The word “Teppan” comes from Japanese and means “a plate of iron”, and “Yaki” means “grill”. With a Teppanyaki plate you can confit, that is, quickly prepare meat, fish, vegetables or even fruit in their own juices and fat. It is a very practical and versatile method of cooking that can taste incredibly delicious. Cooking on a teppanyaki plate also uses a technique for preparing food on a flat grill. This was developed in Japan after World War II.
The Teppanyaki Platter is a dish you must try
The style focuses more on the entertaining way of cooking with international ingredients. The Teppanyaki Grill and Teppanyaki Restaurants are becoming increasingly popular and are quickly spreading across Europe. In such a restaurant, guests sit at a special table in front of a Teppan Yaki stove and enjoy the work of a chef who prepares delicious dishes in the form of a show.
Each chef develops and demonstrates unique movements over the teppanyaki plate, for example by juggling the products. The whole thing is done in such a way that lightning-fast cutting of meat or fire is almost always part of the program. The great pleasure is the opportunity to eat warm the food that is being prepared before your eyes in seconds.
DieJapanese cuisineholds many secrets and traditions. One of these traditions is the Teppanyaki cooking method described above. Fans of traditional Asian dishes know that this technique is practiced in authentic Japanese restaurants and is not at all easy.
The story behind the Teppanyaki plate
As mentioned above, this cooking method is based on an open Teppan Yaki cooktop, where master chefs grill the food directly in front of the customers. Outside of Japan it is often referred to as “Hibachi”. A Teppanyaki menu includes various courses with meat, seafood and vegetables. The style is believed to have originated after the war, when a Japanese restaurant chain looking to replicate American steakhouses became a big hit overseas. In this way, traditional cuisine mixes with Western tastes, giving them a unique style that is popular all over the world today.
This type of chain was founded by Misono Steakhouse in Kobe, modeled after the conveyor belt sushi restaurants. Most Teppanyaki restaurants use expensive and high-quality ingredients, making the dishes only suitable for special occasions. For this reason, Japanese television dramas and films often show people of high social status, such as politicians or doctors, enjoying teppanyaki as a meal during business meetings.
There are also many other similar types of grilled food that use a hot griddle like teppanyaki. Okonomiyaki (a savory pancake), monjayaki or yakisoba noodles are two popular versions of this. However, it was the steakhouses in Tokyo that brought the built-in Teppan table grill to the forefront of restaurants.
Since its arrival in North America and Europe, this method of preparing delicious food has gained enormous popularity. Not only locals but also many tourists like to try Teppan Yaki recipes. The essence of this cooking is of course grilling on the plate. There are already one or two Teppanyaki grills or modern cooking stations on the market that can be installed in your home. You can mix thin slices of the finest meat with different vegetables or pre-cooked rice to get a unique taste.
Buy a teppanyaki grill and use it at home
Anyone who has touched Eastern culture, and especially the culinary traditions of Asian countries, remains enchanted forever. The way of combining spices, meat and vegetables makes Eastern food extremely attractive. While one of the most popular dishes is sushi, the teppanyaki cooking method has just as many benefits. One of them is the preservation of all nutritional values of the products produced. This cooking is based on quick baking. This is the most important requirement for ensuring that the food stays fresh and full of vitamins and minerals.
If you would like to try out cooking like this yourself at home, you will need a high-quality Teppanyaki plate. The cooking technique guarantees delicious, tasty, juicy and appetizing dishes that can be a real delight for the palate. So if you have thehealthy eatingestimate, you can get such a grill plate for home conditions.
You can use any type of meat, but to preserve tradition, it is better to use typical fish specialties. By the way, you can gain good experience by preparing chicken meat. This is extremely useful and tastes light and delicious on the Teppanyaki plate. Due to the universal cooking method, you can also use it to grill pork and veal. It is extremely important that the meat is very tender and cut into thin strips or pieces. The cut ensures a real taste experience.
To get a unique taste of the meat, you can first marinate it for about an hour before putting the pieces of meat on the plate. In principle, chefs use soy sauce, but depending on the type of meat, it may be another local seasoning. Vegetables are also essential. To prepare these deliciously and crispy, cutting into thin strips or slices is again the right choice. The vegetable side dish can be anything – zucchini, potatoes, eggplant, onions, peppers, etc.
How and which products go on a Teppanyaki plate?
The popular Japanese fish are rather unsuitable for this cooking method. Much more meat that is not typical for the East is used, such as beef and chicken. Seafood such as mussels, shrimps, crabs and many others can also be grilled well on the Teppanyaki plate. The Japanese use soybean oil, which is a typical product made from pressed soybeans. Traditional Japanese foods prepared also include various noodles and rice, as well as thinly sliced cabbage.
At the heart of the plate is the flat, wide cooking plate known as teppan, which was invented after the introduction of modern iron manufacturing. In teppanyaki restaurants, the hot plate is at the table and the fresh ingredients are grilled with little oil, although shoyu-based sauces are offered for serving along with dips. The chef uses metal spatulas, a grill fork and asharp knifefor the manipulation of products.
Die Theatralik
A central aspect of teppanyaki eating is the chef's demonstration of dynamic techniques, which can make the experience similar to dinner theater. This includes flipping cooked shrimp onto diners' plates, precisely slicing meat and seafood, and baking diced onions stacked in the shape of a volcano. While some of the most striking dinner show techniques are used less frequently in Japan than overseas, teppanyaki chefs in Japan are culinary experts. They work with fine ingredients, so you are sure to enjoy an excellent dish.
Food and courses
The menu can vary from restaurant to restaurant, but most of them offer a Western meal with a Japanese twist. The menus usually start with a starter (Zensai), soup and salad, followed by a fish dish, a meat dish for the main course, a rice dish and a dessert with coffee or tea.
The aperitif course can include dishes such as seaweed salad or a fresh fish carpaccio. Soup can range from traditional miso soup to seasonal offerings, such as kabocha squash cream of fish soup in winter or cabbage soup with scallions in spring. Freshly assorted sashimi can also be served at the beginning of the meal.
seafood
For the fishy course, grilled shrimp and scallops are very popular and allow the chef to show off his show on the teppanyaki plate. It's also a good opportunity to taste premium Japanese seafood such as lobster, lobster or black lip abalone from Hokkaido.
beef
Since Teppanyaki represents American-style Japanese steakhouses, it's no surprise that the meat course is the highlight of the menu. Eating teppanyaki in Japan offers the perfect opportunity to sample one of the best domestic brands of beef (Wagyu). There are also varieties such as Matsutaka, Omi and Kobe beef. The fine marbling of the Japanese beef steak impresses with a balanced sweetness that is never overly greasy. Many local restaurants dry the meat in advance to achieve a more intense flavor.
Since the entire meal is prepared at the table, you can be confident that your steak will be cooked exactly how you expected it to be. Enjoy with seasonings like fried garlic chips, various flavors of rock salt, freshly ground pepper, grated wasabi, or grainy mustard.
Rice and dessert
A rice dish with risotto or fried rice and egg simmered directly on the teppanyaki plate is also usually included in the menu. Particularly skilled chefs can demonstrate their skills by tossing the egg into the air, turning it with a spatula before breaking it and finally grilling it.
A dessert such as sorbet, cake or pastry with coffee or tea completes this filling Teppanyaki meal. This is prepared almost to perfection. Achieve an aromatic extravagance and immerse yourself in the world of culinary perfection. Create culinary delights on the Teppanyaki Platter that will impress even the most demanding gourmets.
