7 things you need to do when you come visit Japan
If you are considering or already decided upon visiting Japan, here is a list of what you should not miss out on when you come and visit.
Cooking Sake (料理酒)
Cooking Sake (料理酒) is a Japanese alcohol made out of rice. Sake is a rice wine which has become famous over the years, we use Sake similar to how wine is used in cooking in the west. By using the Cooking Sake in dishes, it helps reduce unwanted odors of the ingredients while adding umami to the dish.
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A little bit about Cooking Sake (料理酒)
While normal Sake is meant to be consumed by itself, Cooking Sake (料理酒) is a rice wine that is specifically meant for cooking. If you are cooking with a high quality wagyu for example, you might not necessarily need but if you are cooking with meat in your local supermarket, good chance are that they are really hard and might have a distinct odor. Byusing Cooking Sake, you will be able to effectively reduce such unwanted odor as well as tenderize the meat while transferring the umami from the Sake into the ingredients you are using. While some may consider this trivial, it is often these small differences that determine whether the dish turns out well so we highly recommend that you have one stored in your home. Cooking Sake comes in large amounts and since they can be stored in room temperature for a long time, its worth spending that extra bucks to keep one in your pantry.
Below are some of the more famous Japanese dishes that requires Cooking Sake (料理酒) in the preparation of the dish.
・ Yakitori (焼き鳥)
・ and more…
Where can I find Cooking Sake (料理酒)?
Cooking Sake (料理酒) can be found in your nearest Asian supermarket. However, you may not have access to one depending on where you are, in which case, it might be best to order it on Amazon or other websites such as Wee and Yamibuy which specializes in Asian products. While you may find cheaper knock-off versions made by non-Japanese companies, some condiments may taste completely different to what it really is, and therefore, we advise you to purchase ones from established Japanese brands, such as Kikkoman (specializes in Soy sauce), Takara (specializes in liquor based sauces), Mizkan (specializes in Vinegar). For cooking sake, ones from Morita might also be a good choice. It might be a little bit more expensive, but if you are making the effort, spending much time and money to make the meal, you might as well get the proper one in order to make sure it does not turn out wrong.
Our Recipes using Cooking Sake (料理酒)
We have compiled some a list of dishes that you might also like for your next cooking session below.
Oyakodon (親子丼)
Oyakodon (親子丼) made with chicken is a very popular dish in Japan and it is a dish which can be easily made quite cheaply…
Yakitori (焼き鳥)
Yakitori (焼き鳥), meaning “grilled bird” in Japanese, is a dish composed of different kinds of meat and vegetables (not just chicken) that are skewered and cooked on a grill…
Shougayaki (生姜焼き)
Shogayaki (生姜焼き) is a very popular household dish. Part of it is due to the fact that it is really easy to make and the ingredients are very cheap and accessible.
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