Clarification of Various Japanese Meat Products
You are most likely already familiar with teriyaki and perhaps some other Japanese dishes, but there may be a few meat dishes on the menu that you have never heard of or fully understood. A Japanese chef explains eight traditional meat dishes so that next time you can order them with confidence at your favorite Japanese restaurant.
Chef Alex K. Becker is the head chef at Kuro Restaurant in Hollywood, Florida (he previously worked as a chef at other famous restaurants such as Nobu). With his help, Food Republic explains several basic Japanese dishes. A couple that may be new to you:
Kakuni is a stew of pork, which translates as “braised over a square fire.” Although it is most commonly made with pork, it can also be made with beef. The pork is stewed in a light dashi broth and seasoned with soy, a little sugar and mirin. It has both salinity and sweetness. It is more common in Japan, but you can find it here and there in the US.
Karaage is a cooking technique in which various foods, most often chicken, are deep-fried. Age is short for agemono , which means fried. Chicken karaage is marinated in soybeans, green onions and ginger and then breaded. Karaage in Japan is not very crispy as it is made from katakuriko (potato starch). Potato starch is slightly lighter and fluffier, allowing people to taste more marinade and protein. In the US, people tend to like that their fried chicken is slightly more textured and crispy, so it’s usually cooked with cornstarch rather than potato starch.
Even if you are already familiar with these and other terms – negamaki, teriyaki, kushiyaki / yakitori, katsu, tsukune, and yakiniku – or there is a short description of the dish on the menu, the details in this guide deserve a quick glance. For example, you will learn that teriyaki sauce is more common in America than in Japan. If you see it in Japan, it is usually thinner and lighter.
Maybe now is a good time to grab some Japanese food.
The Essential Guide to Japanese Meat | Food republic