One can not but agree that the culinary preferences of people from different cultures are different. In addition, these differences relate to the diet and the taste that prevails in most dishes.
So, some people have all the food island, and someone prefers fresh food with a minimum amount of spices. But even the most ambitious gourmets unanimously assert that it is in Japan that you can find a lot of the most strange and not completely understandable products. By the way, sushi is only the tip of the whole culinary iceberg. Interestingly, what is included in the list of amazing Japanese dishes and products? Then let's go!
1. Yamaimo or the grated mountain yam
This product can be safely called the most slippery among all possible. Yams - this is the general name of root crops, apparently resembling potatoes, a root of oblong form. Japanese usually eat it raw, along with buckwheat noodles (soba). Those who tried yams say that it has such a slippery texture that it slips through the esophagus during ingestion. For this property, he was even called a "mountain eel." Agree that the seemingly grated mountain pit resembles wallpaper glue.
2. Tori-Guy
Literally it is translated as "clam-heart-hearted" and it is from this ingredient that thori-gai is prepared. By the way, in Japan it is one of the most expensive sea delicacies. As for its taste, it is bitter in this mollusc, but is hidden under a sweetish smell. By the way, this is the product that should be served only in fresh form, and for its catching it is necessary to have a special license.
3. Uni
So gently in the country of the rising sun is called caviar, or rather the sexual organs of the sea urchin. It can be tried, let's just say, only the elite. This delicacy is a true embodiment of the mixture of tastes: sweet and bitter, and salty, and at the same time a bit tender, enveloping. By the way, this is a favorite gourmet delicacy and one of the favorite ingredients of Japanese chefs who use uni not only to make sushi, but also as the main ingredient of presentations for pasta and sandwiches.
4. Habushu, habu sake or habusu
And here you are and a very strong Japanese drink, which first appeared on the island of Okinawa. Yes, not everyone will dare to try it. The main ingredient of the liqueur is the viper, which is immersed in sake and left there for a year (!). What about the poison? Do not worry, during this time alcohol neutralizes it. By the way, habushu is one of the most expensive Japanese drinks. What's his taste? Disgusting.
5. Umi budo
Literally, Ummido is translated as "sea grapes". These are algae found in the Pacific Ocean in the region of Vietnam and Okinawa. They are also called green caviar. During eating, small salty balls of umi budo burst, resembling eggs. By the way, this delicacy can not be stored in the cold, and therefore to Europe and the USA it is supplied by air transport and immediately fed to the table.
6. Chirimen-Jacob
From the side, it resembles either rice or small noodles. In fact, these are tiny white sardines, which, first of all, are dried, and only then they are added to the dish. If they are cooked in salted water, we will get a dish called "Kamaage Shirasu".
7. Yuba
Yuba is a bit like tofu. After the soy milk begins to boil, a thin film forms on its surface, which is a yube, an ingredient of many Japanese dishes. Often called fuzhu (by the way, it has nothing to do with soy asparagus). If in China this film is customarily dried, then the Japanese are accustomed to eating it fresh or as a snack, or simply dipping it into soy sauce.
8. Ikura
Ikura - salmon caviar, which contains a large amount of Omega-3. It is added to sushi, eat like a snack. It is also the main ingredient of ikuradon, a dish based on hot rice, and on top - red caviar, which after a time absorbs heat. By the way, scientists argue that ikura helps the body fight allergies and improves its immunity.
9. Shiro no Odorigi
And how often do you eat dishes that are still stirring? Shirou Odorigi is one of those. "Shirou" is a kind of translucent fish, and "odorigi" from Japanese is literally translated as "dance while eating". Well, you understand what this is about. To the "dancing" dish serve a raw quail egg. You break it into a plate, add a little vinegar and everything, the snack is ready. Eh, poor fish ...
10. Basashi
Immediately warn: lovers of horses and those who are against raw meat, skip the description of this dish. As you may have guessed, bassachi is raw horse meat. Usually it is served chilled together with soy sauce and Japanese horseradish. By the way, unlike beef, there is little chance that you will catch an E. coli.
11. Shiokara
Everyone knows that the food served as an aperitif should arouse appetite. And now look at this photo and answer yourself to the question of whether it is edible at all? As it turned out, the Japanese adore shiokaru. It is a small salted squid that is marinated (attention!) In its giblets. Oh, those Japanese and their taste preferences.
12. Dancing squid
Beauty, not the title, right? Usually it is served with a bowl of rice. Before serving, the chef will water the squid with soy sauce. As a result, the mollusc begins to dance, or rather the reaction of this ingredient to sodium chloride contained in soy sauce.
13. Inago but Tsukudani
This dish is made from rice grasshoppers cooked in soy sauce, usually Japanese eaten at noon. In general, to eat insects in this country is a common thing. In addition to grasshoppers, locusts, they eat ants, larvae of bees, water beetles. If they can be compared with our food, then, probably, inno tsukudani - the Japanese answer to seeds.
14. Nankotsu
Looks like something in a fragrant breading. It turns out that these are chicken cartilages that are served with salt and lemon juice. Often they are poured with sauce "tare", prepared from myrin (very sweet rice wine). By the way, Nankotsu is a kind of Japanese yakitori shish kebab.
15. Takoyaki
This is Osaka's popular street food, which is still known as the "Octopus Balls". The poor fellow is fried with a liquid batter in a special frying pan with notches. Takoyaki before serving sprinkle with plow fish and poured sauce reminiscent of a mix of ketchup and mayonnaise.
16. Zaru-bah
What do we do when we have a plate of cooled noodles in front of us? That's right, let's warm it up. The Japanese are different, if it comes to zaru-sho. This is buckwheat noodles with Japanese sauce, which is served cold.
17. Natto
It can be seen from the photo that this is something ... well, not very pleasant. Natto is a sticky and badly smelling soybean, which the Japanese ferment. So, beans are fermented in rice straw. It is interesting that from Japanese natto - "stored beans". He has a sticky, viscous consistency and an ammonia smell. You will not believe, but usually the Japanese eat it for breakfast with rice, green onions, mustard, grated daikon.
18. Hatinoko
Remember, we mentioned that the Japanese are still those culinary perverts and often you can see dried insects in their diet? So Khachinoko is a delicacy prepared from the larvae of bees. They are cooked with sugar in soy sauce. As a result, a semitransparent mass is formed. A sweet brew, like caramel, goes well with traditional rice.
19. Sulfur Noodles
The Japanese resort town of Hakone is famous not only for black eggs, which the local population hard boiled in puddles with rich gray water. Also Hakone is the homeland of dark noodles, which is cooked exactly like eggs. She looks not appetizing, but, who knows, maybe she has a divine taste.
20. Zazmushi
For such an interesting name hides a group of larvae that live on the bottom of water bodies. They are fried in soy sauce and served as a snack.
21. Fugu
Many have heard of this poisonous fish. In general, not every chef will take it for cooking. After all, one small mistake can cost the life of a restaurant visitor. So, the fugue contains a dangerous substance tetrodotoxin, which is 1,200 times more dangerous than cyanide. Despite this information, about 10 000 poisonous fishes are eaten annually. And in the period from 2004 to 2007, 15 people were killed, poisoned with fugue, and about 115 people were hospitalized.
22. Kiyura va Iruka
This delicacy is known as the "whale tale". It is served, cut into slices or cubes and deep-fried. As you may have guessed, the feature of this dish is the meat of whales, hunting is prohibited in many countries of the world.
23. Tarako
It looks really not appetizing. These are ordinary salted sacks of cod or pollock. Tarako is used as a breakfast, a festive dish on the New Year's table, fillings for onigiri (a dish of fresh rice) or together with nori as a seasoning for noodles. In Kyushu, Japan's third largest island, this dish is served with chili peppers.
24. Harumon
To some extent, this dish can be called mysterious. After all, this word is usually used to denote the entrails of animals (cows, pigs). In general, when ordering it, know that you will be served roasted entrails of some animal.
25. Chiraco
What is hidden behind such an interesting name? This is strange, but it is translated as "white children". Throughout Japan it can be served, both in raw and in thermally processed form (fried, fried in deep frying or in a frying pan). You know, many people say that chiraco has a pleasant creamy taste. But what do you say about the fact that it's a bag of sperm of cod?