6x special combinations with Japanese mayonnaise
We previously shared our somewhat exuberant enthusiasm for Kewpie Mayonnaise, the Japanese mayo with a worldwide cult following. In Japan itself, mayonnaise is wildly popular too, and what they combine it with is downright remarkable in one case!
Because unlike us, who mainly serve it in delicious soft-white mountains next to our fries (and often spread it generously on our sandwiches with cheese too), Japanese people eat it with all kinds of different dishes. Many of these dishes are easy to make at home too, so go all out for once with a Japanese meal and that tube of Kewpie on the table…
Okonomiyaki
This savory pancake is a great way to use up all your leftover vegetables. In Japan, they often make a beautiful pattern of okonomiyaki sauce and Kewpie mayonnaise on top. If you can’t find the former in the store, you can also use our recipe for yakisoba sauce.
Yakisoba
There it is again: this delicious stir-fry dish of noodles with that aforementioned sauce. Some fresh, crunchy cabbage mixed in goes well with the creamy softness of Kewpie mayonnaise.
Takoyaki
What bitterballen are to us, takoyaki may well be to Japan. They are beautiful round balls made from a batter containing, among other things, octopus, ginger and spring onion, which are deep-fried, then generously sprinkled with bonito flakes and often topped with that particularly good local mayo.
Furai
Furai is the fish or vegetarian version of katsu; the former can be breaded, fried fish or vegetables, served with a tartar sauce based on Japanese mayonnaise. The latter is derived from ‘katsuretsu’, meaning ‘cutlet’, and is always made with pork fillet.
Salads
In Japan too, mayonnaise is often used as part of a salad dressing. Typical Japanese flavorings such as yuzu (a Japanese citrus fruit), ponzu, wasabi and/or sesame seeds are often added. Suddenly I’m really craving one…
Fruit salads
We found this surprising! In Japan, nobody finds it strange to season a fruit salad with yogurt or cream and mayonnaise. Interesting… I still think I’d rather dip a fry in mayo than a banana, but who am I to judge? So I won’t. Because conversely, I can imagine people in Japan find it downright bizarre that we, for example, get through so much licorice here in the Netherlands!
Also read:
- Here’s how to stock your Japanese pantry
- The rise of this appliance in Japan cannot be stopped
- Italian pasta from Japan: the best of both worlds
Source: Pogogi
