In the Japanese Kitchen: Foodstuffs

I am not sure at just what age an American child realizes that milk must be kept in the refrigerator and that green peas and carrots are “good for you, ” but it’s an early bit of learning, I’m sure. Ask almost any three-year-old raised in a Japanese household if sushi gets refrigerated and you’ll be told authoritatively, “Never!” Japanese children learn very soon that hijiki (a kind of sea vegetation) and tōfu (bean curd) are “good” for them, too. It’s a matter of personal experience, of course. If you are not very familiar with the ingredients used in Japanese cooking, it can seem overwhelming and frustrating at times. It needn’t be. Here is a list—in alphabetical order—of foodstuffs with information on their purchasing, storage and nutritional value.