Wagashi (和菓子)

Wagashi (和菓子) is a traditional Japanese confectionery which is often served with tea, especially the types made of mochi, azuki bean paste, and fruits.

Wagashi is typically made from natural based (mainly plant) ingredients. The names used for wagashi commonly fit a formula—a natural beauty and a word from ancient literature; they are thus often written with hyōgaiji (kanji that are not commonly used or known), and are glossed with furigana.
Generally, confectioneries that were introduced from the West after the Meiji Restoration (1868) are not considered wagashi. Most sorts of Okinawan confectionery and those originating in Europe or China that use ingredients alien to traditional Japanese cuisine, e.g., kasutera, are only rarely referred to as wagashi.

In ancient Japan, people ate fruits and nuts as confectionery and sweets, to supplement nutrition in addition to grain, such as rice, wheat and millet. In an excavation of a Jōmon period archeological site, the carbonized remains of what appeared to be baked cookies made from chestnut powder were discovered.
According to the Kojiki, Emperor Suinin ordered Tajima-mori to bring Tokijiku-no-Kagu-no-Konomi (登岐士玖能迦玖能木實 a kind of orange) from the Eternal Land. 10 years later, Tajima-mori returned with the orange, but Emperor Suinin was already dead. Tajima-mori mourned since he could not carry out his mission and took his own life.[1] By tradition, Tajima-mori is worshiped as spirit like a patron saint among confectionery craftsmen.
Grain processing technology evolved through rice cultivation. People began to produce a parched rice (yaigome), sun-dried cooked rice (hoshi-ii), rice flour, dumpling (dango), mochi, ame (made of saccharified rice malt) and so on. Thus, ancient people's confectionery was very simple.

Kamoboko - Japan sea food product

Kamaboko is a variety of Japanese processed seafood products, called surimi, in which various white fish are pureed, formed into distinctive loaves, and then steamed until fully cooked and firm in texture. The steamed loaves are then sliced and served unheated (or chilled) with various dipping sauces or sliced and included in various hot soups, one-dish meals, or noodle dishes. Kamaboko is typically sold in semicylindrical, Quonset hut-shaped loaves. Some kamaboko are made so that a slice looks like an object.

Kamaboko is made from white fish, which is filleted, pounded into a paste, mixed with a starch and molded into a variety of shapes. It can be steamed, deep fried, barbecued or poached. With its delicate taste and firm texture, it plays an important role in numerous Japanese recipes including Ozoni, other soups, noodles, simmered dishes, Oden, other casserole dishes, salads, and also makes an attractive and delicious appetizer.

Kamaboko can be traced back to the 7th Century (Nara Period). Nihon Shoki, a book describing ancient Japan, and written at that time, has a description of the Empress Shinko, grinding fish, puffing it around the top of a spear and grilling it. There is also a description of a celebration dinner for a Minister in the Heian Period (8th Century) at which Kamaboko was served. Originally, Kamaboko was ground fish meat molded onto a bamboo stick before cooking. The shape was similar to "Gama-no-ho", the top of the cat-tail plant, and so it got its name Kamaboko. Red-skinned kamaboko and white kamaboko are typically served at celebratory and holiday meals, as the red and white colors are considered to bring good luck.

Itadakimasu

when we watch anime ora drama in japan, ussualy we hear a phrase "itadakimasu" at every meal time every day. but what is the meaning of "itadakimasu" exactly. and then i try to I look up the word in my dictionary, and try to search this phrases really means.
it was said that "itadakimasu" means I take your life. i began to think, why this phrases said when they had meal? my friend that study in faculty of Japanesse letter, he said that "itadakimasu" is a reward or symbol to animals, plants, and for people that have work to make (grow/catch) our meals (farmers, fisherman, or breeder). Shinto religion, was have a powerfull effect in this phrases, that we have to honour every life and work that sacrified for us.

itadakimasu :

Wasabi

Wasabi ( わさび,ワサビ) is a member of the Brassicaceae family, which includes cabbages, horseradish and mustard. Known as "Japanese horseradish", its root is used as a spice and has an extremely strong flavor. Its hotness is more akin to that of a hot mustard than the capsaicin in a chili pepper, producing vapors that irritate the nasal passages more than the tongue. The plant grows naturally along stream beds in mountain river valleys in Japan. There are also other species used, such as W. koreana, and W. tetsuigi. The two main cultivars in the marketplace are W. japonica var. Daruma and Mazuma, but there are many others.

Wasabi is generally sold either in the form of a root (real wasabi), which must be very finely grated before use, or as a ready-to-use paste (horseradish, mustard and food coloring), usually in tubes approximately the size and shape of travel toothpaste tubes. Once the paste is prepared it should remain covered until served to protect the flavor from evaporation. For this reason, sushi chefs usually put the wasabi between the fish and the rice.

Fresh leaves of wasabi can also be eaten and have some of the hot flavor of wasabi roots. They can be eaten as wasabi salad by pickling overnight with a salt and vinegar based dressing, or by quickly boiling them with a little soy sauce. Additionally, the leaves can be battered and deep-fried into chips.

The burning sensations it can induce are short-lived compared to the effects of chili peppers, especially when water is used to remove the spicy flavor.

Almost all sushi bars in America and Japan serve imitation (seiyō) wasabi (see Etymology section, below) because authentic wasabi is usually expensive, but is becoming widely available even in the United States. Wasabi loses much of its flavor if exposed to air for even a short time, so genuine powdered wasabi, while it does exist, typically contains horseradish and other ingredients to approximate the nasal spiciness of fresh wasabi. Because of this, most powders use no real wasabi and instead turn to just horseradish, mustard seed, and green food coloring (sometimes Spirulina). Whether real or imitation, the powder is mixed with an equal amount of water to make a paste. Few people, even in Japan, realize that most of the wasabi that they consume is in fact an imitation. While not considered equal with the freshly grated product, preserved wasabi is available in tubes and, in larger quantity, frozen bags. Like powder, tubed wasabi often contains no real wasabi at all, so verification of the ingredients is needed.

Kind of Udon

Like many Japanese noodles, udon noodles are often served chilled in the summer and hot in the winter. Toppings are chosen to reflect the seasons and to balance with other ingredients. Most toppings are added without much cooking, although some are deep-fried. Many of these dishes may also be prepared with soba.

Hot
* Kake udon (in Kantō) or Su udon (in Kansai) – Hot udon in broth topped with thinly sliced green onions, and perhaps a slice of kamaboko.
* Kitsune udon – "Fox udon." Topped with Aburaage (sweetened deep-fried tofu pockets). A favorite in the Kansai region, particularly Osaka.
* Tempura udon – Topped with tempura, especially shrimp, or kakiage, a type of mixed tempura fritter.
* Tanuki udon ("Raccoon-dog udon") (in Kantō) or Haikara udon (in Kansai) – Topped with tenkasu (deep-fried tempura batter).
* Tsukimi udon – "Moon-viewing udon." Topped with raw egg, which poaches in the hot soup.
* Wakame udon – Topped with wakame, a dark green sea vegetable.
* Karē udon – "Curry udon." Udon in a soup made of Japanese curry. May also include meat or vegetables.
* Chikara udon – "Power udon." Topped with toasted mochi rice cakes. A hearty dish.
* Stamina (sutamina) udon – "Stamina udon." Udon with various hearty ingredients, usually including meat, a raw egg, and vegetables.
* Nabeyaki udon – A sort of udon hot-pot, with seafood and vegetables cooked in a nabe, or metal pot.
* Kamaage udon – Served in a communal hot-pot with hot water, and accompanied by a hot dipping sauce of dashi and soy sauce.
* Udon-suki – Udon cooked in the manner of sukiyaki.
* Yakiudon – Stir-fried udon in soy-based sauce, prepared in a similar manner to yakisoba. This originated in Kitakyushu of Fukuoka Prefecture. (Note that while yakiudon is made with udon, yakisoba is not made from buckwheat soba, but with steamed Chinese-style ramen.)
* Misonikomi udon – Hard udon noodles simmered in red miso soup. The soup generally contains chicken, a floating cracked raw egg that is stirred in by the eater, kamaboko, vegetables and tubers. The noodles are extremely firm in order to stand up to the prolonged simmering in the soup; additionally, the noodles do not contain salt, so as to avoid over-salting from the salt in the miso.
* Houtou udon –local dishes of Yamanashi Prefecture, a miso soup with udon and plenty of vegetable.

Cold
* Zaru udon – Chilled udon noodles topped with shredded nori and served on a zaru (笊 or ざる), a sieve-like bamboo tray. Accompanied by a chilled dipping sauce, usually a strong mixture of dashi, mirin, and shoyu. Eaten with wasabi or grated ginger.
* Bukkake udon – Cold udon served with various toppings liberally sprinkled on top. It may include:
tororo – puree of, or grated yamaimo (a Japanese yam with a slimy texture)
oroshi – grated daikon radish
natto – sticky fermented soybeans
okra – fresh sliced okra
* kijoyu udon – served in a really cold soup of raw (unpasteurized) soy sauce and sudachi (a type of citrus) juice, sometimes with a bit of grated daikon

How To Make Udon

Recipe of Nabeyaki Udon. Enjoy...

ingredients:
* 1 pound udon noodles ((futonaga--fat and long)
* 4 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups of warm water for about an hour, reserving liquid
* 2 teaspoon soy sauce
* 1 Tablespoon sugar
* 6 cups dashi, seasoned with 6 Tablespoons soy sauce and 3 Tablespoons mirin
* 4 leaves fresh spinach with stems
* 2 leeks
* 1 chicken breast
* salt
* sake (just a sprinkle--you can substitute beer or mirin in a pinch)
* 4 eggs

Garnish: sprinklings of shichimi (a 7-spice mixture with inactive marijuana seeds in it!) or crushed red pepper.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cook the udon noodles as follows (sounds complicated, but it's not): bring a really big pot of water to boil. Add the noodles bit by bit, stirring, so they don't stick to each other. Bring to a rolling boil, then pour in 1 cup of cold water. Allow to return to a rolling boil, then pour in a second cup of cold water. Again, allow to return to a rolling boil, then pour in the third cup of cold water. Taste for the noodles to be firm but cooked through. Likely you'll want to repeat with a fourth cup of cold water. When the noodles are al dente, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and let sit for 10 minutes. (At the end of this time, drain them, rinse them in cold running water, and scrub them against each other by hand to remove all the surface starch. Drain, rinse, and let sit til you're ready to assemble the soup.)

Cut a deep cross into the tops of the hydrated mushroom caps (throw out the stems) and cook them uncovered in a small pot with the reserved mushroom liquid, the soy sauce, and the sugar on medium heat until tender and the liquid is absorbed--about 10-15 minutes.

Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer.

Bring water to a boil in a small pan, then blanch the spinach leaves for 30 seconds, remove, and let drain.

Cut the spinach into 2-inch pieces; the leeks into 1-inch diagonal slices; and the chicken breast into 4 equal slices, sprinkling with salt and sake.

To assemble the soup:

1. Divide noodles into the 4 large bowls (preheated in the oven).
2. Arrange the spinach, leeks, chicken, and mushrooms on top of the noodles, around the sides (leaving the center clear for the eggs).
3. Pour the boiling stock equally into the bowls.
4. Make a nest into the center of the noodles and break an egg in the middle of each bowl.
5. Cover and put in the oven for 2-3 minutes.

Serve immediately. Pass the shichimi or red pepper separately.

Udon

Udon (Hiragana: うどん; Kanji: 饂飩) is a type of thick wheat-based noodle popular in Japanese cuisine. Udon is usually served hot as noodle soup in a mildly flavored broth. It is usually topped with thinly chopped scallions. Other common toppings include tempura, often shrimp or kakiage (a type of mixed tempura fritter), or abura age, a type of deep-fried tofu pockets seasoned with sugar, mirin, and soy sauce. A thin slice of kamaboko, a halfmoon-shaped fish cake, is often added. Shichimi and beni shoga can be added to taste.

The flavor of broth and topping vary from region to region. Usually, dark brown broth, made from dark soy sauce (koikuchi shōyu) is used in eastern Japan, and light brown broth, made from light soy sauce (usukuchi shōyu) is used in western Japan. This is even noticeable in packaged instant noodles, which are often sold in two different versions for east and west.

Like many Japanese noodles, udon noodles are often served chilled in the summer and hot in the winter. Toppings are chosen to reflect the seasons and to balance with other ingredients. Most toppings are added without much cooking, although some are deep-fried. Many of these dishes may also be prepared with soba.

oKonomiyaki

Okonomiyaki (お好み焼き) is known as a kind of Japanese-style pancakes or pizza. Okonomi means "what you like" or "what you want", and yaki means "grilled" or "cooked". thus, the name of this dish means "cook what you like, the way you like". In Japan, okonomiyaki is usually associated with the Kansai or Hiroshima areas. Toppings and batters tend to vary according to region. Okonomiyaki is usually made from flour, water, eggs and cabbage. The cabbage is chopped and mixed with the eggs, water and flour. To this is added pretty much anything you want. Common things to add would be thinly sliced chopped pork, thinly sliced chopped beef, chopped onions, octopus, squid, mushrooms.

In Japan, there are two areas where okonomi-yaki is very popular: Osaka and Hiroshima. Okonomiyaki is cooked differently in the two regions. In Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki, chopped cabbage is cooked on top of thinly spread batter. Also, yakisoba noodles are usually added in Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. In some okonomiyaki restaurants, customers cook their own okonomiyaki on the iron table. Also, okonomiyaki can be fast food, and there are lots of venders selling okonomiyaki in Japan.

In Osaka-style okonomiyaki, chopped cabbage is mixed with the batter and cooked together. It might be easier for beginners to cook Osaka-style okonomiyaki than to cook Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki. To eat okonomiyaki, cut it into bite-sized pieces and eat with okonomiyaki sauce or worcester sauce and mayonnaise.

0-bento

Bentō (弁当 or べんとう), usually called o-bento is what the Japanese call a packed meal, usually lunch. bento is a single-portion takeout meal common in Japanese cuisine. A traditional bento consists of rice, fish or meat, and one or more pickled or cooked vegetables as a side dish.
Bento boxes have internal dividers, and sometimes several stacked layers, so different kinds of food sit in their own little compartments.

The whole thing is usually wrapped together with chopsticks in a cloth or special bag, and the goal is to make the whole package as attractive as possible - from considering the colour combinations of the food and presenting and garnishing it as neatly and artfully as you can, to co-ordinating the box, chopsticks and wrapper, and any other items like paper napkins, knife and fork or spoon, drink flask or thermos.

usually bento served by restaurant, decorated with nice and lovely picture based on their targeted market, like children, teenagers, businessman, the elegant young lady, etc. like bento-box that decorated with dragons craf, it looks so beautifull and elegant. bento is traditionally made in a 4:3:2:1 ratio: 4 parts of rice, 3 parts of the side dish (either meat or fish), 2 parts of vegetables, and 1 part of a serving of pickled vegetables or a dessert. However, almost anything can be used to make a bento.

Containers range from disposable mass produced to hand crafted lacquerware. While bento are readily available at convenience stores and bento shops (弁当屋, bentō-ya) throughout Japan, it is still considered an essential skill of a Japanese housewife to be able to prepare an appealing boxed lunch.

Types of bento

• Makunouchi bentō is a classic style of bento with rice, a pickled ume fruit (umeboshi), a slice of broiled salmon, a rolled egg, etc.
• Sushizume (packed sushi) and is a bento filled with sushi.
• Hayaben (early bento) is eating a bento before lunch, and having another lunch afterward.
• Noriben is the simplest bento, with nori dipped in soy sauce covering cooked rice.
• etc
  
  

upacara minum teh di jepang

Upacara minum teh (茶道, sadō (jalan teh)) adalah ritual tradisional Jepang dalam menyajikan teh untuk tamu. Pada zaman dulu disebut chatō (茶の湯, chatō?) atau cha no yu. Upacara minum teh yang diadakan di luar ruangan disebut nodate. Upacara minum teh (sado ) adalah tata-cara yang diatur sangat halus dan teliti untuk menghidangkan dan minum teh hijau matcha (dalam bentuk bubuk). Upacara minum teh menggunakan matcha disebut matchadō, sedangkan bila menggunakan teh hijau jenis sencha disebut senchadō.

Ada hal yang lebih penting daripada ritual membuat dan menyajikan teh, karena upacara ini merupakan rangkaian seni yang mendalam yang membutuhkan pengetahuan yang luas dan kepekaan yang sangat halus. Sado juga menjajaki tujuan hidup dan mendorong timbulnya apresiasi terhadap alam.


Teh dikenal di Jepang sekitar abad ke-12. Teh yang dikenal di sana adalah teh matcha yang terbuat dari bubuk teh hijau. Sementara upacara minum teh diperkenalkan Sen No Rikyu pada abad ke-16. Upacara teh masih berlangsung hingga kini. Tradisi upacara minum teh ini berlangsung sekitar empat jam.

Upacara minum teh mencerminkan kepribadian dan pengetahuan tuan rumah yang mencakup antara lain tujuan hidup, cara berpikir, agama, apresiasi peralatan upacara minum teh dan cara meletakkan benda seni di dalam ruangan upacara minum teh (chashitsu) dan berbagai pengetahuan seni secara umum yang bergantung pada aliran upacara minum teh yang dianut. dalam upacara minum teh ini, para tamu duduk berlutut di bawah. Tuan rumah, menempatkan diri di depan mereka dengan di hadapan sudah tersaji berbagai peralatan, antara lain mangkuk untuk air buangan, sendok dari bambu, tempat teh, dan sebagainya.

Seni upacara minum teh memerlukan pendalaman selama bertahun-tahun dengan penyempurnaan yang berlangsung seumur hidup. Tamu yang diundang secara formal untuk upacara minum teh juga harus mempelajari tata krama, kebiasaan, basa-basi, etiket meminum teh dan menikmati makanan kecil yang dihidangkan.

Dalam percakapan sehari-hari di Jepang, upacara minum teh cukup disebut sebagai ocha (teh). Istilah ocha no keiko bisa berarti belajar mempraktekkan tata krama penyajian teh atau belajar etiket sebagai tamu dalam upacara minum teh.

ONIGIRI

Onigiri adalah nama Jepang untuk makanan berupa nasi yang dipadatkan sewaktu masih hangat sehingga berbentuk segi tiga, bulat, atau seperti karung beras. Dikenal juga dengan nama lain Omusubi, istilah yang kabarnya dulu digunakan kalangan wanita di istana kaisar untuk menyebut Onigiri. Onigiri dimakan dengan tangan, tidak memakai sumpit. Di Indonesia, Onigiri bisa dijumpai di bagian makanan Jepang toko swalayan terkemuka dan di restoran yang menyediakan makanan Jepang. Di negeri Tiongkok, Onigiri dikenal dengan nama fàntuán. lain halnya dengan amerika. orang sanan menyebutnya dengan rice ball. mungkin hal ini karena benyuk onigiri yang mirip bola, sehingga di sebut rica ball. istilah Omusubi, dalam bahasa jepang berarti mengikat. berdasarkan arti ini mungkin onigiri disebut juga omisubi karena bentuknya yang diikat dengan rumput laut kering.


Nasi yang digunakan untuk membuat Onigiri merupakan beras yang memiliki kadar kanji tinggi seperti beras jenis Japonica sedangkan beras yang dimakan di negara-negara Asia Tenggara adalah beras jenis Indica. Nasi yang ditanak dari beras Japonica mudah melekat satu sama lainnya sehingga mudah dibentuk menjadi Onigiri. di indonesia dapat juga digunakan beras ketan untuk membuatnya.

satu gal yang paling penting dalam membuat onigiri yaitu sebelum membuat Onigiri, kedua belah tangan harus dibasahkan dengan air matang agar nasi tidak melekat di tangan. Onigiri dibentuk oleh kedua telapak tangan yang diberi garam dapur, sedangkan garam yang menempel di permukaan telapak tangan diratakan penyebarannya dengan gerakan seperti mencuci tangan.

Onigiri jenis paling sederhana biasanya berisi daging ikan salmon panggang atau Umeboshi yang berada di tengah-tengah nasi. Selain itu, Onigiri ada yang dipanggang setelah sebelumnya dilumuri kecap asin atau miso.

Di Jepang, Onigiri merupakan bekal makan siang sewaktu piknik atau dimakan di perjalanan. Nasi pada Obento (kotak makan siang khas Jepang) sering berupa Onigiri. Walaupun banyak sekali orang Jepang yang membeli Onigiri produksi pabrik yang dijual di toko swalayan yang buka 24 jam, Onigiri merupakan makanan yang dibuat sendiri di rumah yang cara pembuatannya diwariskan secara turun temurun.

Di Jepang terdapat beratus-ratus jenis Onigiri dengan isi yang bervariasi tergantung selera orang yang membuatnya. Nori sering digunakan untuk membungkus agar lebih mudah dimakan tanpa ada nasi yang menempel di tangan, walaupun berbagai jenis Onigiri tanpa Nori juga sering dijumpai.

ramen (japanese instant noodle)

Ramen is a noodle dish that was originally imported to Japan from China. Over the last few decades, however, ramen has become a typical Japanese dish and gained great popularity inside and outside of Japan. Ramen noodles are about as thin as spaghetti and are served in a soup with various toppings. Ramen is served with a variety of toppings, such as sliced pork , seaweed, kamaboko, green onions, and even corn. Almost every locality or prefecture in Japan has its own variation of ramen, from the tonkotsu ramen of Kyūshū to the miso ramen of Hokkaidō. Some of the most popular soups:

• Shoyu Ramen: Brown, transparent, soya sauce based. It is popular in Honshū. A popular seasoning is black pepper.
• Miso Ramen: Brown, non-transparent, miso based. This uniquely Japanese ramen, which was developed in Hokkaidō, features a broth that combines chicken stock with a fermented soybean paste. It is often topped with sweetcorn and butter.
• Shio Ramen: Transparent, salt based. the simplest ramen to made.
• Tonkotsu Ramen: White, milky, pork based. It is a specialty of Kyūshū and is often served with beni shoga (pickled ginger).

Some ramen dishes with a feature topping: Chashumen: BBQ pork ramen, Tanmen: Vegetable ramen, Wonton ramen: Ramen with small Chinese dumplings, and many more.
Like the others instant noodles, ramen isn't easy to make. The taste of ramen mainly depends on the soup, and it requires skills to make delicious soup. Ramen chefs usually train for a long time to learn to make ramen soup. Categorized by the flavor, there are mainly four kinds of ramen: shio ramen (salt flavored soup), shoyu ramen (soy sauce flavored soup), tonkotsu ramen (pork bone soup), miso ramen (miso flavored soup). Tonkotsu ramen soup is creamy white, and miso ramen soup is brown. Common ramen toppings are negi (leek), shinachiku (seasoned bamboo shoots), nori (dried seaweed), yakibuta (pork ham), boiled egg, and so on.

maybe if we think about ramen, we remember anime and manga like naruto, doraemon, bleach, etc. ramen in those anime and manga become so popular and become the favouritest meal to naruto him self.