If you are a millennial , you probably grew up watching Naruto , Sakura , Inuyasha and many other animes on TV, and this surely made you very curious about the dishes that their characters usually consume. Currently, which is surely no coincidence, millennials are among those who consume Japanese food the most in Mexico . But it is not only among this generation that it is so popular, its flavors and combinations, so different from ours, make it a favorite of many sushi near me.
However, the same thing happens with Mexican version of Japanese food as with Mexican food consumed in other countries, that is, it has nothing to do with the original.
A gringo taco is completely different from a Mexican taco, and in the same way, the sushi that we normally eat, with avocado, for example, is far from authentic Japanese sushi , which is often simply steamed rice with vinegar and some seasoning, to which is added a little wasabi (Japanese spicy seasoning) and a piece of some good, raw fish.
While we enjoy sushi for its unusual combination of flavors, they enjoy the pure taste of its ingredients more. Although there is Japanese sushi that mixes various flavors, the truth is that it is not similar to the common combinations in the Mexican style; In Japan you won’t find a La Pinta Roll and let’s not talk about soy with lemon and toreado chiles!
And since we already realized that in reality most of the Japanese specialty restaurants in Mexico offer us the Mexicanized version (which, be careful! It is still delicious), the interest in trying and getting to know the authentic and original has been growing. Therefore, there are more and more establishments that offer it, but, due to the contingency and the quarantine to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus , most of these remain closed for the moment.
So what to do if you’re craving authentic Japanese cuisine and your favorite place is still closed? Well, you cook it! This is where young chef Yuta Onodera comes in.
A native of Kawasaki , Kanagawa Province , Japan , lives in Mexico and speaks near-perfect Spanish with a charming Japanese accent. This chef, who is happy to live in our country, has taken on the task of creating a channel on You Tube , called Japanese Cooking with Yuta , in which he shares traditional recipes from his country and some more Westernized desserts, which, curiously, are among his most popular videos .
Among his most viewed videos are, as we already mentioned, those of desserts such as Japanese Fruit Cake , Dango , Mochi or the famous Japanese Hot Cakes and Cheesecake , but there are also the favorite recipes of Mexican millennials in love with culture and Japanese cuisine, such as Takoyaki , various types of Ramen , Okonomiyaki , Onigiri , Yakimeshi , Tempura udon , Tonkatsu , Yakisoba and many more.