かるぴす
(Calpis) - Calpis: This
is NOT milk although the carton can be
a little confusing. It is a bubble-less,
soft-drink which tastes a little like
weak yogurt. |
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パンこ
(Panko)-Bread crumbs
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ちくわ
(Chikuwa) - Fish cake Used in
all sorts of dishes, chikuwa is usually
found in Japanese goden h, an assortment
of boiled vegetables and soy products
in a broth of soy sauce.
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ちゅ葉意
(Chu-hi)Chu-hi:
Definitely not a soft drink (although
the taste is similar), chu-hi is made
by a variety of manufacturers. If you
want to get drunk fast, with a cocktail
flavour, this is the drink for you.
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かれー
(Kare)-Curry
Usually
Japanese curries are quite mild. In
this case (as seen on the box) this
is only a 2. Easy to prepare with ejust
add water f instructions and good
value, these little numbers will keep
you functioning in the leaner part of
the month before payday.
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ほんだし (Hondashi)
Powdered fish stock.
Used to make soup or added to emiso
soup f for extra flavour, hondashi
is a common item found in the Japanese
home. A small amount can be used to flavour
white rice if you don ft mind being
looked at rather strangley.
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かつぶし
(Katsubushi)
Dried fish flakes.
A very common garnish added
to dishes like eokonomiyaki f and
etofu f. It has a strong taste
and quite often visitors to Japan don ft
like it. |
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こむひこ
(Komugiko) Flour |
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おちゃ(Ocha)
Green tea.
A quintessential
Japanese product, green tea is prepared
hot and served hot or cold. It has a bitter
taste but is renowned for its healthy
properties and anti carcinogens. |
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すれめいか
(Surume ika)
Dried squid.
A popular snack to have while enjoying
a cold beer, dried squid comes in a range
of different tastes and thicknesses. One
thing is for sure, it fs all chewy.
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こんやく(Konnyaku)
- Potato gelatine.
An important ingredient in dishes such
as eoden f and emiso soup f,
konyakku is a cloudy, brown substance
which has a unique, chewy texture similar
to agar jelly. It is rather bland in taste
but adds variety to simple dishes. |
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りんごす
(Ringosu) - Apple vinegar |
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米図
(Komezu) - Vinegar |
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まよなず
(Mayonezu) Mayonnaise |
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魔ﾟかぶ
(Mekabu)
Seaweed. Added to miso soup, mekabu
has a slightly sticky texture and a
bland taste.
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牛 にゅう
(Gyuunyuu) - Milk |
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らっきょう
(Rakkyuu)
Pickled shallots
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生めぼし
(Umeboshi)
Pickled pplum.
Umeboshi come in many different varieties
but are usually extremely sour. |
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みそ
(Miso) - Soybean paste. Used
in many different ways, soybean paste
is quite salty. Not usually eaten as is,
but often the base for soups, sauces and
marinades. |
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なっとう
(Nattou)
Fermented soybeans. Nattou is
a food you will either like or hate. With
a consistency not unlike lumpy chewing
gum and a smell that reminds you of the
fermenting process that it underwent,
nattou is considered extremely healthy
and by many Japanese, edelicious f.
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ふりかけ
(Furikake)
Mixed seasoning.
Furikake is sprinkled on top
of white rice to add flavour and generally
make the whole affair a bit more colourful
and exciting.
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さらだあぶら
(Sarada abura)
Salad oil.
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さけ(Sake)
Japanese spirits. The sake pictured
here is actually a 5 litre bottle. Make
sure you don’t grab this when stopping
off at the shop for spring water. |
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さとう
(Satou)-Sugar.
A common mistake for newly arrived visitors
to Japan is to rush out and buy a big
bag of salt for their cup of tea. Pictured
here is sugar. Use the kanji if you need
to.
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ごまあ
ぶら
(Goma abura)
Sesame oil |
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しお
(Shio)-Salt |
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やきそば
(Yakisoba) Egg noodle.
Yakisoba is usually used in stir fry dishes
and can be served hot or cold depending
on the dish. |
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(Syouyu)-Soya
sauce. Soy sauce is a necessity
while living in Japan. Its uses are numerous
but to be brief, soy sauce adds flavour
to anything from soups to sushi. |
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とろろこんぶ
(Tororokonbu)-Seaweed. Used in
soup or for wrapping rice balls (onigiri). |
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うどん
(Udon)-Noodles.
A thick noodle made from flour.
An important note to mention is that when
Japanese eat udon, it is good manners
to slurp, something that might require
some practice at home before you showcase
your skills at one of the millions of
udon shops around Japan. |
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そうめん
(Soumen)
Flour based noodles. Soumen is
usually served cold in Summer time. Soy
sauce accompanies the dish after it has
been boiled and cooled in ice water.
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