July 21, 2008

Mulukhiyya/モロヘイヤ


I think that in other cuisines, slimy foods are cooked in a way to reduce or elimiate the slime, but in Japanese cuisine, slimy foods are usually eaten just as they are.
他の国の料理では、ネバネバした食べ物はネバネバを減らすか無くすように調理すると思いますが、日本食では、そのままで食べるのが普通です。
Mulukhiyya is one such example. Natto is another. We also like to combine slimy foods together.
モロヘイヤはそんな一例です。納豆も。またネバネバした食べ物を合わせるのも日本人は好きです。

This morning, I gathered some young mulukhiyya leaves from my tiny vegetable garden, boiled them for a few minutes, and chopped them very finely. They are a great addition to natto!
今朝は小さな菜園からモロヘイヤの若い葉を採って、数分茹でて、細かく刻みました。納豆に入れるとすごくいいですよ!

1 comment:

Pamela Takeshige said...

You have a very nice blog. You should also make YouTube videos of your recipes in English. Many people would watch!! You are doing a great job! I found your blog while looking for Shiba-zuke pickle making recipes. Your recipe is quoted in several other blogs!!

About slimy foods: I am an American and I live in Japan and I love ネバネバ/NEBA NEBA foods, which is indeed translated as slimy foods. But, BUT, if you say slimy to most westerners, it TURNS THEM OFF. They don’t like it. I have no problem with it and I will often choose a NEBA NEBA DON/ NEBA NEBA RICE BOWL of Natto, grated okra, yama imo and other NEBA NEBA foods as a real treat. It is really too bad they just don’t like the word “slimy” which has a really really bad connotation in English.

Good luck, keep up the good work.