Dear food knowledge / おすすめ

When I am living in Germany as a student or a working adult, I am often asked by my friends and colleagues, "Can you make some Japanese food?"

At that time, many people are probably wondering what kind of Japanese food they will be pleased with.
We will answer these questions here.

Japanese food that makes you happy when made in Germany and ingredients that are preferred

We will explain Japanese food that is popular in Europe and Germany, and whose ingredients are available at local supermarkets and Japanese food stores.

It is especially useful for those who don't want to make mistakes when inviting friends and colleagues to a Japanese food party.

Standard of standard, sushi

The most asked question by Germans and foreigners is undoubtedly, "Can you make sushi?"

The most well-known and popular Japanese food overseas is sushi, and in many cases this is the first question asked.

To be honest, making nigiri sushi is not impossible, but it is very difficult for amateurs.

Therefore, it can be said that sushi rolls are suitable for serving others.
So, here I will explain with the idea of ​​making sushi rolls in mind.

The main ingredients of sushi rolls are rice, vinegar, seaweed, seafood, vegetables and seasonings.
Rice and vinegar are often sold in supermarkets in Germany, and if you don't need Japanese rice or ready-made sushi vinegar, you can easily get by, but if you are particular about it, you can buy it at a Japanese food store. need to do it.

Of course, instead of sushi vinegar, you have the option of purchasing sushi-no-ko from a Japanese food store.

Nori is not available in small German supermarkets, so it can be purchased at large supermarkets.

Seafood can be purchased at supermarkets if it is salmon, but there are also shops that carry frozen shrimp and shellfish for other options.
However, tuna and white fish are rarely handled, and there is a problem that it is doubtful whether they can be eaten raw.

Vegetables such as lettuce and cucumber are common, but luckily in Germany you can buy these ingredients at supermarkets.

As for other seasonings, soy sauce is gradually gaining citizenship in German and European supermarkets, and the number of stores that carry it is increasing, so it is not so difficult to find it.

However, they do not have sashimi soy sauce, so if you need it, including wasabi, you will need to purchase it from a Japanese food store.

Also, mayonnaise can be bought at supermarkets, so it's not a problem, but be aware that mayonnaise tastes different from Japanese mayonnaise.

Popular as a healthy food, miso soup

Miso soup is a popular Japanese food, especially among health-conscious people.

It's not a staple food, but if you serve it with other Japanese foods or serve it as a light meal, it will make people happy.

The main ingredients needed to make miso soup are miso, vegetables, dashi stock, and others (tofu, etc.).



Miso is not readily available in German supermarkets, but BIO supermarkets may carry it.
However, if you are particular about miso, or if you want to choose red or white, you will need to purchase it at a Japanese food store.

I think that what you want to put in vegetables is different depending on the person, but for example, you can basically buy carrots, potatoes, onions, eggplants, etc. at any supermarket in Germany, but supermarkets that carry green onions are more expensive Please note that there are few.

Dashi is only sold at Japanese food stores, so if you absolutely need it, look for it there.

I think there are various other things you want to add, such as tofu, wakame seaweed, and fried tofu. must be purchased at a Japanese grocery store.

By the way, some supermarkets sell instant miso soup, so if that's enough for you, you can look for it at supermarkets or Japanese food stores.

Popular seasoning, teriyaki sauce

It may come as a surprise to some, but there are quite a few people overseas who like Japanese teriyaki.

Teriyaki sauce is one of the most common ingredients in Japan, probably because it suits the tastes of Germans and Europeans.
Also, teriyaki sauce can be easily made at home if you have the ingredients.

All you need is soy sauce, mirin, cooking sake, and sugar.
As I explained in the sushi part, soy sauce is not only available in Japanese food stores, but also in supermarkets in Germany and other European countries, and it is relatively easy to prepare.

However, mirin and cooking sake are rarely available in German supermarkets, so you need to buy them at a Japanese food store.

Sugar is available at any supermarket, so there is no problem.

Extra, fried rice

It's not exactly Japanese food, but there are times when people from overseas say they want to try it, and when I served it, they were happy to serve fried rice.

It can be eaten at Chinese restaurants and Vietnamese restaurants, and it is a popular dish that can be eaten at restaurants and at home because it is relatively easy to obtain ingredients even in Germany and it is not difficult to make.
Thanks to the fact that it can be eaten at restaurants, it is also known to Germans, and is an easy and recommended dish.

The main ingredients are vegetables, rice, eggs and seasonings.
As for vegetables, carrots, onions, etc. are easy to gather, as are other Japanese food ingredients.

Cold rice may be used in many cases, but it is possible to prepare it by the method described in other Japanese foods, and even indica rice is often sold in supermarkets in Europe. You can align them without any problem.

As for seasonings, you can buy salt and pepper anywhere, but some people may want to add seasonings such as chicken stock powder to make it even more delicious.

In that case, Ajinomoto is sometimes available at supermarkets, but other ingredients like chicken stock soup may not be available at small supermarkets, so you can buy it at large supermarkets, Japanese food stores, and Asian stores. Let's go to the shops.

summary

The above is a commentary on Japanese food that will make you happy if you make it in Germany.

It's quite common for a friend or colleague to say, "Well, I'm going to visit this weekend, so can you make it for me?"

In such a case, I hope that you will refer to this article in particular and think about what you can buy and where you can make it in time.

If you don't have a Japanese grocery store in your neighborhood, or if you want to be ready to respond to sudden requests at any time, online shops are extremely convenient.

Our company is also based in Germany and handles various Japanese food ingredients and seasonings such as soy sauce, mirin, and sushi in our online shop .

Shipping within Germany is free for purchases over 50 euros, so please take a look.

In Germany and other European countries, one ingredient is simply seasoned with salt and grilled without using too many seasonings. can be produced.

When you think of Japanese food, the first seasoning that comes to mind is soy sauce, but there are other attractive seasonings that are unique to Japanese food. One of them is mirin.
In this article, we will introduce recommended Japanese dishes using mirin that can be cooked in Germany.

Works great in Europe! Japanese cuisine using mirin

I don't think mirin is used alone, but by mixing it with other seasonings, it is a mysterious seasoning that can bring out the richness and sweetness.
You can get mirin in Germany, and it is highly versatile. In addition to adding flavor, it can also be used to add luster to dishes, soften meat and fish, and make it easier for flavors to permeate ingredients. And it's a perfect condiment.

There are many dishes in Japan that can be made using mirin.
It is versatile, from grilled to simmered dishes, and you can increase your cooking repertoire with just one bottle of mirin.
It also matches well with Japanese tastes, so you can create a flavor that many people like.
Just by adding a little mirin, you can make something that is easy to make, or you can make a nifty dish with a little effort and ingenuity.
Here are the top 5 popular Japanese dishes that use mirin, which is indispensable for cooking.

No. 5 : Simmered mackerel with sleet

I think mackerel by itself falls into the category of people who have different tastes, but you can make it easier to eat by seasoning it and simmering it.
This dish is one of them. Sprinkle the mackerel with salt beforehand and leave it for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to permeate.
Grated daikon radish is used for this dish, but grated daikon alone has no taste.
Mirin is used as a "dashi" to season it.

The dashi stock alone doesn't have much flavor, but adding mirin, sake, and soy sauce gives it a strong flavor.
This seasoning removes the unique fishy smell and flavor of the mackerel, making it easier to eat.
Also, this seasoning is highly versatile, so you can use other fish or meat instead of mackerel.

4th place: Tsukune

In Japan, it is often skewered and served, and the fact that it is easy to eat with one hand may be the reason why it is popular as a snack with alcohol.
Mirin is used as a sauce for seasoning tsukune, and this sweet and spicy sauce goes well with tsukune.
You can also see “salt tsukune” without sauce, but I feel that the one with sauce is more flavorful and delicious.
You can also make the surface glossy with the effect of mirin.

Minced chicken is often used for the tsukune itself, but by adding tofu, you can create a fluffy texture and reduce the calories a little. We recommend adding shiitake mushrooms to improve the texture.

No. 3 : Nikujaga

It is no exaggeration to say that this dish is representative of Japanese cuisine, and is a dish that is loved by many as a staple of Japanese cuisine. It has a strong flavor, so even people who don't like vegetables can easily eat it.
This dish uses plenty of vegetables and meat, so you can get a lot of nutrients in one dish.

After cutting vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and carrots, shirataki, and beef, after cutting the vegetables and meat, all you have to do is simmer with mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar, etc., so it is an easy dish to make.
The flavor permeates the vegetables and meat, so you can keep it delicious for a long time.

No. 2 : Chicken teriyaki

Chicken is highly versatile and cheaper than other meats, so many people may use it as an ingredient.
You might think you have to use the oven or grill to make chicken teriyaki, but you can make it in a skillet.
Frying pans can be found in almost every household, are quick to prepare, and easy to clean up.

Before cooking, poke holes in the chicken with a fork to help the flavor soak in.
Then, make the sauce in advance by mixing soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. After that, grill the chicken, add the sauce on the way and boil it down, and it's done.
It's easy to make and delicious even when cold, so it's a great side dish for bento.

No. 1 : Pickled tuna bowl

Tuna, which is also popular as a sushi ingredient, is even more delicious when pickled.
Tuna is usually eaten by dipping it in soy sauce, but adding mirin to it adds a rich sweetness.
In addition, the effect of mirin makes the surface of the tuna glossy, making the dish look even more delicious.

For this dish, the tuna is simply marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and wasabi for a few hours, and it's ready to go.
Also, it takes almost no time to prepare and you can eat it right away.
The highly nutritious tororo (grated yam) and tuna go well together, so we recommend eating them together with the tuna on top of a bowl.