How Japanese Food Culture Inspires OhSo Tasty Instant Soups
It’s no secret that Japan has a long and storied food culture. From sushi to ramen and everything in between, Japan’s foods have become immensely popular, and their influence is felt in nearly every corner of the globe.
Here at OhSo Tasty, we’ve taken inspiration from Japanese food culture and Japanese products! Here are a few ways Japanese food culture has informed how we make our instant soups.
Our New’dles
If you’ve ever read the ingredients lists on our soups, you’ll have seen that each contains our special kanten new’dles. This novel approach to instant noodles uses vegetable-based gelatin used in Japanese cooking for more than 350 years! Today, kanten is a culinary mainstay of Japanese kitchens, used for making noodles and tasty desserts.
Umami
Umami is a Japanese concept and term that’s become common in the U.S. its first known usage dates back to 1912 when a Japanese chemist called it the “fifth taste” (in addition to sour, sweet, bitter, and salty). It’s a core concept in most Japanese cooking, and it’s something we aim for in each bite of our soups. That means including things like dried onions, leeks, shitake mushrooms, and other ingredients that bring that extra punch of flavor.
Miso
Speaking of umami, a key umami ingredient in many Japanese dishes is miso. The fermented soybean paste is rich and salty and has been a part of Japanese cooking since about the 6th century AD (though other forms of fermented pastes have been around even longer). If you’ve ever eaten at a Japanese restaurant, you’re likely very familiar with miso soup, the cloudy and salty appetizer with seaweed and tofu.
Not only do we incorporate a dehydrated version of miso into our Miso Delicious soup, but you can also find it in our Sizzlin’ Sesame and Soy Satisfying soups.
Healthy Eating
Traditional Japanese food is generally very healthy at its core, with rice, soy, and fish being the two main staples. Eating soy and fish has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease, while Japan regularly ranks among the countries with the lowest rates of obesity.
All our OhSo Tasty soups are vegan (except for the Kickin’ Katsu Curry flavor, which uses dehydrated fish sauce), and we always seek to embrace healthy eating in all of our products. That’s why we keep each serving calorie-light but nutritionally dense.
Looking for more healthy Japanese-inspired soups that are quick and easy to make? Look no further than our full line of instant soups, also available on our Amazon store.