A FOOD TRADITION

Okinawan Cuisine

Okinawan cuisine developed through the historical Ryukyu Kingdom, maritime exchange, subtropical agriculture, and later Japanese and American influences. It differs from many mainland foodways through the use of pork, bitter melon, tofu, sea vegetables, sweet potatoes, tropical produce, and distinctive awamori-based seasonings. Common techniques include slow simmering, stir-frying, steaming, and preserving pork or fish. Representative dishes include goya champuru, a stir-fry of bitter melon, tofu, egg, and other ingredients; rafute, pork belly braised until tender; and Okinawa soba, wheat noodles served in a pork-and-fish broth. Okinawan food is a distinct regional and cultural tradition, while also sharing ingredients and methods with neighboring Asian cuisines.

Catalogue preview Cuisine connections may be unreviewed. Regional comparisons include their food references and do not establish the ingredients of a particular meal.