Kabocha
Kabocha, sometimes sold as "Japanese pumpkin" in American supermarkets, is a type of squash. Compared to the more conventional sugar pumpkin and other squashes such butternut and acorn, kabocha has a denser, creamier texture - probably why my kids love it.
In Japan, the classic preparation is by simmering with soy sauce and sake. Kabocha is also a great substitute for potatoes in croquettes. I always use kabocha instead of sugar pumpkins for things like pumpkin pie and pumpkin bread. Muji cafe serves mashed kobocha mixed with some chopped greens. This tones down the bitterness of some greens, and my kids enjoy it a lot.
Natto
Natto is the infamous slimy, stinky, fermented soybean dish that is a fixture in Japan but hated by nearly all non-Japanese people who come across it. Natto is not considered delicious per say, but it is definitely a refrigerator staple. It typically comes with a soy-sauce based seasoning packet and a packet of Japanese mustard. Natto is a nutritious source of protein (especially good for gut health I've heard) that involves no cooking, so it is easy to see why it is popular. You can top it with different things. Common toppings include scallions, sriracha, mayo, chili powder, mustard, and nori.
The thing with Natto is that it smells worse than it tastes. It makes the dishwasher and garbage smell horrendous. Its slimy texture - a detraction for many but a virtue for some (mostly Japanese kids) - is a familiar texture in Japanese cuisine and one that kids seem to be fond of here. Although I didn't grow up with natto, I've learned to like it, unlike my kids, who adore it. When dinner fails to completely satiate, we pull out the natto. And it is never eaten by only one person. Once the natto is out, both kids clamor for it. As E says, "it's a natto fest."
Nikuman
Technically Chinese, nikuman has become a popular part of Japanese cuisine. Its basic form is a steamed yeast-leavened bun with a filling. In Japan, that filling is usually minced pork ("niku" literally means meat in Japanese) with a few variations.
When I was a teenager, I spent summers in Shanghai with my grandfather. He lived in an old part of the city where street vendors sold freshly made baozi, the broader Chinese name for it. There are endless varieties of baozi in China but my grandfather's favorite vendor sold ones filled with Chinese mustard greens and shiitake seasoned with sesame oil. This too became my favorite.
I haven't found anything similar in Tokyo, but nearly every supermarket and department store food hall here sells the pork-based nikuman. While it's not impossible to make at home, it requires some time and technique, so we buy it and keep it as an easy weekend lunch.
Soba
Soba is a Japanese buckwheat noodle. Because it is made from buckwheat, it is though to be healthier than its relatives, ramen and udon. Whereas ramen and udon are more often served in fast casual settings, soba is a bit more refined, though it also exists as fast food. Soba can be served in a hot broth or it can be served cold alongside a cold dipping sauce, a popular summer option.
My kids prefer soba over salty ramen and chewy udon. I usually do too, but I'm also considering how I will feel after the meal, and I doubt my kids think about that. It is common to serve soba with tempura. My kids like soba so much that they will abstain from eating more fried foods to save room for the buckwheat. I like it, but it is a mystery to me.
Shishamo
Shishamo is a smelt fish (capelin) native to Hokkaido. It is a small fish about the length of long green bean and barely a finger's width wide. You grill, bake, or sauté the fish and eat it whole. The awareness of sustainable seafood is low in Japan, but the production of farmed shishamo has grown recently to lessen the burden on wildlife stock. It seems that Atlantic capelin may be more sustainable, perhaps due to lower popularity.
My kids, who were introduced to it at an early age, also eat the entire fish. In Chicago, it was a treat because we could only buy it at the Japanese supermarket a half hour's drive away. In contrast, it is too accessible in Tokyo. Nearly every supermarket, even bodegas and convenience stores, carry shishamo. I still try to keep it a treat.
Edamame
Until moving to Japan, I only knew frozen edamame. Then I tasted fresh edamame here, and as you might expect, it tastes a lot better. Edamame season runs through the summer. In June and July, you will see fresh edamame stalks in supermarkets. Perhaps surprisingly, edamame is a popular beer food here in Japan, and as such, it's sold at sports concessions and bars.
As for my kids, they get a kick out of removing the beans from the pods. When edamame is on the table, it is difficult to get M to eat anything else. It is also super easy to prepare - just boil for a few minutes and sprinkle with salt.
Tofu
Japan is tofu-nation, and Kyoto is tofu-town. Kyoto has many incredible restaurants, and some of those serve multi-course kaiseki meals specializing in tofu. In daily life here in Tokyo, tofu is not as exalted but just as versatile and ubiquitous. You can grill it, fry it, flatten it into a pouch and fill it with rice (inari sushi), or simply eat it cold with soy sauce and a squeeze of citrus. Both my kids prefer tofu over most meats, and I suspect it's because of the tender texture. Basically they prefer to chew as little as possible, and meat requires many more chews than tofu.
When my kids were weaning, I blended tofu into ground chicken to make chicken patties. The tofu makes the patties more tender, fluffier, and easier to eat. Nowadays I keep packet of soft tofu in the refrigerator for an easy summer side dish - just cut, season with soy sauce or ponzu, and perhaps a sprinkle of bonito flakes, sesame seeds, and/or scallions.
Although some of these foods may not seem appealing for kids, they are actually quite popular among Japanese kids. Natto, for instance, is a beloved food of kids and often served as natto-maki (wrapped in rice and nori, like sushi). But since many of these foods are served only at home, I wonder if they have an innate affinity for them. If so, I wonder how American toddlers, having never tried a thing like natto, might react.
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