Staple Foods of the World
Staple Foods of the World
【Summary】
Staple foods around the world can be broadly divided into rice, wheat, and corn, and each region has its own main staple. In Asia, people eat rice; in Europe and the United States, bread is common; in Mexico, tortillas are a staple; in Italy, pasta is the main staple; and in Ireland, potatoes are widely eaten.
Japan and Korea use rice as their staple food and have a culture of eating it together with many kinds of side dishes.
In the past, rice was valuable in Japan, and cooking it required careful control of the fire when using an iron pot. A traditional song even describes how to cook rice well.
Today, electric rice cookers make it easy, but rice cooked in a pot—like when camping—is said to be especially delicious.
1
Staple Foods of the World
A “staple food” is the most important food in daily meals.
In Japan, cooked rice is the staple food.
The staple foods of countries around the world can be broadly divided into three types: rice, wheat, and corn.
Rice is the staple food in more than half of the countries in the world.
In many Asian countries, the staple food is rice.
In many European countries, the staple food is wheat.
In Mexico and countries in South America, the staple food is corn.
2
Rice and Cooked Rice
The staple food of Japan and Korea is cooked rice.
Therefore, in Japan and Korea, there are many kinds of side dishes eaten with rice.
For example, pickles and kimchi.
A “side dish” is food eaten together with the staple food,
and it is called okazu in Japanese.
In Japan, there is a dish called donburi, where a large bowl is filled with rice and topped with eggs or meat.
Korea’s bibimbap is somewhat similar to donburi.
Both donburi and bibimbap are very popular among foreigners.
3
In northern parts of China, people do not eat much rice.
In some regions, gyōza (dumplings) are the staple food.
Gyōza are made by wrapping meat or vegetables in dough made from wheat flour, and then steaming or boiling them.
The staple food in Europe and the United States is bread made from wheat.
However, because people eat a lot of meat, they do not eat bread as much as you might expect.
Also, in some countries, foods like potatoes or pasta are more common staples than bread.
In Ireland, potatoes are the staple food,
and in Italy, pasta is the staple food.
In Mexico, tortillas are a staple food made from corn or wheat flour.
4
Cooked rice made from rice is the staple food in more than half of the countries in the world.
Everyone, were you surprised?
Dishes made with rice, such as sushi, are spreading all over the world.
Japanese people have eaten rice for a long time.
Because of this, there are even songs about how to cook delicious rice.
In the past, before we had machines like today’s electric rice cookers,
it was not easy to cook rice.
People used to place an iron pot over a fire and cook rice that way.
Cooking delicious rice was quite difficult.
Now, I will introduce one of those songs.
5
“The Song for Cooking Delicious Rice”
(This song was sung long ago in Japan.)
“Start with choro-choro, then pappa,
when it starts ju-ju boiling, lower the heat,
even if the baby cries, do not open the lid.”
Choro-choro — At first, cook the rice over a weak flame, gently — “choro-choro.”
Pappa — In the middle, increase the heat and cook it strongly — “pappa.”
Ju-ju — When it starts bubbling and making a “ju-ju” sound and the rice is almost done,
turn off the heat.
Even if the baby cries, do not open the lid —
Even if a baby cries, do not open the lid right away.
Let the rice steam well inside the hot pot.
6
Today, everyone cooks rice using a machine called an electric rice cooker.
But please try cooking rice once by placing a pot over a fire, just like the song says.
Rice cooked this way—such as when camping—is very delicious.
In the past, rice was very precious.
People who didn’t have money could not eat rice.
They ate things like sweet potatoes instead.
Eating a bowl of rice was like a dream.
Today, we can eat as much rice as we want anytime.
Even if we are on a diet, let’s eat all of our rice.
Staple Foods of the World
*The main site for this reading 「よみものいっぱい」 http://www17408ui.sakura.ne.jp/tatsum/project/Yomimono/Yomimono-ippai/index.html
◆ Listener Questions
1.What is your staple food?
2.Does your country or family have a dish that you eat every day?
3.What delicious staple-food dish have you eaten while traveling?
4.Besides rice, wheat, and corn, do you know any other staple foods?
5.Have you ever eaten that food?
6.How many meals do you eat in a day?
7.In Japanese cuisine, do you have a favorite combination of a staple food and a side dish?
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