What’s my favorite Japanese dish to prepare?
When I tell people I enjoy cooking Japanese food (@_gaijinchef), they often ask me which dish I enjoy making the most.
Although it’s a natural question, I find it difficult to provide a straightforward answer.
There are two main reasons why.
First, I specialize in cooking Washoku (i.e., traditional Japanese cuisine characterized by seasonal ingredients, balance, aesthetic presentation, and respect for nature). Although Washoku is one of the most prevalent types of food in Japan, most people outside the country are more familiar with sushi. Explaining the nuances of Washoku and how it differs from other types of Japanese cuisine often leads to disinterest from those more familiar with mainstream Japanese dishes.
Second, and more importantly, choosing a favorite dish to cook feels like being asked to name a favorite child (impossible and unfair). Although I’ve mastered certain Japanese dishes that earn praise for their authenticity and flavor, I hesitate to call any of them my “favorite” to prepare.
Instead, what I most enjoy is cooking new, intricate, and complicated dishes.
A new dish is usually one I’ve never made before, usually involving an unfamiliar ingredient or cooking technique. This approach helps me avoid boredom and satisfies a belief that novelty brings improvement.
Complicated dishes often demand time, precision, and unconventional ingredients, ones that are hard to find even in specialty Japanese markets like the one in Washington, DC.
However, time constraints complicate this process. Some dishes require days of sourcing or preparation, demanding careful planning and extra mental effort.
All of this makes my answer to “What’s your favorite Japanese dish to prepare?” unnecessarily long. But there are some important lessons in that complexity:
Mastering a skill and gaining expertise takes time and experimentation. Cooking Japanese food has taught me that things we enjoy often require patience and effort.
Sourcing rare ingredients and managing time constraints reminds us to embrace challenges rather than shy away from them. It encourages creative problem-solving and adaptability.
Cooking complicated dishes highlights the need for patience and persistence. It reminds me that worthwhile goals often require dedication and overcoming obstacles.
Meal planning, meanwhile, emphasizes the importance of foresight, organization, and preparation, skills that help us achieve any desired outcome.
Finally, I’ve noticed that dishes that were once new and challenging eventually become familiar and lose some of their appeal. This highlights the importance of continual learning and experimentation.
In sum, reflecting on my favorite Japanese dishes to prepare offers insights that go well beyond cooking. It teaches us to appreciate complexity, embrace challenges, and cultivate valuable life skills.
Photo Credit:
Title: Kaiiki maguro no yuan yaki (citrus and soy glaze swordfish) on top of stir-fried watercress. accompanied by kagayaki steamed rice
Photo: Jeffrey Ian Ross, Ph.D. @_gaijinchef
