Food Culture

JAPAN’S FOOD CULTURE Photos: Consumer Co-operative Kobe (right / middle right / left) By Matsumoto Nakako Photos: Central Union of Agricultural Co-operatives, Japan (middle left / center) Types of Rice & Their es, including sushi, have been widely friends of a person on his/her death bed Characteristics accepted around the world. would put rice grains in a bamboo tube Today, the Japanese consume an average and shake them at the ear of the dying per- Rice was first introduced to the Japanese of 300 grams of rice a day. Up to the son so that he/she could hear the sound of archipelago around 10 B.C. Since then, 1930s, the average daily rice consumption rice. It was only around the time of the cooked rice has been the staple food of the was 600 grams. It is well known that as the Tokyo Olympics (1964) that all Japanese Japanese for more than 2,000 years. Rice, economy grows, choice of food shifts from were able to eat rice without worrying along with wheat and maize, make up the carbohydrates (grains, potatoes, etc.) to pro- about their finances. three most-heavily consumed grains in the teins (eggs, meat, etc.). In Japan also, peo- Today, as rice consumption has world. There are two types of rice: ple ate very little fish and other food rich in declined, some people worry that the Japonica rice, which is short-grained and protein before the country began its high Japanese may be abandoning their rice- glutinous, and Indica rice, which is long- economic growth in the 1960s. They took based diet. But a drop in consumption grained and not so glutinous. The former necessary calories and proteins mainly from does not mean the Japanese like rice less. is produced in Japan, northern China and rice. The pattern of their diet then was rice, It simply means that in this age of satia- the State of California in the United miso (soybean paste) soup and pickled veg- tion, in which people eat dairy products, States, while the latter is produced in etables for breakfast and these plus a fish dish meat, bread and sweets in addition to rice, South Asia, southern China, Europe and for supper. they do not have as much room to eat rice other parts of the world. However, 90% The side dish as they used to. During my research on of the production of both types of rice is was there to emergency provisions to prepare for earth- in the tropical and temperate zones of make rice quakes, a group of young people and I Asia, where rice is the staple food. tastier so that spent two whole days only on hardtack The Japonica species can be divided into one could eat (dry biscuits) and water. When this exper- non-glutinous and glutinous types. The more of it. iment was over, I asked the young people Japanese eat the former in their everyday what they wanted to eat then. Without an diet, and the latter on festive occasions, Tastiness of Rice exception, they replied that they wanted when rice is cooked with red azuki beans rice. This shows that even among the to make “red rice.” It is believed that they It is fortunate for the Japanese that they young people whose diet includes a great cook “red rice” because in ancient times, have made rice their staple food as it is deal of Western dishes, there is a very such rice was used in rituals and this gave excellent in terms of both nutrition and strong preference for rice. Thus, it is very rise to the custom of coloring rice red on taste. However, growing rice is back- unlikely that the Japanese will drop their festive occasions. Glutinous rice, which is breaking labor. In addition, it has often taste for rice even in the future. called “mochi-gome” (rice-cake rice) in happened that just when rice was ready for Japanese, is steamed and pounded in a harvesting, typhoons would hit and How to Cook Rice wooden mortar to make rice cakes. The destroy the crop overnight. Japanese Japanese traditionally use rice cakes to cel- philosopher Watsuji Tetsuro pointed out In Japan, rice is also referred as “gin- ebrate the New Year. that their experience with rice growing shari.” Shari means fragments of a bone of In terms of nutrition, rice protein is formed a national characteristic of the Buddha, while gin means silver. Even superior to wheat protein. When rice is Japanese: “very industrious but quick to today, the Japanese want tasty rice. cooked, its water content is as high as forget (their misfortunes).” Hence, they are very particular about their 65%, which is almost twice as high as that Rice has doubtless been the staple food rice and purchase different brands of rice of bread. In terms of taste, a characteristic for many Japanese. However, since the or rice grown in certain regions depending of rice is that it does not require animal Japanese archipelago is mountainous, it is on their preferences. protein or fat to accompany it and that it impossible in some regions to grow rice as To cook rice, first it has to be washed is tasty if it is accompanied with a little bit it requires a great deal of water. In these and then soaked in cold water for some 30 of a salty side dish, such as pickled vegeta- regions, the staple food was barley or minutes. It should be cooked on low heat bles. Moreover, since water content wheat. For the Japanese, however, there at the beginning and when it begins to accounts for more than 50% of rice, there was no comparison between the tastiness boil, it should be brought to a rolling boil. is no worry that eating rice will make one of rice and that of barley or wheat. It is When the water is about to be absorbed fat, even if eaten to one’s heart’s content. said that in mountain villages, where peo- more or less completely, the heat should Because of this healthful feature, rice dish- ple were unable to eat rice, the family or be reduced to a very low level so that the 38 JAPAN SPOTLIGHT • September / October 2007 JAPAN’S FOOD CULTURE Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe rice will not be scorched. Japanese moth- 3. Sushi 5. Fried rice ers teach this process by saying, “Start on Mix rice-vinegar (to which a little salt is Fry cooked low heat, turn the heat up high at the mid- added) with piping-hot rice to make sushi rice in a little dle and don’t remove the lid even if the rice, which is used for many types of sushi. oil together baby cries (from hunger).” During the 40 Photo: Central Union of with finely minutes or so of cooking rice, it is Hand-rolled sushi Agricultural Co-operatives, Japan scrambled absolutely forbidden to remove the lid Scoop some eggs, small from the pot. Since it is not possible to sushi rice in one pieces of ham, see the inside of the pot, it is extremely hand, press light- leek, etc. This is a Chinese dish that has difficult to cook rice properly. In the past, ly, put a dab of become a Japanese favorite and is eaten Japanese mothers had to get up one hour grated wasabi quite often. ahead of their families to cook rice for (Japanese horse- Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe breakfast. Today, most families use auto- radish) on the 6. Pilaf matic electric rice-cookers. These cookers rice and top it with a piece of raw fish, etc. A Turkish are designed to follow the traditional This is the type of sushi most-favored by dish in which cooking method. Now, not a few people most Japanese. rice is sauteed readily pay a great deal of money on an in butter, expensive rice-cooker when a new model Rolled sushi Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe mixed with hits the market. Spread sushi ham, shrimps, Usually, a meal consists of plain cooked rice on a sheet of onions, etc. rice with a number of side dishes. dried nori leaving (all in small pieces) and then cooked in Sometimes, however, rice is put in a large some space on liquid. The use of Indica rice is becoming bowl with various toppings. These dishes the far end. Put popular for this dish. include “tekkadon” (tekka meaning red-hot horizontally at Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe iron and don – short for donburi – a large the center of the 7. Curried rice bowl)(see the top left photo in the previ- rice long pieces of Japanese omelet and Stewed meat ous page), which is rice topped with slices cooked wild honewort, shiitake mush- and vegetables of raw tuna (sashimi), and “tendon,” rice rooms, etc. and roll the whole thing into a seasoned with topped with tempura (see the photo, top cylinder. Cut it into sections 2-3cm in “curry pow- middle left). On other occasions, rice is thickness. This sushi is good also for chil- der” are put on cooked with in-season vegetables, fish, etc. dren. cooked rice to enjoy seasonal tastes, or cooked in a and eaten Chinese or Western style. By adopting Chirashi-zushi Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe together. This was originally an Indian Western-style dishes, the Japanese enjoy (mixed sushi) dish, but reached Japan via Britain. The rice in numerous ways. Mix cooked Japanese love this dish. carrots, snow- Rice Dishes peas, shiitake 8. Chicken rice Photo: Consumer Co-operative Kobe mushrooms, Sauté 1.

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