SUKIYAKI

Yesterday I was down in China Town. I hadn't had any Japanese cuisine for quite awhile so I thought I'd stop in at a Japanese Resturant that I go to once in awhile. It's a nice place. Mostly Japanese people go in there, and some tourists. I like the atmosphere there. I have never been to Japan proper. The closest I've been to Japan was three days I spent in Okinowa. Nowadays it is part of Japan. Back in the late 1960's, it wasn't. I think that is why I have such an interest in the country and its culture. I like the culture. I like their music, their gardens and their philosophy of many things. I would someday love to go and tour the country and get the full Japanese experience.

When I walked in the resturant I sat down in a booth. The waitress came over with a menu and told me that they were closing, but I could order 'to go' if I wanted. I already knew what I wanted. I quickly scanned the menu to see if they were serving what I wanted. I saw it. "I'd like sukiyaki to go please". I said. It didn't take long before she had it all wrapped up and ready to go in double plastic bags.

I walked out the door wondering where I was going to eat it. I crossed the street and found a stone bench at the entrance of the community garden just up the street. I sat down and carefully unwrapped my lunch and chowed down. It was very good, just as I had always remembered it.

A couple years ago I attemped to make sukiyaki. I bought a special pan to cook it in and all the ingredients. Here is basically what I did.

SUKIYAKI

Ingredients:

1 lb beef thinly sliced

1/4 pkg of shirataki noodles. They are also called 'glass noodles,' made from yam cakes

5-10 shitiake mushrooms sliced

a bunch of enoki mushrooms, as is

1/2 Chinese cabbage cut up

1/4 cup celery slice diagnally

part of a leek, chopped

grilled tofu, about 1/4 package

for the sauce you cook this in,

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup mirin (sweetened sake)

2 cups dashi (this is a Japanese stock made with some kind of seaweed)

Method:

Cut up all the meat and vegatables in bite-size pieces, or easy to pick up with chopsticks.

Make the cooking liquid

Fry the beef with a little oil then add the cooking liquid.

Add the noodles and the rest of the vegatables

Serve with rice
Have a pot of tea on hand to drink with this meal