Rice's Best Friend, Yamagata-dashi

“Yamagata-dashi” is a local cuisine from Yamagata prefecture in Japan. Although it is a simple dish with just summer vegetables and soy sauce, it tastes so good with rice. I also love to eat this dish with good tofu, noodles, or salad. If you can get your hands on some “Myoga” (Japanese ginger) then please add it to give the taste a bit of a kick. I usually use “Shiro-dashi” (broth based soy sauce). If you can get “Shiro-dashi”, please try with it. It is very tasty.

Rice’s Best Friend, Yamagata-dashi

·      1 small Italian eggplant

·      1 or 2 mini cucumbers

·      2 or 3 okra

·      optional: 2 inches Mountain potato

·      optional: 1 “Myoga” (Japanese ginger)

·      optional: 2 to 3 shiso leaves

·      optional: minced ginger

·      to taste: white sesame seeds

·      to taste: soy sauce or “Shiro-dashi” (broth based soy sauce)

1.     Cut the eggplant, cucumbers, okra, and myoga into small pieces, then soak them in lightly salted water for 5 minutes.

2.     Slice shiso and ginger.

3.     Strain the vegetables well from step 1), then add shiso and ginger.

4.     Add soy sauce or Shito-dashi to taste, then mix well.