Washism

On a cold cold day,

GRATIN~!

Prawn and broccolli gratin

cucumber & tomatoes refreshing lime salad, topped with crushed walnuts

hijiki (that long stripey seaweed) salad

Hijiki salad probably doesnt fit into the otherwise very western dinner.

But i just so wanted to have hijiki salad today.

Each time i have this, i think of mum and okaasan.

When i first had this salad, it was from the Aeon Mall supermart near Narita Airport. This dish is a very standard simmered seaweed item in any Japanese set meal, and i was elated to find them sold in big packs at the supermart, so people can grab them on the way home and have them with the family. But i would have the whole big pack to myself. And even get one of these home for mum.

I was surprised when mum said she liked this! The seaweed smell can be quite strong, but she loved it at first taste! So, every Aeon trip, i would happily buy hijiki salad. One pack to enjoy in the hotel room for supper, one pack for dinner with mum the next day.

Then when i tried Okaasans hijki salad, i realised the taste was very mild, but yummier! One pack of those bought at the mart makes you feel like having a can of beer because it is very salty and sweet. So after trying okaasans, i realised, the standard recipe uses a lot of sugar and mirin (sweet wine). Which means, a spoonful is good enough for you to finish a good amount of rice. But, after some advice from her, if sugar and mirin is lessened, you can have alot of it without worrying about the high sugar content, and without craving for more rice.

So it becomes like a salad!

I havent bought hijiki at the supermart ever since i started cooking on my own.

I dont fancy sugar in my cooking because mum didnt use them at all and i grew up as such. I am sooooooo thankful mum in law is like this too! =)