Japanese Fusion Foods

While there are many delicious traditional Japanese foods & dishes, many chefs have begun to explore the culinary delights of other nations favourite dishes. We take a look at some of the meals that have inspired fusion foods!

French-Japanese

The links between Japanese and French cuisine have become extensive, with Japanese chefs travelling to France to study the art of cooking since the 1960s. Over the years the numbers making the trip to learn of new cuisine has increased rapidly, and as such, the number of fusion food establishments throughout Japan have too.

So what dishes make up this French-Japanese fusion?

Croquette

The croquette has been enjoyed in France since the 1800s. As a mix of mashed potato, cheese and meat, breaded and fried, it’s easy to see why it has stuck around. Adapting the dish to suit the Japanese produce available, a restaurant in Kanagawa serves up a croquette made from a Softshell Turtle which has been stewed in (the very French) vegetable bouillon. Over in Tokyo, the sweet tasting flesh of the ayu fish is mixed with potato to form an oriental croquette.

In France, this dish is typically a dessert featuring thin layers of puff pastry with a sweet filling such as cream or custard. In Japan, this dish has been interpreted as either sweet or savoury, with many restaurants serving up their take on the treat. For the most part, the concept of layering is the aspect most commonly transferred in this fusion food. A restaurant in Osaka, for example, serves up a ‘Mille Feuille’ of Japanese black beef, layered with the equally French inspired, Foie Gras Poele. On a similarly savoury path, other diners are dished up a mille feuille take of tomato slices and yuba, a raw tofu skin.

Japanese-Italian

It isn’t surprising that Japanese and Italian cuisines have become intertwined, with many elements already being similar between them. The focus on simple yet flavourful foods is common between the countries foods, allowing them to work harmoniously. On a basic level, both cuisines are based on a pairing of carbohydrates (rice and noodles for Japan, pasta and bread for Italy), and vegetables and protein.

Japanese-Italian foods have a fairly long history, dating back to the post war years, when American GIs and Italian prisoners of war in Japan brought Italian style dishes to the table, establishing restaurants of their own in the East. While French-Japanese cuisines remain popular, the extravagance of some French cooking did not suit the budgets of many Japanese people, especially after an economic decline in the 90s. When looking for an inexpensive, homely dish, many turned to the Italian-style foods.

So what dishes make up this Japanese-Italian fusion?

Pizza

Pizza is enjoyed by pretty much everyone worldwide. Pizza is also, unsurprisingly, a favourite for Japanese chefs looking to gain inspiration from the Italian ways of eating. While traditional pizzas are widely available, the versatility of the dish in terms of what toppings can be used has meant that uniquely Japanese interpretations are also enjoyed. For example, one restaurant in Japan serves up slices of ‘Homemade Oil-Pickled Mackerel Pizza’, while another has ‘Shrimp and Mayonaise Pizza’ on the menu. Both are massive hits in Japan!

Pasta

Pasta is obviously a staple of Italian cuisine, and with the prominence of noodles in Japanese dishes, it is not surprising that pasta is also increasingly popular in Japan. In fact, there is now an entirely new type of pasta, called wafu pasta, which means Japanese-style pasta, revealing how important that fusion between the two cuisines really is. One restaurant enhances the humble spaghetti carbonara with the unconventional addition of locally sourced whitebait and shavings of black truffle, which really adds complex richness to the dish. Another Japanese-Italian venture sees fine capellini combined with chilled Hiroshima oysters!

Risotto

Japans love of rice is apparent even down to its naming of meals (asagohan, hirugohan, bangohan—“morning rice”, “lunch rice” and “dinner rice”, respectively). Rissoto, as another staple dish in Italy, was welcomed with open arms into the Japanese fusion food world. Of course, Japanese twists are incorporated into the dishes to reflect the fresh local foods available. Lobster and coastal fish are common additions to the dish, often whilst remaining true to the Italian roots by involving a great deal of tomato!

What do you think of these Asian fusion foods and which would you most like to try? Let us know via our social media channels! If you’re looking to experiment and create your own Japanese fusion foods, check out the range of fresh oriental produce available at Oriental Mart!