A

 

Aburage - Fried soybean curd; found in the refrigerated section of Asian markets, near the tofu, usually sold in a package.

 

 

Azuki Bean - Japanese red bean.  Beans are dry and sold in a package in the Asian section of supermarkets.

 

 

B

 

Bagoong - Filipino paste used as a condiment or in cooking made from partially or completely fermented fish or shrimp mixed with salt.  Sold in jars.  Has a very strong fishy smell and taste.

 

 

Barasushi - Tossed or mixed sushi.

 

 

Bean Threads - Asian noodle made out of mung beans.   Noodles are hard and opaque when dry, but soften

when soaked in water, then turn transparent when completely cooked.  (I usually buy the Mum's brand 2-oz.

package from Safeway or Longs Drugs/CVS.)

 

 

C

 

Char siu - Chinese barbequed pork.

 

 

 

D

 

Donburi - a Japanese rice bowl dish.  Foods such as fish, meat or vegetables are placed on top of rice to make a complete meal in a bowl.

 

 

 

F

 

Furikake - Japanese condiment usually sprinkled on rice.  Sold in small jars.  Comes in a variety of mixes, most including dried chopped seaweed, sesame seeds, sugar, and salt.

 

 

 

H 

 

Hijiki - Dried seaweed, used in Japanese dishes.

 

 

 

 

J

 

Jelly - Japanese gelatin dessert which come in a variety of flavors.

 

 

 

 

K

 

Kadomatsu -  a Japanese decoration of pine, bamboo, and ume tree sprigs, placed near the entrance of a home before the

New Year.  The pine represents longevity, the bamboo prosperity, and the ume tree sprigs steadfastness.

 

 

Kamaboko - steamed fish cake; found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets, near the imitation crab, usually sold in a

package with a wooden board on the bottom; the fish cake is pink on the outside and white on the inside; when sliced the

shape is of a semi-circle.

 

 

Katakuriko - potato starch; a white powder used to dust mochi (prevents mochi from sticking together).

 

 

Kawaii - means cute in Japanese.

 

 

Keiki - means child in Hawaiian.

 

 

Kinako - Roasted soybean flour usually mixed with white granulated sugar to dust mochi.  (I usually use the Shirakiku brand

5-oz. bag from Safeway.)

 

 

Kogai-Ajitsuke - Japanese seasoned baby clams.  (I usually use the Shirakiku brand 6 oz. can found in Walmart, Don Quijote,

or Longs Drugs/CVS.)

 

 

Koshian  - Japanese sweetened red bean (azuki) paste.  Most common of the red bean pastes, this paste is smooth and not chunky at all (see Tsubushian).  Sold in cans in the Asian section of the supermarket.

 

 

 

 

M

 

 

Meringue powder - An egg white substitute used in baking to make meringues and royal icing.  Usually sold in 4 oz., 8 oz., and 16 oz. containers.  (I usually use the Wilton brand found in Walmart or your local craft store, in the baking section.)

 

 

Mochi - Japanese rice cakes.

 

 

Mochiko - Japanese sweet rice flour.  (I always use the Koda Farms brand 16-oz. box from Walmart.)

 

 

 

 

O

 

Okazuya - Local term describing a take-out eatery that lays out pre-cooked local foods (i.e. cone sushi, maki sushi, spam musubi, shrimp tempura, hot dog, teri-beef, breaded mahi or ono, etc.) so you can pick and choose what you want.

 

 

Omiyage - Japanese term for when a person returns from a trip, he/she brings home souvenirs to family and friends, usually packaged foods.

 

 

Ono - means delicious in Hawaiian.

 

 

Oyako  - means parent and child in Japanese.  For oyako donburi, the name poetically reflects the ingredients of chicken and eggs used in this rice bowl dish.

 

 

 

 

P

 

Panko - Japanese style bread crumbs; comes in original or fine size. (I normally use the Shirakiku brand. 

Comes in 4.02 oz. packages.) 

 

 

Patis - Filipino fermented fish sauce (liquid) used to flavor and add saltiness to dishes.  Sold in bottles.  Not as strong in flavor and smell as bagoong.

 

 

Ponzu - Japanese citrus seasoned dressing and dipping sauce.  Sold in non-refrigerated bottles.

 

 

 

 

R

 

Roux - cooking a mixture of flour and some type of fat (butter, lard, oil, or bacon drippings) to thicken sauces or soups.

 

 

 

 

T

 

Taegu - Korean seasoned shredded pollock; found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets, usually near the kim chee.  Sold in plastic air-tight containers.  Very strong smell and a little spicy.  The sauce stains most surfaces.

 

 

Takuwan - Japanese pickled daikon radish; yellow in color; found in the refrigerated section of supermarkets, usually near the tofu or other tsukemono.  Sold whole in a package or cut into slices in jars.

 

 

Tamanoi Sushinoko - Convenient and easy Japanese powdered sushi seasoning for rice. One 2.64 oz. package

makes 4 cups of sushi rice.  

 

 

Tapioca pearls -  Spherically shaped starch which come in many sizes from 1 mm to 8 mm in diameter.  When raw, pearls

are opaque, but when cooked in boiling water turn transparent.  (I always use the Cock Brand Marque Deposee

16-oz. bag from Walmart.)

 

 

Tobiko - the Japanese word for flying fish roe (eggs), sold fresh by the pound at most seafood markets.

 

 

Tsubushian - Japanese sweetened red bean (azuki) paste.  This paste is not smooth but chunky with bits of soft broken beans.  Usually sold in cans in the Asian section of the supermarket.  For the smooth paste, see Koshian.