foodha for thought – menuism blog

So you have an adventurous spirit when it comes to food and you especially have an interest in trying out Ethnic Cuisines; however, there are those times when you walk into a restaurant, sit down and read menu that literally is in a foreign language. Yikes, what do you do?

Well, the first thing that usually helps is to do a little bit of research beforehand so that you don’t go in blind. Remember. The Internet is your friend, but then so am I. Today, you’re getting a jump start on Japanese Cuisine because below, I’ll be giving you a list of some common dishes you may find on a Japanese restaurant menu.  So are you ready to increase your foodie vocabulary?

Japanese Food Primer

Ahi: yellow fin tuna used for sushi

Amazu Shoga: pickled ginger, sliced thin

Arare: crisp rice crackers seasoned with soy sauce

Azuki: sweetened red or black beans

Bento: a take-out picnic meal

Daikon: a member of the turnip family (similar to radish)

Edamame: whole boiled soybeans

Fugu: raw blowfish with poisonous parts

Furikake: a flavoring accent of seaweed, salt, sesame

Harusame: cellophane noodles made from mung beans

Hijike: seaweed leaves used in soups and salads

Kamaboko: fish cake made from white fish

Kanten: gelatin dessert made out of seaweed

Katsudon: fried pork cutlet

Kombu: seaweed processed as a cooked noodle

Kuromame: black beans

Maki Sushi: sushi items rolled up in seaweed

Manju: sweet bean paste buns

Mirin: sweetened rice wine

Miso: thick fermented soybean paste

Mochi: also called sweet or sticky rice (made into cakes)

Musubi: rice ball wrapped in seaweed

Nabeyaki Udon: wheat noodles in hot broth topped with vegetables & seafood

Namasu: salad of vegetables in a vinegar sauce

Nigiri Sushi: molded rice balls topped with raw fish

Nishime: vegetables with pork or chicken

Nori: dried, compressed seaweed

Okazu-Ya: “Okazu” means side dish – “Ya” means shop.
Casual storefront restaurants serving carry-out foods that reflect the ethnic mix of the Islands

Okonomiyaki: an omelet or pancake with a variety of toppings

Onaga: ruby snapper

Panko: flour meal used for breading

Ramen: slender wheat noodles in broth topped with meat, vegetable, or seafood flavorings

Saimin: noodle soup

Sake: rice wine

Sansho: a ground spice from a type of prickly ash shrub

Sashimi: thin slices of very fresh salt water fish

Sekihan: rice and red beans

Senbei: sweet rice crackers

Shabu Shabu: meat and vegetables in a simmering broth

Shiitake: large mushrooms with dark caps

Shira Ae: vegetable and tofu salad

Shoyu: a salty liquid flavoring made from soybeans (soy sauce)

Shumai: small steamed dumplings

Soba: slender buckwheat noodle

Somen: thin and delicate rice noodles

Suimono: clear fish stock soup

Sukiyaki: meat, bean curd, vegetables cooked in soy sauce and sugar

Sushi: cold vinegar rice garnished with raw fish

Tako: octopus

Takuwan: pickled daikon or turnip

Tamari: an aged, fermented soy sauce

Tempura: vegetables, meat, or seafood quick-fried in light egg batter

Teppanyaki: style of dining where chefs cook food at your table

Teriyaki: soy based, sweet and salty flavoring used on beef, chicken and other foods

Tobiko: orange-reddish roe of the flying fish

Tofu: white soybean curd

Tonkatsu: breaded, deep-fried pork cutlet

Tsukemono: pickled vegetables

Udon: thick wheat noodles

Umeboshi: very salty, sun-dried, long-aged, pickled sour plums

Unagi: eel

Wakame: dried seaweed reconstituted and used in salads or soups

Wasabi: similar to horseradish but green and hotter

Yakitori Kushi: chicken on a stick

Hopefully, I was able to shed a little light on Japanese food.  Not so surprisingly, sushi is one of my favorite Japanese menu items, although I’m more of a sashimi lover.  Why have rice when all you really need is tender, delicate fish dipped in soy sauce and wasabi.  For the colder season, it’s hard to top ramen and shabu shabu, both of which are designed to warm you up from the inside out.  Whatever your preference, Japanese food offers quite a variety.  Hopefully, the next time you walk into a Japanese restaurant, you can order with confidence.

By Abby C. Abanes
Menuism Community Manager