Japanese cuisine: healthy food from the East

Japanese food National Japanese cuisine is well known all over the world. The secret of its popularity not only in the freshest products and interesting taste of dishes, but also in caring for the tradition in Japan. The secret to the popularity of this cuisine in the high-quality ingredients, a harmonious blend of aesthetic appeal and dishes.

Features of the kitchen

Japanese food Like many island countries, Japan for many centuries evolved in isolation, there is little contact with neighboring countries. And since 1641 the Japanese government pursued a policy of Sakoku, which literally means "the country of the castle," which was designed to protect Japan from foreign influence. Naturally, in such circumstances, the Japanese chefs had few opportunities to borrow from the culinary traditions of their counterparts in other regions. As a result, Japanese cuisine is distinguished by originality and identity.

After the civil war in 1868 were lifted restrictions regarding contacts with the Japanese representatives of other countries, and daily food in this country has changed considerably: there are new dishes borrowed from other cuisines, and sometimes interpreted by the Japanese in their own way. Therefore, the term "Japanese cuisine" is used most often to the culinary traditions that originated in Japan in the period of the policy of self-isolation of the country.

Favourite ingredients

Japanese food Choosing products from island chefs of old was not too big, so they had to show the wonders of ingenuity in cooking. The main sets of Japanese dishes became rice, which occupies the Japanese menu is the same place as the bread - the menu of other nations. The word "gohan", signifying cooked rice, is also used to refer to foods in general. In Japan preferred glutinous rice, which is conveniently equipped with chopsticks.

An important place in the national cuisine occupy and seafood: fish, shellfish, marine animals, as well as certain types of algae. Sometimes seafood served are moist and are sometimes subjected to a brief heat treatment.

Rice dishes and seafood complemented by a variety of vegetables, such as carrots, cucumbers, lettuce and cabbage. Very popular bean, which is added to soups, and is also used for the preparation of fillings, including for sweet dishes. For the preparation of side dishes and used plants such as the radish, sweet potato, wasabi, lotus and bamboo.

With special respect in Japan related to soy. Soy prepare savory sauces, make tofu, miso soup cook famous. Also, beans and soy sprouts are used to prepare a variety of dishes.

Quite popular noodles with eggs or without them. To prepare the noodles commonly used wheat flour, which is sometimes added to the flour of another type, such as buckwheat.

Meat and dairy dishes of Japanese cuisine are not typical. Some dishes of pork Pork dishes. To eat or not to eat? or beef Beef - Meat Guide We came to Japan from neighboring countries - Korea and China - rather late. At the same time, the researchers note, that every year the meat in Japan eat more. For example, traditional ramen noodles made to cook meat broth.

Differences cuisine

Japanese food Japanese has a lot of features. For example, Japan has always given preference to fresh food, prepare for the future here is not accepted. In this regard, Japanese menu can vary greatly from season to season. Portions are usually small, but consumers are offered a wide variety of dishes.

A lot of attention is paid to design dishes. At the same time, Japanese chefs avoid unnecessary "decorations", and try to arrange dishes in the aesthetics of minimalism. Culinary processing is intended to emphasize the taste of the product, but in no case do not change it beyond recognition, as is customary, for example, in neighboring China.

Traditionally, the Japanese eat with chopsticks, and some dishes - hands. Very rarely used Japanese spoons, and knives and forks at the table feeding is not accepted. Such preferences could not affect the design of dishes - most of them served in the form of small pieces that should not be divided and comfortable grasp with traditional cutlery.

The most famous and popular Japanese dishes include:

Sushi - lumps of rice with raw fish or seafood;
Sashimi - thin slices of raw seafood;
Miso soup (miso soup) made from fermented soybeans;
Tempura - pieces of seafood, poultry or vegetables fried in batter.

Serving and table etiquette

Japanese food Japanese dishes are very diverse. Dinner sets used are not accepted, bowls, plates, sauce boats can vary in color and shape, but must be in harmony with each other. At the same time, the popular small sets of dishes made in the same style.

Soup is usually served in deep bowls, hemispherical bowls with lids. Lower bowl, sometimes in the form of a cone, usually used for rice, noodles or salads. Japanese gravy boat somewhat different from European: they do not need to be watered dish gravy and sauces for mixing and then dipping pieces of food in them. Traditional Japanese dishes are made of porcelain, ceramics, varnished wood. In the second half of the XX century-spread and plastic ware.

The terms "main dish" in Japanese cuisine there: Guests are offered a minimum of five courses, and the maximum number of dishes is not limited. On the table have to be soup, rice, and several kinds of appetizers Low calorie snacks . All the dishes are put on the table at once, and in a certain order, for example, rice is placed on the left side of the table, the soup is on the right, and are located in the central part of snacks, meat and fish dishes.

Etiquette quite strict. For example, rice is necessary to eat up to the last grain, and pour themselves drinks indecent (it should do the neighbor on the table). They require special handling sticks: they can not stick to the figure vertically, putting across a bowl or clamped in his fist.

Maria Bykov

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