As the days are getting colder, we have took it upon ourselves to find the best Japanese winter recipes for the season. Are you a little bored of the same meals and fancy a change this holiday? Our top 5 list includes tasty hot-pots, soup sure to excite those taste buds and an alternative to classic chicken skewers. Bracing the cold weather won’t be so hard with these Japanese winter dishes.
5 Japanese Winter Dishes
Popular with Japanese Buddhist, a yudofu is a simple yet delicious hot pot. Minimal ingredients used in this dish as a typical Yudofu only contains tofu cubes and vegetables in hot water. However as with many recipes, there are options with various meats and more ingredients. Kombu also known as edible seaweed can be added for extra flavour. The Yudofu is a winter favourite amongst the Japanese monks and can be as simple or as complex as you fancy.
Miso Soup is a traditional food and favourite in Japan, Japan and Miso Soup go together like salt and pepper, and many miss the meal when they are visiting different countries. So what is Miso Soup? It is a hearty soup made from a few key ingredients such as miso, tofu, seaweed and
dashi. When ready the soup is placed at the centre of the dining table in a
Miso Soup Bowl allowing everyone to help themselves Add to this soup as you please whether you want to include vegetables or meat and fish. However a great miso soup is said to contain a balance of ingredients which float and ingredients which sink. The soup has an umami taste which is described as a meaty or brothy taste which lingers on the tongue.
Typically cooked in a hot pot, a Sukiyaki consists of thinly sliced beef carved with
Japanese kitchen knives for precision, vegetables, tofu in a thick broth of soy sauce, sugar and mirin. When made a Sukiyaki should be placed in the middle of the table so everyone can help themselves. A common dipping sauce when eating Sukiyaki are beaten raw eggs which are placed by the side plates in
small dipping bowls. In Japanese culture, a Sukiyaki is often known as a party food as it brings everybody together.
Yakitori literally translates as ‘grilled chicken’ which is cooked on thin bamboo skewers over a grill. Traditionally every part of the chicken is grilled, however if you are not a fan of chicken, many people often use other meats, tofu or vegetables. When cooked all the skewers are placed onto a large platter and people are encouraged to tuck in. A side to a traditional Yakitori meal usually consists of soy sauce, a couple of beverages and an enjoyable evening had by all!
A Mitzutaki is one of the varieties of the Japanese nabemono or a hot pot. Nabemono which translates to ‘one pot’ or ‘things in a pot’ are widely popular in Japan during the colder seasons. It usually consists of stew or a soup which is left to simmer on a portable stove in the middle of the dining table. A popular dipping sauce for Mitzutaki is ponzu which is made of soy sauce, juice pressed from a bitter orange sweet sake and kombu stock. This is a hearty, homely dish which can be added to at your pleasure. These five Japanese winter recipes are superb for keeping you warm during the colder months and are sure to add a little excitement to your kitchen. When eating Japanese cuisine you certainly need to look the part, for a range
of high quality Japanese tableware to complete your dining experience, visit The Japanese Shop. Have we missed out any of your favourite Japanese winter dishes? Leave a comment for us below as we are always on the search for new recipes.
