Hey everyone, in my search for the appropriate sub to post this question, I found this one. I’ve always been fascinated by Japanese culture and have always loved their cuisine. After having a traditional Japanese rice bowl meal yesterday and feeling better than I have in months, I decided to jump feet first into the topic of Japanese food and am looking into what I need to do to be able to follow a traditional Japanese diet. The first logical step was to find a quality Japanese rice cooker, and I’m thinking I’ll pick up the Zojirushi Micom 5.5 cup.
My next obstacle is food quality. In the US our standards are extremely low and it takes a fair amount of effort to find quality ingredients. For those of you in the US who make Japanese meals, what brands of short grain rice have you found in stores that are of good quality for these dishes?
Additionally what brands have you gone with for these ingredients?
• Soy sauce
• Mirin
• Sake
• Sugar
• Miso paste
• Dashi
• Rice vinegar
• Sesame oil
Admittedly I’m early on in this process, so I don’t know what I don’t know. If you have any general tips or advice I’d appreciate it!
by averagehunterdad
5 comments
Congrats on your decision and good luck with your journey!
One thing that I think is important to know is that a “tradicional Japanese diet” is followed by VERY FEW people in Japan nowadays.
You’ll only see the “Rice/fish/miso soup/pickled veg” as a regular meal if you’re over 50, or a monk, or member of a VERY conservative household. Most of my Japanese friends eat gyuudon/Japanese curry/gyoza/ramen on a daily basis rather than the more bland meals (the ones that eat it do it exclusively on breakfasts). A “contemporaneous Japanese meal” has way more fat/salt/sugar than you’d think; lot’s of pork meat included. The way they keep so healthy has more to do with the portions, more rice and greens, less meat.
Also, I’m not from the US, but I’m aware there’s a big enough Japanese descendant community to be close to the situation in Brazil, where I live. If you search for it, you’ll find AMAZING products, locally made, and perfect for JP style cooking; if you’re feeling lost, find out a Japanese immigrant and ask them what brand of rice they buy (I worked in the JP consulate where I live, and all the consuls bought a Peruvian brand of JP rice [Mirokumai] that they said rivaled top-class JP ones). Other than rice, I’d say only to avoid the brands that adapt their condiments to the American market by adding sugar/salt/fat to it, but I’d guess most products are decently close to the original JP ones.
You should know that Japan imports the majority of their total food supply from the US and China
I don’t understand why people look down on food in the US. You can find whatever you want from industrial bullshit to fresh hand grown amish produce.
When you find something you like in Japan, chances are the ingredients came from the US
Food quality is not the obstacle, cooking skill and money is. If you want, you can buy everything from Japan just 2-5 times the price.
US does not have lesser food, you just need to stop shopping at Walmart and know where to find the food. Go to a local farmers market or farm.
You don’t need to buy a Japanese rice cooker. A pressure cooker with rice cooking function is better than any rice cooker. Higher heat from pressure cooker makes the short grain rice chewier, which I prefer.
For rice, I buy the Tamanishiki. For soy sauce, I use San-j tamari for dipping and kikkoman maroyaka whole beans soy sauce for cooking. I use Kagoya sesame oil but when I want something more pungent, I use a Korean brand ottogi which is pricier. Regular granulated sugar is good enough. For other ingredients, I pick any thing that doesn’t have any artificial ingredients. You can just buy the cheapest sake for cooking at any Asian liquor stores.
It’s best to go to an Asian market like H mart to buy these items besides sugar to avoid getting gouged.
All just personal opinions…
Rice: I find Akita Otome rice is the sweet spot for value to quality but if it’s not available I get Shirakiku Koshihikari. If i can’t find those I get Sekka but add a bit less water when making it
Soy Sauce: I like Yamasa Marudaizu
Miso: I usually get Marukome with dashi in it (だし入り) but buying miso without dashi in it and buying hondashi separately arguably gives you more flexibility
Sesame oil: Whatever is available, typically Kadoya
Mirin: Whatever is available, usually Kikkoman Aji-Mirin
Sugar: Just sugar
Dashi: Ajinomoto Hondashi
Sake: Whatever is available, usually Hinode
Rice Vinegar: Whatever is available
Also, haters gonna hate but get some MSG and play around with it to see what tastes good to you.
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