The Best Japanese Dishes To Try On Your Next Outing

J apanese cuisine is easily one of the most flavorful and unique ones out there. With a wide variety of options in savory and sweet foods, there's something there for everyone. Let's talk about some of the best Japanese dishes to try out.

Sushi 

Sushi is one of the most popular and well-loved Japanese dishes out there. This timeless delicacy refers to any dish made with Japanese rice seasoned with rice vinegar. Usually, it will also include a piece of raw fish as a topping or filling. Some common varieties of sushi include nigiri sushi (rice assembled in bite-sized shapes with a piece of raw fish draped at the top), makizushi (fillings enclosed within sushi rice held together by nori seaweed), and inarizushi (inari pockets filled with sushi rice). Sushi is best eaten with soya sauce and some wasabi for those looking for an extra kick. 

Ramen 

Another widely-acclaimed dish is ramen. Ramen is a noodle soup dish with wheat noodles cooked separately served in a broth (bases can be of soya sauce, miso, salt, or tonkatsu pork bone) with meat and/or vegetables on top. A typical bowl of ramen will have sliced chicken or pork, egg, nori seaweed, and spring onions on top. Not only is it one of the most popular dishes outside Japan, but it is also well-loved within Japan. This is pretty clear to see with it being available at almost every restaurant, separate street ramen 'bars', and even having its own ramen-themed amusement park in Tokyo!

Tempura 

If you're a fan of crispy, fried foods, this is the one for you. 'Tempura' is the name given to slices of meat, fish, or vegetables that have been coated with a special tempura batter and deep-fried till they are a golden, crunchy delicacy. The most common forms of tempura will often be of the shellfish variety (the most popular being prawns) or vegetables such as green beans, daikon radish, sweet potato, and pumpkin. It can be eaten on its own as a separate dish or served as a topping for rice and noodle bowls. 

Donburi 

Donburi is a much-enjoyed staple in Japan and pretty much as popular as ramen. It is typically prepared by simmering various meats and vegetables, which are then served on top of a bowl of steamed rice. While technically it can be prepared using an assortment of meat and vegetables, some particular types of Donburi stand out more than others. Three of the most common donburi are Katsudon ( pork cutlets covered with bread-crumbs and deep-fried simmered with onion and egg in tsuyu), Oyakodon (simmered chicken, green onions, and egg), and tendon ( prawn tempura simmered in tsuyu). The resulting dish, especially Oyakodon, is incredibly filling, refreshing, and yet very light. 

Onigiri 

As the sandwich is to the western world, so is Onigiri to the Japanese. These are 'rice balls' moulded in a triangular shape with a filling in the centre wrapped in nori seaweed. Onigiri fillings can be of many types, the most popular being pickled plums, tuna mayonnaise, teriyaki chicken, and seasoned seaweed. These are readily available at convenience stores within Japan and make for a delicious snack. They can also be eaten with various traditional dipping sauces; however, they are best enjoyed on their own. 

Gyoza 

Known commonly otherwise as 'potstickers', Gyoza are semi-circle dumplings filled with savory combinations of meat and vegetables. They are then pleated around the edges, fried on one side for 2-5 minutes, and then steamed for another 3-5 minutes to make sure it is cooked through. Usually, the filling will be made of minced chicken, beef, or pork, with sliced cabbage, green onions, and occasionally, mushrooms. These are mixed together with soya sauce or rice vinegar and then heaped onto the dumpling wrapper before taking its final form as the much-loved gyoza dumpling. They can be added to soups (dumpling soup), served with rice, or eaten simply with soya sauce or other dipping sauces. 

With these being few of the best Japanese dishes to try amongst the savory sort, one must not think there is all there is to Japanese cuisine. From Dora Cakes, to Yakisoba, to Udon noodles, the menu is endless. Hopefully, this might set you on the path to explore more of these dishes and expand your palette tenfold. 

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• japanese food
• food in japan
• cuisines