Ajinomoto Soup Stock

After visiting Japan, I fell in love with the flavorings of their foods and found out that the key ingredient in the majority of dishes is `dashi`, which is basically a soup stock that is made out of a seaweed called kombu, shitake mushroom, or fish (or a combination of the three). In order for the Japanese to recreate these traditional dishes at home, there are powdered forms of dashi that they can buy in stores that dissolve in water to give that perfect stock flavoring.

But what I did not know is that this powdered form of stock is actually Monosodium Glutamate (MSG)! This knowledge led me to explore into detail about what exactly Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is and if it truly is good or bad for you—after all, the Japanese are said to have one of the healthiest diets in the world, and if they are consuming Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) on a daily basis then could Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) honestly be that bad?

Taking a look at the history of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), it appears that a Japanese man, Mr. Kikunae Ikeda, discovered this soluble stock flavoring back in 1908 by allowing the kombu stock to crystallize. This crystallized version of stock went on to be called umami, which has a story of its` own in terms of being claimed as an additional category of flavor that is detected by the tongue. The reason behind this new category is a result of a new flavor that is a cross between a saltiness and the metallic nature of the minerals in the seaweed. In any case, the umami is originally a concentrated version of a natural stock, which can then be dissolved back into water when the stock is desired.

As a result, since the original idea of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) stock was made from a natural product and through natural means, the flavorings could be thoroughly enjoyed by many without any side effect problems. Only a small amount of the stock is necessary to dissolve into a serving of soup, for example.

As the discovery of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) became more and more popular, companies such as Ajinomoto began manufacturing Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in a safe way and began selling this product widely. As time progressed and processing foods became more and more popular, however, other companies and brands of Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) might use synthetic ways of manufacturing Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) that could be irritating when consumed.

In addition, it is probably common for people outside ofJapanto utilize MSG differently than the Japanese by pouring the powered form into cooking when it is actually made to be dissolved in small amounts. By overusing this concentrated product, consuming too much of it in one setting could lead to the side affects of MSG most commonly claimed.

Ultimately, Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in general should be harmless if the proper amount is consumed and the product is natural. In which case, fast food chains should probably be avoided if you find that Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) is irritating to you, where as using a little powdered stock like the ones offered by Ajinomoto in your cooking could be enjoyable as well as harm-free.

If you are interested in more information about Ajinomoto and the truth about their Monosodium Glutamate (MSG), check out http://www.ajinomoto.com/features/aji-no-moto/en/truth/index.html

Pierre Gagnaire is an absolutely amazing restaurant that serves only the best award winning French cuisine. This restaurant is very elegant. The chef, Pierre Gagnaire, is a pretty well-known French chef who is extremely talented at creating some of the best culinary masterpieces.

The Steakhouse is a fine dining restaurant that offers some of the finest cut meats from all around the world. They also have some delicious seafood that includes fresh local as well as international catches. The Steakhouse also offers a Cherry Blossom Sakura Menu for both lunch and dinner.

The Japanese Restaurant Unkai features traditional Kaiseki fine cuisine. This restaurant serves seasonal meals so its patrons can truly experience the heart of traditional Japanese cuisine. Japanese Restaurant Unkai also provides some amazing views of the Japanese garden. The Japanese garden looks even more spectacular when it is illuminated in the nighttime.

The Chinese Restaurant Karin is an extremely beautiful restaurant with a very relaxing environment. This restaurant mainly serves dishes from the Guangdong region of China. However, certain dishes are also from Shanghai, Sichuan, Beijing, and Chao Zhou. Chinese Restaurent Karin also serves delicious Hong Kong-style Dim Sum.

Teppanyaki Akasaka features some truly amazingly talented chefs. At Teppanyaki Akasaka you will find only top-grade Japanese beef, seasonal seafood, as well as only the ripest and best prepared vegetables. The dishes found at Teppanyaki Akasaka also feature in-house made specialty sauces as well as a very wide selection of drinks.

Sushi Kenzan is an amazing sushi restaurant. You will also find some of the finest sea food at Sushi Kenzan. This restaurant is also known for serving seasonal dishes. For the avid seafood and sushi lover, you truly can’t go wrong with Sushi Kenzan.

Each of these restaurants found within the ANA InterContinental Tokyo hotel will serve your fine dining needs and wants. Depending on how long you choose to stay in Tokyo, you can test out a different style of cuisine each night. Aside from the fine dining restaurants, there is also a splendid cafe as well as a bakery run by the famous Pierre Gagnaire.

Although the word soba literally means noodles, the noodles are not made from buckwheat as soba, but from wheat flour. Yakisoba is usually seasoned with SOSU (a type of Japanese Worcester sauce), and contains the two main ingredients, cabbage and noodles. The following are further optional ingredients: Onion, chopped pork, Carrots, Aonori, Pickled ginger, bonito flakes and mayonnaise.

Okonomiyaki is another typical Japanese dish that is cooked on a hot plate (teppan). The basic ingredients for Okonimyaki are cabbage and special dough that is similar in consistency as a German type of cake.

This dough is made of eggs, flour and water; however, it exists in Japanese supermarkets to buy even as a mixture. This dough is mixed with chopped cabbage and now has the basis for Okonomiyaki. Since Okonomi translates as “What do you want” and yaki “fry” means you can add any various Topping ingredients such as meat, fish or cheese.

Tempura is breaded and fried vegetables or fish. The mixture is made of flour and water, mixed with ice-cold water was. As in Japan, the mixing is carried out with sticks, the mixture has to be slightly rough, which is characteristic and essential for good tempura. Tempura is often not accepted as a traditional Japanese dish, as has its origin in Portugal. Restaurants in Japan that specialize in the preparation of tempura are called tempura-ya. These restaurants vary enormously in terms of price and quality. There are several tempura-chains, which are priced extremely cheap but also small restaurants that cook tempura for decades, taking care much of the quality of the tempura. Tempura can be made of shrimps, sweet potato, carrot or squid.

Image Source

Fish caught was cleaned, filleted and pressed between layers of salt weighted down with a stone until it is fermented. Over the time, this process was developed to rolling the fish soaked in vinegar in rice. The fermentation took place in a matter of days rather than months. During the Edo period, sushi referred to pickled fish conserved in vinegar. However, sushi is now called as a dish containing rice.

There are different types of sushi available in Japan. The most sought-after ones are Nigiri, Temaki, Norimaki, Oshizushi, etc. Nigirizushi consists of small rice balls with fish, shellfish, etc. on top. Norimaki, on the other hand, is sushi rice and seafood, etc. rolled in dried seaweed sheets. Temakizushi are cones made of nori seaweed and filled with sushi rice, seafood and vegetables while Oshizushi is pressed sushi in a wooden box.

Japanese eat sushi at a sushiya or kaiten-zushi. Sushiya is a restaurant where the food is served by the waiter or chef personally to people. In kaiten-zushi, people have to choose the dish from the plates of sushi that pass in front of the customers on a conveyor belt. In other words, kaiten-zushi is called an automated sushi restaurant.

Nowadays, Japanese sushi culture revolves around tuna for its fatty red meat. But sushi is not raw fish. As the name indicates, sushi is indicates foods that use rice seasoned with sweet rice-wine vinegar. Though raw fish is the most popular ingredient in sushi, the main element of sushi is Japanese sticky rice. It is low in fat and is a very nutritious food.

Sushi, as such, retains its own value in Japan. This is possible because of the new infrastructure of globalization.

Japanese food is an art, both to the taste buds and the eyes. Creatively crafted, they mix flavors like salty, sour, sweet, and savory into a single dish, yet they turn out unbelievably delicious and healthy. This creativity is attention to detail that the Japanese culture practices.

The staple food of Japan is rice. The word “gohan” means rice, and each different meal has that word in it, where “asogohan” refers to “morning rice”, “hirugohan” refers to lunch, and “bangohan” refers to dinner. Japanese eat rice at all three meals – there is not one meal designated solely for eating rice.

The Japanese rarely use artificial flavoring. They use sugar, soy sauce and sake as their flavorings. Their flavors tend to be milder than most food of other cultures, and their combinations are also healthier.

As the islands in Japan are mainly filled with mountains, the land is not very fit for cultivation. Thus, quality of the food is highly valued over quantity. Most of the food is served in small portions, but like its culture in any part of Japan, it is a beautiful cuisine. Although the portions of dishes are small, eating three meals of rice gives them enough energy to survive the day.

With the sea surrounding the islands, the Japanese also use a lot of seafood. One of the well-known fish that people around the world love to eat is salmon. Eaten raw or cooked, people love the clean taste of the orange-colored meat. Another favorite is eel, better known as “unagi”, which goes well with sweet sauce.

Much of the uniqueness of Japanese food is how they can make use of common ingredients to create so many different tasting dishes, while keeping them well-presented, satiating, and healthy. Try some, and you may fall in love with their food.

Meat is also a significant part of Japanese cuisine. Every part of meat is enjoyed, even the feet! The meat is always simmered and fast fried to give it shine and a quick finish. There are also some traditions of drying meat for rationing during dry months in olden times, especially ham. Japanese drinks include the famous green tea, umeshu, plum liquor, beer, Sake, and mouth-watering Miso soup. There is a lot for the fast food loving crowds too, including tasty tempura, dashi, ginger pork, yakitori kebabs, and teriyaki chicken.

Japan is a land of very rich culture and a heritage that was isolated for centuries. Food is taken very seriously here in everything from ingredient selection and preparation to impeccable service. There are many food related ceremonies, like tea making, sushi, and mouth watering tempura. Japanese Cuisine is based upon the simple philosophy and ancient wisdom that prevailed in different dynasties. The simplicity of the ingredients and preservation of natural tastes is so different from the typical fast food cooking that is popular these days.

The first thing to master in Japanese cuisine is the uniquely found ingredients. However, some familiar things are used including maple syrup, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, tomato puree, and fresh seafood. The most well known Japanese cuisine is definitely sushi! Some rare mushrooms and fish are also a large part of daily diets, too. Bamboo chopsticks are used more in Japanese cuisine than in the Chinese. Noodles, rice, and pasta are also prevalent in Japanese cuisine. Japanese cookware and tools are also unique; there are large pans, steamers, and boilers – sometimes two or three layers of them. Normally, fish is steamed while rice is boiled below it. Table ware is normally plain, or is decorated with light colored flowers or patterns.

It is said that the origin of yakitori can trace back to 1600s. For more than 100 years, this traditional Japanese food has been loved by many people of all sorts, elder people to children, at all the time. People enjoy Yakitori as fast food when they drink or snack for children but also can be very fancy meal depending on which part or what brands are used.

Yakitori sauce is a vital component of making Yakitori. The role the sauce plays is very important giving yakitori extra flavor. The sauce is made and kept in a pot in a very traditional way. When the sauce is getting empty, they make some and add it into the same pot instead of making it all aver again. That’s how the sauce can be kept for a long time and taken over from generation to generation.

Image: Yakitori Cooking