Tantalizing Tastes From Anime: Cooking the Iconic Japanese Recipes

Usually, Japanese animators pay considerable attention to food. Each dish is so appetizing that the viewer has a desire to taste exotic meals together with the heroes of the story. We’ve collected several recipes that are often found in anime to help fans of Japanese culture realize their desires.

Anime-Inspired Karaage Delight

Karaage is meat and vegetables cooked in potato starch. Often, Japanese associate the word “karaage” with deep-fried chicken. This is often put in bento and cooked at festivals.

Ingredients:

• chicken thighs — 0.66 g
• potato starch — 3 tbsp
• vegetable oil — to taste

Marinade:

• rice wine — 1 tbsp
• soy sauce — 1 tbsp
• sesame oil — 2 tsp
• grated ginger — 2 tsp
• grated garlic — 2 tbsp
• powdered chicken broth — ½ tsp
• salt — ½ tsp
• black pepper — ½ tsp

Garnish:

• sliced lemon
• cherry tomatoes

Recipe:

1. Wash and remove excess fat from the chicken thighs. Prick the meat with a fork in several places and cut it into pieces.
2. Place the sliced chicken pieces in a deep bowl, add the marinade ingredients, and mix well. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and send it to marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.
3. Pour off all the marinade and coat the meat in the starch.
4. Pour a 4-inch layer of vegetable oil into a skillet and heat it to 356 °F. Put the chicken in the skillet and fry for 4 minutes. When the batter becomes crispy and the meat is completely cooked through, pour off the oil.
5. Place the karaage on a plate and garnish with lemon slices and cherry tomatoes.

Every bite of this karaage together with a few rounds of the Book of the Dead demo game provides a crispy symphony, transporting you to a bustling Japanese festival. The tenderness of the chicken, coupled with the zest of lemon slices, makes it an irresistible delight. 

Kare Raisu: Anime’s Favorite Comfort Dish

Almost every anime has scenes where the characters cook or eat an appetizing meal called kare raisu. It requires vegetables, meat, and rice to prepare. Simply and quickly cooked, this dish will quickly become one of your favorites.

Ingredients:

• rice — 0.99 lb
• meat (beef/pork) — 0.44 lb
• carrot — 1 pc
• onion — 1 pc
• potatoes — 2 pcs
• Water — 0.13 gal
• curry sauce — 0.066 lb
• vegetable oil — 2 tsp

Recipe:

1. Boil the rice. When it’s ready, place it on a plate.
2. Peel the carrots and potatoes.
3. Coarsely chop the carrots, onion, and potatoes.
4. Cut the meat into small pieces.
5. Pour vegetable oil into a saucepan, add the meat, and fry over medium heat. When it starts to change color, put in the carrots, onions, and potatoes.
6. Fry the meat and vegetables for a couple of minutes. Pour water into the pot and increase the heat to high. As soon as the water boils, remove the scale, reduce the heat, and simmer for 15 minutes.
7. When the potatoes are boiled, add the curry sauce and mix well. Remove the pot from the stove.
8. Pour the cooked curry over the rice.

Kare raisu is a hug in a bowl. Every spoonful, infused with rich flavors and heartwarming spices, promises comfort and nostalgia. 

Ramen: A Bowlful of Anime Nostalgia

One of the most popular dishes among fans of Japanese animation is ramen. Viewers repeatedly saw how anime characters ate this soup. There’s a huge number of ramen types, and each has its own unique name.

Ingredients:

• ramen noodles — 2 pcs
• bean sprouts — 0.22 lb
• cabbage — 0.22 lb
• char Siu pork — 2 pcs
• boiled egg — 1 pc
• sugar corn — 0.22 lb
• Butter — 0.044 lb

Broth:

• sesame oil — 1 tsp
• grated garlic — 1 tbsp
• grated ginger — 1 tbsp
• toban-djan paste — ½ tsp
• ground chicken — 0.22 lb
• miso — 4 tbsp
• powdered chicken broth — 1 tbsp
• mentsuyu sauce — 1 tbsp
• salt — ½ tsp
• sugar — 1.5 tbsp
• sake — 1 tbsp
• white sesame seeds — 1 tbsp
• boiling water — 0.24 gal
• white pepper — a couple of peas

Recipe:

1. Put sesame oil, grated garlic, grated ginger, and toban-djan paste in a pan. Fry on low heat until fragrant.
2. Add the minced chicken to the skillet and fry it, stirring regularly. When the mince is ready, add the miso paste and stir. Next, add the rest of the ingredients for the broth and cook on low heat.
3. Boil the cabbage and bean sprouts in a separate pot. When the vegetables are boiled, remove them from the pot. Boil the noodles in the vegetable broth.
4. When the noodles are ready, put them in a deep bowl, pour the broth into it, put the cut-boiled egg and pork on top, and sprinkle green onions and corn.

This ramen is a culinary tapestry of flavors and textures. Each element of this dish sings in harmony, taking you on a flavorful journey across Japanese streets.