Asian Food Culture

The Asian food culture is well known all over the world. In the United States, Asian American cuisine has become a popular alternative to the traditional Western diet. Dishes served in restaurants and even in households as well as foods purchased at grocery stores around the country are influenced by the cultures of Asia. One of the most popular cuisines to emerge from this Asian influence is sushi, which originates in Japan, but has now been introduced to other parts of the world including California, Thailand, and Indonesia.

While sushi is certainly one of the most popular Asian cuisines to come to the United States, another favorite that is slowly making its way home to the states is Sushi inspired dishes. This is in part due to the massive waves of immigrants from Asia and other countries who have made North America their new home. Many of these Asian immigrants settled in the southern parts of the U.S., specifically areas with significant Asian populations like New York, Texas, Florida, or Los Angeles. As a result, Asian American restaurants have been establishing themselves in these areas as well, and so have developed a strong influence on the regional menu as well as the dishes themselves.

Because of the large influence from Chinese immigrants to the north, many Asian dishes have also come to be seen as being Chinese influenced in nature, especially if the ingredients used are the same as those used in Chinese cuisine. However, with the widespread use of soy products in North American cooking, a new wave of “Americanized” asian food culture has emerged as Americans are less likely to eat foods that have been influenced by Chinese or Japanese culture. Americanized Asian dishes often use American-style ingredients such as garlic and cucumbers as well as American-style garnishes.