Consommé, bouillon, stock or broth...the instant base for your home-made soup
In Japan, instant stock cubes or granules are called consommé or bouillon and are sold at most supermarkets. These are prepared by simply adding hot water to make an instant soup broth. Some brands helpfully label their products to guide shoppers, but in other cases it is not always obvious what you are buying. Cook in Japan takes a look at what is on offer.
Vegetable (やさい, 野菜)
Maggi sells both a vegetable bouillon (ブイヨン) and a vegetable consommé (コンソメ), but only the bouillon cubes (キューブ) are vegetarian and free from allergens (pictured here). The consommé cubes contain chicken extract (チキンエキス). Both products are free of artifical additives. One sachet makes 300ml of vegetable broth,
Japanese company, Heiwa (ヘイワ) also produce a vegetarian bouillon, which comes in granular form (顆粒). This is also free from artificial additives. To prepare, add 1-2 teaspoons to 200 ml of boiling water.
Chicken (チキン, 鶏肉)
Chicken consommé (チキンコンソメ) cubes are readily available in most supermarkets. Some brands such as Knorr and Ajinomoto helpfully label their products with a 'chicken' to guide shoppers. Knorr also labels its products in English.
To prepare chicken broth by either of these brands, dissolve one consommé cube in 300ml of hot water.
Beef (ビーフ, 牛肉)
Instant cubes and granules of beef broth are the most widely available. Knorr and Heiwa helpfully have a 'cow' on their packaging, but companies such as Aijinomoto and Maggi simply label their beef products as just consommé or bouillon.
JAL sells sachets of beef consommé (ビーフコンソメ) that make 160 ml stock once prepared. An Ajinomoto or Knorr consommé cube makes 300 ml of broth when dissolved in the same quantity of hot water. Ajinomoto also sells granules of instant beef consommé - these are prepared by dissolving 2 teaspoons into 300ml of hot water.
HAPPY DINING!
Useful words
Consommé - コンソメ, Bouillon - ブイヨン
Cube -キューブ, Granule - 顆粒
Vegetable - やさい, 野菜
Chicken - チキン, 鶏肉
Beef - ビーフ, 牛肉
