Nihongo Lesson 11/27/15

We're cooking up a storm in this week's lesson!

By John Bae November 27, 2015

Welcome to the Nihongo Lesson feature. We strive to give you useful manga-based Japanese language tips and maybe even a glimpse into the translation process. This week's lesson will focus on Food Wars!: Shokugeki no Soma, a series that's all about delicious dishes. Knowing some Japanese food terms may be very valuable if you ever find yourself in Japan. This week's lesson will only cover the basics of the basics, so consider it the appetizer!

RYOURI (りょうり)

RYOURI means "cuisine" or "to cook," depending on how it's used. This current arc of Food Wars! is quite enjoyable, as Eizan makes for one despicable villain. Who doesn't want to see Soma kick his butt? Eizan's been using one dirty trick after another until he finally realizes that the only way to break Soma's spirit is by besting him in the kitchen.

Nl Cooking 1

SARA (さら)

SARA or OSARA means "plate." That was one cool scene in last week's chapter when Soma told Eizan to quit it with all the complicated scheming and let his plate do the talking. Looks like Eizan is up to that challenge, so perhaps Soma has bitten off more than he can chew...?
Nl Cooking 2

GYOZA (ぎょうざ)

GYOZA or "pot stickers" is the dish that Soma has decided to cook in his battle against Eizan. GYOZA are Chinese dumplings filled with meat and/or vegetables. They can be steamed or fried in a pan. GYOZA are very popular in Japan—and rightly so, as these dumplings are delicious! I just wonder what kind of twist Soma plans to put on the traditional GYOZA recipe! Maybe some kind of secret sauce?
Nl Cooking 3

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