Cold days, hot soup
Usually when people think of Japanese cuisine, they think of sushi, but for me (especially this time of year), it's soup! You can find soup everywhere here, whether a simple miso, a complex shabu shabu, or a symbolic nanakusa-gayu.
This week I attended a cooking class where I learned how to make one of my favorites: tonjiro (pork soup).
I joined a group of 3 Japanese women and 3 Americans. There were some language barriers, but we worked through the recipe and figured it out together.
The Japanese cooks added lots of extra ingredients, including 2 kinds of potatoes, and even some freshly made miso that one woman brought (which she pressed through a strainer).
In the end, we produced a pretty delicious meal! I'm glad I know how to make it on my own now 😋
I still have more recipes to learn though, because everyone in the family has their own favorite soup…
E’s favorite: Ramen
A classic that evokes memories of those little rectangular packets we turned to during poor college student days…but oh so much better. E likes the spicy kind, so his bowl usually comes out bright red.
G’s favorite: udon
Though she’s more in it for the thick and chewy noodles, this is G‘s current soup pick. She recommends topping it with soy sauce and nothing else.
M’s favorite: kōn potājyu (corn potage)
This super creamy soup is not chunky like the corn chowder I grew up with…it is silky smooth (and usually strained to ensure consistency).
When made fresh it is to die for, but the vending machine version is pretty darn good too!
I hope to continue connecting with people over food no matter where I live — sharing life-giving rituals and enjoying delicious meals with fellow humans, regardless of their culture or background.
I know soup can't cure everything, but maybe it's a good place to start.