try there. This restaurant also offers a variety of sushi and udon, of course with a special taste. The choices of sushi available include Ebi Mentai, Kizami Unagi to sushi with a fusion flavor.

Kaminabe usually Contains pieces of seafood, tofu, vegetables and mushrooms to make this one warm soup delicious to eat. Even more unique, Japanese-style soup is served in Japanese paper pot or on Japanese heat-resistant paper.

So if you want to taste unique flavour of Japanese dishes, Kaminabe can be the perfect match for you !

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Unique Tea In Japan You Need To Try

You will be addicted after trying the culinary kick on the tongue in Japan. Examples such as ramen and sushi. But there is some typical Japanese tea whose flavor is refreshing. Do you know anything about it ? Check this out !

1. Ocha

Vacation to Japan feels less if you have not tried ocha. Yep, this is a typical Japanese drink in the form of tea with a distinctive taste. There are also many types. The famous one is the type of sencha. This type of tea is very popular. Not only during winter, Ocha is also selling well in the summer because it is served cold.

2. Mugicha

This drink is also in the form of tea. However, the main ingredient for making it is not using green tea leaves, but grilled wheat. The uniqueness of Mugicha is not only its taste, but also its benefits. That said, drinks that are better drunk in cold conditions can relieve stress. No need to worry, you can find it at the Sakura State supermarket.

3. Sobacha

Want to feel the tea that tastes anti mainstream? Try Sobacha. This drink is in the form of a spicy tea. The material used to make it comes from buckwheat seeds or grilled berries. Its properties do warm and refresh the body. However, you need to know if Sobacha has alcohol in it.

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Most Popular Type of Sashimi In Japan

Sushi is a Japanese food that is very famous in the world. Sushi is a food made from sticky rice combined with a variety of interesting topings such as fresh fish, seafood, meat, and vegetables. Sushi is usually served with soy sauce, ginger and wasabi. But besides sushi, Japan also has a type of food called sashimi. Unlike sushi, sashimi is usually made from seafood which is served raw. Sashimi also has many types. Here we summarize the 3 most popular types of sashimi in Japan. The first is tsugatazukuri. This one sashimi is a type of sashimi that still maintains the original form of food served, for example fish that have been sliced ​​but still served as a whole fish. This type of sashimi can usually be found at certain events, especially weddings. Second is ikekuzuri. For this one, the type of meat used is octopus. The octopus that is served is usually still very fresh, even look alive. In the brain part of the octopus has been cleaned, but because the muscles in the body are still working, then the octopus will be seen moving when served. Third is Tataki. For this type of sashimi is the most friendly type. Tataki is made from meat of tuna, skipjack and bonito which are cooked very quickly. The way to cook it is to put it on the fire for a few seconds. On the outside of the meat will look ripe, but in the middle of the meat is still raw. This type of sashimi is favored by tourists and locals alike.
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Know More About Japanese Wasabi !

Green wasabi pasta is usually eaten for sushi and sashimi. In Japan itself, wasabi is indeed used for smearing sushi and sashimi. Sushi and sashimi dishes use raw marine ingredients, such as raw tuna or raw salmon. Well, this wasabi is applied to the raw fish. “What is sought from this isabi is the aroma. Sometimes raw fish has a fishy odor. Use wasabi to neutralize this odor,” said Chef Hideki Chomei. The original Japanese Chomei is a chef at a Japanese restaurant, Nishimura. This restaurant is located in the Shangri-La hotel in Jakarta. The aroma and taste of wasabi is very typical. Spicy, stomping, instead of burning the mouth, but immediately hit the nose. If it’s the first time you try it, this spiciness can surprise you. As Chomei said, there was trust among Japanese people, wasabi could kill bacteria in raw fish used for sushi and sashimi. However, he himself is not sure whether this is true or not. “It’s just the words that only wasabi can make bacteria die,” Chomei said. Towards spring, besides Sakura began to bloom, wasabi also began to be harvested. According to Chomei, wasabi was harvested when the winter was over which was marked by snow. Wasabi (Shutterstock) Wasabi plants themselves are tubers, such as carrots or cassava. The color is green starting from the bulbs or roots, stems, until the leaves. Wasabi leaves are wide and shaped like a heart. Generally, the restaurants that provide wasabi paste are made from wasabi powder. Of course this is cheaper than making it yourself from fresh wasabi roots. Because, wasabi root is very expensive. “Fresh wasabi root is around Rp 3 million,” Chef Chomei said.
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Matcha, The Most Iconic Tea In Japan

Matcha is now becoming a worldwide trend and comes in various forms. Indeed, Matcha is actually very easy to be used as a cooking ingredient to give a unique taste, so it is only natural that Matcha now comes in the form of ice cream, sweets, cakes, and so on. But what makes green tea from Japan more attractive than the various green tea variants we have known so far?

Matcha is a special green tea powder from Japan that is often used in tea ceremonies. In contrast to green tea in general (also known as Sencha).

Matcha is made from green tea leaves which during its planting are protected from direct sunlight for up to 20 days before being picked. The tea leaves used to make Matcha are only the best tea leaves, which are then dried thoroughly and then crushed into powder, then brewed using hot water.

The most important difference between Matcha and Sencha is Matcha contains all the nutrients from green tea leaves, including those that are usually wasted in the process of brewing green tea that we know so far. Therefore, the nutrition in a cup of Matcha is equivalent to nutrition in 10 cups of Sencha.

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Most Popular Traditional Japanese Food

Soba noodles are noodles made from rye, slightly rough with thickness like spaghetti, and can be served both warm and cold. Soba cuisine is very popular and can be found in almost all of Japan.

Sukiyaki is one of the popular dishes in Japan, which is eating where you cook it, namely from the pan. How to cook sukiyaki is different in each region in Japan.

Sushi is typical of Japanese cuisine with a long history and full of tradition. Sushi may be one of the culinary icons of Japan.

Tempura is a dish of vegetables or seafood that is shrouded and fried. It’s best when eaten with dipped and salt sauce.

Tendons are a typical Japanese dish consisting of a bowl with rice with meat, eggs, or vegetables.

Chanko nabe is one of the many quantities of stew from Japan and is one of the foods that wrestlers like to eat to fatten their bodies.

Yakitori is a Japanese chicken satay. Yakitori is a simple dish, which only requires a little spice and the right cooking method.

Yakizakana is a food made from fish which is baked on fire. Seasoned with sauces such as teriyaki sauce, shioyaki, and kushiyaki.

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Onigiri – Common Dish In Japan

Onigiri is also commonly called rice balls in America. Onigiri can also be called Musubi or Omusubi. Musubi means bound, so maybe it means the rice ball with a nori that surrounds the rice. But there are also some onigiri / musubi that don’t use nori.

In my opinion, Onigiri is rice which is pressed into a ball using a hand that has been moistened with a little water, then given a little salt. This is the basic way. You can modify the Onigiri as you like by adding various topings and different types of rice.

Lots of Onigiri in Japan are available at self-service shops / combini (Japanese supermarkets). Usually they provide 2 to 3 shelves to display onigiri and are always stocked every few hours, especially at busy times, such as breakfast or at night where people are looking for snacks.

This onigiri is always sold fresh. I don’t know all the details but if the onigiri is left for more than a few hours, they will become stale, and the rice will become hard. So that’s the reason why this Onigiri is sent several times a day.

There are many types of origini and every supermarket / combini in Japan has their own mainstay. It seems they are trying to make at least 2 new flavors every month. For example below, Yaki Onigiri and Ebi Chiri Chaahan are in labeli Shinhatsubai which means new products.

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Super Expensive Food In Japan, Kaiseki Ryori

Every country that has a long culinary history must have a special cuisine that is very special and can be called haute cuisine. The purpose of haute cuisine here is a high-level culinary that requires special preparation and high-level presentations.

In Japanese cuisine, haute cuisine in the country of the Rising Sun is kaiseki. There are 2 types of kaiseki, namely kaiseki ryori and cha-kaiseki (kaiseki which is served during the tea ceremony) but what I will discuss this time is kaiseki ryori.

Kaiseki ryori is a multi-menu food set that has been served since hundreds of years ago. Starting from a set of food served during the tea ceremony, kaiseki ryori then developed into a menu that is usually served among nobles.

What makes this kaiseki ryori interesting is that from all the menus presented, there is no repetition of food ingredients or repetitions of cooking techniques. So if only (for example) a carrot has been used on one menu, it will not be used on another menu.

Except for fish menus that can use several types of fish, so it cannot be called repetition of food ingredients. Not only food that is not repeated, but also cooking techniques without repetition, you know. So if there are 10 dishes, it is processed in 10 different ways.

Kaiseki ryori is very expensive. For haute cuisine, don’t be surprised if the price of a kaiseki set can range from 15000 yen to 40000 yen per person. Indeed, there is also kaiseki which is priced at a relatively affordable price of between 4000 yen and 8,000 yen, but of course the features will be different from the high-end restaurants.

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Edamame, The Most Popular Snack In Japan

One of the most popular snack in Japan is Edamame. This food actually is a bean which have a good taste, a little bit sweet and usually served with a sprinkling of salt.

Edamame is an immature green soybean and eaten directly from the skin. Its name originates from Japan, which means ‘beans in the stem’.

The Sakura country did indeed popularize it. And it tastes good, starts boiling or steaming until it’s dried. Nutrition The protein content is very good!

This is because edamame has all nine amino acids commonly found in meat and eggs. No wonder these beans are very popular among vegetarians. Bone In addition to being nutritious, edamame beans contain phytochemicals.

One of them is phytoestrogens that are good for bone health, especially for women who are already menopausal.

Diet, Edamame should be included in the daily diet list as a source of protein. Besides reducing the amount of fat in the blood, it is also very good for a low-calorie diet. Soybean Energy? Indeed, nuts are not for everyone.

There are some who suffer from allergies to peanuts, including soybeans such as edamame. Soy allergy is commonly found in children and most disappear with age. If you are among you, there is no need to worry. Later, he will also be able to enjoy edamame beans.

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Japanese Popular Food: Nabe

Nabe literally means “hot pot” aka “pan”. This Nabe is like shabu-shabu, but the type of sauce is different. If shabu-shabu uses clear gravy, nabe has a thick sauce that will taste much tastier (and more challenging) when added with spicy spices. In nabe restaurants, you can even choose the level of spiciness of the sauce according to taste, starting from level one to ten.

Speaking of restaurants, finding a good nabe restaurant is not as easy as finding a ramen shop or other Japanese specialties. Especially for foreign tourists, nabe is not a common Japanese cuisine and is the target – so if you pass in front of one of the nabe restaurants maybe we will not realize it. Luckily at that time I was with my original Japanese friends who settled in Tokyo, so they introduced me to a nabe, and they knew very well where to eat nabe.

The Nabe restaurant resembles a shabu-shabu restaurant, where on top of each table is a stove to place a typical Japanese marble pan. The first thing you have to do is order whatever sauce and side dish you want to put in your nabe dish. You can choose from a variety of menus such as chicken, fish, squid, crabs, vegetables, and mushrooms. While the most suitable drink for accompanying nabe is chuhai (a kind of sake drink) that has a variety of flavors, such as grapes, grapefruit, or lychees.

Eating nabe for dinner in winter is a very unique and memorable culinary experience. The cold can get, the warmth can also get. But for me, besides the delicious dishes, the pleasure of eating nabe is also felt in the cooking process — especially if it’s done with a group of friends. Starting from putting all the side dishes into boiling sauce, taking turns proposing to serve the food to people’s bowls, until the scrambling moments of side dishes that lead to laughter, all of them strengthen the warmth that has actually been felt only by eating the nabe.

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Nihonshu – Japanese Sake Which Is Really Popular In Japan

If you come to Japan, you definitely want to enjoy various kinds of Japanese things, right? One of them is tasting Japanese food products that are registered in non-objects cultural heritage.

For those who love alcohol, feeling liquor while at a place to eat may also be as important as the main menu. However, because you have come all the way to Japan, you might want to try a different kind of liquor than usual.

You might know the word “SAKE”, but maybe you have never taken real Japanese sake. This time we will introduce Nihonshu (Japanese Sake) which is the result of technology and culture typical of Japan and where you can drink and buy the sake.

Nihonshu can be found in most places in Japan, from ramen shops to taverns, from bars to luxury resets, so you can drink it in various places.

Basically you can buy nihonshu anywhere. In the city center, for example, Nihonshu can be found anywhere from supermarkets to duty free shops at the airport. However, if at a duty free airport store, you can buy it even though it is not yet 20 years old (in Japan, only people over 20 years old are allowed to buy and drink alcohol). If you feel “you want to drink nihonshu but if you drink in a restaurant or take it outside it’s expensive”, you don’t need to worry. You just buy nihonshu in the supermarket and drink it at home.

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The Most Expensive Mushroom In Japan, Matsutake

Matsutake is a plant species that is still one species in the Kingdom Fungi category, this mushroom grows in a place that has a relatively low temperature, usually Matsutake grows in countries with cool climates such as in Japan, China, Korea and cool places in the hemisphere other earth.

Usually this fungus will grow when the fall arrives until the fall ends (September – November), because it has a relatively short growing period so that the price of Matsutake mushrooms is so extraordinarily expensive, 1 pound can be valued at US $ 100 (1 pound = 1 / 2 Kg).

Because the Matsutake mushroom comes from Japanese which means Matsu = Pine and Take = Mushroom, so it can be called Pine mushroom, why can it be called like that? because the habitat where this fungus grows is in the pine forests which generally are mostly in Japan. This fungus is parasitic because it grows attached to the roots of the pine tree, because it is still in the family Fungi mushrooms can not make their own food so he must stick to other plants and absorb food from plants that he is riding.

Japanese society generally presents this Matsutake in the form of various food variations depending on the taste of each of them as well, such as slicing it into 2 or 3 parts then baking it on charcoal and served with soy sauce (Shoyu),

or sliced ​​into small pieces and cooked together with rice and will become mushroom rice [Matsutake gohan (松茸 ご 飯)] so that it will smell so distinctively delicious,

and sometimes someone throws it into pochi soup [Dobin mushi (土 瓶 蒸 し)] to enjoy the delicious and delicious broth from Matsutake when you eat it warmly.

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The Right Way To Cook Shabu Shabu In Japan

When visiting shabu shabu restaurants, customers will usually be free to cook a variety of main ingredients such as meat and vegetables with the desired level of maturity. But unlike the presentation of shabu shabu in Indonesia, in Japan itself, there are some unwritten rules that are usually done when going to cook and make shabu shabu.

The first is to understand the order of vegetables to be cooked. When the dashi or broth from the kombu stew starts to boil, put the vegetables that are hard-textured and not easy to soften first such as radishes, carrots, onions, and shittake mushrooms. In addition to making vegetables not easily destroyed, the taste of dashi will be even more savory because of the additional juice or juice from vegetable stew.

After that, you can add thin slices of beef into the boiling dashi. But, do not boil the meat too long because it will damage the texture so it is more tough and tasteless when eaten.
In Japan, meat slices are usually not boiled, but only dipped in dashi three to four times until the color of the meat turns paler.

This is in accordance with the name shabu shabu or swish swish which refers to the process of cooking meat by swinging it into hot water.
This cooking method makes the meat texture softer with some parts of the flesh that are still pink. Even though it is cooked in a short time and looks perfectly immature, it tastes even more juicy with fat that is still melting when eaten.

So that the flavor is more evocative, dip the meat into a tasty and creamy sesame sauce or ponzu sauce with a sour-salty flavor before eating. But don’t add too much sauce because it will make the natural flavor of meat and vegetables covered with a strong sauce flavor.

Especially for easily cooked vegetables such as lettuce, mustard greens, and enoki mushrooms, you can boil it for two to three minutes before eating it immediately. This also applies to complementing shabu shabu such as tofu or fish meatballs so that the texture remains soft and does not break down because it is boiled too long.

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Takoyaki – Delicious Snacks From Kansai Japan

Takoyaki is one of the delicious snacks from Kansai, Japan. This one food is round, small like a ping pong ball. In its origin area, takoyaki is made from flour mixture with octopus slices. To make delicious takoyaki recipes is very easy, you can even cook yourself at home.

In Indonesia, takoyaki can now be easily found in Japanese restaurants. Takoyaki snacks have grown in Indonesia not long ago so many people are still wondering about this one snack.

Its unique name and delicious taste makes takoyaki much popular and is a trend among young people today. Amazingly, takoyaki can be made with various variants/fillings such as sausages, cheese, chicken, squid, and cheese. takoyaki filling can be adjusted according to individual taste.

Takoyaki is made using special molds shaped like half-ball basins. In one pan, it generally consists of 16 holes or even more than that. In Japan, takoyaki is made by using octopus stuffing and that is the characteristic of the takoyaki of Sakura Nation.

In Indonesia itself, takoyaki can be found easily. There is so many restaurants who sell this food, we can also found street food seller who sells takoyaki. So if you want to try takoyaki, you don’t need to go to Japan.

 

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How To Make Authentic Japanese Curry

Curry is one of the most popular foods in Japan. Unlike curry in India, curry in Japan has different recipes since centuries ago.

As popular as sushi and ramen, curry is one of the favorite foods in Japan. Usually served with warm katsu and rice. Apparently the curry in Japan or curry rice was not as popular as now, curry was only known about 150 years ago.

Initially curry entered Japan through sailors from England who had made Indian curries as their staple food during fishing. In 1872 Japanese-language cookbooks, namely Japanese Cooking Michimasa Second Volume were published containing 110 recipes of exotic foods brought by foreigners to Japan.

One of them is cow or goat curry recipe and chicken curry recipe. Following is a brief description of Japan’s oldest curry recipe.

Japanese Curry Recipe :

beef, mutton or thinly sliced ​​chicken
2 chives, sliced ​​roughly
4.5 tbsp butter
1 tablespoon curry powder
1 tablespoon of flour
salt, according to taste
water or broth water.

How to make:

▪ Thinly slice the chives, then saute with butter until they change color and wither.
▪ Mix one tablespoon of curry powder, with a mixture of one spoonful of flour and salt into sauteed onions.
▪ Put thin slices of meat.
▪ Then cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
▪ Add a little water or broth, simmer for half an hour. Then lift and serve.
This is the Oldest Japanese Curry Recipe from Meiji Period Photo: Special / Japantoday
Because the recipe uses a dose of shitoruto spoon that is gone. You can replace it with an ordinary tablespoon as a measure.

The taste of this authentic curry is more salty than modern Japanese curry. Although the texture and taste are not much different from other Japanese curries today.

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Japanese Traditional Dish, Gyoza

Gyoza is a dumpling with chopped cabbage, garlic, spring onions, and meat. One small gyoza contains five main nutrients, namely protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals, so that qualifying as a perfect dish, we can add according to taste.

Gyoza is so popular that many shops sell not only in the form of frozen or cold gyoza but gyoza is also fully cooked to take home.

Gyoza is from China. In northeastern China (formerly called Manchuria), although boiled gyoza is popular, people there also eat gyoza called “pot-stickers” similar to Japanese stick gyoza or gyoza made in iron skillets. It also says that South China originates from steamed gyoza, which is popular in the form of dim sum.

The origin of baked-famous gyoza in Japan is now apparently inspired by roasting the rest of the boiled gyoza.

The history of gyoza in Japan is quite long. In the first Japanese period, the food served was called Mitsukuni Tokugawa, also known as Komon from Mito. He was curious about everything and said the first Japanese to eat ramen and cheese too.

Gyoza spread throughout Japan simultaneously after World War II. It was said that people familiar with the Northeast of China introduced gyoza in Japan. Today, gyoza has been developed in its own way, penetrating in the food culture in Japan as well as ramen and curry and rice.

“Local Gyoza” refers to gyoza which is cooked with unique local ingredients and its own cooking method, and is eaten with a special sauce of our own taste.

Utsunomiya City and Hamamatsu City compete with each other during the biggest consumption gyoza in Japan, and the competition makes headlines and fills up TV news programs. We can enjoy local gyoza not only the cities above, but also in Kamata, Ota-ward, Tokyo, Kobe-city, Tsu-city, Fukushima-city, as well as many other places throughout Japan.

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Amezaiku – The Art Of Making Candy In Japan

There are unique and beautiful candies in Japan, namely amezaiku. This candy is in the form of various characters. When getting amezaiku candy, you will choose to keep it than to eat it.

Amezaiku is not actually the name of a candy bar. Ameizaku is the traditional art of making candy in various forms. There is so many form, like animal, flowers, and many more.

This amezaiku art has been around for hundreds of years. Unfortunately, the art of making and forming traditional sweets has become scarce. Even in Japan itself, Amezaiku is only practiced by a handful of people.

Candy or some call it cotton candy like other sweets, which are made from sugar syrup. The difference is, in this amezaiku there is also the addition of sticky rice starch and organic coloring, so that the resulting candy color becomes more beautiful.

With some special equipment, such as small scissors, tweezers, and the tip of chopsticks, my amaze experts form sugar syrup and glutinous and processed starch extract. The processed product will be transparent and flexible. With that flexibility, the amezaiku maker can form it easily. For example by pulling, pinching, and bending.

Because cotton candy or ingredients used quickly harden, it takes a speed and takes about 3-5 minutes to produce the desired amezaiku candy form.

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The Most Delicious Sushi Restaurant in Jakarta!

Fans of sushi and sashimi, don’t miss the info below, Japanese restaurants that have the best sushi and sashimi menus in Jakarta.

1. Sushi Masa

Raditya Dika recently uploaded a photo on his Instagram account. The self-portrait photo shows him eating at a sushi restaurant with a caption, “Let’s try what he says is the most delicious sushi in Jakarta.” Its location, at Sushi Masa. If you are curious, come immediately to Sushi Masa to prove yourself. Being inside the fish market area, this restaurant is built very comfortably. Plus fast, friendly, and well-understood services with product knowledge so you are free to ask anything about their menus. For the menu, the salmon at Sushi Masa is really fresh so the menu with the salmon frills feels like you should order here.

Address: Gray Building Lt. 3, Jl. Tuna Raya No. 5, Penjaringan, North Jakarta

Tel. 021-29263561

2. Genki Sushi

This sushi restaurant branches directly from Japan. Not surprisingly, the concept is unique and sophisticated, such as food delivered by “shinkansen” directly to your table. Food messages are also online through gadgets at each table. If you order a Hot Ocha drink, there is also a hot tap at each table. Funny. To be sure, the salmon menu here all shakes the tongue because of the freshness and cutting technique.

3. Edogin

Located in Mulia Hotel, Jakarta, Edogin comes with a very complete Japanese cuisine specialization, divided into 5 parts, namely Tepanyaki, Soup / Udon, Grilled, Sushi and Sashimi, and Fried Stuffs and Desserts. Wrapped in a luxurious atmosphere and friendly service, you and your partner will really enjoy eating at Edogin.

Address: Plaza Senayan, Grand Indonesia, and Mall Kelapa Gading 2

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Are you curious about Hokkaido snacks?

The most crucial thing when I have to go to Japan is to buy souvenirs !!! There are so many items and foods that are beautifully packaged, so it feels difficult to choose which one to buy? There is one easy tips for buying souvenirs, just find out what local food you visit.

This time, we will tell you 4 typical Hokkaido snacks! So, for those of you who are on holiday to Hokkaido, you can buy 4 types of local food. Good to be tasted on the spot or for family gifts. This is the most popular Hokkaido snack!

1. Melon Yubari

Super expensive melons that are always used as souvenirs named Melon Yubari. Melon Yubari has a pale green and round shape. Because it is cultivated carefully and prioritizes quality, it’s no wonder the price is very draining. However, in terms of taste it is very satisfying. Melon skin tends to be thin and dominated by fruit flesh. Don’t be asked about the taste, sweet and fast!

2. Milk

Because it is supported by a good and clean climate, cows in Hokkaido produce quality milk. Even milk is processed into various types of foods such as chocolate, yogurt, cheese, tofu, and others. While on vacation to Hokkaido, you can buy various soft and fresh dairy products. This is one of the best Japanese products from Hokkaido. Because Hokkaido still has a sustainable nature and is far from pollution.

3. Potatoes

Ever heard of packaged potato sticks from Jagarico and Jagabee? Usually sold in Japanese konbini and supermarkets. Apparently, the main ingredient of this snack is potatoes from Hokkaido. Yup, Hokkaido potatoes are legendary because of their taste and quality. You can buy processed potatoes like potato chips, baked potatoes, or boiled potatoes!

4. Shiroi Koibito

The last is the favorite snack of a million people in Japan, Shiroi Koibito. Not only in Hokkaido, white chocholate snacks are also popular throughout Japan. The form is Langue de chat cookies that will remind us of winter scenery in Hokkaido. In English, Shiroi Koibito can be translated as White Lover. In fact, in Hokkaido there is also Shiroi Koibito Park that you can visit.

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Nihonshu – Pure Sake From Japan

If you come to Japan, you definitely want to enjoy various kinds of Japanese things, right? One of them is tasting Japanese food products that are registered in non-objects cultural heritage.

For those who love alcohol, feeling liquor while at a place to eat may also be as important as the main menu. However, because you have come all the way to Japan, you might want to try a different kind of liquor than usual.

Sake that is different from usual. Not wine or beer, this is Nihonshu.

You might know the word “SAKE”, but maybe you have never taken real Japanese sake. This time we will introduce Nihonshu (Japanese Sake) which is the result of technology and culture typical of Japan and where you can drink and buy the sake.

Nihonshu is a traditional Japanese liquor that uses rice as its main ingredient. Nihonshu is made from the saccharification of the kouji mushroom (a mushroom in rice to make sake) which is then fermented with yeast. (Reference: Kotobank)

In essence, nihonshu is made from rice. By the way, kouji is a steamed rice or soybean that produces yeast mushrooms named Koujikabi (Koubi Mushroom). Nihonshu has a variety of flavors depending on the combination of water components, rice, mushrooms and yeast used in the making. Based on these combinations, each region and sake factory in Japan has a different nihonshu taste.

If wine comes from grape, then Japanese sake comes from rice. Easy to understand, right!

There are also those who call nihonshu as seishu (pure sake). However, because this is one of the names for Nihonshu, it is not wrong to think that Seishu is the same as Nihonshu.

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Sanma Fish – Japanese Autumn Season Favourite Fish

Autumn has arrived! Autumn may be the favorite season of all Japanese people. Because in addition to the cool air temperature, autumn is a meaningful harvest season, there will be lots of food there. This is the time when Japanese people will spoil themselves with a variety of unique and delicious foods

For Japanese people who love seafood, the sanma fish that can be found in autumn is one of the best dishes. In autumn, sanma fish is very tasty and fat, so it is very good to eat.

Sanma (秋刀魚), or Sauri Pacific, is one of the marine fish that is a favorite of Japanese people. the shape of this sanma fish is long, and they can swim very fast, the speed is like a delicious fish. Of course taste is the main factor why this fish is very popular.

Sanma fish are found in the northern part of Japanese waters. Japanese people usually eat this dish by baking after sprinkling a little salt. However, there is also a restaurant that serves sanma fish as sashimi or sushi.

One area in Tokyo is Meguro, making a sanma fish festival in each fall. Sanma Meguro Fish Festival is one of the largest fish festivals held in the city of Tokyo. This festival is taken from the story of “Meguro no Sanma” (Sanma Meguro) which dates back to the Edo period.

It is said that the story is that there was a samurai who was offered to eat sanma fish while passing through the Meguro area. The samurai was very impressed with his delicacy, and his famous words were “Sanma wa Meguro ni Kagiru” (There is nothing better than the sanma fish in Meguro). Since then, the Meguro Sanma Fish Festival is held every year.

There you can buy sanma fish at very cheap prices then bake them yourself on charcoal. The baked fish you can eat right away !

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Most Popular Sauce In Japanese Culinary

Japanese cuisine has never bored its connoisseurs. Besides being interesting and intriguing, it’s also really good. All because of the right mix of side dishes and sauce used.

When eating at a Japanese restaurant, maybe we can eat it right away. But when trying to cook by yourself, we are confused about what sauce to use. Let it not be mistaken and make it feel weird, let’s look at the type of sauce!

1. Teriyaki sauce

Teriyaki is one of the Japanese cooking techniques, namely grilling or sautéing by dipping beef or fish into the sauce before cooking. The sauce ingredients consist of mirin, soy sauce, sake, and sugar. Served with pieces of pickled ginger and sliced onion leaves.

2. Yakitori sauce

The basic ingredients are almost the same as teriyaki sauce. Yakitori sauce is used for spices made by Japanese chicken satay.

3. Sesame dressing

Like mayonnaise with a strong sesame flavor, this type of sauce is often used for salad dressings, grilled meats, boiled vegetables, and cold noodles. It says it’s really good! Have you tried it?

4. Katsu sauce

In Japan, katsu dishes are served with a special sauce. The sauce ingredients consist of sesame powder, tomato sauce, soy sauce, worcestershire sauce, mirin, sugar, dijon mustard, and garlic. It tastes sweet, makes it addictive!

5. Sauce ponzu

This soy sauce contains a mixture of mirin, tuna flakes, kombu, or seaweed, rice vinegar, yuzu or lemon juice. Usually served as dipping sauce for sashimi and shabu-shabu spices. The taste is sour, fresh, and savory, eliminating fishy smell.

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Asari No Sumashijiru – Short Neck Clam Soup In Japan

Simple but classic, short shellfish Japanese soup is not only delicious but easy to make with a little ingredients. In Japanese, clam soup is known as sumashijiru. This soup is obviously made of shellfish called asari (shells).

Similar to other shells, short neck shells, or asari, have little flavor packed in their small shells and need a little spice. For this soup, shellfish is cooked in a pot of hot water until they are open. Shells that are not open must be removed because they are not suitable for consumption. The broth is a cloudy gray color with a subtle taste of the sea, and that’s when we know it’s ready. Soup is seasoned with salt to taste. To remove the flavor from this fine broth, very small pieces of lemon peel are used to decorate the soup. This adds enough freshness and acidity to help this soup glow.

If you are interested, another variation of Asari Sumashijiru combines the use of dashi stock bonito (katsuo), or the use of dashi konbu (kelp cans), and a little soy sauce.

An increasing number of asari farms, or small neck shells, are available at local grocery stores. Usually, farmed shells are brushed and sand has been removed before the packaging is sold. Therefore, as soon as you get home they are ready to use. Regardless, if you feel compelled to do so, please soak it in fresh water for up to one hour to remove excess sand.

If you use wild clams, rub them clean and soak them for up to an hour in a bowl of fresh water to help remove the sand. For best results, both farmed and wild shellfish must be cooked on the same day when purchased.

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Know More About Natto

Nattō is a Japanese dish made from steamed soybeans fermented with bacillus subtilis. Usually Japanese people eat it as breakfast. The color is brown and sticky, the aroma is very sharp. Some people who are not familiar with the aroma, must immediately refuse to eat it.

That said, 1000 years ago a knight named Minamoto Yoshiie. He found and tasted boiled soybeans scattered in straw and was fermented (sorry for the mess maybe). Then from the 1600s (the end of the Edo period), natto became a common menu in Japan at breakfast.

Although the shape and taste are super strange, natto contains many benefits. Rich in protein because it comes from selected soybeans, and contains probiotics which are good for digestion. Natto has very unique characteristics, strong aroma, salty taste, and the sticky texture and mucus can be stretched up to 6 meters. Wow, huh?

Natto contains pyrazine compounds. Pyrazine functions to make blood clots. Natto also contains a protease enzyme which can also reduce blood clotting by fibrinolysis directly from clotting, and inhibits plasma plasminogen activator protein inhibitors. This enzyme can also help to avoid thrombosis, such as during a heart attack, pulmonary embolism, or stroke.

Natto is a very high source of vitamin K, and contains good calcium to prevent osteoporosis. Not only that, natto is also very good for skin health, helps maintain the moisture of the skin so it looks young and healthy.

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Senbei – Japanese Traditional Rice Crackers

Usually senbei is closely related to Soka City in Saitama, Tokyo, which is the birthplace of thick crackers. Actually the reason I raised this theme was not far from the previous sentence. At Expo Milano in 2015, Senbei Soka managed to get great attention when it was exhibited as one of the main foods in Japan.

Therefore, senbei is increasingly popularized and even marketed abroad. Maybe this is one of Japan’s strategies to “feed” those who can strengthen their economy, hehe. Okay, when Senbei Soka skyrocketed, of course it was accompanied by a more attractive business. The proof is “Soka Senbei Garden”, a workshop that carries senbei as the main theme which is certainly run by senbei businessmen in the city called “Yamako Senbei”. Since Soka City is the place of “origin” of the crackers, the proponents offered this place as the best place for visitors to make our own senbei style and enjoy it together.

With just 324 yen, visitors can try making their own senbei without having to order in advance. Later visitors will be guided to cook senbei on a grill (one appliance per person) in a special outdoor area. Reporting from the Japan Channel, Soka Senbei Garden recently wanted to develop another taste suitable for senbei and then released to the market. Usually senbei has a slightly salty taste because it is given salt (the taste of lettuce), the taste of miso, the taste of soy sauce, the taste of sesame, the taste of seaweed, and some are sweet.

Because they want to make innovations, the initiators of the Senbei Theme Park are asking visitors, especially students from abroad to give their opinions on their “new taste” version of Senbei that might be suitable on Japanese tongues. At that time there were students from Indonesia offering shrimp paste chili paste for a new flavor, but the guide said if the taste would not sell if sold in the land of the rising sun, why is that, hihi.

Besides Senbei Soka, Hokkaido Senbei also “fights” on foreign markets. A Senbei store located in Sapporo, Hokkaido Prefecture, seeks to penetrate the world market by marketing “Samurai Senbei” products, with a variety of flavors and shapes. Senbei made from Hokkaido rice has 3 types of senbei namely “Yumepirica”; hard baked senbei, thin “Fukkurinko”, and crunchy “Oborozuki”. Samurai Senbei rice biscuits have been introduced abroad which have been carried out by participating in culinary festivals in a number of countries such as Malaysia and Hong Kong, and the plan for the end of 2015 will be Samurai Senbei sales in Chicago and New York, United States.

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Mochi Cakes – Japanese Traditional Snacks

The shape, taste, method of making, and raw materials for the mochi cake seem harmless. However, in fact, at the beginning of this year as many as two people died and several others were in critical condition after eating the cake.

They add to the long list of Japanese citizens who have been killed after eating mochi cakes at the New Year’s celebration.

In fact, warnings from the Japanese government that citizens are careful to eat traditional snacks are issued regularly every year.

Mochi is a cake with a shape similar to buns. The texture is soft and somewhat chewy.

The way to make it is to cook sticky rice first, called mochigome. After cooked, the rice is pounded and crushed using a wooden sledgehammer. Next, the rice is then boiled or baked.

The average Japanese family traditionally celebrates the new year by cooking soup while heating mochi.

The mochi cake is sticky and chewy. Therefore, the cake must be chewed before it is swallowed.

The problem is, there are people, like children or seniors, having trouble chewing mochi. In fact, if it is not chewed long or just swallowed, the mocha cake is involved in the esophagus and can cause failed breathing.

According to Japanese media reports, 90% of victims of the mochi cake taken to hospital are seniors aged 65 years and over.

Chew, chew, chew. If it’s difficult, the mochi cake can be cut into small pieces so it’s easy to chew.

Every year, ahead of the New Year’s celebration, the Japanese government issued a warning to the public to consume mochi cakes in small pieces.

However, every year there are fatalities associated with the snack.

At the turn of 2014 to 2015, the number of victims of Mochi cake reached nine people. Then in 2016 one person became a victim. And at the end of 2017, two people died.

That number does not include victims in critical condition, but escaped death.

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Do You Know About Dashi ?

Umami is the key. Without it, cuisine will not have rich taste. During this time we know four flavors, sweet, bitter, salty, and sour. Savory or umami is the 5th taste.

Umami in Japanese cuisine is produced by dashi, a Japanese-style broth. This broth has a tendency to blend with other taste sensations.

Therefore, dashi is used in almost all dishes, from udon, miso soup, to rice preparations.

Chef Masaharu Tada from the Japanese Embassy in Indonesia confirmed this. “Dashi is a cook,” he said.

One important component in making dashi is bonito. You may often hear it later in reporting on expired materials used by a Japanese restaurant.

Bonito is actually the name of a fish, usually known as tuna skipjack. Or if we know it as skipjack. katsuobushi itself takes a long time – more than one month – because it goes through a series of processes, ranging from cutting the head, skinning, and cleaning the contents. Part of the fat in the abdomen is also eliminated because it complicates the preservation process.

After that, this piece of bonito meat was boiled for about one and a half hours. Fish bones are removed after boiling. The process continues with fumigation. This is the longest step, taking about a month.

After that the remaining smoke is cleaned from the surface. Bonito then dried in the sun.

After drying, the bonito is put into a closed room for the fermentation process. Mushrooms that grow on the surface are then thrown away.

This process is repeated until bonito meat is very dry and hard like wood. Mushrooms can’t grow anymore, and katsuobushi is ready.