With spring in full bloom, a lot of you must be craving for new culinary ventures. Check out these lip-smacking Japanese delights we have gathered for you this season!
Sakura mochi, or cherry blossom rice cakes,
are traditional Japanese sweets made of pink-coloured mochi stuffed
with red-bean paste wrapped in a pickled sakura leaf. You’ll find them in many places such as festival stalls, local shops, and convenience stores.
Due to their colour and portability, they are very popular at cherry blossom
viewing picnics!
Asari clams is another phenomenal dish to savour in spring. As the coastal waters begin to warm, clams are in season. One of the most versatile ingredients, the bottleneck clams are fresh, sweet, and affordable too. You can add them to your miso soup, steam them with spring onions, or even fry them in butter. If you can’t find them at your local seafood store, you can always substitute them with other fresh clams. They pair amazingly with sake, check out our authentic Japanese ceramic sake sets for both hot and cold sake here!
A lot of people often mistake that Hanami dango rice cakes are mostly only enjoyed during cherry blossom viewing parties, that’s not true! This famous sweet seen in many Japanese movies and anime are enjoyed widely throughout spring, and known for their three colors, each with a different meaning. Pink symbolizes the cherry blossom buds, white for the flowers in full bloom, and green for the leaves after flowering is over.
Last but not least, Tai, or sea bream, is extremely popular at the end of April in Japan. Aside from being an auspicious fish as the name tai forms part of the word medetai, which means lucky, they are also at their fattiest this time, so you’ll see them popping up at fish stalls or used for sushi. They are equally delectable steamed, fried or grilled as a whole fish.
At Oomomo, we have all kinds of tools that will make cooking a fun and stress-free experience. Check these out!