Japanese food is a treat to the eye as well as the palate. Meals are beautifully presented and only the finest and freshest ingredients are used. Japanese food contains few spices; instead chefs concentrate on bringing out the natural taste of the individual ingredients in a dish.
Food is at the heart of Japanese culture – there are 80,000 restaurants in Tokyo alone! These range from cheap and cheerful noodle bars to more upmarket restaurants with traditional zashiki seating where guests sit on tatami mats in front of low dinner tables. Over the course of the past decade, Japanese food has become increasingly popular outside of Japan. Sushi and sashimi can now be readily eaten in one of the many Japanese restaurants all around the world. Other popular dishes include Teppanyaki, Yakitori, Tempura, Ramen and Katsu. Typically Japanese is eaten with chopsticks, with the only exception being soup where a bamboo spoon is often provided.
At first glance Japanese cuisine can seem intimidating and complicated to prepare. However, whilst a few dishes do require years of practice and meticulous attention to detail, many Japanese recipes are wholesome, delicious and quick to cook at home. The secret is to use the freshest and best ingredients available and to use sauces and condiments, which compliment and bring out their flavour. ‘Less is more’ is a motto that commonly applies in Japanese cooking.