Image via WikipediaThis overview of Japan was prepared by W. M. Ladner, while a Supply Chain Management student in the College of Business at Southeastern Louisiana University.
Introduction
Japan is an Asian country located near the coast of China, consisting of an archipelago of islands. Japan is well-known around the world as a major country, with one of the world’s highest populations as well as one of the strongest economies. In addition, Japan’s culture has become well-known throughout the world, pervading music, books, and film. Japan’s food, in particular, sets itself apart from that of other parts of the world by its creative use of materials and colorful presentation.
Country Information
· Geographic Facts
Here are three geographic facts about Japan:
1. Japan is an archipelago, comprised of nearly 7,000 islands, with 4 islands comprising 97% of Japan’s total land area.
2. Most of Japan’s landmass is unsuitable for habitation due to landslides, forestation, and generally mountainous terrain. This fact, combined with Japan’s extremely large population, means that Japan has one of the highest population densities in the world.
3. Japan’s mountainous terrain is also densely populated with volcanoes; Japan suffers frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, and also has many hot springs.
· 3 “Serious” Facts
Here are three serious facts about Japan:
1. Japan has the tenth-highest population in the world, despite being one of the smaller major countries in terms of land mass
2. One of the highest rates of suicide in the world; suicide is the leading cause of death for persons below the age of 30
3. Analysts predict a sharp decline in population over the next century due to falling rates of childbirth, the mass-aging of the Japanese population (There was a post-war baby-boom followed by low birth rates, so the entire population is aging at once), and low immigration rates. Despite this, Japan has one of the highest life expectancies in the world.
· 3 “Fun” Facts
Here are three fun facts about Japan:
1. Video gaming is quite trendy in Japan. In fact, many of the world’s largest electronics and video-gaming corporations began in Japan, such as Sony.
2. Some cell phones can be used as credit cards, and it is possible to rent cell phones in certain areas.
3. Japanese wall sockets are usually 100 volts, and they can take 2 prong flat pin plugs. The same design is seen in America, but uses 110 volts instead.
· A “Potpourri” Item
Here are some interesting facts about Japan:
1. Japanese has three forms of “alphabets”- Kanji, Hiragana and Katakana. Furigana can be described as small Hiragana placed on top of Kanji for those who cannot recognize the symbols.
2. It is common practice for those with colds in Japan to wear face-masks so as to prevent spread of disease, out of consideration for those around them.
3. It is common practice in Japan to shop for food daily; convenience stores have prospered in Japan for this reason.
Food Information
· Recipe
Okonomiyaki is a fan favorite cheap and easy to make Japanese dish. It is often described here in America as “the Japanese pizza” or “the Japanese pancake”, but I don’t find those descriptions to be completely accurate. Instead, I would say Okonomiyaki is more like a sandwich with all the ingredients cooked into the dough. Okonomiyaki is usually cabbage cooked into a dough with ingredients that you would normally add into a stir-fry or a sandwich mixed in. The possible batters and topping combinations are almost endless, so it usually boils down to what the consumer prefers. After all, Okonomi Yaki roughly translates to “What you like, grilled.” Because of this, it is easier to give someone suggestions on how to make it and what to make it with rather than a strict recipe.
The basic things needed for the simplest version of Okonomiyaki are flour, eggs, water, and cabbage, which make up the batter. In Japan, there is a specific flour product used for Okonomiyaki which adds flavor and texture that is hard to replicate with basic household items in America. For that reason, I spice my regular, all-purpose white flour with salts, peppers, and herbs if I feel they would improve the dish. When I make Okonomiyaki, most of the flavor in the batter comes from substituting water with broth. For example, if I was making bacon Okonomiyaki, I would make a beef or pork broth and add soy sauce to it. If I felt like making Okonomiyaki without any toppings, I would make a vegetable broth or chicken broth for it.
Ingredients
Batter-
1 cup of Flour
2-3 cups of cabbage greens, sliced thin
2 eggs
2/3 cup of water or broth
Toppings of choice (usually vegetables and meats)
Makes about 6 – 8 small Okonomiyaki
Optional:
Okonomiyaki sauce-
Mixed Together:
3 tbs. ketchup
1 tbs. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs. soy sauce
Ground Pepper (to taste)
Directions
Cut up cabbage into small thin pieces and discard all tough white sections. Also cut up any meats, vegetables, and other toppings you would like on your Okonomiyaki.
Add cabbage, flour, water, and eggs into a bowl and stir until it is doughy.
Heat a greased pan to medium-high or electric griddle to 400. Allow it to warm up and scatter toppings into a circle.
Scoop doughy cabbage onto toppings and form into a circle with spatulas. Regular sized pans can fit 1 large Okonomiyaki or 2-3 small sized Okonomiyaki.
Flip over when the side with the toppings becomes golden brown. When both sides are done, put onto plate and add desired sauces.
· My Kitchen Story
In my case, I will be making Okonomiyaki with chicken and peppers. First, I start by making a broth by boiling chicken bouillon, soy sauce, and a few small bits of chicken. Since college students usually don’t think to buy bouillon cubes, they can just stir in a packet of ramen seasoning and hot water.
Next, I shred about 2 cups of cabbage and place it in a large bowl. Then, I chop up a few green onions along with a few pieces of bell pepper. Those go into the bowl as well. I take the cooked chicken and cut it into very small pieces and put them aside for now.
After that, I add the flour, eggs, and the broth into the bowl with the cabbage and peppers. I mix well enough to create a dough around the vegetables, but not too much since it doesn’t give me the desirable texture. Some people add Tenkasu – bits of fried dough – for a better texture, but Rice Crispies will do just as well for those who can’t buy any.
Afterward, I heat up my non-stick griddle to about 400 degrees. I take the small bits of chicken I prepared earlier and place them on the griddle. On top of that, I add a few scoops of the batter, press it down onto the chicken, and shape into a circle with my spatula. I repeat the process 2 more times since my griddle only has enough room to fit 3 small Okonomiyaki on it at a time. I wait for a few minutes until the face down side of the Okonomiyaki has turned golden brown and, with two spatulas, I carefully lift it and flip it over to cook the other side. Some people find this to be the hardest part of making Okonomiyaki.
I take these few minutes to make the Okonomiyaki sauce. Pre-made Okonomiyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise is sold in Japan and in specialty shops, but since I cannot get access to it, I make my own with ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and soy sauce. Some people like to add mayonnaise directly into the sauce, but since I don’t like mayonnaise, I don’t add it. It’s also fun to decorate the Okonomiyaki with squirt-bottle mayo.
After the Okonomiyaki have fully cooked, I spread on a bit of Okonomiyaki sauce. I find that most people like mayonnaise on theirs, and they mix the mayo on the Okonomiyaki sauce until it becomes a tan paste. Also, a lot of people like to add flakes of dried seaweed to it. I’ve added cream cheese and pepper jelly to a plain Okonomiyaki and found that to be quite enjoyable too. Remember, these are just a few of the endless possibilities. Okonomiyaki is about eating what is you like, so make a batch of your own and explore what flavors fit your tastes!
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Contact Info: To contact the author of “A Taste of Japan: A Recipe for Okonomiyaki,” please email W.Ladner@selu.edu.
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