Japanese Cooking Tools

Cooking utensils that you need to create the best Japanese foods.

Japanese food is characterized by delectable and one-of-a-kind dishes, such as tempura, rice bowls and sushi, to name a few. The beautiful presentation of the food matches well with its luscious taste. Japanese cooking is a meticulous art that takes time and patience to learn. There are certain types of equipment and utensils needed to get the desired look, taste and texture of a particular dish.

Knives

Shiny, sharp, and thin, knives are one of Japan's true pride when it comes to cooking utensils. They can produce and manufacture an elite set of these smoothly edged knives to perfection. Each type of knife has a specific purpose that needs to be utilized properly to attain the result that you are aiming for. There are different terms per function and it is important that you are aware of these so you can identify each knife and utilize it accordingly.

Santoku

Santoku is an all-purpose knife. From slicing fruits to cutting tender meat, it can be used in almost everything. Nakiri and Usuba Bocho are solely used to cut various kinds of vegetables while Deba Bocho is a special kind of carver that can be used for decorative purposes. As for sushi and sashimi lovers, Oroshi and Hancho Hocho are perfect for slicing tuna while Tako Hiki can wonderfully slice sashimi quite thinly. If you are planning to cook eels, you need Unagisaki Hocho to slice the delicate meat.

Chopsticks (Hashi)

Also called as Hashi, chopsticks are used in regular meals. They portray a great role in Japanese cooking. They are thicker and there are several lengths to choose from to suit the different depths of pots and pans. For frying, you need to use steel chopsticks with wood-covered handles. There is a particular Hashi that consists of long metal sticks with delicate pointed ends. This is strictly used for carefully arranging the food and turning any dish into an impressive art.

Bamboo Rolling Mats (Makisu)

Japanese are popular for their superb sushis and it is for this reason why bamboo rolling mats are must-haves in your kitchen. Also known as sushi rolling mats, these ingenious tools consist of bamboo splines that are horizontally tied with sturdy strings. Use this to tightly roll up the rice, making a perfect sushi in the process.

Japanese Pot (Donabe)

This is type of cooking tool is truly an incredible thing. It is made out of Japanese clay that can endure the highest temperature. This is for cooking nabe and other Japanese broth dishes. However, it is crucial that you do not put this delicate pot into an abrupt temperature change to avoid it from getting brittle.

References

• Savory Japan: Techniques & Tools for the Japanese Kitchen
• Web Japan: Well Equipped for Cooking