35 Delicious Japanese Recipes

Chicken katsu belongs to a class of Japanese cuisine called yoshoku, which refers to Japanese-style Western dishes. This crispy chicken cutlet was inspired by schnitzel but uses panko breadcrumbs and is fried in oil instead of butter. Katsu is short for katsuretsu, which is the Japanese pronunciation of cutlet.

Baby bok choy is popular in many East Asian cuisines because of its striking appearance, mild flavor and crisp texture. This is a simple recipe that combines soy sauce and spicy sesame oil for a full-flavored side or vegetarian main course.

There are two basic styles of this Japanese rolled omelet: a dashi version and a slightly sweet version made with a little sugar. The former is fluffier and moister, but the latter is simpler to prepare because you don’t need to make dashi and the egg isn’t as wet, so it rolls up more easily. The omelets are traditionally cooked in special square or rectangular tamagoyaki pans, but a round skillet, preferably nonstick, is possible (although a little trickier). Serve tamagoyaki hot, at room temperature or cold, for breakfast or as a side dish, snack or part of a bento box.

Curry was brought to Japan by the British in the 18th century and has since become one of the nation’s most popular dishes. Unlike typical Asian curries, the Japanese sauce is thick and subtly sweet. As for the spice level, that can vary from mild to hot. Kare raisu is commonly made using store-bought curry roux blocks. They are really good and convenient, especially in a pinch. But a from-scratch version doesn’t take that much more time or effort and tastes a bit fresher and more nuanced. You can also play with the flavorings to suit your taste. Onions, carrots and potato are classic kare raisu ingredients, along with some kind of protein. This recipe uses beef, but you could try chicken, seafood or tofu, which can be cooked right in the sauce with the vegetables.