Japanese food vs. Chinese food

[Mothling]

It occured to me today that I don't really have much of an idea of what Japanese food is quite like. It came to me as I was eating lunch in a Chinese restaurant and pictured myself in Tokyo, eating the very same food, until I realised that I was placing these dishes with an entirely different country!

So how does Japanese food compare to Chinese food? What are some of their similarities/differences? And are there any Japanese dishes anybody would recommend? (Except for sushi, that I have tried -_~)

 

[leonmarino]

Hello Mothling!!
There are many differences between Japanese and Chinese food, with a few similarities. Both are for instance often based on rice, or noodles. I think the differences outweigh the similarities though.. Here are some threads that might help you on your way!!

1. What's your favorite Japanese food?
2. The Truth About Chinese food

You can also find a lot of threads about Japanese food yourself, if you use the "search" function. Enjoy!!

 

[maushan3]

Just look at it this way:

Chinese

Japanese

This is just so you can get an idea of what can be dishes from these countries, but there are many more different dishes. These are just the more common.

Mauricio

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

This photograph, you may understand a difference.
Tea-ceremony dishes.

 

[KirinMan]

Then there is ethnic Okinawan food like this picture of 窶堋ｳ窶堙ｱ窶堙懌?堋｢窶愿ｷﾂ、 or Raftee, which is a pork dish.

 

[Mothling]

When I think of Japanese food I tend to think of a lot of cold, raw dishes. Is this accurate?

 

[maushan3]

When I think of Japanese food I tend to think of a lot of cold, raw dishes. Is this accurate?

That's what's popular in other countries, the sushi rolls, like the ones in the first pic I posted. But then there are many soups like this:

Miso.

Takoyaki

Or... more traditional things like Natto

Sorry for the big natto pic, it doesn't look tasty

Mauricio

 

[82riceballs]

I tend to think of Asian food like this- if i were to order them from strongest flavor to least flavor, it would be:
Korean (definitely need the mint there
Chinese (a lot of oil, if i say so myself)
Taiwanese (Taiwanese food is more seafood based and fresh than Chinese)
Japanese (that's why you need all those sauces)

 

[gazerock_is_not_dead]

yeah definitely
chinese is more seasoned than japanese

 

[Goldiegirl]

I like the delicate flavors. I also appreciate that you can dip your food into sauces and add flavor to your food. I do get strange looks sometimes because I use combinations that most Japanese wouldn't. They all just kind of laugh and say "as you like." I appreciate that.

 

[maushan3]

I like the delicate flavors. I also appreciate that you can dip your food into sauces and add flavor to your food. I do get strange looks sometimes because I use combinations that most Japanese wouldn't. They all just kind of laugh and say "as you like." I appreciate that.

Yeah, I was kind of disappointed when I heard that pouring soy sauce on the rice was frowned upon in Japan. There's pretty much no bowl of Gohan for me without sauce, I'll guess I'll have to adust.

Mauricio

 

[Goldiegirl]

yep maushan3, I like soy sauce as well on my rice! I can eat some Japanese rice though without it as the rice itself tastes so good. Only a couple of times did I get "corrected" on how I was or wasn't supposed to eat some food. I just smiled and did my own thing anyway. It's food and you should be allowed to eat it anyway you want...the food doesn't care!

 

[KirinMan]

Yeah, I was kind of disappointed when I heard that pouring soy sauce on the rice was frowned upon in Japan. There's pretty much no bowl of Gohan for me without sauce, I'll guess I'll have to adust.
Mauricio

Then I guess my mayonaise on rice wouldn't be too popular either. My son likes to put salt on his rice sometimes and I also know of a few Japanese that like soy sauce on their rice as well. Not drowding the rice in it just a bit to add some flavor.

......on how I was or wasn't supposed to eat some food. I just smiled and did my own thing anyway. It's food and you should be allowed to eat it anyway you want...the food doesn't care!

Yeah I agree, I heard that comment quite a bit when I first got here, now not so much anymore as I always told people that it all ends up in the same place anyway, my mouth not theirs.

 

[leonmarino]

Then I guess my mayonaise on rice wouldn't be too popular either. My son likes to put salt on his rice sometimes and I also know of a few Japanese that like soy sauce on their rice as well. Not drowding the rice in it just a bit to add some flavor.

In my experience, the Japanese put mayonaise on everything they can stuff themselves with, from Yakisoba to Pizza's, so I guess a bit of Kyuupii mayonaise on rice isn't all that bad.

My elder brother used to put salt on his rice too!! He used to call it Sio-up (窶ｰ窶独但ﾆ鍛ﾆ致). He also put ketchup on rice, which is highly recommended I may say!!

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

Rice?
I like "Omeretu".

 

[Mothling]

I must say, so many of these dishes you all have posted images of do look very tasty indeed! The Takoyaki looks especially enticing!

 

[leonmarino]

Rice?
I like "Omeretu".

I could kill for a omurice like that!!

 

[maushan3]

I could kill for a omurice like that!!

Just make sure you don't kill me!

Mauricio

 

[MeAndroo]

Nothing like some good food porn! I'm a fool for all foods, but asian foods seem to be in my diet the most. A good bowl of tonkotsu ramen,
some soba with tempura,

or a hearty katsu-don

definitely hit the spot in almost any situation.
Odd that many of my favorites are variations on foreign cuisine, with the above tonkatsu and ramen being from outside Japan.

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

"Neapolitan"
This is Japanese food, too.

 

[KirinMan]

So is this, it's goya chanpuru, (bitter cucumber stirfried with tofu, egg, and pork)

 

[SushiShin]

a piccu i found on a english site its about sushi guide, it tells the ingredients what you need, its just an example to you


owh boy all these pictures make me really hungry!!

i think im going to order or prepare Japanese tonight

itadakimasu!!:gohan: