Contents
Basic Information
Japanese meat dishes have various backgrounds. There are “tonkatsu” influenced by Western cuisine, “braised pork belly” influenced by Chinese cuisine, and the traditional home cooking “meat and potatoes” among the many diverse meat dishes.
Fried Chicken (Karaage)
Karaage is a dish where meat (chicken is most common) is lightly dusted with wheat flour or potato starch and deep-fried in high temperature oil. It’s a popular dish enjoyed in various situations, from home-cooking and restaurants to bento boxes.
Pork Cutlet (Tonkatsu)
Tonkatsu is a Western-style Japanese dish where slices of pork loin or fillet are coated in wheat flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs before being deep-fried in oil. It was created in 1899 at a Western-style restaurant in Tokyo called “Renga-tei”. Worcestershire sauce is common, but in Nagoya, a region in Aichi Prefecture, a miso-based sauce is popular.
Chicken Nanban
Chicken Nanban is a local dish from the Kyushu region, originated in Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture. Chicken is coated in wheat flour and beaten eggs, deep-fried in oil, soaked in a mixture of vinegar, sugar, and salt, and served with tartar sauce.
Braised Pork Belly (Buta no Kakuni)
Buta no Kakuni is a local dish from the Okinawa region, similar to Chinese cuisine, where bite-sized pieces of pork belly are simmered with aromatic vegetables and seasonings like soy sauce, miso, mirin, sake, and sugar.
Pork Ginger (Buta no Shougayaki)
Buta no Shougayaki is a dish where pork marinated in ginger, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar is grilled. Ginger is used to suppress the smell of pork. It was originally a local dish from the Kanto region, but now it is widely served in nationwide restaurant chains and has become a representative pork dish.
Meat and Potatoes (Nikujaga)
Nikujaga is a traditional Japanese dish where meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and shirataki noodles are simmered sweet and spicy with soy sauce and sugar. Because the ingredients and seasoning vary from house to house, it is also a symbol of home cooking.
Mountain Bandit Grilled Chicken (Sanzokuyaki)
Sanzokuyaki is a local dish from Nagano Prefecture, where chicken thighs are marinated in soy sauce with garlic and onions, then dusted with potato starch and deep-fried in oil. This dish is a staple menu item in izakayas and is also widely enjoyed at home. Its name comes from the izakaya named “Mountain Bandit” which is said to have first created the dish.
