There are some basic differences between Japanese and British cuisine that I think causes confusion and big differences of opinion about the tastes of each.
We hear in Asian countries a lot that British food is “bad” and in The UK that Asian food is “strange and not edible.” It’s mostly tied to a difference of upbringing and being accustomed and familiar to flavours and tastes. Imagine a typical person in Asia and a typical person in Europe. The chances are that the European will like noodles and fried rice. And the chances are that the Asian person will like spaghetti, steak, and fried potatoes.
Why? Isn’t it obviously because they are brought up eating some similar types of food? Asian noodles are similar to Italian Spaghetti. Both continents eat meat, and food like potatoes and rice are eaten by both too, albeit in different forms. I don’t see why this baffles and puzzles people. You can expect the same typical people from each continent not to like the delicacies and more customized cooking from each cuisine too.
So what is fundamentally different between Japanese and British cooking? Well, Japanese food is largely soy and miso based. Modern Japanese people eat a lot of carbohydrates other than rice such as bread, noodles, etc. But there is a lot of soy and miso based food enjoyed by Japanese people. It’s very different to British food, which is largely reliant and often heavy on herbs and spices and has been since the medieval period. But some British food is quite subtle in taste and some is almost flavourless without the assistance of condiments, etc. A few examples that spring to mind are Yorkshire Puddings and Pasties. Quite a lot of British food found in bakeries, such as pasties, are rather stodgy and heavy on the stomach.
When Asian people eat some British food, and when British people eat some Asian food, there’s no wonder they don’t like the taste at first; it’s a new experience! I hated Miso Soup, Seaweed, and Senbei when I first came to Japan, but after eating them several times I got used to the taste and started enjoying them a lot more!
- Have you ever eaten British food? If so, how was it?
- What do you think of Japanese food? Is it similar?
- Have you ever started liking some food after hating it for a long time?
- What are the most common types of food in Japan? Are they soy?
- What is your favourite cuisine in the world and why?
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