Ichiju-issai
Japanese: 一汁一菜
A basic Japanese meal format of rice, one soup, and one side dish. Simple yet nutritionally balanced.
Ichiju-issai is the simplest form of Japanese cuisine: rice, miso soup, and pickles. Though modest, varying the soup ingredients ensures nutritional balance, while pickles supply lactic acid bacteria. Fermented foods are naturally woven into this format. Recently, chef Yoshiharu Doi reintroduced this concept for modern life. You need not make every meal special. Within that simplicity lies richness. Rice, miso soup, and pickles—with these three, a Japanese meal is complete. Ichiju-issai with its naturally incorporated fermented foods is not only healthy but a hint for contemplating food's essence.