abura-age |
Thin slices of tofu that are
deep-fried. Often used to wrap inari sushi and added to miso
soup. Also known as aburage. Atsuage is a thicker cut, and a thinner cut is usuage. |
aburage |
See abura-age. |
aemono |
Cold dishes mixed with
dressing. |
agemono |
Deep-fried dishes, such as
tempura. |
anko |
Sweet,
jam-like paste made from azuki beans. |
anpan |
Sweet bun filled with anko.
|
atsuage |
Thick-cut deep-fried tofu. |
azuki beans |
Burgundy-colored bean usually cooked with sticky rice or used in
desserts. |
benishoga |
Red-colored pickled ginger. Usually shredded and used as garnish. |
bento |
|
bento bako |
Bento box. |
bonito flakes |
Bonito is a
type of fish (also known as shipjack tuna). Dried bonito is shaved
into flakes – large flakes are used to make dashi, and smaller flakes are
used as a condiment and are often moistened with soy sauce and stuffed inside
onigiri. |
cha-cha gohan |
See ochazuke. |
chazuke |
See ochazuke. |
chikuwa |
Pureed and steamed
fish cake shaped into a tube form. |
chirashi-zushi |
Bowl of sushi rice with the other ingredients mixed in. The ingredients often
are artfully arranged on top of the rice before mixing in to eat. |
daifuku |
Dessert
consisting of mochi stuffed with a sweet filling, such as anko.
Ichigo daifuku is mochi stuffed with a fresh strawberry and
anko. |
daikon |
Large,
white, mild-flavored Japanese radish. It can be simmered, grated, pickled (takuan)
and dried (kiriboshi daikon). |
dango |
Dumplings. Meatballs
are niku-dango. |
dashi |
Soup stock
commonly used in Japanese cooking, usually made by heating bonito
flakes and kombu in water, then straining the liquid. There are also
good instant dashi powders on the market. Dashi is the base for
miso soup, other broths, and many simmering stocks. |
donabe |
Japanese casserole with a
lid. Often used to cook one-pot dishes, called nabe. |
donburi |
A “rice
bowl dish” consisting of some form of protein and vegetables simmered
together and then served over rice, usually in an oversized bowl (also
called a donburi). Types of donburi include oyakodon (chicken, egg,
and onion), katsudon (breaded, deep-fried pork cutlets, onion, and egg),
tendon (tempura shrimp and vegetables), gyudon (beef and onion),
and unadon (eel). |
ebi |
Shrimp. |
edamame |
Green soybeans. |
enokitake |
Long, thin,
white mushrooms. Also called golden needle mushrooms, winter
mushrooms, velvet foot, or velvet stem. |
furikake |
Dry condiment usually sprinkled on top of or mixed into rice. Typically consists of a mixture of sesame seeds, nori, sugar, and
salt, as well as other ingredients. Many brands also contain MSG. |
furoshiki |
Traditional
cloth used to wrap clothes, gifts, or other goods. Often used to
wrap up a bento box and chopsticks. |
futomaki |
Thick-rolled sushi
that uses many different kinds of ingredients. |
gari |
Sweet, pickled
ginger. Often served with sushi and used as a condiment. |
gobo |
Burdock root. Used in many dishes, such as kinpira. |
goma |
Sesame seeds. There are
two types: shiro-goma (unhulled white) and kuro-goma
(black). |
gomashio |
Flavoring made
from sesame seeds and salt. Similar to furikake. |
gyoza |
Dumpling with
crimped edges that is stuffed with ground meat and/or vegetables and
resembles a small turnover. Usually steamed or pan-fried (followed
by steaming in the skillet). |
gyudon |
Donburi consisting of a bowl of rice topped with beef and onion simmered
in a mildly-sweet sauce. |
hashi |
Chopsticks. |
hashioki |
Chopsticks rest. |
hibachi |
Cast-iron bowl filled with
charcoal that is used for grilling food. |
hijiki |
Sea vegetable
that is boiled and dried before selling (looks like thick black thread
pieces). To prepare hijiki
for cooking, it is first soaked in water. |
ichigo daifuku |
Mochi
cake stuffed with a fresh strawberry and anko paste. |
inari |
Pouch of aburage or usuage filled with sushi rice. Also known as inari-zushi. |
inari-zushi |
See inari. |
jyubako |
Similar to a bento
box, but larger and more elaborate, typically with three to five layers
of shallow boxes in black or red lacquer and decorated with gilt
patterns. During the last days of the year, Japanese women prepare
elegant new year's foods and pack them in jyubako. |
kabayaki |
Grilled freshwater eel. |
kabocha |
Type of
squash with a deep green skin with some striping and a deep orange-yellow flesh. |
kamaboko |
Type of
processed seafood product. White fish are pureed, formed into loaves and
steamed until cooked and firm. Served sliced with dipping sauce or included in
hot soups, one-dish meals, or noodle dishes. |
kampyo |
Long dried strips of gourd;
often used in sushi rolls. |
katakuriko |
Starch
traditionally produced from a species of lily, but now more commonly
processed from potato. |
katsudon |
Donburi consisting of tonkatsu over rice with egg and other
condiments. |
katsuo |
Bonito fish. |
katsuoboshi |
See bonito flakes. |
kinchaku |
A small
bag, typically with a drawstring, used to hold a bento box and utensils. |
kinpira |
"Sauté and
simmer” cooking technique commonly used to cook root vegetables, various types
of seaweed (such as hijiki), and/or tofu. |
kinugoshi-dofu |
Silken tofu. |
kiriboshi |
Dried and shredded daikon. |
kombu |
Edible kelp. Usually sold dried and used to make dashi. Can also be simmered and often used in onigiri. Also spelled
konbu. |
konbu |
See kombu. |
kompeito |
Star-shaped sugar candy (like in “Spirited Away”!). |
konnyaku |
Made from a
plant and is usually mottled grey in appearance and has a jelly-like
texture. Also known as devil’s tongue jelly. |
korokke |
Made by
mixing cooked chopped meat, seafood, and/or vegetables with mashed potato or
white sauce, rolling in wheat flour, eggs and panko, then deep-frying
until brown on the outside. Related to the French croquette. |
kuro-goma |
Black sesame seeds. |
maki |
Cylindrical ‘tube’ of sushi made using a bamboo mat to roll nori around rice and various fillings. Maki rolls are generally
cut into 6 or 8 pieces before serving. |
matcha |
Fine,
powdered green tea used in Japanese tea ceremonies and also to dye and flavor
foods like mochi, soba noodles, and pastries. |
matsutake |
Type of mushroom. |
mirin |
A slightly sweet rice wine
that is used as a condiment and in Japanese cooking. |
miso |
Thick paste
made from fermented soybeans and other fermented products. There
are many types of miso. |
mitsuba |
Herb used as a
seasoning and in salads. Other names include Japanese wild parsley
and honeywort. |
mochi |
Glutinous
(sticky) rice that is pounded into paste and molded into shape. Mochi is
used in savory dishes and also in desserts (like daifuku). |
mochiko |
Glutinous rice flour. |
momen-dofu |
Firm tofu. |
mushimono |
Steamed dishes. |
nabemono |
One-pot meal. |
naganegi |
Welsh
onion. Also known as bunching onion and Japanese scallions. |
natto |
Fermented
soybeans with a stringy and slippery texture. Infamously stinky. |
nigiri |
Oblong mound
of sushi-rice topped with a bit of wasabi and a thin slice
of topping, sometimes wrapped with a thin band of nori. |
niku-dango |
Meatballs. |
nikujaga |
A much-loved
beef and potato stew, typically served with rice. |
nimono |
Dishes simmered in a soup stock, such
as nikujaga. |
nori |
Dried edible seaweed. Flat
sheets are used to roll maki sushi, and it can be shredded and used as a
condiment. |
obento |
Another word for bento. |
ochazuke |
Simple dish
made by pouring hot green tea over rice and toppings. Also called chazuke
and cha-cha gohan. Common toppings include tsukemono,
umeboshi, nori, furikake, sesame seeds, salted fish, and
wasabi. Ochazuke made with unagi is called unacha. |
okonomiyake |
Pan-fried
cake made with batter and various ingredients. The batter
generally consists of flour, grated yam, water or dashi, and egg. Ingredients mixed in
include cabbage, onion, meat, seafood, and cheese. There are many variations. |
omu-rice |
Omelet filled with
ketchup-flavored
fried rice. Often topped with additional ketchup or tonkatsu
sauce. |
omu-soba |
Omelet with yakisoba filling. Often topped with ketchup or tonkastu
sauce. |
onigiri |
Rice ball
snack usually in the shape of a triangle or oval and wrapped in
nori. Onigiri traditionally is filed with umeboshi, salted
fish, or bonito flakes moistened with soy sauce. Other types of fillings
are popular as well, such as tuna salad, kombu, and egg. |
oyakodon |
“Parent and
child” donburi consisting of simmered chicken, egg, green
onion, and other ingredients over rice. |
panko |
Type of
breadcrumb made from wheat bread that has a lighter, crispier texture
than Western breadcrumbs. |
rakkyo |
Pickled Japanese shallot;
used for garnishing. |
ramune |
Carbonated soft drink in a glass bottle sealed with a glass marble. |
renkon |
Lotus root. |
sake |
Japanese
rice wine that can be enjoyed hot or cold. Lower grade sake is
used for cooking. |
sansho |
Relative
of Sichuan pepper. |
sashimi |
Raw
seafood. Usually accompanied by rice. |
senbei |
Rice cracker. |
shabu-shabu |
One-pot meal with
sliced meat and vegetables that is more savory and less sweet than sukiyaki. |
shiitake |
Chinese black mushroom. |
shimeji |
Oyster mushroom. |
shirataki |
Noodles made from yam cakes. |
shiro-goma |
Unhulled white sesame seeds. |
shiso |
Also
known as the beefsteak plant, perilla, or Japanese basil. It is a
perennial herb with a nice smell but a bitter taste to some. |
shoga |
Ginger root. |
shojin ryori |
Buddhist vegetarian dishes. The teachings of Buddhism forbid seekers of enlightenment from consuming
alcohol and all types of meat and seafood, as well as the five
strong-smelling herbs of the lily family: garlic, scallions, onions,
shallots, and leeks. |
shoyu |
Soy
sauce. |
sichimi togarashi |
Common
spice mixture containing seven ingredients: ground red chile pepper,
mandarin orange peel, sesame seed, poppy seed, hemp seed, nori, and
ground sansho. |
soba |
Thin
buckwheat noodles that are dark gray in color. Usually cooked and
served with various toppings and condiments. |
somen |
Thin,
white, wheat flour noodles usually served cold or stir-fried with other
ingredients. |
spam musubi |
A Hawaiian favorite snack. Generally composed of a block of sushi rice topped with a sliced
of marinated and fried SPAM, then wrapped with a piece of nori. |
su |
Japanese rice vinegar. |
sukiyaki |
One-pot
dish with thinly-sliced beef, tofu, noodles, naganegi, cabbage, enoki
mushrooms, and other ingredients. |
sunomono |
See tsukemono. |
suribachi |
Grinding bowl |
sushi |
Variety of foods prepared
with vinegared rice. Toppings or fillings include raw, cooked, or marinated
seafood, meat, vegetables, and egg. Different types include maki
(rolls), nigiri (hand-formed), inari (tofu pouch), futomaki
(thick-rolled), and
chirashi-zushi (“scattered” sushi). |
tai |
Carp or bream. |
taiyaki |
Waffle-like cake traditionally filled with anko paste that is molded into
the shape of a carp fish (tai). |
tako |
Octopus. |
takoyaki |
Spherical, fried or baked dumpling made from batter, octopus, gari,
konnyaku, and scallions. Typically made in a special pan made of cast iron
with hemispherical molds. |
takuan |
Pickled
daikon, usually bright yellow in color. |
tamago |
Egg. |
tamagoyaki |
Slightly
sweet, layered omelet. Also used as sushi topping. |
tamari |
Thick, dark soy sauce, usually brewed without wheat. |
tempura |
Deep-fried
batter-dipped seafood and vegetables. Usually served with a
dipping sauce. |
teriyaki |
Cooking
sauce for fish or meat. The food is cut or sliced and broiled or
grilled in a sweet soy sauce marinade that is generally made of mirin,
soy sauce, sugar, and sake. |
tobiko |
Flying fish roe. The
eggs are very small and orange to red in color and are used in certain
types of sushi. |
tofu |
Soybean curd. Silken
tofu is called kinugoshi-dofu and firm tofu is calld
momen-dofu. |
togarashi |
Hot Japanese chile. |
tonkatsu |
Breaded,
deep-fried pork cutlet that is generally served with shredded cabbage
and dipping sauce. |
tsukemono |
Various
types of pickled vegetables. Also spelled sunomono. |
udon |
Thick,
white, wheat-based noodle used in soups and stir-fries. |
umeboshi |
Pickled
Japanese plum with a very sour taste. Often included in the rice
layer of a bento box as
umeboshi is believed to help keep rice fresh. Also commonly used as
onigiri filling. |
unacha |
Ochazuke with unagi
topping. |
unadon |
Donburi made with unagi in a sweet sauce over rice. |
unagi |
Freshwater eel. Grilled
eel is called kabayaki. |
uni |
Sea urchin. |
usuage |
Deep-fried thin-cut tofu. |
wakame |
Type of
edible kelp (lobe-leaf seaweed) often used in miso soup and salads. |
wasabi |
Grated
root of the wasabi plant that is believed to kill germs on raw fish. Better than imitation wasabi made of horseradish with green food coloring
and wasabi oil flavoring. |
yakidofu |
Grilled tofu. |
yakimono |
Grilled dishes. |
yakiniku |
Style of
cooking meat and vegetables over a charcoal or gas burner (or on a griddle).
|
yakisoba |
Flour-based ramen-like noodles that are stir-fried with a variety of
ingredients, such as meat, seafood, and vegetables. |
yakitori |
Traditionally consists of grilled skewers of marinated chicken pieces
and vegetables. Now other ingredients are used, such as beef,
pork, and seafood. |
yudofu |
Boiled tofu. |
yuzu |
Citrus fruit native to
eastern Asia that resembles a small grapefruit that becomes yellow as it
ripens. The zest is used for cooking. |
zaru |
Bamboo basket, often used to
drain noodles. |
zaru-soba |
The most basic soba
dish in which boiled, cold soba noodles are eaten with a shoyu-based
dipping sauce. Commonly enjoyed in the warmer months. |
zoni |
Rice cake soup that is
commonly eaten during New Year's. |