I was intrigued when I first saw sushi, but I was a little bit afraid to try it. Sushi is raw fish, right? Well, I have since learned that “sashimi” is raw fish, and sushi actually means “vinegar rice.” The first sushi I tried was a California roll, which is a fairly safe choice for newbies. Made with imitation crab, avocado, cucumber, mayonnaise, nori and rice, it is a tasty way to get acquainted with this interesting cuisine.
I’ve since taken the plunge and tried raw fish on my sushi. This variety was a nigiri, which is a small ball of rice covered with a piece of raw fish. The tuna nigiri was tasty, especially when a drop or two of soy sauce was added to the fish. This style is also made with cooked shrimp if you prefer a cooked version.
The last sushi bar I went to, we sat at up front at the bar so we could talk with the sushi chef, or Itamae (pronounced ee-tah-may). He made us a specialty that wasn’t on the menu that featured eel, another of my phobias when it came to sushi. It was so good! I’d looked at the eel sushi before, and it just didn’t look appetizing, but I was completely wrong. The chef told us that for three years, all he did was make sushi rice. After that time, he was allowed to progress to learning the art of making sushi. He had been training for eight years so far, and it would be another twenty-two years before he was considered a full-fledged sushi chef. All I know is if he makes such tasty treats now, I can only imagine how incredible his food will be when he finally finishes his training!
The Japanese breakfast isn’t a whole lot different than their other two meals of the day. I like rice at almost any time of day, so that part suits me fine. I also like miso soup, which is another important part of a traditional Japanese breakfast. I’ve even made this simple breakfast a few times. Mine didn’t include all the features you’d get in Japan, though.
Fish plays a big part in a traditional Japanese breakfast. And it really is a good protein to begin your day with. It sustains you for quite a while. The fish can be eaten separately, mixed with the rice or rolled with rice in a piece of nori like makeshift sushi. How fun… you get to play with your food while you eat it! I think I may be tempted to try it.
The pickled vegetables may give me a little pause. It seems so early in the day to eat them, but then again, it may be really good. While fixing a traditional Japanese breakfast takes longer than pouring a bowl of cereal, it might be worth a try. It must be healthier than eating a stack of pancakes and syrup. We can all stand to eat a little healthier, can’t we?
I first discovered bento boxes when I first started watching anime. The girls in the stories frequently tried to impress the boys they liked by making cute little lunches for them. After that, I looked them up online. Wow! I was amazed at how many different styles of bento boxes there were. They come in metal, wood and plastic with fun anime characters as well.
Bento boxes are divided into individual compartments. Sometimes they have a second or third layer that all stack together for holding a meal. The main ingredient in the lunch is either rice or noodles. Then they add the fun stuff. The side dishes, or okazu, can be made of meat, eggs, fish, tofu, vegetables or fruit. The okazu is cut and prepared in bite sized pieces that work well with chopsticks. In children’s meals, the vegetables may be cut into cute shapes. They even have molds for boiled eggs! When I saw a picture of a boiled egg shaped like a teddy bear, I couldn’t believe it was an egg! They can also mold the rice into shapes. Some of the pictures I’ve seen have been extremely artistic and imaginative. The women who spend time making these bento box lunches are really creative. I’m tempted to buy a few of these lunchboxes at the local Asian store and try my hand at it. It sounds like a lot more fun than making peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
I used to watch Iron Chef and marvel at the many ways they used rice, and it made me more interested in finding out more about Japanese food in general. Now, I’m hooked.
Rice is used at every meal… just plain steamed white rice. I admit I thought brown rice would be more popular than it is in Japan. It is amazing how many ways rice can be used. Rice cakes are used as a dessert, often stuffed with red bean paste or other sweet filling. Mochi is a chewy sweet or savory sheet of rice-y goodness (is that a word?) that can be cooked and eaten on its own or may be found wrapped around other goodies like bites of ice cream. I’ve since managed to try some of these tasty treats from Japan and they really are good.
I want to learn more ways to use rice. Learning about how the Japanese utilize it has inspired me. It is an amazing grain that feeds a large portion of the world’s population. It deserves more attention from those of us in the West.
