Kitchenware You Need for Japanese Cooking

To make the Japanese cooking you do at home extra special and authentic, it is a good idea to have proper Japanese kitchenware items. The materials used and simple designs add to the methods and flavour required to cook. Take a look below at some of the essential kitchenware items to invest in that will make your Japanese cooking much more fun.

Cooking Chopsticks (Saibashi)

Known as saibashi, long chopsticks made of wood or bamboo are used for stirring, beating eggs, pan-frying and serving food. Usually, around 30cm long, they stop you from being burnt from oil or steam in the pan. They dry easier by hanging them up.

Mortar and Pestle (Suribachi and Surikogi)

A Japanese mortar and pestle comprise of a porcelain bowl, suribachi, and wooden pestle, surikogi. An important tool for crushing sesame seeds, Japanese mortar and pestles are easy to get a hold of but do differ from those seen in Western kitchens. The mortar has ridges to help with the grinding, and wooden pestle prevents these ridges from being worn down. Grinding seeds and nuts by hand help draw out the natural oils and enhances the flavour of various Japanese dishes.

Bamboo Basket (Takezaru)

A bamboo basket or takezaru is used as a strainer. It lets out the moisture and drains water from vegetables and fruit after you have washed or boiled them. The use of bamboo over metal means there will be no negative effect on the flavours. Using bamboo, a flexible and water-resistant material is very practical, and the baskets can also be used for serving food.

Omelette Pan (Tamagoyakinabe)

For lovers of bento, the unique, square omelette pan is a must. The rectangular frying pans, of which there are several sizes to choose from, are perfect for making a type of Japanese omelette called tamagoyaki. The square tin makes it easy to cut the egg into small cubes.

Bamboo Mat (Makisu)

A makisu is a small mat, 25 by 30cm, made of thin bamboo rods woven together with cotton string. These bamboo mats are used for preparing sushi, shaping the omelettes, and squeezing out water. Makisu mats might be made of bamboo sticks of different thickness, depending on its use.

Japanese Grater (Oroshigane)

In Japanese cooking, several foods are grated such as ginger, garlic, wasabi and radish. These foods have a fibrous consistency, and oroshigane has fine, sharp teeth which are suitable for grating. Traditionally, shark-skin graters were used for wasabi, but metal ones are used today.

Japanese knives

There are several types of Japanese knives, and the lightweight, super-sharp chef’s knives are very popular. For centuries, Japan has been the centre of quality chef’s knives, used to debone chicken and fillet fish. The deba knife is heavier, with a gently curved single edge blade, and specifically designed for butchering poultry. The yanagi knife is used for precisely cutting sushi and sashimi due to the long blade. The naraki is a traditional vegetable knife and is good for cutting thin slices of vegetables, dicing and cutting into thick-skin produce. For an all-purpose knife, go for the santoku. The name refers to the ‘three virtues’ of a knife, which can cut meat, fish and produce.

Wooden spatula (shamoji)

The shamoji is a wood or bamboo spatula, today often made from plastic, used for mixing and serving rice. The large, flat paddle is rounded and frequently dipped in water to prevent rice from sticking to it. The shamoji is also used to crush garlic, due to the large, flat surface.

In addition to the traditional kitchenware, have a browse through the Japanese tableware we have available online, from rice and soup bowls to chopstick rests. Having the right equipment in the kitchen when cooking and eating Japanese cuisine adds a sense of authenticity.Image credit: Roberto De la Parra, Sharp Edge, Sushi RU