Japanese Main Dishes - Rice Dishes

Sushi
Sushi is an iconic Japanese dish that has been popular around the world for a long time. It's small portions allow you to get a taste of a multitude of different flavours without overwhelming you with volume. Sushi is a delicious, fresh and light meal that comes in various forms.

The  most popular is the Nigirizushi, where the topping is generally raw/cooked fish  over a vine guard  When served fresh, it is soft, tender, and absolutely delicious. Usually served with soy sauce and wasabi for that zesty kick.

Image sourced from: http://www.eat-japan.com/images/stories/sushi_perfect/types/image_nigirizushi.jpg

Next is the also equally popular Makizushi, which refers to sushi that is made by rolling the filling (often salmon, cucumber, avocado), vineguard rice in toasted seaweed. The result is a convenient, easy and delicious meal.

Image sourced from: http://www.fareshare.net/images/maki-zushi.jpg

The Gunkanmaki variety of sushi that is iconically made with topping surrounded by a thin strip of nori (seaweed) which prevents the topping from slipping off. These toppings often include the likes of fish roe as a popular selection in Japan and around the world, and is likened to a "battleship" due to it's unique shape.

Image sourced from: http://madeinjapan.uol.com.br/imgmat/2006/02/01_sushi_gunkan_maki.jpg

Image sourced from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWmvdjobGVtwlRgpkox49StD2AUaWir-NrEuxb3k8mFUMmb1On_D4Fiex63eM7spwnuVDMQRmsVbJPpXYoJHCHePJE6TLFZ1EJVvZjEDxeUaMGMo9hp-TMlyvRwNt-djWuo3BOa9QQf3g/s1600/sushi.jpg

Donburi
Donburi is basically a delicious combination of a soft bed of rice, and tender and crispy toppings. It is characterised by the unique use of egg over the rice, giving a soft texture to the rice. Toppings often include Karaage chicken, which is a specially fried chicken in japanese batter producing the most sensational crisp skin and tender chicken pieces.

Image sourced from: http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2137/2057157150_175ed375e5.jpg

Kare Raisu


This dish is a personal favourite of mine, fusing a unique thick japanese curry with perfectly cooked rice. The curry is obviously the main attraction, coming in varying degrees of spice (though, the spicier the better for me!) with subtle undertones of the sweet meats and a crunch of potato. An all-round delicious dish that is different to any curry you have experienced!

Image sourced from: http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_zwgzpTx6BdE/Sljhf2-t_PI/AAAAAAAAAqg/2WHNrEO_OU0/s400/kare3.jpg

SNACK FOOD: ANIMAL MATE BISCUITS

So the last thing I tasted was the chocolate lollipop. Today I am taking a different approach and going with some sorta creepy looking biscuits. They are called "Animal Mate Biscuits" and  are made by "Takara". 

Animal Mate Biscuits - all the biscuits have a picture of an animal on them!

They are described on the packet to be:

1. a vegetarian biscuit (I thought most biscuits were vegetarian?)

2. "providing the nutrition you need and the fun you want"

These biscuits are all different shapes, come with animal pictures on the front of them and have a cute packet. They come in a fairly big packet though and I definitely would not get through it in one go. I guess they may be designed to share or to keep in the cupboard as prolonged snack food. 

Upon tasting these meat free biscuits i wasn't that wowed. They are very bland, dry and not that exciting in anyway. Though they do have a decent after taste. And now that I am sitting here and thinking about it, I do want to eat some more of them. 

I guess I would compare them to miniature arrowroot biscuits. They taste very similar and have almost the same texture. I also got these ones from Madam Hoo's in Castle Towers, but these were a bit more expensive at $3.90 for the bag, which still isn't too bad.

To summarise, I am not against these at all, but I was a bit let down. The animals on the biscuits are kind of cute and the packaging keeps the cuteness going. They aren't amazing in taste, but they don't taste terrible. I've eaten about 6 now and I am actually enjoying them. Though they are quite bland and leave you wanting a drink. Milk might go really well with these. They could also be an awesome lunch box snack for kids, and the animals are fun for children as well. Im not so sure about the nutritional side of this snack, as it is all in japanese, but I will give them a 2.5/5 overall. 

SNACK FOOD: PEKO POKO CHOCOLATE POP

I am probably not the best person to discuss Japanese food, as I am the least Japanese person you will find. I enjoy many kinds of food, my favourite being Thai food, but I had never really experienced the world of japanese snack food until now.

To be completely honest, it was really hard to actually find Japanese snack food in Australia. But I didn't give up, because it seemed silly to discuss a food without actually eating and experiencing it!

So first up on my list was these cute little things:

Inside the packet - super cute!

These are called "Peko Poko Chocolate Pop" and they are made by a company called "Fujiya". They were too cute to resist plus it was only $1.10 Not only are they lollipops, but they are made out of chocolate. They smelt quite strange though. Much sweeter than chocolate should smell. It's kinda like the chocolate money smell, but it was still very tantalising. There are also 2 in a packet meaning more for me…or sharing with a friend.

My favourite part about these were the surprise flavour of the pink chocolate. It was strawberry flavoured and I loved it. The white chocolate was obviously white chocolate flavour, but it was still a good combo of flavours. The whole thing was super sweet and wasn't the same sort of 'traditional' chocolate flavour you would find in Australia. It tasted much more like a lolly than a chocolate. The texture was the same as normal chocolate, yet less creamy. 

Outside the packet - still super cute!

Overall I really enjoyed this snack. It looked adorable, there was plenty to go around, they tasted pretty great, though very sweet, and they were pretty cheap too! I do recommend these for those who like chocolate, have a super sweet tooth and love cuteness. I'm gonna give it a 4.5/5. The only reason it lost half a mark was due to the fact that it wasn't super satisfying in terms of hunger. You could not just eat this as a snack by itself. You would have to pair it with some chips or biscuits, or something a bit more substantial. 

I bought this from an Asian grocery store in Castle Hill, NSW called Madam Hoo's in the Castle Towers Shopping Centre. This place did not stock a whole heap of Japanese Snacks, but had the most out of all the places I went. Thats all for now on these cute-pops!

SAM.

Japanese Main Dishes - Ramen

Japan has been a hub of innovation and creativity, excelling in many areas and particularly renown for it's excellent variety and quality of food. Japan's culture, history, environment and progress has moulded the culinary experience we see today.

RAMEN

Assumedly, the most well-known main dish from Japan is the mouth-watering Ramen. Ramen is basically a Japanese noodle (made from wheat) served with a variety if different delicious soup bases, toppings and meats.

These are the soups that are served as a crucial part of this infamously delectable  dish:

Shio ("salt") Ramen - This amazing soup is generally made from plenty of salt, chicken, vegetables, fish and seaweed. Pork bones may be used also, however are not boiled to preserve a beautiful light texture and clear appearance. This type of ramen is often served with thinly sliced pork, pickled plums, baby bamboo shoots and number of other condiments.

Image Sourced from: http://www.ramenramenramen.net/wp-images/asameshi_maeda_honten_ramen_4.JPG

Tonkotsu ("pork bone") Ramen - This tantalising soup is a combination of pork bones, and occasionally chicken bones and pig trotters. It infuses a brilliant mixture of ginger, garlic, onions, and the pork bones with hours of boiling to produce a distinctive rich, creamy textured soup.

Image Sourced from: http://norecipes.com/blog/2009/12/30/tonkotsu-ramen-recipe/

Shōyu ("soy sauce") Ramen - A unique flavour of this shoyu ramen derives from the use of chicken/beef stock and soy sauce. This creates an incredible mixture of a tangy, savoury taste whilst maintaining a light consistency. It's characteristic dark, glossy soup is both aesthetically appealing, and a scrumptious delight.

Image sourced from: http://http.cdnlayer.com/smoola/00/00/86/bc5f5781fa6c9cb1_m.jpg

Miso Ramen  - This next delicious number is relatively new to the Ramen arena. It uses oily chicken or fish broth to create a rich creamy texture that slides smoothly. It infuses the unique ingredient of miso (grounded fermented beans) to create a distinctive, nutty flavour. A personal favourite of the Miso soup base is the spicy variety, where one gets to enjoy a slight spark of spiciness without it over powering the sultry smooth flavour of the chicken broth and miso.

Image sourced from: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtfqgZ8oNKB1rkW0IEDfsxSOsSn3LEkAhCW5l53Vkye7T8cS9nvueCeMRrOjHqM-76ePajwKfeHBz2uWmmWWYZ968MZ64obwf_R2JS0pPUAzREe-zxhjDhwiyAOnHJcINkA-Wz40fAks6O/s800/Miso+Ramen.jpg

These various soup types form the signature dish of Ramen that is known and enjoyed world-wide today. Other more creative variations have also emerged over time such as the "curry ramen"and "spicy ramen", and are equally enticing to your taste buds. Each offer a distinctive flavour and a unique experience, all individually delicious.

Other Japanese noodle dishes include

Soba 

This is a native Japanese style noodle that is made from buckwheat and/or wheat flour. It has a smooth and soft texture and made into thin strands that hold subtle flavours. Soba can be eaten hot or cold, but is popularly eaten cold with a dipping sauce "soba tsuyu" when the heat in Japan heightens. It is also often regarded as a healthier option of noodle without compromising on it's great taste.

Image sourced from: http://int.kateigaho.com/jan04/images/tokyo-soba.jpg

Udon 

Udon is made from wheat flour and is versatile in it's uses as it is made both hot and cold. It is relatively thicker than the soba noodle, and also has a distinct flavour. It's slippery texture and thick size produces an exquisite overall experience.