'Yaki' in Japanese means fried or grilled, so by that rule, everything grilled or fried can have the word 'yaki' in it. Brace yourselves as we show off some of the stars of the yaki family.
This classic Japanese recipe consists of meat that is slowly cooked or simmered at the table. This is a great meal for the family served with miso soup and rice to accompany the sukiyaki. It is quick to prepare and healthy too!
Source: Feast magazine
This recipe for little octopus-filled balls hails from Osaka, but these are a crowd favourite all over Japan. While commonly spotted as a street food eaten on the run, many Japanese families make takoyaki at home; varying the fillings and toppings can be great fun for the whole family.
Literally translated as “fried stuff you like”, okonomiyaki is one of Japan’s favourite foods. There are regional variations of this recipe that contain noodles and even more gourmet versions with foie gras, but recipe is simple and pays homage to the original Osaka-style pancake - cheap, fast and absolutely delicious.
Source: Getty Images
This Japanese street food is a hit with commuters looking for a quick snack. Besides yakitori negima (chicken and onion) there are other varieties such as tsukune (chicken meatball,) kawa (chicken skin), hotate (scallops) and reba (chicken liver). The skewers are dipped in salty or sweet sauces, and then grilled over charcoal.
Source: John Laurie
Yaki udon is thick, smooth, white Japanese udon noodles stir-fried with soy sauce, vegetables and meat. It is similar to yakisoba noodle stir-fry except, soba noodles are replaced with udon here. This is a popular dish that is easy to make and this recipe is designed to serve 2. If you want to feed 4, just double the amounts and cook a second batch to avoid your wok stewing instead of frying.
We often think of Japanese cuisine as being elaborate and refined, but it’s not all delicate sushi and kaiseki banquets. A simple bowl of miso soup and grilled rice balls are the types of recipes that have served Japan for centuries. In many ways, the basic foods of Japan are just as charming as the fine dining.
7. Yakiimo
This baked sweet potato is purple on the outside, yellow on the inside is a popular Japanese autumn and winter street food snack. One bite of a just-baked yakiimo you'll find creaminess, a touch of sweetness, of course, and without the addition of butter or salt, they still have a strong flavour. The spud is pretty comforting even in Japan.
This recipe contains numerous tips for making these beautiful vegetarian nori rolls. Take your time and you’ll be rewarded with a sensational result. With four filling ideas on offer, tamagoyaki or rolled omelette is one of them. Made with eggs, dashi, sugar, shoyu and mirin, this particular omelette is relatively thick.
Norimaki
9. Yakizakana
Often served whole, yakizakana is a term for Japanese style grilled fish served straight off the grill alongside a bowl of miso and rice. It is a quintessential Japanese meal and is an extremely popular way to start your day.
To make this teriyaki sauce, bring garlic, ginger, sake, mirin, dark soy sauce and brown sugar to simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat. Cool completely and let your vegetables, tofu, meat and fish soak it all up.
Teriyaki salmon skewers Source: Feast magazine
Hundreds of years old, this versatile marinade recipe can be used for fish, poultry or beef. shares a recipe that he cooks all the time. Saikyo miso is sweet and pale and blends beautifully with the flavour of the fish. Tetsuya suggests serving this with pickled ginger. Although garlic isn’t popular in Japan, Tetsuya Wakuda says "Add ginger if you like ginger, a little garlic if you like, after all, you are the one who is going to eat it!"
Dorayaki makes a tasty teatime cake rather than an after-dinner dessert. However, simply adding matcha to the cake batter - and serving with cream - gives you a smarter-looking dish more appropriate to a dessert course. While you can purchase tinned adzuki bean paste from any Asian grocer, this recipe encourages you to make your own. 
Source: Cook Japan / Bloomsbury
You may have come across these fish-shaped cakes on your travels. Whilst the origin of the fish shape is unknown,is that sea bream were expensive at the time and so these cakes were shaped in a way to make the consumer feel as though they were eating something expensive and luxurious. They are most commonly filled with a red bean (adzuki) paste and the best taiyakis have a crisp outer shell that has been baked golden brown.
Melbourne's Papirica serves this sweet Japanese treat. Source: Papirica
Imagawayaki
Similar to taiyaki, these simple desserts are made by sandwiching red bean (adzuki) paste or custard in a simple pancake or waffle batter and then baking them in a circular shaped pan. The batter is thicker in the imagawayaki, meaning it will have a softer, more cake-like texture and are common street food stall snacks.
More Japanese food love
A Japanese comfort dish that's also a viral sensation
