Much like America, Japan has specific regional foods. Today I am going to talk about 八丁味噌, or Hatchō miso and a dish made from it called miso katsu. This dish is found only in Nagoya, located in the Aichi Prefecture of Chubu.
Katsu is a Japanese dish where a piece of meat, usually chicken, or vegetable, is covered in breadcrumbs, fried, and then usually cut into strips and eaten with a sauce. Traditionally this sauce is called tonkatsu, and it's made with applesauce, onion, tomato paste, carrots and soy sauce. In Nagoya, you can also purchase Hatchō miso as a sauce. This dish is called miso katsu. It is considered an acquired taste here in Japan and typically only found within the Aichi and Gifu areas of Chubu, Japan.
The miso was so yummy! I have found that most foods in Japan are more plain or sweet in flavor compared to American or other Asian cuisine. I like to call Japan the sweet cuisine of Japan. This dish was way more savory and earthy and tasted really good. As someone who loves spicy and more savory foods, this provided a nice change.
