Real Estate Innovation

Popular Japanese Snack Foods

Japanese culture is fascinating to many Americans of European descent. We have found a love of all things Japanese, most especially the food! If you’re looking for snack foods or party food with a Japanese flair, here are some great Japanese snack ideas.

Yakitori - A kabob that is quite popular as a snack, party food, or casual dinner item. (Goes well with Japanese beer and Saki.)

To start with, soak your wooden skewers in water so that they won’t burn.

Ingredients: - 3 chicken breasts divided into bite sized chunks - 1 tsp sugar - 2 tbsp sake - 3 tbsp mirin - 3 tbsp soy sauce

Pierce and slide the chicken onto the soaked skewers. Stir up all the other ingredients in a bowl. Now grill the chicken on the skewer, basting it with a sauce.

Edamame - It’s finally gotten easier to find edamame in the grocery stores now that Americans have taken a shine to this popular Japanese snack food.

It’s easy to serve. You can have it out like a bowl of pretzels (complete with beer for football games), or toss it in a bag as if it were trail mix at eat it on the go. It’s a good way to get kids to eat more vegetables. (But be careful if you’re allergic to soy!)

To prepare your edamame, wash it thoroughly. Then, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add one tablespoon of salt to the water, then add the edamame. Boil for three to four minutes. Drain, then add a little more salt. Let it cool, then store it in an airtight container.

Sunomomo (Cucumber and Daikon Salad) - A great side dish for almost any meal, as well as a fresh afternoon snack.

-1 daikan radish -1 cucumber -5 Tablespoons rice vinegar -2 Tablespoon sugar -1 teaspoon salt

Peel the radish and slice it thinly. Slice the cucumber just as thinly.

Salt both vegetables and allow the salt to soak in for about ten minutes. Wash them off and drain well. Mix the vinegar and sugar and pour over the veggies. Let sit for at least fifteen minutes before serving.

You shouldn’t have too much trouble finding Japanese snack foods, because the last few years have seen an expansion in Asian sections in grocery stores. Not to mention there are more Asian specialty stores than there used to be.