Hi and thanks for posting! I was saving the sukiyaki recipe for the fall or winter months as it is a warm weather dish.
Even among Japanese and Chinese cuisines, there are regional differences (much like American cuisine has its southern cooking, Tex-Mex, etc.) but there are major differences between Japanese and Chinese cuisine. It's like comparing Italian to French cooking.
Japanese food, I must admit, is very limited in scope compared to Chinese cooking. But consider that Japan is a series of islands whereas China is a huge country that covers a vast geographic area that has many different food resources.
In Japan, rice is the staple of every meal, including breakfast (traditionally). Small dishes, which accompany the rice, usually focus on seasonal foods. Freshness is paramount in Japanese cuisine, which is odd because the Japanese also have a love of pickled and fermented foods. Servings are small and beautifully presented. Key seasonings include fish stock, ginger, salt, rice vinegar, soy sauce, soybean curd, soybean paste, wasabi and seaweeds. Flavors are subtle and delicate (some say bland.) There is some use of red chili but very little. Dishes tend to be low in fats. Many of the dishes are vegetarian (due to a national ban on meat in past history) or seafood-based (did I mention Japan is an island?) Meat is eaten today but prepared in small portions.
Chinese cuisine depends upon the regional ingredients. In Shanghai, there is a lot of seafood. In the inner regions, the dishes tend to focus on pork or duck. The cuisine of some regions use a lot of spicy hot chilis, while in others, the flavors are mild. However, Chinese cooking tends to use a lot of fat (sesame oil, pork fat) which results in richer flavors. Chinese chefs like to balance flavors with their opposites (hot/cold, sweet/sour, hot/mild) in a dish. Common ingredients in Chinese cooking include garlic, ginger, sesame oil, black bean paste, shrimp paste, soy sauce, hot chili paste, chicken/pork/beef broth, salted turnip, oyster sauce, hoisin sauce, 5-spice powder (star anise, etc.) and more. Foods are served family style most often. In large quantities.
In both cuisines, ingredients were chopped into small pieces for quicker cooking (less fuel to use) and easier picking with chopsticks.
The flavors of Japanese and Chinese food are vastly different. Most people prefer Chinese food, perhaps due to the fuller "mouthfeel" of the food. Japanese food is so lightly flavored with little fat that people often miss the point of it which is to enjoy the flavor of the fresh food instead of a hodge-podge of seasoning that mask it. There is an art to preparing and enjoying Japanese food. You eat, savor and appreciate it--and not just goggle it down.
But I also love the sumptuous flavors of Chinese food. I hope you get the chance to try both soon!
Last edited by Chi-Japanese Food; 08/28/10 02:39 AM.
My Blog: 
