Japanese
Shabu-shabu (Beef Swished in Kelp Broth)
Thin-sliced beef swished for five to ten seconds in a clear kelp broth and dipped in ponzu or sesame sauce. The broth is held at 85-95°C rather than boiled, which is why what is left in the pot at the end is the best stock of the meal.
Gyukatsu (Breaded Beef Cutlet, Rare Inside)
A thick piece of beef in breadcrumbs, fried at 180°C for barely a minute so the crust crisps while the centre stays rare. Short in the oil, long on the rack is the whole method — and it is a method for whole cuts of beef only.
Taiyaki (Fish-Shaped Cake with Red Bean Filling)
A Japanese street sweet: sponge batter poured into a fish-shaped iron, filled with sweet red bean paste and baked on both sides. Chilling the paste so it cannot spread inside the batter, and standing the cakes on a rack rather than laying them flat, are what keep the outside from going damp.
Takoyaki (Octopus Batter Balls with Sauce and Bonito)
Osaka street food: a batter loosened almost to the thinness of water with dashi, poured over boiled octopus and rolled in a dimpled pan. The batter has to be that thin for the centre to set like custard, and each ball is turned 90 degrees twice rather than flipped once, or the shell tears before it rounds.
Sukiyaki (Beef Hot Pot in Sweet Soy Broth)
Thin-sliced beef simmered with leek, tofu and mushrooms in warishita — soy sauce, mirin and sugar — then dipped in raw egg. No water goes in, so the broth is what the ingredients release, and the beef comes out within about thirty seconds: those two things are what keep it a hot pot rather than a stew.
Soba (Cold Buckwheat Noodles with Dipping Sauce)
Buckwheat noodles boiled, washed in cold water, drained on a bamboo tray and dipped into chilled tsuyu. Rubbing the surface starch off the cooked noodles under cold water, and having the tsuyu made and cold in advance, are what let the buckwheat itself come through.
Yakitori
Japanese chicken skewers — bite-size chicken and scallion threaded onto sticks and grilled while basted with a sweet-savory tare (soy glaze). The classic izakaya bite: lightly charred outside, juicy within. Enjoy it as salted "shio" or glazed "tare".
Tempura
Japanese-style fritters — shrimp and seasonal vegetables in an ice-cold batter, fried into a light, lacy, shatteringly crisp coating. The magic is the contrast of the airy crust and tender inside; eat it hot with a dip of tsuyu.
Napolitan
A Japanese diner-style pasta: boiled spaghetti stir-fried with sausage, onion, bell pepper, and mushroom in ketchup. Named after Naples but born in Japan, it's a sweet-savory nostalgic favorite loved by all ages.
Katsudon
A hearty Japanese rice bowl: a crisp fried pork cutlet simmered with onion in a sweet-savory dashi broth, blanketed in softly set egg, and slid over hot rice. Crunchy and silky in a single comforting bowl.
Teriyaki Chicken
Japanese pan-glazed chicken: crisp-skinned thigh coated in a glossy soy-mirin-sugar teriyaki sauce reduced right in the pan. Slice it over a bowl of rice and it becomes a perfect donburi.
Gyoza (Pan-fried Dumplings)
Ground pork and cabbage folded into thin wrappers, then pan-fried crisp on the bottom and steamed tender on top — Japan's beloved gyoza. With a garlicky filling and a chili-oil soy-vinegar dip, they're impossible to stop eating.
Okonomiyaki (Savory Pancake)
Finely shredded cabbage folded into a light batter, topped with pork belly and griddled into a fluffy Japanese savory pancake. Finished with okonomiyaki sauce, mayonnaise, and a flurry of dancing bonito flakes — the Osaka street-stall classic at home.
Yakisoba (Fried Noodles)
Japanese stir-fried noodles with cabbage and pork in a Worcestershire-based sauce. Made with store noodles and odds of veg in one pan in 15 minutes — top with bonito and seaweed flakes for the real thing.
Onigiri (Rice Balls)
Japanese rice balls: warm rice shaped around a filling like umeboshi, tuna mayo, or salmon, then wrapped in nori. With just salted water on your hands, anyone can make them — perfect for lunchboxes and snacks.
Udon (Noodle Soup)
Plump udon noodles in a clear dashi broth made from kombu and bonito. Dashi powder makes it even quicker, and sweet-savory fried tofu turns it into the beloved 'kitsune udon.'
Tamago Sando (Egg Sandwich)
A Japanese egg-salad sandwich — boiled eggs folded into mayo and piled into soft milk bread. Famous as a convenience-store staple. Once the eggs are boiled it's just mix and assemble, so anyone can make this creamy, comforting sandwich in 15 minutes.
Miso Soup (Misoshiru)
Japan's everyday soup — miso (fermented soybean paste) dissolved into dashi stock with tofu, wakame, and scallion. It's on the table at nearly every meal. With a dashi pack it takes 10 minutes, and the key is not to boil it once the miso is in, to keep the aroma.
Oyakodon (Chicken & Egg Rice Bowl)
A Japanese rice bowl of chicken and onion simmered in a sweet-savory sauce, then set with softly cooked egg and spooned over rice. 'Oyako' (parent-and-child) refers to the chicken and egg. One pan, about 15 minutes — one of the easiest Japanese home dishes.
Sushi
Japanese sushi — firm vinegared rice (shari) spread on nori with fillings like cucumber, avocado, or fish, rolled in a bamboo mat. The rice is 80% of it; nail the sushi-vinegar ratio and great maki is within reach at home.
Gyudon (Beef Rice Bowl)
Japanese beef rice bowl — thin beef and onion simmered in a sweet-savory dashi-soy broth and piled over warm rice. Crown it with a soft egg to stir through; quick, comforting, and filling.
Omurice (Omelette Rice)
A Japanese diner classic — ketchup-fried chicken rice wrapped in or topped with a soft omelette, finished with ketchup or demi-glace. The golden egg over red rice is as pretty as it is loved by all ages.
Ramen (Shoyu)
Japanese shoyu ramen — a clear kombu-bonito broth seasoned with a soy 'tare', chewy noodles, and toppings of chashu and a soft-boiled egg. The classic structure: build the tare and broth separately, then combine in the bowl.
Tonkatsu (Pork Cutlet)
Japanese tonkatsu — a thick pork loin cutlet coated in panko and fried crisp. Served with sweet-tangy tonkatsu sauce, crunchy shredded cabbage, and rice, it's a universal favorite.
Japanese Curry Rice
Japanese curry rice — onions cooked down for sweetness, simmered with meat, potato, and carrot, then thickened with curry roux. Ladled generously over rice, it's everyone's comfort-food staple.
Karaage (Fried Chicken)
Japanese fried chicken — thigh marinated in soy, garlic, and ginger, dredged in potato starch, and double-fried. Light and crisp outside, juicy inside; an izakaya favorite finished with a squeeze of lemon.