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Honorable Food - Japanese Rice
 The Japanese word for cooked rice is gohan which literally translates
as "honorable food." That a simple grain would be worthy of such a lofty
title hints at the significance rice has played in Japanese history and culture.
For centuries rice was not only a stable of the Japanese diet but also served as
an important form of currency. Samurai warriors were once paid in rice and
their status was, in part, associated with the number of koku (1 koku
equals roughly 5 bushels) of rice they received as stipend from their lord each
year. Sadly though, the poor farmers who worked so hard to produce the
rice could rarely afford to eat it, and this fact may explain why it is today
considered bad table manners in Japan to leave even a single grain of
rice in one's rice bowl.
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 Japanese rice is sometimes referred to as "sticky rice"
due to the fact that when it is steamed it becomes very fluffy and
sticky. Sticky rice is excellent for eating with chopsticks and
for forming into delicious rice balls called onigiri (read below
to learn more). Sticky rice may also be
pounded into a rice paste called mochi which can then be used with a wide
variety of foods and is especially popular at new year. As rice is the
central component of nearly every Japanese meal it is not surprising then that each
family member will normally have their own rice bowl (chawan), chopsticks
(hashi) and possibly a chopsticks holder (hashi-oki). These
important utensils are available in Japan in an astounding array of styles and
designs, allowing individuals to find just the right combination to suit their
interests and taste.Japanese Rice Balls - Onigiri
 Onigiri rice balls are the original Japanese fast food as they
are easy to make, tasty to eat and are consumed by millions each and
every day. Consisting of a round or triangle shaped packed ball of
rice, onigiri normally include a tasty
filling such as tuna, seaweed or pickled plums and may be wrapped in a sheet of
thin dried seaweed (nori). Available in Japan at convenience and
grocery stores as well as from specialty shops, onigiri are a favorite at
picnics, sporting events and other family, outdoor or recreational events.
Children in Japan grow up eating onigiri in the same way American kids
grow up eating peanut butter and jelly sandwiches or Australians their
beloved Vegemite sandwiches. A few of the most popular onigiri
fillings include:
- Tuna and mayonnaise (tsuna mayo) * currently Japan's most popular
onigiri filling *
- Fish flakes with soy sauce (okaka)
- Grilled, salted salmon (sha-ke)
- Pickled plum (ume boshi)
- Cod row (tarako)
Plus many others!
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Click
here to learn about Japanese chopsticks etiquette. |
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Looking for rice bowls? Then please click
here to see our wide selection of authentic Japanese chawan. |
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Do you want to make your own onigiri rice balls but don't know how??
Click
here
to see easy-to-use Japanese rice ball molds available for purchase from
our eBay store The Old Tokaido. |
Research on Japanese Rice:
Sandra Lopez-Richter. "The History of Japanese Rice" Crestwood Middle School, Florida USA
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