Shirumono(Soups)
"Shirumono (soups)" can be roughly divided into two types, "sumashijiru (clear soup)" and "misoshiru (miso soup)". Ingredients may include white-fleshed fish, prawns, shellfish, "tofu (bean curd)", fowl, seaweed and seasonal vegetables; one or two ingredients that accord with the remainder of the menu are selected from among these. To add more zest and aroma, "yuzu", "kinome", "sansho", ginger or "mitsuba (a trifoliolate herb of the same genus as honewort)" may be added. For "sumashijiru", "dashi (soup stock)" to which salt and soy sauce have been added is customarily used. Ingredients to be added to the soup should be cut up and warmed in a separate stock. If the ingredients are "tai (red snapper)" or "hamaguri (a type of clam)", from which a good flavor can be obtained, stock is made with the clams or with the bones of the "tai" and a pinch of salt. The ingredients are arranged in a bowl that has been warmed beforehand, hot stock is poured over them and the aromatic substance is added last.
Sunomono and Aemono(Vinegared and Dressd Dishes)
"Sunomono" are vinegared fish or vegetables, which are occasionally dressed with ground sesame seed, "miso (soybean paste)" or mashed "tofu (bean curd)". Fish and shellfish are sometimes broiled or steamed, or they may be sliced, sprinkled with salt, and marinated in vinegar or "dashi (soup stock)". Vegetables are blanched, rubbed with salt, boiled or steamed. Excess water should be eliminated. There are two typical types of "sunomono", one is "nihaizu" and the other is "sambaizu". "Nihaizu" is a combination of vinegar, soy sauce and "dashi". "Sambaizu" is "nihaizu" to which a small amount of sugar is added. To the basic ingredient of dressings for "aemono", soy sauce, vinegar, "mirin (sweet sake)", sugar and "dashi" and sometimes hot mustard and "kinome (aromatic sprigs of the tree such as "sansho")" are added. Both "sunomono" and "aemono" should be prepared immediately before being served. Garnishes of aromatic vegetables should also be added. These two dishes are not main courses but are served in small quantities at the end of a meal, between courses or as appetizers when drinking "sake".
Sashimi (Sashimi Dishes)
Also known as "tsukuri" is composed of fresh seafood fillets cut into bite-sized pieces and eaten raw with soy sauce and "wasabi (Japanese horseradish)". "Sashimi", most commonly consists of red fish such as tuna or bonito; white fish such as sea bream, flounder, horse mackerel or sea bass and sometimes of freshwater fish such as carp, as well as shrimp, squid, or abalone. However, almost any fish may be used. Finely shredded "daikon (Japanese radish)" provides a bed for the fish and "wasabi" is used as a condiment. One or sometimes several of the following provide garnish: "shiso (beefsteak plant)" leaves or buds, edible chrysanthemum flowers, freshly grated ginger or slices of lemon. "Soy sauce" is served separately as a dip. Dipping it into soy sauce in which a little "wasabi" has been dissolved is the method usually adopted to eat "Sashimi". Alternatively a small amount of "wasabi" may be placed on it and it is then dipped into the soy sauce.
Gohanmono(Rice)
"Gohanmono" are dishes consisting of rice combined with other ingredients. "Takikomi-gohan" is made by cooking together rice and another ingredient such as green peas or pieces of bamboo shoot in spring and in autumn with "matsutake" mushrooms or chestnuts added to seasoned water or "dashi (soup stock)". "Gomoku-meshi" (also known as "kayaku-gohan") is prepared by adding finely diced chicken, carrot, fried tofu, "shiitake" mushroom and burdock to rice and cooking it in "dashi" seasoned with soy sauce, "sake", and sugar. "Domburimono" are dishes in which cooked rice is placed in a "domburi (a bowl that is larger than the usual rice bowl)" and then topped with various prepared ingredients.
Nimono(Simmered Dishes)
"Nimono" are stewed dishes seasoned with salt, soy sauce, "sake", "mirin (sweet sake)", sugar, vinegar or other condiments. The most common "nimono" is "nitsuke", fish or shellfish cooked briefly in a relatively thick mixture of "sake", soy sauce, "mirin" and sugar. In the case of the white fish, "tai (red snapper)" and "buri (yellowtail)", the fillets are removed and used for "sashimi" or "yakimono". The heads and backbones are chopped into pieces, washed in hot water and cooked in a relatively light mixture of water, "sake", "mirin" and soy sauce until the juice is almost entirely absorbed. Bluefish, such as mackerel, sardines and saurel, are first cooked in a mixture of water, "sake" and "mirin". "Miso (soybean paste)" that has been diluted with a ladle full of the "nijiru (broth)" is then added to mask the strong flavor of the fish, this is called "misoni". "Mizoreni" is a method of preparation in which bluefish is cooked in seasoned "dashi (soup stock)" with a generous amount of grated white radish. In making "nimono" it is important to use heavy covered pots so that the heat is spread evenly through the "nijiru".
Mushimono(Sesmed Dishes)
"Mushimono" are steamed foods. With this method, natural flavors do not escape producing a light taste. Foods may be sprinkled with salt and steamed, which is "shiomushi", or sprinkled with salt and "sake", which is "sakamushi". The latter method is particularly appropriate for clams or abalone. "Mushimono" are served with seasoned "dashi (soup stock)" thickened with arrowroot starch and sprinkled with grated ginger, "yuzu (citron)" rind or chopped scallion. The foundation of "chawanmushi" is a mixture of beaten eggs and lukewarm "dashi" (about three times the volume of the eggs). Ingredients such as shrimp, mushrooms and chicken are placed in individual bowls. The egg mixture is poured in and the bowls covered and steamed over medium heat.
Yakimono(Grilled and Pan-Fried Dishes)
The principal ingredients of "yakimono (grilled foods)" are fish, shellfish, meat and vegetables. Foods are pierced with a skewer or placed on a wire net and grilled over an open fire. "Yakimono" may also be made using an iron skillet or oven broiler. The basic type of "yakimono" is "shioyaki", in which salt is sprinkled over the food before grilling. The distinctive flavor of fish is best enjoyed in this way. For "tsukeyaki", the food is first marinated for about an hour in "awase-joyu", a mixture of soy sauce and "sake" or "mirin (sweet sake)". "Teriyaki" is a "yakimono" prepared with a stronger-flavored "awase-joyu". For "misozukeyaki", the food is marinated in "miso (soybean paste)" flavored with "sake" or "mirin". When arranging a whole grilled fish on a serving plate, the plate is placed on the table with the belly of the fish facing the diner.
Agemono(Deep-Fried Dishes)
"Agemono", or deep-fried foods, are of three basic types. "Suage", in which foods are fried without a cacoating of flour of batter, is appropriate for freshwater fish, eggplant, green peppers and other vegetables whose color and shape can be utilized to good effect. "Karaage", in which food is first dredged in flour of arrowroot starch, preserves the naturealwater content of the food and produces a crisp outer surface. In 'tatsutaage", a variant of "karaage", pieces of chicken are marianated in a mixture of 'sake', soy sauce and sugar, lightly covered with arrowroot starch and deep-fried. "Tempura" belongs to a third type of "agemono", in which foods are coated with batter. FOr "afemono" a heavy pot with a wide bottom is used. Vegetable oil is poured into the pot to a depth twice the thickness of the foods to be fried and is then heated to a temperature, it is important that the foods do not cover more than a third of the surface area of the oil.
Menrui(Noodles)
"Menrui" is a category of dish, served hot or cold that has noodles as its main ingredient. The most common types of Japanese noodles are "somen", "udon" and "soba". "Somen" and "udon" are made with wheat flour, and "soba" with buckwheat flour. "Somen" is always dried; "soba" and "udon" may be either fresh or dried.
Nabemono(One-Pot Dishes)
"Nabemono" are dishes cooked in a pot of simmering broth at the table. Ingredients are arragned on platters so that each person may cook what he or she likes. The traditional types of "nabemono" are "mizutaki", "yudofu", "udonsucki","kanisuki", "dotenabe","shabushabu" and "sukiyaki". "Mizutaki"is prepared by cooking fillets of white-fleshed fish with vegetables, "tofu(bean curd)", and "harusame and vegetables in a chicken broth. Grated white radish, red pepper, and chopped onion are used as condiments, and the food is dipped in "ponzu", a sauce made from citron and soy sauce. "?Yudofu" is prepared by simmering cubes of "tofu" in "kombu"stock. It is eaten with the same sauce and condiemtns as "mixutake". "Udonsuki" is preapred by cooking "udon" noodles, various vegetables, shrimp, shellfish, "yuba(the dried skim from boiled tofu milk)", and "fu(a light cake made of wheat glyten)" in a thin "dash(soup stock)". "Kanisuki" is preapred with crab as the main ingredient. To make "dotenabe", "miso(soybean paste)" is spread on the inside of the pot before adding the "dash". The "miso" gradually dissolves and flavors the oysters and vegetables.
Sushi
Originally an ancient Chinese method of preserving fish, "sushi" consists of vinegard rice topped or combeingd with raw fish, shellfish or cooked egg.
Nowadays four categories are popular. "Nigiri-zushi"(hand-pressed)or "edo-mae-zushi" developed Edo in the 1800s ahas bite-zixed portions of vinegared rice topped with small slices of raw or cooked fish of shellfish and "wasabi" seasoning.
"Maki-zushi(rolled sushi)" is vinegared rice arranged on a sheet of "nori(seaweed) with various types of seafood or vegetables, rolled into a cylinder and sliced crosswise into bite-sized pieces. "Chirashi-zushi(scattered "sushi") has two regional varieties. In Tokyo, seafood, vegetables and sliced omelet are arranged over a bowl of vinegared rice, accompanied by soy sauce. In Osaka, cooked seafood and vegetables, chopped and mixed with rice are topped with sweetened sauce and thin strips of omelet. "Oshi-zushi(pressed "sushi") of the Kansai region is made by pressing marinated seafood and rice ina wooden mold