FLAVOURS of JAPAN

From umami salmon hot pot to fragrant cherry blossom mochi, seasonal ingredients take the fore in the Land of the Rising Sun

In a nutshell Think Japanese cuisine and sushi springs to mind. But that would be to ignore its range and diversity: from chilled noodles in the summer to hearty ramen in the winter, it’s a celebration of the seasons, with delicately spiced, beautifully presented dishes shining the spotlight on each individual element. Key ingredients Rice, buckwheat soba and thick udon noodles are essential, often seasoned with umami miso paste, sweet mirin rice wine, soy sauce or fiery wasabi. Being an island nation, seafood is eaten year-round and seaweed makes ample appearances. So, too, do proteins such as chicken and beef and the versatile tofu. Popular dishes Start your day with steamed rice and miso soup. For lunch, street-food stalls serve crunchy vegetable tempura with a soy-based broth for dipping, takoyaki (octopus dumplings) and ramen with braised pork, beansprouts and boiled egg. Sushi is more of a go-to for special occasions – try maki rolls of seafood or veg, sweet, vinegared rice and seaweed, or nigiri, where the topping is draped over a bite-sized mound of rice. The refined, multi-course feast kaiseki will guide you through Japan’s traditional specialities, from suimono broth to sashimi platters of finely sliced, raw fish, but each of the country’s 47 prefectures boasts a regional delicacy too. In Hiroshima, opt for okonomiyaki, a savoury pancake of seafood, meat and cabbage, topped with aonori seaweed, pickled ginger and an eponymous dark, sweet sauce. Don’t miss grilled wagyu beef in Tokyo, yudofu (boiled silken tofu) in Kyoto and ishikari nabe, a salmon and miso hot pot, in Hokkaido – the island is renowned for its fish. And on the sweet front, traditional and modern flavours meet in red-bean soft serve, green tea doughnuts and rose-hued mochi rice cakes wrapped in pickled cherry blossom leaves. To drink? The Japanese tea ceremony is said to date back to the ninth century – pay tribute to the art form with a cup of matcha tea. For something stronger, sip on saké, brewed from fermented rice, or umeshu plum liqueur. Where to go Channelling Seventies Tokyo, Heddon Yokocho in central London celebrates Japan’s regional ramen recipes, street food and cocktails. ramenyokocho.com