Collection: All our Japanese products

The basic ingredients of Japanese cuisine include:

• Rice (Gohan) : The central element of most Japanese meals.
• Soy : Used in the form of soy sauce, miso, Or tofu.
• Algae (Nori, Kombu, Wakame) : Essential in soups and sushi.
• Dashi : A basic broth made of kombu (algae) and dried bonite.
• Mirin : A sweet rice wine used for the kitchen.
• Rice vinegar : Indispensable to season sushi rice and marinades.
• Wasabi : A spicy condiment, often served with sushi.

THE mirin and the kitchen sake are both used to cook, but they differ mainly by their sugar and alcohol content. The Mirin is a sweet, sweet and little alcoholic rice wine, used to add softness and shine to the dishes. The kitchen sake is drier, with a higher alcohol content, and is used to deglaze dishes and neutralize the smells of fish or meat.

The most common Japanese types of Japanese noodles are:

• Ramen : Wheat noodles served in a hot broth, very popular in Japan.
• Udon : Thick wheat noodles, served in soup or sautéed, often in a light broth.
• Soba : Fine buckwheat noodles, hot soup or cold with an accompaniment sauce.
• Somen : Very fine wheat noodles, generally served cold in summer.

THE dashi is a basic broth in Japanese cuisine, used to prepare soups, such as Miso soup, sauces, and simmered dishes. It can also be used to cook vegetables, as in theoden, or as a basis for noodle dishes. To use it, simply dilute the dashi (whether in granules, liquid or homemade) with water, then incorporate it into your recipes.

THE Miso Blanc (Shiro Miso) and the Miso Rouge (aka miso) are distinguished by their color, their taste and their duration of fermentation:

• White miso : Sweeter, slightly sweet, with shorter fermentation, often used for light dishes such as soups.
• Red miso : Stronger in taste, salty, and with longer fermentation, used in more robust dishes such as rich Miso soups or marinades.

To choose the right rice vinegar, take into account:

• White rice vinegar : Soft and versatile, ideal for sushi, marinades and dressing.
• Seasoned rice vinegar : Already sweet and salty, ready to use for sushi rice.
• Brown rice vinegar : More intense in taste, often used for richer dishes or more complex marinades.

Typical sushi accompaniments include:

• Wasabi : Spicy paste made from Wasabi root, added directly on the sushi or mixed with the soy sauce.
• Marinated ginger (GARI) : Fine marinated ginger slices, consumed between the bites to refresh the palate.
• Soy sauce : Used to slightly soak the sushi before eating it.
• Shiso : Peril leaf, sometimes served with sushi to add a herbaceous note.

The basics of Japanese cuisine are based on the use of fresh ingredients and essential seasonings like the soy sauce, THE miso, THE mirin, THE rice vinegar and the dashi. Food cooking is often simple, highlighting the purity and natural taste of the ingredients. Current techniques include steam cooking, fence, light frying (tempura), and the preparation of raw dishes like the sushi And sashimis.

A bento balanced includes:

• Protein : Fish, meat, tofu or egg.
• Rice : The main ingredient, often accompanied by sesame or furikake seeds (seasoning for rice).
• Vegetables : Crus, marinated (tsukemono), or cooked (such as broccoli, carrots).
• Fruits : Pieces of fresh fruit to finish the meal.
• Accompaniment : Like tamagoyaki (Japanese omelet), rice dumplings (onigiri) or small salads.

Japanese gastronomy is recognized for its many health benefits because of its fresh ingredients, its healthy cooking techniques and its nutritional balance. The Japanese have one of the highest life expectancy in the world, and several factors contribute to this remarkable longevity including their eating habits! 

They traditionally followed a balanced diet, rich in vegetables, fish, algae, tofu and cereals, especially rice. Their diet is poor in saturated fats and processed foods. Their diet is not too caloric, while being stuffed with essential nutrients as well as antioxidants, which helps to fight oxidative stress, facilitate digestion preventing cellular aging.

The Japanese have a high consumption of fatty fish, which is an excellent source of omega-3, beneficial to heart and brain health.

The base of many Japanese dishes is rice, which is a healthy energy source, poor in saturated fats and rich in complex carbohydrates.

Japanese plates are often garnished with fresh vegetables, rich in vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers, which promotes digestive health and vitality. There are also algae such as nori, kombu and wakame are rich in nutrients, especially iodine, vitamins and essential minerals. 

Also, soy -based products such as tofu, miso and tempeh are an excellent source of vegetable proteins, fibers and antioxidants.

In addition, Japanese consume fermented foods such as Miso and Nattō, which are beneficial for digestive health thanks to the probiotics they contain. 

Japanese cooking techniques also have their role to play! For example, the fence (yakitori) and steam cooking (Nimono), preserve the flavor and nutritional value of food.

It should be noted that Japanese cuisine varies depending on regional and individual preferences, so that specific health benefits can vary depending on personal food choices. However, in general, Japanese gastronomy is seen and recognized for its contribution to a healthy, balanced and nutritious diet.

Umami is one of the five basic flavors that human taste papillae can detect, alongside sweet, salty, acid and bitter. The term "Umami" is of Japanese origin and is approximately translated into "tasty" or "delicious". This flavor has a distinct taste quality and is often described as a feeling of "rich", "deep" or "tasty" in the mouth.

Umami is generally associated with foods rich in glutamic acid, an amino acid that acts as a neurotransmitter in the human brain. Foods rich in Umami include:

Monosodic glutamate (MSG): a food additive commonly used to enhance the Umami flavor in many dishes.

Soy -based products: like miso, soy sauce and tofu, which are rich in natural glutamic acid.

Fermented foods: like Parmesan cheese, Roquefort, Kimchi, and fermentation products such as Worcestershire sauce.

The meat cooked slowly: like the roast beef, the effiloche pork and other simmered dishes which develop Umami flavors over time.

Mushrooms: like shiitake mushrooms and pig fungi, which naturally contain glutamic acid.

Tomatoes: in particular ripe tomato, which is rich in glutamic acid and seen as a pillar of Umami flavor in Italian cuisine for example.

Umami has a unique ability to improve and balance flavors in dishes, in particular by adding depth and complexity to culinary preparations. It is often used in combination with other basic flavors to create deliciously balanced dishes. This flavor was recognized as a separate flavor during the 20th century and is now widely accepted worldwide as an essential element of the human taste palette.