Dear food knowledge / ドイツ

I think that there are many opportunities for Japanese people who have moved to Germany to have meals with German people.

In addition to eating at restaurants, you may also invite friends to your home and serve them Japanese food.

However, as you know, it is also true that there are some differences between German and Japanese diets.

Even if you go to great lengths to serve the food, it would be a shame if the other person didn't like it and was happy with it.
To prevent this from happening, it is very important to understand the likes and dislikes of German food.

So this time, we will look at German likes and dislikes of Japanese food.

What kind of Japanese food do Germans like or dislike?

There are many things that Japanese people think are delicious, but German people don't think so.

There are various reasons for this, such as differences in eating habits between Germans and Japanese, and unaccustomed eating because there is no similar food around us in the first place.

Here are some specific examples of Japanese food that you may or may not like.

natto

For many Japanese, natto is probably the most easily imagined Japanese food that foreigners like and dislike.

Even if you look around German ingredients, you can hardly find anything similar to natto.

You can find Asian ingredients and seasonings, including Japanese food, in most supermarkets, but there are very few shops that carry natto.

With its unique smell, sticky texture, and stringy appearance, it is a very strange ingredient to Germans, and many people are puzzled by its uniqueness.

We Japanese are used to eating it, so it may not feel like it, but some Germans don't know how to eat it.

octopus

This is also a familiar ingredient in Japan, but although there are regional differences in Europe, it is not so common in Germany.

In countries along the Mediterranean coast such as Spain and Italy, there is a traditional custom of eating octopus.

In the first place, there is a history that people have been reluctant to eat octopus for religious reasons.
It is well known that the British despised octopuses, calling them "devilfish".

One of the reasons for this is said to be the precepts of Judaism, which became the origin of Christianity.
According to Jewish law, eating octopuses and squid that do not have fins or scales is prohibited.

In addition to such a historical background, it is said that people have come to avoid eating octopus because of its appearance.

Recently, sushi has become common in Germany, and Germans have more opportunities to eat raw fish. There are still many people. 

Anko

Anko is one of the most popular Japanese sweets in Japan, but many Germans don't like it.

The reason for this seems to be the unique sweetness of red bean paste.

Of course there are sweet things like cakes and chocolates in Germany, but the sweetness of red bean paste seems to be too sweet for Germans.

In the first place, it seems that Germans are surprised to eat sweet boiled beans, and it seems that such a rarity has become a Japanese sweet that divides likes and dislikes.

Large plate dishes, hot pot dishes

For Japanese people, it is a common sight to share a large plate of food with others, or to eat hot pot dishes together in the winter. There is no custom of sharing and eating at a restaurant, and it is common to own your own plate.

In Japan, it's normal for a plate to come out when you eat at a restaurant, but in Germany, it's almost unheard of unless the waiter asks for it.

I think it depends on the restaurant, but it seems that if you ask for a plate, you may get confused or get a bad look.

There are more and more Japanese and Asian restaurants in Germany, so of course there are people who don't mind sharing, but there are still many people who are reluctant to do so.

I think it is necessary to pay attention to these cultural differences when dining with Germans or when inviting them to your home.

rice with egg

In Japan, it is a standard menu that is delicious with soy sauce added, but this is also a favorite or disliked for Germans.

In the first place, raw eggs are prone to salmonella food poisoning, and in order to eat them safely, they must be thoroughly washed.

Compared to other countries, Japan has a more thorough hygiene management of eggs, so even if you eat raw eggs, it is rare for you to get sick. There are very few countries that manage to make it safe to eat.

Of course, there are dishes and alcoholic beverages that use raw eggs in Europe, but it is common to cook them thoroughly over a fire, so I am wary that raw eggs may not be hygienic. It seems that there are many Germans.

Shirasu

I think there are many people who enjoy Shirasu with rice.
In Japan, raw shirasu-don can be eaten in Kamakura, and is very famous.

However, some Germans find the sight of large amounts of whitebait on rice to be disgusting.
It seems strange to Germans who are not accustomed to eating the whole fish because they don't like the fact that there are so many small eyes of whitebait on the rice.

As I touched on when I talked about octopus, in Europe it was not customary to eat raw fish.

Japanese sushi and sashimi are gradually becoming popular in Germany, but there are still many unfamiliar foods.

When Japanese people move to Germany, there are many things to do, such as procedures, commuting to work or school, and purchasing and organizing necessary items for living. Among them, one of the points that should not be forgotten is Japan's food procurement route.

When Japanese people move to Germany, they generally think about what kind of Japanese foods and ingredients to bring and take as much as possible, but it can be a big burden to bring liquids and heavy items. .

Unfortunately, no matter how much Japanese food you bring with you, it will eventually run out, and eventually you will need to procure ingredients locally.

This time, we will take a look at where Japanese people buy Japanese ingredients in Germany.

Where can you buy Japanese food in Germany? Japanese food procurement route

If you're staying in Germany for a short period of time, you don't have to think too much about ingredients, but for Japanese people who stay for a long time, food is one of the most important points in their lives.

In particular, Japanese people who live for more than half a year or a year spare no effort to buy Japanese food locally.

So where can Japanese people buy ingredients in the first place?
This is pretty much a pattern no matter where you live in Germany.
This is because the procurement routes for ingredients are inevitably limited.

1 : Local supermarket

Some Japanese foods are also available at supermarkets.

Small supermarkets do not carry foreign ingredients, but medium-sized supermarkets have an Asian section, where some Chinese and Japanese ingredients are placed.

In Japan, sushi roll sets (including japonica rice), gari, sushi vinegar for sushi, and soy sauce are the staples, and depending on the location, miso and teriyaki sauce may also be available.

However, you can't expect more handling than that except for large supermarkets, and the number of handling is basically not many.
Even when it comes to soy sauce, many places only sell Kikkoman's basic soy sauce and often don't carry other types of soy sauce.
Also, the price is often relatively high, and the point is that small bottles of soy sauce, in particular, are not economically viable for regular purchases.

2 : Japanese food store

After all, Japanese food stores have the largest variety of Japanese ingredients.

In areas where many Japanese live, such as Düsseldorf, Hamburg, and Berlin, you can access Japanese food stores.
Japanese families are looking for ingredients because they have many ingredients from Japanese food manufacturers, seasonings that are familiar to Japanese people, rice, miso, and Japanese sweets. Stability is excellent for

However, to put it the other way around, Japanese food stores are limited to areas where many Japanese live, big cities, and so on.
Also, due to the high quality of the food, the price of ingredients imported from Japan can be relatively high.

3 : Korean food store

South Korea is smaller than Japan and has a population of over 50 million people.

If the population is small, the number of Koreans living in Europe will naturally decrease, but many people are actively going abroad, and depending on the country or city, there are as many Koreans as there are Japanese. Sometimes there are.

In places where Koreans have expanded, Korean food stores and wholesalers of food ingredients have appeared in the area accordingly, and Japanese food ingredients are also sold.

In some countries, there are more Korean food stores than Japanese food stores, and there are also Korean food stores in places where there are no Japanese food stores.

There are similarities and differences between Japanese and Korean food.
The common point is that Japonica rice is the staple food and soy sauce is used, but the difference is that Korea has a lot of meat dishes and spicy food is preferred.
There are also similarities, such as large-sized japonica rice and soy sauce, udon, soba, curry roux, seaweed, and some seasonings such as wasabi, which are easy to handle.

In addition, instant noodles are a very familiar food to the common people in South Korea, but there is a tendency to prefer spicy food, and Korean instant noodles are basically all spicy, and Japanese instant noodles are handled. etc. is inevitably limited.

I can't say anything about the price, but Korean products tend to be the center of handling, and Japanese ingredients are sometimes set a little higher than Korean ingredients.

4 : Other Asian shops

Korean food stores are often expanding in urban areas, but there is still a limit.

Korean food stores are a relatively new Asian food store in Europe, and there are many traditional Chinese food stores and other Asian food stores in Germany and Europe.

Asian shops can be found not only in urban areas, but also in regional cities, and even people living in rural areas can easily access them.

There are overwhelmingly more stores than Japanese or Korean food stores, and there are large stores and Asian wholesalers in the whole area, so you can get various large and small products, foods, and ingredients. increase.

There are not only Chinese shops, but also Asian shops such as Vietnamese, and there are a wide variety of products that are completely unfamiliar to Japanese people and ingredients that we do not know the purpose of use.

There are relatively many Japanese foods, but among them, there are foods, sweets, and snacks produced in Asian countries by manufacturers you have never seen or heard of, so it's like a bit of a treasure hunt. element comes out.

The price is not very high, and in many cases it is cheaper than Korean or Japanese food stores. Other cases can also occur.

The best way to avoid mistakes here is to buy foods and seasonings that you know.

5 : Online shop

Online shops are a great way to access Japanese food ingredients, even if you live in the countryside or find it difficult to visit a physical store.

Our online shop also handles a variety of Japanese food ingredients, so you can shop without worrying about time or place.
In addition, if you spend 50 euros or more at our company, we can deliver free shipping within Germany. No need to worry about time and effort.

We have a wide range of products from general household use to commercial use, so please check it out and use it as a help for your home dining table.

When living away from Japan, there are times when you really want to eat Japanese food.

However, even if you try to eat what you like at a local Japanese restaurant, it is often expensive or there is no menu in the first place.
This article is especially recommended for those of you who want to solve the problem by cooking yourself.

Introducing Japanese food that is easy to make in Germany

From now on, I will explain Japanese food and familiar dishes that can be cooked relatively easily when making Japanese food in Germany.

There are parts that can be used as a reference when cooking in countries other than Germany, so I would appreciate it if you could read it to the end.

curry

First of all, there are many people who like it from children to adults, and it is an excellent curry that can be made ahead of time.
The main ingredients used in curry, such as onions, carrots, potatoes, and meat, can be purchased at any supermarket in Germany.

Just because these are German vegetables doesn't mean they taste much different from Japanese vegetables, and it doesn't matter.
Curry roux is hard to find in supermarkets, but you can basically buy it at Japanese food stores, so it's a good idea to go look for it at your nearest store.

Also, British-style curry powder is sold in the spice section of supermarkets, and if you use it, you can make something similar to Japanese curry, so if you don't have a Japanese grocery store nearby, try it. Isn't it good to see it?

Fried rice

Fried rice is not exactly a Japanese food, but it is introduced here as a familiar dish.
All basic ingredients such as vegetables and eggs can be purchased at German supermarkets.

Some people may want to make more authentic fried rice.
German supermarkets don't sell the ingredients for chicken stock and the paste for Chinese food that are used in that case, so I recommend looking for a Japanese food store.

Okonomiyaki

If you want to make okonomiyaki in Germany, you can get all the ingredients at the supermarket except for the okonomiyaki sauce.

The basic ingredients are flour, eggs, cabbage, zucchini or potatoes (substitute for yam), bouillon (substitute for Japanese-style dashi), and add pork or bacon, potato chips instead of fried balls, etc., to your liking. Isn't it easier than you think?

And the must-haves are mayonnaise, green laver, and bonito flakes.

Of course, you can buy mayonnaise in German supermarkets, but Japanese mayonnaise and German mayonnaise taste quite different, and you can't buy green laver and bonito flakes.
So when you buy your favorite sauce at a Japanese food store, it's a good idea to look for it together.

In addition, many Japanese food stores sell okonomiyaki powder, so if you are particular about that, it would be a good idea to buy this as well.

Stir-fried eggplant and minced meat with miso

This dish is easy to make and delicious, and above all, it goes well with rice.
Of course, you can buy eggplant and minced meat in German supermarkets.

When adding ginger, some supermarkets sell ginger itself.

Miso is not often sold in supermarkets, but you can buy it at Japanese food stores.
Sake and mirin are basically not sold at supermarkets, so you need to go to a Japanese food store, but white wine can be substituted for sake, so why not try it?

Oyakodon

I think there are many people who love oyakodon and want to eat it even when they are abroad.

Main ingredients such as chicken, onions, and eggs are easily available at supermarkets.
As with eggplant and minced meat stir-fried in miso, mirin is rarely available at most Japanese grocery stores, but you can substitute with sake and sugar.
That said, sake is only available at Japanese food stores, so in the end, you either buy it at a Japanese food store or don't use it in the first place.

And the handling of soy sauce is increasing considerably even in German supermarkets.
So it's probably possible to buy it at a nearby supermarket, so please look for it.

Pork cutlet

In Germany, there is a German-style cutlet called schnitzel, but there is no tonkatsu sauce here, and I think some people want to eat Japanese tonkatsu.

The pork used for tonkatsu should be the same meat used for schnitzel.
However, unlike Japan, tenderloin is often not available or available in small quantities, so loin is the main ingredient.
Flour and eggs are prepared at supermarkets, but bread crumbs may not be available depending on the supermarket.
In that case, you can use shavings of hard or dry bread.
If you really want bread crumbs but can't find them in supermarkets, Japanese food stores often carry them, so it's worth trying to find them.

cooked rice

It may come as a surprise to some, but takikomi gohan is relatively easy to make, and you can enjoy a variety of variations.

For example, when using dashi, if the dashi comes in a pack for simmering, open the pack, mix the contents with rice, add soy sauce and other ingredients you want to add, and cook. You can make takikomi gohan.
Of course, you should be able to reproduce it with a granule type, so please try it.

However, dashi soup stock is basically not available in German supermarkets, so you need to purchase it at a Japanese food store.

If you don't use dashi, you can also make cooked rice using tomato whole.
In this case, using bouillon instead of dashi makes it more delicious, and you can also add parsley, vegetables, etc., or add cheese if you like.

There are many other recipes for takikomi gohan, so I think it would be fun to find and devise them yourself.

summary

So far, we have introduced Japanese food that can be prepared relatively easily in Germany.
I would be happy if I could help you cook more happily.

If you don't have a Japanese food store in your neighborhood, or if you want to save the trouble of looking for a Japanese food store, we recommend using our online shop.

Our Germany-based online shop also carries soy sauce, mirin, and various other Japanese food ingredients, ranging from table-sized to commercial use.

Dashi is one of the essential ingredients as one of the basic seasonings of Japanese cuisine.
It can be used for miso soup, simmered dishes, oden, warm soba and udon soup, and even curry, so it is very useful.
It's light, small, and very convenient, but sometimes it's too convenient to run out of stock.

If you live in Japan, you can easily go to the nearest supermarket to buy it, but if you live in Germany, there are cases where you don't change the soup stock in your neighborhood, which is a problem.
Have you ever had the experience of being forced to use the local fish bouillon that you can buy at your local supermarket in Germany?

[Japanese soup stock VS German fish bouillon] I will explain the difference!

First of all, what is the difference between Japanese dashi stock and bouillon sold in Germany and Europe?
In this article, I will explain the bouillons you can buy in Europe and tell you the difference.
Also, I will explain the story of miso soup made with fish broth in this article.

Japanese soup stock

Since ancient times, Japan has lived as an island country, enjoying the blessings of the sea.
Dashi has a long history in Japan, and it is said that fish and other ingredients have been boiled and eaten since the Jomon period.
From the literature, it is believed that bonito and kelp were also used as offerings in the Nara and Heian periods.
There is a description of "dashi" in the literature of the Warring States period, and we can see that it is deeply connected to Japanese history.

By the way, there are various types of Japanese dashi, such as bonito, kelp, shiitake mushrooms, shellfish and crab, as well as chicken bones and pork, which are often used for ramen.
However, when it comes to everyday ingredients, bonito stock is the most popular, and kelp and shiitake mushrooms are also commonly used by some people.

Dashi is basically a momentary process that extracts the essence in a few minutes, but before making dashi, ingredients such as dried bonito, dried shiitake mushrooms, and kelp require a lot of time and effort in the previous process.
Japanese dashi, with its sharpness and condensed umami, is indispensable in cooking Japanese food, and it can be said to be the foundation of Japanese food as it brings together the overall taste and creates harmony.

European broths and fonds

Of course, Europe also has food equivalent to Japanese soup stock.
There are two equivalents of dashi in France: bouillon and fond.
Phong is used as a source.

For example, even those who are unfamiliar with French cuisine may have heard the name "fond de veau".
Fond de veau is a type of soup stock made by simmering veal, bones, potherbs, etc. for a long time.
Fond de Veau can be used as a sauce for steak, hamburger, meuniere, etc., as well as a beef stew ingredient.

On the other hand, bouillon is an ingredient used when making soups and potages.

Bouillon is French, but it is called Brodo in Italian and Broth or Soup stock in English .
Regarding German, it is written as brühe in German.

The main flavor of pho is meat, but bouillon has a strong vegetable flavor and is gentler than pho.
There are vegetable bouillons, but there are chicken, beef, and fish bouillons, and chicken bouillon seems to be the most common.

As for how bouillon is made, the process is very different from that of Japanese dashi.
While Japanese dashi takes a lot of time and effort to make the ingredients, it only takes a few minutes to extract the essence.
In comparison, bouillon is made by simmering fish, meat, flavored vegetables, etc. for a long time, instead of taking the time and effort in the previous process like Japanese soup stock.
Bouillon is characterized by its gelatinous umami and richness, and when it cools, this gelatinous substance solidifies, making it one of the main salty ingredients in meat dishes and soups.

Bouillon readily available in Germany

There are several manufacturers selling this bouillon in Europe, but two famous ones are "Maggi" and "Knorr".

Brunosingu, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

Maggi is a brand owned by the Swiss food company Nestlé, while Knorr is a brand that originated in Germany but is now owned by Unilever, a multinational company that includes British and Dutch companies.

Unilever, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

I see both in Germany, but personally I have the impression that I see Knorr more often.
I've used both Maggie and Knorr, and I don't see much of a difference, so it doesn't matter which one you buy.

The Difference Between Japanese Dashi and German Fish Bouillon: Miso Soup

Well, there are liquid types of bouillon, but solid ones are common, and you can buy 4, 8, or 12 pieces for less than 1 to 2 euros.

Miso soup consists of dashi stock and miso as the minimum ingredients.
I used to cook miso soup with fish bouillon, but I felt a slight difference in taste.

In the first place, if you dissolve fish broth in hot water, you will get a fragrant smell like niboshi ramen soup.
When I put miso in it, I felt that it was saltier than miso soup made with Japanese dashi.
The resulting miso soup tasted good enough to eat, but I think Japanese people might find the taste strange.

By the way, if you check the ingredients of dashi and fish bouillon, you can see the difference.
As an example, let's compare the ingredients of Ajinomoto's Hondashi and Knorr's fish bouillon.

If you look at the raw materials of Ajinomoto on the website , it will be as follows.

" Salt (manufactured in Japan), sugars (sugar, lactose), flavor ingredients (bonito powder, bonito extract), yeast extract, yeast extract fermented seasonings/seasonings (amino acids, etc.) "

On the other hand, if you look at the raw materials of Knorr's fish bouillon from the website , it will be as follows.

"Iodized salt, flavors (E621, E635), fully hydrogenated palm oil, cornstarch, hydrolyzed vegetable protein, palm oil, approved flavors (including fish, shellfish, molluscs, eggs, milk, celery), cod. of fish powder (including crustaceans and mollusks), garlic oil (including crustaceans), onions, spices, sugar, garlic, citric acid."

As you can see, fish bouillon uses more ingredients, and the salt content per 100g is about 43g for Hondashi and about 50g* for fish bouillon. If you use , you can see why the saltiness is strong. (From the website, sodium 19701 (mg) x 2.54 ÷ 1,000 = 50.04)

summary

As I wrote above, fish bouillon is suitable for ramen soup, but when cooking miso soup and other Japanese dishes, Japanese dashi is more familiar and nostalgic than fish bouillon.
In conclusion, Japanese dashi is the best choice for Japanese cuisine, although it can be used as a substitute.

When making Japanese food, we highly recommend using Japanese dashi stock.

Basically, Japanese ingredients and seasonings are more expensive to buy in Germany than in Japan.

This is because the production cost itself is inevitably high due to transportation costs and the time and effort involved in the manufacturing process even if it is made in the EU.

So when you move from Japan to Germany, do you know what ingredients you should bring from Japan, and what seasonings and ingredients you can buy locally?

As you can imagine, soy sauce is one of the most common Japanese foods you can buy in Germany.

Introducing the Types of Soy Sauce You Can Buy in Germany

Well, even if you say soy sauce, there are actually many types, and when you go to buy soy sauce for the first time, you will be confused by brands you have never seen or heard of, so it is not easy.
In addition, soy sauce is also used in China and South Korea, and you can actually see soy sauce from other countries in Germany.
This time, we will explain the types and brands of soy sauce that you can find in Germany.

Most common Japanese soy sauce: Kikkoman

Several Japanese soy sauce and food manufacturers have expanded into Europe, and in fact Germany has access to a wide range of Japanese foods, seasonings and ingredients, not just soy sauce.
In terms of accessibility, it is probably in a position to compete with the United Kingdom for first and second place in Europe.

Going into the main topic, Kikkoman is the most popular Japanese soy sauce that you can find in Germany.

If your local supermarket has an Asian section, you may find small bottle-sized products for tabletop use.
Kikkoman is also known in Europe as Kikkoman, with 1 liter sizes available in large supermarkets, and it can be said that it is the most familiar brand of Japanese soy sauce that you can find in Germany.

By the way, Kikkoman's soy sauce is also made overseas, and Kikkoman's soy sauce available in Germany is made in the Netherlands.
Originally, soy sauce produced in Singapore was transported to Europe for sale, but in the 1990s, Kikkoman established a production base in the Netherlands, establishing a local production and sales system in Europe.

Regarding the difference in taste between Japanese soy sauce and Kikkoman soy sauce from the Netherlands, I felt that the taste was slightly different.
I didn't notice the difference until I tasted it, and I couldn't feel the difference unless I tasted it.

The most common soy sauce in supermarkets: Blue Dragon

Quote: tacinte: https://world.openfoodfacts.org/cgi/product_image.pl?code=2020538220235&id=2

Isn't the soy sauce most commonly seen in supermarkets made by this manufacturer?

Blue Dragon is a British brand that has been around since the 1970s.
This Blue Dragon is owned by a company called Associated British Foods plc (commonly known as AB Foods).

AB Foods may not sound like much, but it's actually a huge multinational company that owns not only food, but Primark, one of Europe's cheapest clothing brands.

Blue Dragon's soy sauce is cheaper than Kikkoman's soy sauce, so it may be attractive to people who want to keep food costs down.
Then, if it is the same as Japanese soy sauce, this soy sauce is a so-called Chinese type soy sauce.

The difference between Japanese and Chinese soy sauce will be explained later, but the difference here is obvious if you look at the ingredients.
Looking at Kikkoman's soy sauce, according to the website, the ingredients are only water, soybeans, wheat, and salt. (European Kikkoman also uses the same raw materials.)
On the other hand, if you look at the ingredients of Blue Dragon's dark soy sauce from the website , it will be as follows.

"Water, Sugar, Salt, Soy Sauce Extract (9%) [Water, Defatted Soya Bean Flakes, Wheat , Salt], Color (Ammonia Caramel), Acidity Regulator (Lactic Acid), Preservative (Potassium Sorbate)"

If you translate this into Japanese, it will be as follows.
"Water, sugar, salt, soy sauce extract (9%) [water, defatted soybean flakes, wheat, salt], coloring (ammonia caramel), pH adjuster (lactic acid), preservative (potassium sorbate)"

As you can see, Kikkoman's soy sauce uses very simple ingredients, while Blue Dragon's soy sauce uses food additives such as pH adjusters and preservatives.

Chinese soy sauce often found in Asian shops: Pearl River Bridge

Citation: Luidaguhee, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons

This is a soy sauce from a Chinese food manufacturer, and I think you will often see this soy sauce when you go to an Asian shop.

Chinese soy sauce and Japanese soy sauce are used for different purposes and have different tastes.
There are two types of Chinese soy sauce, San Chau and Lo Chau.

Namabetsu has a strong salty taste similar to light soy sauce, and is used to season dishes.
On the other hand, old extraction has a tamari soy sauce flavor and is used for coloring rather than seasoning.

Basically, Chinese soy sauce contains less wheat than Japanese soy sauce, and the direction of taste is different from Japanese soy sauce, such as adding sugar.
Also, it is said that Japanese soy sauce takes several months to produce, but Chinese soy sauce has a shorter manufacturing process than Japan.

This brand sells many types of soy sauce, but as an example, if you check the ingredients of Superior Dark Soy Sauce on the website , it says "water, soybeans, sugar, salt, flour" and sugar is added. I understand.
Perhaps because of the difference in the manufacturing process, this brand's soy sauce is also cheaper than Kikkoman's soy sauce.
As you can see, even though the names of soy sauce in Japan and China are the same, there are big differences.

summary

What kind of soy sauce can you buy in Germany?
You can buy a variety of soy sauces in Germany as well, and when you compare prices, Japanese soy sauce may seem expensive, but Kikkoman's soy sauce takes more time and effort than European brand soy sauces or Chinese soy sauces. , you can see the reason why. As you can see from the above, we recommend Kikkoman, a Japanese food and seasoning, and Japanese brand soy sauce for cooking Japanese food.

I think that there are many people who study abroad in Germany for work or study abroad, but one of the things to be concerned about when living abroad like that is the diet.

I want to prepare the same Japanese food as when I was in Japan for my family. Although I live in Japan, I think there are many opportunities to prepare Japanese food.

Recently, there have been more and more opportunities to see Japanese restaurants and Japanese ingredients in Europe, including Germany.

Even so, the number of Japanese food ingredients that can be purchased in Germany is still limited, and in some cases, the prices are nearly double what they are available in Japan.

Some of them are sold in any supermarket in Japan, but it is not uncommon to find them nowhere in Germany.

Japanese food and Japanese ingredients that are difficult to cook in Germany

As mentioned above, even if you try to get Japanese food ingredients, the prices are higher than in Japan, the quality is different compared to what you buy in Japan, and you can't find them anywhere. There are some Japanese foods that are difficult to make for various reasons.

Below, I would like to introduce Japanese food that is difficult to cook in Germany.

1. Beef bowl

Thinly sliced ​​beef is indispensable for making beef, but in the first place in Europe such as Germany, thinly sliced ​​meat is rarely sold at supermarkets.

If you want thinly sliced ​​meat, you can either use a meat slicer to slice the meat sold on the market, or ask the staff at a butcher shop to slice it thinly for you.

However, when having a meat sliced ​​at a butcher shop, the staff does not usually receive orders to slice the meat thinly, so there are many cases where it is difficult to convey to the staff and the meat is not sliced ​​as thinly as you thought. it seems like.

Other than that, Japanese food that we usually eat often uses thinly sliced ​​meat, so I think it's harder to make those dishes compared to when we're in Japan.

2. Seafood dishes

Except for a part of the northern part, Germany hardly faces the sea, and it is a country where it is difficult to obtain fresh fish compared to Japan.
Therefore, it is not possible to easily buy raw fish at supermarkets like in Japan.

Fish is sold at supermarkets and other places, but most of it is frozen.
Of course, there are places that sell raw fish, but the price is still higher than in Japan, so it's hard to get your hands on it.

In this way, it is possible to make dishes using seafood, but it is difficult to get them, the taste and freshness are not good, and the prices are high. It can be difficult.

3. Seaweed

I think it's common to have wakame seaweed in miso soup, but seaweed, including wakame, is not as common as it is in Japan.

Recently, it seems that wakame can be purchased cheaply at supermarkets, but the taste is a little different from the Japanese wakame that we are used to eating.

Asian supermarkets sell kelp and hijiki, but they are more expensive than buying them in Japan.

salmon roe

Since salmon roe is used as a sushi ingredient, many people may think that salmon roe is a uniquely Japanese food.

However, there is a theory that the word salmon roe originally meant "fish egg" in Russian, and that it was introduced from Russia in the Meiji era and became popular from the Taisho era to the early Showa era.

For that reason, salmon roe is available at Russian markets in Germany, so it's by no means impossible.

However, salmon roe is also sold at ordinary supermarkets, but the price is high and the taste is quite different from that of Japan.

It would be nice if there was a Russian market nearby, but if not, it may be quite difficult to taste salmon roe dishes like in Japan.

By the way, I used to buy salmon roe in a small bottle and make my own soy sauce marinated salmon roe.

The basic ingredients are soy sauce, mirin, and sake, which are difficult to obtain in Germany and have few varieties, so I tried making them.

However, even though I made it according to the recipe, the taste was completely different from the Japanese salmon roe pickled in soy sauce.

mayonnaise

Although mayonnaise is not a cooking ingredient, it is a versatile condiment that can be used to cook many different Japanese dishes.
Of course, mayonnaise can be bought normally in Germany, so it is not particularly difficult to obtain.

Since mayonnaise originated in France, it is of course common in Europe, and it is a common seasoning all over the world.

However, Japanese mayonnaise and German mayonnaise are quite different in taste.
German mayonnaise is much sweeter than Japanese mayonnaise, and it seems that Germans sometimes feel quite sour when eating Japanese mayonnaise.

Unlike overseas mayonnaise, Japanese mayonnaise uses only egg yolk instead of whole egg when making mayonnaise, and it seems that the vinegar used is also rice vinegar.
As a result, it has a milder and creamier taste than the ones from overseas.

You may need to be careful when trying to make dishes based on the taste of Japanese mayonnaise.

When making Japanese food that uses mayonnaise, we recommend purchasing Japanese mayonnaise.

Burdock

In Japan, burdock is a root vegetable ingredient used in common Japanese dishes such as pork soup and kinpira burdock.
However, there are almost no dishes using burdock in countries other than Japan.

It may be well-known that during the Pacific War, when the Japanese army gave prisoners of war from the enemy country burdock dishes, they were forced to eat tree roots.
Eating so much burdock may have seemed strange to foreigners, especially Westerners.

As you can see, burdock is a food unique to Japan, so I don't think you will ever see burdock in Germany.

For the time being, there is something called Western burdock in Germany, but the taste and cooking method are completely different from Japanese burdock, and it seems that it tastes like asparagus.

summary 

As we have seen, the food situation in Japan and Germany is quite different, so there are some dishes that are easy to make in Japan but difficult to make in Germany, and even if they can be made, they take time and money. I hope you understand.

Especially in Germany, there are few places facing the sea, so seafood is quite scarce.

You may miss Japanese fresh seafood quite a bit while in Germany.

In Germany and other European countries, one ingredient is simply seasoned with salt and grilled without using too many seasonings. can be produced.

When you think of Japanese food, the first seasoning that comes to mind is soy sauce, but there are other attractive seasonings that are unique to Japanese food. One of them is mirin.
In this article, we will introduce recommended Japanese dishes using mirin that can be cooked in Germany.

Works great in Europe! Japanese cuisine using mirin

I don't think mirin is used alone, but by mixing it with other seasonings, it is a mysterious seasoning that can bring out the richness and sweetness.
You can get mirin in Germany, and it is highly versatile. In addition to adding flavor, it can also be used to add luster to dishes, soften meat and fish, and make it easier for flavors to permeate ingredients. And it's a perfect condiment.

There are many dishes in Japan that can be made using mirin.
It is versatile, from grilled to simmered dishes, and you can increase your cooking repertoire with just one bottle of mirin.
It also matches well with Japanese tastes, so you can create a flavor that many people like.
Just by adding a little mirin, you can make something that is easy to make, or you can make a nifty dish with a little effort and ingenuity.
Here are the top 5 popular Japanese dishes that use mirin, which is indispensable for cooking.

No. 5 : Simmered mackerel with sleet

I think mackerel by itself falls into the category of people who have different tastes, but you can make it easier to eat by seasoning it and simmering it.
This dish is one of them. Sprinkle the mackerel with salt beforehand and leave it for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to permeate.
Grated daikon radish is used for this dish, but grated daikon alone has no taste.
Mirin is used as a "dashi" to season it.

The dashi stock alone doesn't have much flavor, but adding mirin, sake, and soy sauce gives it a strong flavor.
This seasoning removes the unique fishy smell and flavor of the mackerel, making it easier to eat.
Also, this seasoning is highly versatile, so you can use other fish or meat instead of mackerel.

4th place: Tsukune

In Japan, it is often skewered and served, and the fact that it is easy to eat with one hand may be the reason why it is popular as a snack with alcohol.
Mirin is used as a sauce for seasoning tsukune, and this sweet and spicy sauce goes well with tsukune.
You can also see “salt tsukune” without sauce, but I feel that the one with sauce is more flavorful and delicious.
You can also make the surface glossy with the effect of mirin.

Minced chicken is often used for the tsukune itself, but by adding tofu, you can create a fluffy texture and reduce the calories a little. We recommend adding shiitake mushrooms to improve the texture.

No. 3 : Nikujaga

It is no exaggeration to say that this dish is representative of Japanese cuisine, and is a dish that is loved by many as a staple of Japanese cuisine. It has a strong flavor, so even people who don't like vegetables can easily eat it.
This dish uses plenty of vegetables and meat, so you can get a lot of nutrients in one dish.

After cutting vegetables such as potatoes, onions, and carrots, shirataki, and beef, after cutting the vegetables and meat, all you have to do is simmer with mirin, soy sauce, sake, sugar, etc., so it is an easy dish to make.
The flavor permeates the vegetables and meat, so you can keep it delicious for a long time.

No. 2 : Chicken teriyaki

Chicken is highly versatile and cheaper than other meats, so many people may use it as an ingredient.
You might think you have to use the oven or grill to make chicken teriyaki, but you can make it in a skillet.
Frying pans can be found in almost every household, are quick to prepare, and easy to clean up.

Before cooking, poke holes in the chicken with a fork to help the flavor soak in.
Then, make the sauce in advance by mixing soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar. After that, grill the chicken, add the sauce on the way and boil it down, and it's done.
It's easy to make and delicious even when cold, so it's a great side dish for bento.

No. 1 : Pickled tuna bowl

Tuna, which is also popular as a sushi ingredient, is even more delicious when pickled.
Tuna is usually eaten by dipping it in soy sauce, but adding mirin to it adds a rich sweetness.
In addition, the effect of mirin makes the surface of the tuna glossy, making the dish look even more delicious.

For this dish, the tuna is simply marinated in a mixture of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and wasabi for a few hours, and it's ready to go.
Also, it takes almost no time to prepare and you can eat it right away.
The highly nutritious tororo (grated yam) and tuna go well together, so we recommend eating them together with the tuna on top of a bowl.

Mayonnaise is a staple seasoning at home. Mayonnaise is used in a variety of dishes and is loved by many people in Japan, but of course Germany also has mayonnaise. However, even with the same name mayonnaise, Japanese and German mayonnaise do not taste exactly the same.

What is the difference between Japanese and German mayonnaise? I compared this seasoning that is often used in both countries. 

What is the difference between Japanese and German mayonnaise?

German supermarket mayonnaise

In the dressing section of German supermarkets, there are a variety of mayonnaise, from famous manufacturers such as Thomy to private brands of each supermarket. The container is completely different from Japanese mayonnaise, and there are three main types: a long and thin aluminum tube, a plastic bottle, and a glass bottle. Furthermore, if you look at the product labels, you will find that there are several varieties that look similar, such as Delikatessmayonnaise , Mayonnaise , Salatmayonnaise , Remoulade , and Salatcreme . understand. What are the differences?
 

types of german mayonnaise 

According to European regulations on mayonnaise, mayonnaise is an emulsified seasoning made from egg yolk and edible vegetable oil, with fat accounting for 70% or more of the total weight and egg yolk accounting for 5% or more. It is made by adding vinegar or lemon juice.

Among them, mayonnaise with value-added characteristics such as using oil of higher quality than ordinary mayonnaise or having a significantly higher egg yolk content can claim the name delicatessen mayonnaise .

Salad mayonnaise is a mayonnaise-type condiment made from egg yolk and edible vegetable oil, and is at least 50% fat.

And remoulade is mayonnaise or salad mayonnaise with herbs and chopped herbs and is at least 50% fat. Common ingredients include parsley, chervil, chives, tarragon, pepper, capers, mustard, onions, and pickles.

Salad cream refers to those with less fat content than salad mayonnaise. Although there is no specific regulation, it seems that there are many products with 15% to 35% .

By the way, according to the food labeling standards based on the Food Labeling Law, mayonnaise in Japan is defined as ``a semi-solid dressing that uses egg yolk or whole egg, and contains essential ingredients such as egg yolk, egg white, protein hydrolyzate, salt, sugar, It does not use raw materials or additives other than honey, spices, seasonings (amino acids, etc.), acidulants and spice extracts, and the weight ratio of edible vegetable oil to the raw materials and additives is 65. more than a percentage” * .

Comparison of Japanese and German Mayonnaise: Differences in Ingredients and Flavors

Japanese mayonnaise and German mayonnaise may differ in taste depending on the manufacturer and brand, but German mayonnaise is generally lighter, less sour and sweeter than Japanese mayonnaise.

It is often used in salads with vegetables, but in Germany, the most common use for mayonnaise is french fries.
It's common in Germany to eat heaps of potatoes with ketchup as well as mayonnaise at markets, festival stalls, and restaurants.
German sweet mayonnaise goes well with freshly fried potato fries.

However, many Japanese seem to feel unsatisfied with the difference in taste when using this German mayonnaise in Japanese recipes.
Let's compare the ingredients of Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise and Germany's representative THOMY delicatessen mayonnaise.

First of all, according to Kewpie's website, the raw materials of Kewpie mayonnaise are as follows. 

Edible vegetable oil (manufactured in Japan), egg yolk, brewed vinegar, salt, spices/seasonings (amino acids), spice extracts, (contains some eggs, soybeans, and apples)

The ingredients of Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise sold in Germany are more detailed than those on the website. Vegetable oils and fats contain rapeseed and soybeans, which account for 70% of the total weight, and egg yolks account for 14% . Weight is stated.

On the other hand, THOMY 's delicatessen mayonnaise

Sunflower oil 80% , alcohol vinegar, egg yolk 6.2% , mustard seeds, spices, iodized salt, sugar

can be confirmed on the website.
In other words, you can see that THOMY 's mayonnaise, which is common in Germany, has a higher oil content than Kewpie mayonnaise, but has a lower proportion of egg yolk, and the vinegar used is also more sour.

Especially if you use German mayonnaise for a dish that uses a lot of mayonnaise, such as potato salad, you may be disappointed that the taste is not what you expected. You can add sourness with vinegar or lemon juice, but it will be difficult to make up for the richness of Japanese mayonnaise. If you want to enjoy familiar tastes in Germany, it might be a good idea to use Japanese mayonnaise for Japanese recipes. 

Japanese mayonnaise you can buy in Germany

So, what kind of Japanese mayonnaise can you buy in Germany?
You can buy mayonnaise from multiple brands at Japanese grocery stores in towns where there are many Japanese living in Germany.
However, Kewpie mayonnaise is the most commonly found Japanese mayonnaise in Asian food stores that carry products not only from Japan, but also from South Korea, China, and Thailand.

However, since it is an Asian shop with ingredients from various countries, there are times when Kewpie mayonnaise not only made in Japan but also made for Thailand and Vietnam is sold.
Even with the same Kewpie mayonnaise, there are differences in the ingredients depending on the target country, and the taste will change slightly, so it is recommended that you check the back of the package before purchasing.

Also, at our German-based online shop , we carry Japanese mayonnaise, soy sauce, mirin, and a wide range of other Japanese food ingredients, from table-sized sizes to commercial-use items.