Japanese cuisine is intriguing to me, it’s one of the reasons I want to travel there. I want to experience the culture and eat their traditional food. Although I am a picky eater, I do want to try things at least once. Recently I tried sushi, something I swore I would never try. Raw fish? Just the mention of it and I got woozy. I was having dinner with a friend and he ordered the spicy salmon roll. This was raw salmon in the center with a spicy sauce. The salmon was wrapped in rice and seaweed and he offered me a piece. I took it with my chopsticks and smelled it. There was no fishy smell like I expected, so I just shoved it in my mouth and started chewing. The texture surprised me. The seaweed wrap was chewy and earthy tasting and the rice was firm. Then the raw salmon, it melted in my mouth. With the spicy element and the soft salmon together was umami. I liked it and eventually had another piece. So, my verdict is, to eat sushi.
Natto is fermented soybeans. This delicacy is usually eaten for breakfast in Japan and it has many health benefits. This superfood’s taste has an earthy, fermented taste and is compared to cottage cheese or liver, so I’m told. The issue for most people is the smell and the gooey texture, if you can get past that then apparently the taste is earthy and umami. For me, I say natto is not to eat.
Uni is the Japanese word for sea urchin. The outside of a sea urchin is dark in color and round with long spikes. After carefully opening, the inside has the of the creature is a bright yellow-orange color, and the texture is creamy and custard like. The taste is described as salty, like tasting the sea but without being fishy. Uni is primarily used in sushi and eaten raw. The fresher the uni the better the quality, and taste. If I could get past the look and texture of this delicacy, I will probably try this, but I’m not holding my breath on this one and say, maybe eat uni.
Chirimen Jako are little white sardines. They usually are served in a bowl with a lime wedge. These are very small and look like small noodles, then you notice the little eyes looking back at you. The Japanese are fans of fishy tasting food and this one fits that niche. They are very nutritious, but I would need a few wedges of lime, maybe a lemon and an orange to even consider trying these little guys. my verdict is to not eat chirimen jako.
These were just three of many traditional foods from Japan that I want to try but I think I’d rather leave it to the locals. Let me try some foods that are more picky eater friendly like tempura ore mochi ice cream. I think going to a Japanese buffet would be a great idea to be able to try many traditional foods without committing to just one or two dishes. I know for certain I will find many foods at their buffets to fill up on and taste unique treats to satisfy my curiosity.
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