Japanese Food Vestal NY

Sushi is one of the first foods that come to mind when we think about Japanese cuisine. This delicacy was one of the first Japanese dishes to be exported to the US after the Meiji Restoration in 1868, and since then its popularity has steadily increased year after year. The word ‘sushi’ translates to vinegar rice, which is the base of this popular food. Common varieties of sushi include makizushi (the very popular sushi rice and fillings rolled up in nori seaweed), nigiri (shaped, bite-size mounds of sushi rice with single slices of raw fish draped over the top), and futomaki (a traditional thick and fat sushi roll typically filled with vegetables and sometimes include cooked fish like unagi). Sushi is made to be enjoyed with chopsticks or it is also perfectly acceptable and encouraged to eat with clean hands.

Sashimi is raw fish that has been expertly cut into thin slices and typically comes served with pickled ginger, wasabi, and soy sauce. Sashimi differs from sushi in that all sushi is made with vinegared rice and does not always contain raw fish, while sashimi is almost exclusively raw fish and is never served with rice. The fish used to make sashimi must be as fresh as possible. Popular types of sashimi are maguro (tuna), sake (salmon), hamachi (yellowtail), mackerel (saba), tamago (egg), among many others.

Tempura is a traditional Japanese dish consisting of vegetables and seafood lightly battered and quickly deep-fried. Some ingredients you may find in a tempura dish are shrimp and vegetables like green beans, onion, radish, and sweet potato. It originated in Japan during the 17th century when deep-frying became popular due to its convenience over pan-frying which required more time to cook meat properly. Deep frying allows for quicker cooking times while still ensuring a light, crispy, and tasty result every time. Tempura can be eaten by itself or served on top of rice bowls or noodle soups.

Udon noodles are perhaps the most popular noodles in Japan. They are thick, chewy, and traditionally made from wheat flour. They have a great texture to them, making them perfect to be served in a number of different ways (mixed into stir-fries, added to hot pots, served cold with a soup base on the side for dipping), but are most commonly used in noodle soups, where they are served in a savory soup broth with different garnishes.

Tofu may mainly be thought of in Western countries as healthy food or a vegetarian alternative, but in Southeast Asian countries like Japan, tofu (particularly silken tofu) is enjoyed by everybody and is a standard part of the traditional diet. Tofu is soy milk that has been coagulated, with the resulting curds being pressed into blocks. These blocks come in differing levels of firmness and can be eaten uncooked and topped with savory garnishes (katsuobushi, soy sauce, grated fresh ginger, and scallions), boiled in hot pots, or lightly fried and served with a dipping sauce in dishes such as agedashi tofu.