Happy New Year everyone
We look forward to your continued support this year.
Well, everyone, is it about time to switch on your vacation mode?
Time flies when you have time to relax, doesn't it?
I'm always busy every year, and this year I was running around so much that I could barely sit down.
On the contrary, you end up feeling exhausted...
The fate of being the eldest daughter, tears
In my blog post after New Year's last year, I talked about osechi and ozoni, but there are other meals that my parents make every year only at New Year's.
The name is
"Side dishes"
It's a side dish called a side dish.
It's a stew.
This is offered to the gods during the first three days of the year, and we eat it almost every meal.
It always contains 8 ingredients.
Daikon radish, carrot, burdock, taro, kelp, konjac... hmm? What else was it? Deep-fried tofu and dried shiitake mushrooms!!
As I said, every year I find myself asking, "What else was in it?" lol
After a year, I somehow forget about it.
This stew has a unique cutting method: instead of simply chopping the ingredients into chunks, all the ingredients (except the taro and shiitake mushrooms) are cut into strips.
The reason is a mystery, but this is the only absolute rule...
The seasoning is very simple
Dashi, sake, mirin, sugar, and soy sauce.
Of course, it also contains the soaking water of dried shiitake mushrooms and kelp that have been soaked the day before, so even though it does not contain any animal ingredients such as chicken, it has excellent flavor and is a truly delicious side dish.
Other dishes that are prepared on hand for New Year's Eve include stir-fried burdock, pickled vegetables, boiled lotus root, and herring roe.
It may be difficult, but I feel more and more each year that it is important to be able to feel the New Year's spirit through food.
The New Year passed by in a flurry.
And before we knew it, January 7th
It's Nanakusa-gayu.
We tend to think of nanakusa-gayu as a New Year's event, but it is actually a ceremonial food for the Jinjitsu festival on January 7th.
Jinri literally means "people's day," and in ancient China, people would use each day as a rooster's day on New Year's Day, a dog's day on the 2nd, a pig's day on the 3rd, a sheep's day on the 4th, a cow's day on the 5th, a horse's day on the 6th, and a human's day on the 7th, and on the 8th, they would use grain to predict the fortunes of the new year. It is also said that animals on those days should not be killed or eaten.
Isn't that like, "Wow?"
On Jinbi Day, there is a custom of eating a soup containing seven kinds of young vegetables to pray for good health and longevity.
This custom was introduced to Japan and combined with the customs of "picking young greens" at the beginning of the year to receive the life force of the earth, and "seven kinds of rice porridge" to make rice porridge with seven types of grains, and it is said that this custom evolved into the current form of nanakusa-gayu.
At some point, the porridge made from seven kinds of grains became porridge made from seven kinds of grasses!
That being said, it's perfect for this time of year, as it soothes the stomach and intestines that are tired from overeating over the New Year holidays, and replenishes vitamins that tend to be lacking during the winter!
And who would have thought that such an amazing meal could be made with just grass, rice, water, and a little salt?
The bitterness of the wild herbs brings out the sweetness of the rice, and the fragrance gently permeates the body.
"Seven Herbs of Spring"
"Japanese parsley, shepherd's purse, Japanese laurel, chickweed, Buddha's laurel, bellflower, and white bell."
Each one has a different taste, meaning, and effect, but it's impossible to remember them all, so I'll just say that they're all good for your body!
I had always mistakenly thought that suzuna was the radish leaf and suzushiro was the radish itself, so I was surprised when I found out that suzuna is actually turnip! I still don't understand why.
I've become more interested in Japanese culture and customs every year, and the more I learn about them, the more profound they become.
It's interesting to see how the customs differ slightly from region to region.
Well, February is almost here!
Ehomaki and bean throwing await you!
Oh no! I was talking about trivia and forgot to tell you the recipe!!
I like to use 800ml of water for 1/2 cup of rice. (Try adjusting the amount between 600ml and 1000ml.)
The seven herbs are turnip, radish, and other leafy vegetables that are boiled separately and then mixed into the porridge at the end.The key is to make the broth, which is full of flavor and nutrients, part of the water in the porridge.
Of course, the roots of parsley are delicious, so be sure to use them all!
See you next time!
[For more information, click here]
● Seri (waterside wild vegetable) - A fragrant wild vegetable that stimulates the appetite.
Shepherd's purse: Rub to remove dirt (also known as penpen grass, a popular food ingredient in the Edo period)
● Gogyo: Buddha's body (also known as mother and child grass. The original grass mochi. Used to prevent colds)
●Hakobera: Prosperity prevails (rich in vitamin A, which is good for the eyes, and also used as a medicine for stomach aches)
●Hotoke no za (Buddha's seat): Buddha's seat (also known as Tabirako. It resembles a dandelion and is rich in dietary fiber)
● Suzuna: A bell to call the gods (turnip, rich in vitamins)
● Suzushiro: Pure white (Japanese radish). Aids digestion and also helps prevent colds.