As the sweltering summer comes to a close, Japan begins to shift it's attention to the coming autumn. The cooler weather means dusting off the winter clothes you've been storing for the last four to five months. Of course, Japan being famous for it's four seasons, you can't forget the famous autumn foliage, known as koyo in Japanese, that paints the mountain sides in brilliant shades of brown, red, orange, and yellow. But most importantly, for all the foodies, a new season means a new set of in-season ingredients and foods to chow down on which is always exciting. We will take a peek into some of the quintessential ingredients to look forward to during the fall.
We'll begin by taking a look at a couple fishes that are staple to Japanese cuisine but are especially delicious during autumn. First up is the very popular Mackerel, or Saba. Mackerel is more well known as an ingredient in nigiri-sushi with it's strong smell and flavor. It is sure to be amazing in sushi as it is abundant in oil and fat to enhance the flavor. Another popular way to prepare Mackerel is by grilling it, traditionally over charcoal or an open fire, but an oven works just as well. Known as shio-yaki, which directly translates to grilled salt, grilled fish in Japan is traditionally seasoned with salt before being cooked. The cooked fish meat combined with the grains of salt on the skin make for an extremely satisfying bite and a very traditionally Japanese taste.
Another fish that is in season, and a personal favorite of mine, is the pacific saury, or sanma. This is also traditionally prepared over charcoal grill and seasoned with salt. Although not as fishy as mackerel, the flavor is still extremely rich and is often the main dish for a meal. Garnished with some grated horse radish, paired with a bowl of rice and miso soup, you are presented with a quintessential autumn meal.
Next, we'll go into some fruits that are in season during the fall. Perhaps the most popular of the fruits is the persimmon, known as kaki in Japanese. A fall favorite across the country, boxes of persimmons are often given as gifts to relatives or co-workers. They can be eaten raw if you're a fan of crunchy and crisp texture from a fruit. Just make sure to peel the skin properly. The most popular way persimmon is prepared in Japan is by drying them in the sun. When done properly, you get an extremely healthy but sweet, delicious, chewy snack that becomes irresistible the moment you take a bite.
Although this next food item is not exactly a fruit, it is still just as popular as persimmons. Chestnuts, or kuri, has been in the Japanese diet since ancient times. A staple food item during ancient times, it is now regularly used in traditional Japanese sweets or occasionally cooked with rice. Once you begin to see chestnuts being sold in the markets, it is a definite sign that autumn is upon us.
The last couple of ingredients we will take a look at are the seasonal vegetables that are available during autumn.