Japanese Izakaya Eats

Sushi isn’t the only bite-sized food Japan has to offer. Izakayas—Japanese gastropubs—serve up casual tasting plates, similar to Spanish tapas. Featuring bold glazes, tangy sauces and seaweed seasonings, these dishes are an explosion of flavor.

Onigiri—Stuffed Rice Balls

Onigiri—rice balls filled with flavorful goodness—are served in almost every izakaya in Japan. Stuff them with ginger & plum vinegar-infused chicken for a sweet and zesty snack.

Fried Chicken Rice Balls with Creamy Plum Vinegar Ginger Sauce

Step 1: Sauté chicken.
Sauté chicken marinated in soy sauce, plum vinegar and McCormick Gourmet™ Japanese Seven Spice.
Step 2: Wrap chicken.
Wrap a piece of chicken in a bok choy leaf.
Step 3: Add sticky rice.
Mold sticky rice around the wrapped chicken.
Step 4: Coat and fry.
Bread the onigiri in panko, fry and serve with Creamy Plum Ginger Sauce.

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Fried Chicken Rice Balls
A staple in Japanese pubs, these onigiri rice balls twist up tradition with an unexpected fried panko coating. They’re stuffed with sautéed chicken, seasoned with
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The Essential Furikake Seasoning

In Japan, furikake is sprinkled on everything from rice and noodles to veggies and seafood. This coarse mixture of seaweed, sesame, dried seafood, sugar and salt offers umami deliciousness and a subtle, sweet flavor.

Recipes

Housemade Japanese Furikake Seasoning
A umami-loaded seasoning packed with flavor from sesame seeds, bonito flakes, and dried nori.

This recipe was developed for the
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Homemade Shrimp Furikake Seasoning
Try this homemade Furikake Seasoning with dried shrimp powder to add a salty, savory and slightly sweet flavor to salads, rice, noodles, veggies, eggs and soups. It takes just five minutes to make...
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Homemade Wasabi Furikake Seasoning
Prefer your Furikake Seasoning with a kick? Wasabi peas and McCormick Culinary® Crushed Red...
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Miso Sake Yakitori Glaze

It’s all about the glaze. This tangy, sweet and savory sauce adds excitement to grilled chicken and seafood skewers. Brush on to instantly impress dinner guests with a distinctive char and bright, glossy look.

Recipes

Miso Shrimp & Shishito Pepper Yakitori
Skewered shrimp and shishito peppers basted with ginger miso glaze over a yakitori grill.

This recipe was developed for the
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Turkey Meatball & Scallion Yakitori
Recreate the Japanese Izakaya pub experience at home with these easy homemade turkey and scallion meatballs. Brush skewered meatballs with a red miso glaze seasoned with McCormick Culinary®...
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