The Embassy of Japan in Sri Lanka collaborated with the National Youth Services Council (NYSC) conducted a demonstration on preparing and serving of Washoku dishes. The demonstration took place at NYSC yesterday (28).

During this demonstration dishes namely, Karaage (Fried chicken), Chicken Nanban (Chicken with vinegar and tartar sauce) and Chicken Teriyaki (Sweet soy sauce-glazed chicken) were prepared. NYSC cookery course students as well as instructors and NYSC leaders attended this demonstration.

‘Washoku’ (和食) is a traditional Japanese cuisine which is integral to Japanese culture. This cuisine consists of a bowl of rice prepared with several side dishes. It is also important to know that the Kanji character “和” means harmony. Hence, it is vital that all of the dishes fit well with one another as a whole and create a perfect balance of flavors. This not only helps people appreciate the meal, but also adds another level of depth to the meals.

Since ‘Washoku’ itself is based on harmony and balance between different tastes, this event symbolically exhibited the core values bound with the traditionally friendly relationship between Japan and Sri Lanka, which marks its 70th anniversary milestone this year.