Japanese Meals with International Roots

Ramen A Chinese noodle dish that evolved to suit the Japanese palate. A very common meal in Japan today. The most basic recipe calls for boiled ramen noodles made from wheat flour to be served in a broth seasoned with soy sauce and topped with a few thin slices of roast pork and a green vegetable.

Niku-jaga A beef stew. The recipe was first developed by the former Japanese Navy for its sailors. Beef, potatoes and onions are simmered in a broth seasoned with soy sauce. Often seen on family dinner tables.

Sukiyaki Beef and vegetables sautéed and simmered with soy sauce, sugar and other seasonings. Cooked at the table in a metal pan, which becomes the serving dish for everyone there. A common meal after the Meiji Restoration (1868), due partly to the government's encouragement of meat consumption. (Before then, eating the meat of four-legged animals had generally been frowned upon.)

Tempura Vegetables and seafood are coated in batter, then deep-fried. The recipe came from Portugal sometime around the 17th century, but today tempura is known throughout the world as a typical Japanese food.

Omu-raisu A chicken pilaf is wrapped in a very thin omelet and topped with ketchup. The recipe is said to have been developed in 1902. Now considered a typical Western dish that evolved to suit Japanese tastes.

Kare-raisu An Indian dish introduced to Japan via Britain. A curry sauce thickened with flour complements boiled rice. Garnished with pickled vegetables.

Korokke Mashed potato with ground meat and minced onion added. The mixture is patted into easy-to-handle oval shapes, coated with breadcrumbs then deep-fried. The Japanese word korokke comes from the French, croquette.

Hayashi-raisu and ton-katsu Hayashi-raisu (the front) is beef and vegetables in a thick glossy brown sauce, served with boiled rice. Ton-katsu (back) is pork cutlet coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried.

Ebi-furai Prawns and shrimp are a favorite in Japan, and are used in a wide variety of dishes. Ebi-furai are prawns coated with breadcrumbs and deep-fried (above). Prawns served as tempura are coated with a batter of flour and deep-fried (see far above, tempura).