Fit like a Japanese: Getting in on the Japanese diet

When obesity rates shot up to alarming levels in America, people were quick to point to fast food chains such as McDonalds to rationalize the phenomenon. After all, the US is home to the most number of fast food restaurants in the world, so it must be logical to surmise that the sheer number triggered this surge in obesity cases.

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If this line of reasoning is followed, then Japan would be a really odd case. The country, hosting a large number of McDonald branches (in fact, second only in number to the US) and a host of other supposedly “fattening” food places, continues to be at the bottom of the obesity scale. This goes to show that while the number of restaurants within a square area may indirectly influence the presence of obesity, personal eating habits still remain to be the determining factor.

The Japanese, for example, have many culturally unique eating behaviors that keep them from becoming fatter. Here are some of them:

Hara Hachibunme

This Confucian principle, which states that one must eat only until he is 80 percent full, has been ingrained in the Japanese from childhood. This can be achieved by eating slowly until reaching the desired level of satiety before completely stopping. This way, the brain will have time to process whatever signals the stomach sends, thus helping the eater avoid overeating.

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Eating with the eyes

Many people think that bento boxes are arranged in visually appealing ways just because the Japanese are fond of all things kawaii (cute), but they might be surprised to know there is actually more to the compartmentalized serving method than its mere aesthetic effect. By presenting the food beautifully, the person will feel to the need to savor each bite, keeping the eating pace slow enough for the brain to catch up in alerting the body about the possibility of overeating.

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High amount of vegetable servings per meal

The Japanese are great fans of vegetables, so much so that each meal features at least four or five vegetables. These vegetables are cooked without using oil, thus protecting the Japanese waistline from unwarranted enlargement. They are also presented in a myriad of interesting ways—over a hundred varieties as compared to the average of 30 in several Western countries—making them more enticing to eat without that guilty aftertaste.

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More facts about Japanese food and culture may be found at this Facebook page for JC Uni-tec.

The perfect sushi experience: Master chef Koji Sawada's technique

“I'm not making art, I'm making sushi.” — Masaharu Morimoto, Iron Chef

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You step into a sushi bar, and as the harmony of varying aromas entices you, a chef showcases his artistic creation of sushi rolls. But then you wonder how you can measure up with the chef’s passion and skills. How can you have the perfect sushi experience? Michelin-starred Master Koji Sawada shares his techniques: 

By hands

It is best to lightly grip on the sushi without squeezing it, rolling it partly over, turning it upside down, and then dipping it in soy sauce. To enjoy its texture and full flavor, eat the piece in its entirety, allowing the fish part to land on the tongue first.

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By chopsticks

Using chopsticks can be complicated, especially when dipping and eating it upside down (the fish side landing on tongue first). Sawada explains that many Japanese, including celebrities, hold their chopsticks awkwardly. With this, he affirms his belief that eating by hand brings out the true essence of the sushi experience better than using chopsticks.

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“Like eating curry in India, it just tastes better with the hands,” Sawada says.

To prepare your very own homemade sushi, the book Sushi by Ryuichi Yoshi, et al. details the ingredients and steps necessary for sushi making. Just use the right equipment and tools to boot, like those from JC Uni-tec, Inc and MTC Kitchen.

Engineered by experts in Japan, JC Uni-tec’s kitchen equipment was made for the easy preparation of sushi and other Japanese delicacies. Visit its website for more information about its products and services.

Japanese pantry staples if you’re running on a tight budget

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There is no other way of putting it: Japanese food preparation comes out too unique to be ignored. Just by looking at the food, you can almost feel the richness of Japanese culture. However, many have the misguided notion that eating Japanese food is a rare indulgence since it is mostly found in fancy restaurants. On the contrary, a Japanese food experience is accessible any time through your own kitchen.

Here are some Japanese cooking must-have ingredients which can definitely lead you to creating luxurious yet affordable meals:

• Sushi rice. Japanese cuisine is rice-based. So you can never go wrong with having grain, white, or brown rice, or any other type of Japanese rice.

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• Shiitake mushrooms. Dried or fresh, shiitake mushrooms have an intense flavor that adds richness to any dish. The fresh ones are best for grilling, stir-frying, and simmering, while the dried ones are great for steaming and deep-frying.

• Sake. Brands don’t matter when choosing sake for cooking, as long as it’s good to drink. The rice wine comes in three grades: ordinary table sake, alcohol-added sake, and premier grade sake.

• White miso or shiromiso. This versatile ingredient is pale yellow in color, is sweet-tasting, and contains salt.

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Most Japanese food entrées are best served with veggies on the side. This adds up to the delightfulness of any Japanese dish.

JC Uni-tec’s collection of kitchen equipment is designed for the easy preparation of Japanese meals. Get access to its catalogue on its official website.

REPOST: 8 Japanese dishes for beginners

If you are new to Japanese dishes, this Huffington Post article shares eight mouthwatering recipes recommended for the beginners.
 

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Fried cheeseburgers served with a thousand island dressing at Bamboo Izakaya.

What do you think of fermented soybeans (natto), firefly squid with pickled wasabi, chicken bones (nankotsu) and hearts, arugula salad with dried baby fish topped with a poached egg, and sea eel with soy and lemon? Probably not much or unappealing if you're not too familiar with Japanese food.

But if like me, you love experimenting and trying new foods, taking a trip to Japan should be on your list of places to visit. Japan is the epicenter, heaven on earth for food porn. Not only do they have an endless variety of ingredients and dishes, everything seems to taste better too. From their pasta (always al dente), breads (deep fried curry buns), convenience store food (a David Chang favorite), and even canned drinks (muscat grape juice with peeled grapes inside), the Japanese food industry caters to a culture ingrained in quality ingredients, balance and perfect execution. Going to Japan without diving head first into their culinary world is like going to Paris and do an entire trip without wine, while hanging out at Starbucks and eating Mc Donald's.

So when I take you to a Japanese restaurant and say 'wanna try the arugula salad with dried baby fish topped with a poached egg?', what I mean is 'do you wanna try the best arugula salad you'll ever have?'

Nothing is gained from living in fear and I've discovered some terrific dishes by initially eating them out of respect, so as not to offend a relative, friend, or chef. Working my way up to enjoying a bowl of fermented soybeans was a challenge. I must admit I wasn't a natto fan until I got used to the taste. Slimy, stinky fermented soybeans is about as disgusting as it gets, but I can firmly say that I now I love and crave natto. Thus, I completely understand why some people cringe at the thought of stepping outside their comfort zone, and risk biting into something so vile they might go into traumatic shock. But let's face it; it doesn't happen very often and you could be missing out on some really good stuff by only sticking to what you know.

Japanese cuisine has a lot of wonderful flavors and textures to offer, and by no means are they all intimidating. A lot of it is simple, delicious and familiar to what you're used to eating.

I asked chef Toshio Sakamaki, executive chef at Bamboo Izakaya, to share 8 dishes taken from his menu he thinks will seduce even the pickiest of eaters.

8 Japanese dishes to try (for beginners)

1. Goma chicken salad

Cabbage, bean sprouts, cucumber, tomatoes and shredded chicken tossed in sesame dressing.

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2. Gyoza

Lightly fried pork dumplings with soy chili dipping sauce.

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3. Tori nanban

Deep fried marinated chicken served with tartare sauce.

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4. Yosenabe (hot pot)

Healthy and savory hot pot of salmon, prawns, clams, and tofu in soy dashi broth.

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5. Kinoko kami tsutsumi

Assorted steamed Japanese mushrooms with truffle and ponzu sauce.

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6. Kushiyaki (yakitori)

Assortment of grilled skewered meats, seafood and vegetables. A Japanese classic!

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7. Kalbi

Sake soy marinated kalbi ribs (beef shortribs).

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8. Ebi cream croquettes 

Deep fried shrimp croquettes in creamy bechamel sauce, served with a tomato salsa. An absolute must try!!

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Bamboo Izakaya is located at 1541 Ocean Avenue, Suite 120, Santa Monica, California, 90410. Photography: Ben Conley

JC Uni-tec is the premier distributor of a specialized line of kitchen equipment in the United States. Visit this Facebook page for more updates.

Panko: Adding crunch to your Japanese meals

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First used during World War II, panko was created out of a necessity to make bread without using heat.

Panko is a Japanese-style breadcrumb with a light, flaky texture, typically used as a coating for fried food. Panko uses crustless bread, and is coarsely ground into light flakes. The crumbs are used to coat food to give it a crunchy texture. Compared to ordinary breadcrumbs, Panko browns food more nicely and keeps it crispy for longer since it doesn’t absorb that much grease.

The use of panko was popularized with the Japanese fried pork tonkatsu. While it’s generally used in Japanese cookery, panko is also widely used in Western cuisines. It is now used as breading for salad entrees and as a binding agent for burgers, crab cakes, and the like.

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Panko is also versatile enough to be used in other types of food, not just fried food. Below are more different ways to use this crunchy breadcrumb:

• Turkey meatballs in marinara sauce

• Panko-coated chicken Schnitzel

• Chicken parmesan with pepperoni

• Chicken and cheese jalapeno poppers

• Crab cakes and curry mayonnaise with apple salad

• Macaroni and cheese with a crusty crunch

• Sausage-stuffed zucchini with roasted pepper puree

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Panko is a must-have in every kitchen. For dishes bursting with flavor and appealing to the eyes, a cook should never do without panko.

JC Uni-tec’s kitchen equipment are designed for the easy preparation of panko-inspired dishes. Its catalog is available at its official website.

Simple yet filling: The wonder of Japanese rice balls

When thinking of Japanese food, it is easy to summon up images of the most popular fare: there’s sushi, there’s the donburi or ricebowls, and there’s ramen or the noodle dishes. For many people who have never been to Japan, the simpler dishes like the onigiri remain somewhat a mystery. Some may even mistake these rice balls to be a form of sushi.

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The onigiri is incredibly popular in Japan. The name literally translates to "taking hold with one’s hands." Onigiri is usually eaten for breakfast, as a snack, or as part of a larger meal or a bento box lunch. Rice balls stuffed with various fillings such as salmon, Japanese sour plums, or even mayonnaise, and then wrapped in seaweed, onigiri are typically easy to prepare.

However, the appearance may vary depending on the skill of the preparer, and it may take some instruction and some practice before one can learn to make them look as appetizing as they seem in photos.

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For enthusiasts of Japanese cuisine, the onigiri holds a certain appeal. They’re something that’s found in most convenience stores in Japan, and yet they’re still regarded by many people as a must-try item. The commercially available ones already come in various choices of filling, and a person can have a filling meal with a few onigiri pieces plus soup or other viands, perhaps.

Meanwhile, for the adventurous, experimentation is also okay. They can experiment with non-traditional fillings for their own rice balls, and they can even try out using other varieties of cooked rice for a little variation in their meal to go.

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Find kitchen equipment for easy preparation of Japanese dishes on JC Uni-tec’s official website.

REPOST: Fujitsu to bring Japanese food and agriculture industries to the cloud

Akisai is a new cloud-based platform that was launched by Fujitsu. How will this new platform improve the food and agricultural industries in Japan? This Forbes.com article has the answer.

Fujitsu announced Wednesday that it will be launching “Akisai,” a cloud-based platform to improve management of Japan’s food and agriculture industries, this October. The company says it has spent three years researching Japanese farming practices and markets before developing the new platform.

The SaaS-based agricultural production management solution will provide comprehensive management tools for administration, production and sales. Farmers will be able to collect, store and analyze data about on-farm operations, crop plantings and yields via mobile and tablet devices. Combining these records with historical records, as well as external sensor, weather and map data, Fujitsu aims to help farmers improve operations, earnings and efficiencies. Additionally, Fujitsu will offer innovation support services.

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In the future, Fujitsu will also offer services to food processors, wholesalers, retailers and restaurants, allowing them to leverage this centrally managed data to manage orders and quality control with their producers.

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Why is Fujitsu getting into the food and agriculture business?

Japan sees increasing revenue in the agricultural industry as key to overcoming challenges facing the country with regards to food security, local economic development and job creation. Yet, its current agricultural infrastructure is outdated and inefficient. Over 60 of Japanese agricultural workers are over the age of 65, and many do not calculate production costs and revenue on a per crop basis. In the future, however, farmers will to need start focusing on profitability, which will mean making more informed decisions about what crops to grow, say Fujitsu.

The company aims to sign up 200,000 customers to the service and generate 15 billion yen (US$190 million) in revenue by 2015.



Aside from distributing Japanese kitchen equipment, JC Unitec provides food safety and sanitation consultancy to restaurants and businesses in the U.S. Visit this Facebook page to know more about the industry.