Simple vegetarian meal of inarizushi, shio stir-fry zucchini and baked pumpkin.
The inari age (fried tofu pouch) was simmered with mirin, shoyu, sugar and kombu dashi.
The rice is seasoned with sushi vinegar, shio, and toasted sesame seeds.
I’ve always thought Japanese nabe (hot pot) was almost an ideal diet-friendly meal. You can get plenty of vegetables along with meat, fish, tofu, mushrooms, and other nutritious ingredients, all in one pot. It’s also relatively easy to prepare and, depending on the broth and ingredients, doesn’t have to be particularly high in calories.
What I find interesting is how nabe is marketed in Japanese supermarkets. When nabe ingredients, soup bases, and ready-to-use nabe sets are featured, the marketing seems to focus much more on things like “warm and comforting,” “perfect for a family meal,” or “easy to prepare” than on health, nutrition, or weight management.
I rarely see nabe promoted specifically as a healthy, balanced, or diet-friendly meal, even though it seems to fit those descriptions quite well. You can easily put a lot of vegetables, lean meat or fish, tofu, and mushrooms into one pot, and it’s much easier to make a nutritionally balanced meal than with many other quick and convenient foods.
Maybe it’s because Japanese people already see nabe as an everyday, familiar meal, rather than something that needs to be marketed as “healthy.” But from my perspective, it seems like a missed opportunity.
For those of you who love Japanese cuisine, what do you think?
Are you interested in Japanese nabe as a healthy, diet-friendly option? Have you ever tried eating it for that reason?
If you’re not familiar with nabe, here’s a simple example of the kind of meal I mean:
https://www.justonecookbook.com/collection/hot-pot/
https://japan.recipetineats.com/quick-and-easy-hot-pot-at-home/
I made everything at home 😆 I always make little too much, but fridge full of homemade food makes me happy!
A very eccentric looking store with a decent menu. Lucky Pierrot is definitely a vibe and a Hakodate only chain of Shops. They now have some english on their menu and you can use a credit card to pay!
I saw a long line at Sanuki Udon Enya, I had plenty of time so figured I que in line as well. Wait was about 45 mins, BUT definitely worth it! The noodles were thick, but light and bouncy. Broth had a little richer flavor but with that Sudachi, it really refreshes the broth. And the tempura, MASSIVE tempura hanging off the edge.
Just matsutake mushrooms for the filling. The seasoning is simple too, just kombu, soy sauce, sake, and salt