Food from Dragon Ball: Goku's Appetite and Japanese Cuisine

Food from Dragon Ball: Goku's Appetite and Japanese Cuisine

Goku in Dragon Ball eats in incredible quantities — it is one of the series' signature comic devices. Rice balls, giant bowls of rice, meat dishes: food in DB reflects creator Akira Toriyama's rural Japanese roots.

History and origin

Akira Toriyama grew up in rural Japan and often said simple village food inspired him. The food in Dragon Ball is primarily Japanese country cooking: rice, fish, vegetables and grilled meat.

Key ingredients

A classic 'Goku menu' for a themed party: mountains of white rice, yakitori, simple miso soup with wakame, onigiri with various fillings and a large piece of grilled fish.

How to cook at home

For authentic Japanese rice, rinse it several times until the water runs clear, soak for 30 minutes, then cook in a 1:1.1 ratio of rice to water, covered, on low heat for 15 minutes without stirring.

Try this recipe at home — it's much easier than it looks and will make you feel part of your favourite universe.