Reiko
I lean in as she speaks, struggling to keep up. Even though my mother-in-law has lived in the United States for more than forty years, her heavy accent still gives trouble even to her own (American-born) children. Reiko, or "Grandma" as she's known in our house, was born and raised in Osaka, Japan. It wasn't until an American GI swept her off her feet that she left home for the first time. Except for brief trips back to visit family, she's lived in the United States ever since.
Can you imagine the kind of love that compels you to leave everything and marry into a foreign culture? She was a proper Japanese girl, and he was an African-American soldier from the South. Despite their differences, they found a common ground that resulted in marriage and three beautiful children.
Crossing cultures required compromises. Over time, Grandma's cooking gradually adapted to suit the tastes of her new husband, combining a bit of both Japan and the South. It wasn't unusual to serve both okonomiyaki and collard greens at the same table. Now that her husband has passed, Grandma has retreated to the comfortable foods she knows best, the tastes of "home."
My wife Junko has been trying for years to get her mama to teach her Japanese cooking. The reply is almost dismissive, "Oh, you know how to make that." Stonewalled. However, since Grandma moved back to Hawaii four years ago, she seems willing, even eager, to teach me all the Japanese dishes she wouldn't share with her own daughter. The last time we swung by her condo for a visit, she thrust paper and pen into my hands, "You write this down. Tataki Kyuri."
The dish is so simple it hardly merits a recipe. Literally, tataki kyuri means "pounded cucumber." Simple, but delicious.
- Japanese cucumber
- salt
- sesame oil
The exact quantities in the recipe are at your discretion.
Trim the ends off the cucumber then roll it under your palms to break up the inside "meat." Don't overdo it though. The cucumber should remain intact. Our goal is to separate and loosen the flesh, releasing the juices and sweetness.
Once the cucumber feels a little mushy, we're ready to move to the next step. Smack the cucumber with a pestle or rolling pin until it begins to break into pieces. Once it does, continue breaking it with your fingers into jawbreaker-sized chunks. Salt lightly and let sit for five minutes.
Remove the cucumber pieces to a bowl, discarding any juices that may have drained. Drizzle lightly with sesame oil and plate it. Really, that's all there is to it. Serve as a small side dish.
This sounds so yummy, Alan, that I can't wait to try it. Oft-times, simplicity is the very reason a dish shines. When my mother-in-love (-law ~_^) taught me to make what her family calls "wooblies", there was no recipe. I stood beside her and with eggs, flour and a little salt, she showed me how to make simplest of mini-dumplings (almost like Spaetzel) which were dropped, thumbnail-sized into gently simmering chicken soup. There were no exact measurements - it's one of those that depends on how big the eggs are, how humid the day, etc. What a treat! And how wonderful to stand beside her and share the moment. Don't you just love learning to cook that way?!!! Not only do you learn technique and a simple heart-warming dish but you are further warmed by the memory each time you make it! Aloha nui! Laurel
Laurel, the other thing I notice when learning to cook alongside someone is all the little time-saving or flavor-enhancing tricks they use without even thinking about it; the kinds of things that wouldn't make it into a printed recipe. Those make me a better cook faster than anything else.
I'm so glad to hear you are learning those recipes - that is such a treat!
So simple and so perfect. I wil be making this! Thanks for sharing.
I can't figure out why she'd share recipes with you rather than her daughter, but if that's what it takes then I hope you've always got a pen and paper handy. And that after mastering the recipe, you share them with your loyal readers! Really, though, I agree with Lauren that it's wonderful how you get to share this special moment with Reiko. After all, I doubt that either of you would engage with each other like this if it wasn't special to you both. It's great, too, that you're able to pick up various tricks for future use!
Lori, agreed, and I don't take it for granted.
DebInHawaii, if you think of it, please let me know how it turns out for you, or if you'd do anything differently.
Sapuche- My wife and I have wondered the same thing. Why share with me and not with her own daughter? We don't have any good answers, but are both pleased that she's willing to share prized family recipes with at least one of us (and by extension, both of us). As you've aptly noted, it enables her and I to engage on a whole new level.