Food Fare Culinary Collection: Japanese Culture & Cuisine

Contents:

Japanese Cooking & Food Terms

Common Japanese words used in reference to cooking and food.

COOKING

Abura kiri: Shallow tray with draining rack used to place food after deep-frying.
Agemono: Deep-fried or pan-fried.
Amishakushi: Wire-mesh ladle.
Amiyaki: Cooked over a wire grill.
Asazuke: Pickling method known for short preparation time.
Daifukin: Kitchen cloth or rag.
Dashi: Soup broth or fish stock made from Kombu (edible kelp) and Katsuobushi (dried and fermented skipjack tuna); also comes in granulated form.
Donabe: Earthenware pot with lid; used for stovetop cooking.
Furikake: Topping for rice; made from salty dried fish or pickled plum and shiso.
Gomaae: Sesame dressing.
Hangiri: Rice barrel.
Hiyashi: Cold.
Hiyashi-bachi: Served chilled in a bowl with ice and cold water.
Honzen ryori: Also known as main-tray cooking. Five side dishes and two or more soups are set on one main tray and several smaller trays; typically reserved for formal settings.
Ichiban Dashi: First batch of stock made from bonito and kelp; second batch is known as Niban Dashi.
Irori: Hearth.
Itameru: Term used for stir-frying or warming food.
Kabayaki: Cooking term for seafood which is boned and dipped in sweet sauce before grilling.
Kaiseki ryori: Kyoto-style cooking technique; seasonal ingredients served in several courses.
Kamaboko: Steamed fish paste made from white fish, mirin, salt, starch and sugar.
Karashi: Mustard.
Kushi: Bamboo skewers.
Manaita: Cutting board.
Mirin: Sweetened cooking sake.
Mitzutaki: Cooked in liquid.
Mochiko: Sweet, glutinous rice flour.
Mushiki: Steamer.
Mushimono: Steamed foods.
Nabemono: One-pot cooking; also known as "steamboat."
Nametake chazuke: Prepared mushrooms.
Nanami togarashi: Mixed hot spices.
Nimono: Foods stewed in sake and soy sauce.
Niru: Simmering.
Obanzai Ryori: Kyoto cooking technique; traditional home-style.
Oroshigane: Steel grater.
Oroshiki: Porcelain grater.
Otoshibuta: Heavy, straight-sided pan used for simmering with wooden lid.
Panko: Coarse breadcrumbs used in cooking.
Ponzu: Made with yuzu, soy sauce and kombu; served as a dipping sauce.
Robata-Yaki: Fresh ingredients cooked over a wood fire.
Ryoribashi: Cooking chopsticks, longer than eating utensils. String ties chopsticks together.
Safo: Sugar.
Sakemushi: Steamed over sake.
Sansho: Pepper.
Shamoji: Flat spoon used for serving rice.
Shio: Salt.
Shiso: Mint, also known as Japanese Basil.
Shoga: Ginger root.
Shoyu: Salty soy sauce made from fermented soybeans.
Shungiku: Edible chrysanthemum leaves.
Sokuseki tsukemono-ki: Pickling pot.
Su (awaze-zu): Sushi rice vinegar.
Suihanki: Electric rice-cooker.
Suribachi: Bowl with corrugated insides; used as a mortar.
Surikogi: Wooden pestle, shaped like a cucumber.
Tamago: Egg.
Tamago yaki: Fried egg omelet; often sweetened.
Tamagoyaki-ki: Rectangular omelet pan.
Tare: Thick sauce; soy-based and slightly sweetened.
Tataki: Grilled on surface, and then finely chopped.
Tawashi: Abrasive brush for washing; made from palm fibers.
Teriyaki: Broiled foods marinated in sweet soy sauce.
Tetsunabe: Iron pot used to cook at table.
Tsuyu: Soba soup base.
Ume-shiso: Plum paste and shiso leaf mixture.
Urokotori: Fish-scaler.
Usukuchi Shoyu: Light soy sauce.
Wasabi: Horseradish sauce; very hot.
Yak: Grilled or toasted.
Yakimono: Grilled or pan-fried.
Yakitori: Skewer-grilled foods.
Yasai no Kirikata: Cutting techniques. Includes hana ninjin (carrot flowers), rangiri (cylindrical vegetable cut in disordered fashion), sengiri (thin strips, similar to julienne) and shiraga neg (white part of green onions cut into thin strips in preparation for cooking).
Yuderu: Blanching or parboiling.
Zaru: Weaved-basket colander.
Zuke: Pickled.
Zume: Stuffed.

FOOD

Abura: Oil.
Aemono: Seasoned tofu puree used as a sauce or dressing.
Aji-no-moto: Monosodium glutamate (MSG).
Aka miso: Red soy bean paste.
Anago: Salt water eel.
Ankimo: Monkfish liver often made into a pate.
Azuki (Aduki): Small, red bean.
Baigai: Small water snails.
Bata: Butter.
Beni-Shoga: Pickled red ginger.
Biru: Beer.
Burokkori: Broccoli.
Buta: Pork.
Chiizu: Cheese.
Daikon: Long, carrot-shaped radish.
Daizu: Soybeans.
Dango: Dumplings.
Ebi: Shrimp.
Enoki: Long, thin white mushrooms.
Furutsu: Fruit.
Gari (Shoga): Sliced pickled ginger, used as a condiment.
Genmai: Brown rice.
Ginkgo seeds: From the Ginkgo Biloba (maidenhair) tree; used in custards and porridges.
Gohan (Meshi): Word used for rice; also refers to meals.
Goma: Sesame seeds.
Gyoza: Meat dumplings which can be pan-fried, saut�ed or steamed.
Harusame: Semi-transparent and thin bean noodles.
Horenso: Spinach.
Hotatagai: Scallops.
Ika: Squid.
Ikura: Salmon roe.
Jyusu: Juice.
Kabu: Small, white turnip.
Kai: Shellfish.
Kamaboko: Fish cake.
Kani: Crab meat.
Kappa: Cucumber.
Kareh katsu: Curry-based sauce; typically poured over deep-fried pork cutlets.
Katsu: Cutlet.
Kayaku gohan: Mixed rice.
Kinoko: General term for mushrooms.
Kishimen: Flat noodles.
Kohi: Coffee.
Maguro: Tuna.
Masu: Trout.
Meshimono: Rice mixed with meat or vegetables.
Miso: Fermented paste of soy beans with barley or rice; basic ingredient used in many Japanese dishes, especially Miso Soup.
Misoshiro: Miso Soup with pieces of bean curd.
Mizu: Water.
Momo: Peach.
Moyashi: Bean sprouts.
Nasu: Eggplant.
Natto: Fermented soy bean.
Negi: Onion.
Nijimas: Rainbow trout.
O-cha: Green tea.
Pan: Bread.
Sarada: Salad.
Soba: Buckwheat noodles.
Somen: White, threadlike wheat noodles.
Suimono: Clear soup.
Sunomon: Vinegary foods.
Takenoko: Bamboo shoots.
Tako: Octopus.
Tamago yaki: Fried egg.
Tonkatsu: Breaded and fried pork cutlet.
Tori: Chicken.
Tsukemono: Pickles.
Tsukimi-tamago: Poached egg.
Udon: Wide, thick wheat noodles.
Unagi: Fresh-water eels.
Yakinori: Toasted seaweed.
Yasai: Vegetables.

KITCHEN/EATING

Chawan: Bowl. Chawanmushi bowls are usually accompanied by lids and wooden spoons, especially designed for steamed egg custard.
Donburi: Large bowl used for noodle and rice dishes.
Fouku: Fork.
Geta: Wooden block used as a plate at a sushi bar.
Hashi: Chopsticks.
Hocho: Cutting knives.
Kissaten: Coffee shop.
Koppu: Glass or cup.
Makisu: Bamboo mat strips used to make sushi rolls.
Murasaki: Term for soy sauce, typically used in a sushi bar.
Naifu: Knife (used in eating rather than food preparation).
Noren: A split-curtain placed over door entry; typically found in public restaurants.
Ohitsu: Bowl used to keep rice warm.
Osara: Plate.
Oshibori: Moistened, heated towel.
Oshiwaku: Wooden box with top.
Sudare: Bamboo floor mat.
Supuun: Spoon.
Wan: Soup bowl.
Waribashi: Disposable wooden chopsticks.

MEALS

Asa-gohan: Breakfast (morning rice).
Bento: Traditional boxed lunch.
Chaji: Formal tea ceremony; undertaken before kaiseki meal is served.
Ekiben: Boxed lunch typically sold at train stations.
Hiru-gohan: Lunch (noon rice).
Shirumono: General term for soup.
Yushoku: Dinner.
Yuu-gohan: Supper (evening rice).

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