Fifteen large water chestnuts; three quarters pound of sweet potatoes; three tablespoonfuls of vinegar; three quarters pound of sugar; one half pint of mirin sauce.
Peel the skin from fifteen large water chestnuts and slice them very thin. Boil in lukewarm water for about fifteen minutes. Peel the sweet potatoes, cut in slices, and dip in ice-cold water three or four times, changing the water with each dipping. Boil about one quart in an enameled saucepan, add the vinegar, then throw in the sweet potatoes. Cover, and boil for about twenty minutes; then, if tender, drain off all the water and add the sugar, with five tablespoonfuls of warm water and also the mirin sauce. Add a pinch of salt. Then place over the fire and add the above prepared water chestnuts. When the water chestnuts have thoroughly absorbed the juice, add the strained sweet potatoes, stir with wooden spoon, taking care not to burn it, and boil until it is firm. Serve hot or cold--it is better hot.
MUSHI TAMANA AND BUTA (Cabbage and Pork)
One good-sized hard cabbage; one cupful of syou sauce; one tablespoonful of sugar; one pound of salt pork; one onion; salt and pepper.
First boil the salt pork for one hour, then chop it in small pieces. Select a good hard cabbage without blemishes and wash it thoroughly in cold water; soak it in water with a handful of salt to kill all possible vermin. Remove from salted water, and rinse in fresh water, removing all salt. Carefully cut out the heart and center leaves, making a good-sized pocket, and fill this space with the chopped pork and one onion chopped very fine, salt, pepper, and a teaspoonful of goma seeds. Press the cabbage leaves back into place, and tie tight in cheesecloth. Have ready a deep pot of boiling salted water, and in this place the cabbage in the bag. Cover, and boil slowly for two hours. Remove to a platter, and pour over it the syou sauce, which has first been boiled. Serve with rice.
SHIRO URI (Stewed Squash)
These squash or various kinds of vegetable marrows are best simply peeled and boiled in salted water for twenty minutes, then removed and allowed to simmer in boiling syou sauce for five minutes longer. They are also very good stuffed with chopped meat or fish. To stuff one, take cold meat, chop it very fine, then mix with it two tablespoonfuls of miso and salt, pepper, and spices, and two tablespoonfuls of syou, and fill the center. Fish can be used instead of meat; but if fish is used, add the juice of a lemon.
NASUBI YAKI (Fried Eggplant)
Peel the eggplant and cut it in slices. Cover with ice water and a handful of salt. Put on a heavy weight, iron or stone, to press out the juice, and leave for about half an hour. Then strain off all water, which will be a dark brown, and rinse with fresh cold water, wiping dry each slice. Dip each piece in beaten eggs, and fry in goma-seed oil; drain off all oil. Place on a platter, covering well with one cupful of cooking sauce, boiled. Sprinkle with goma seeds, and serve with rice.
AMAI TAMANA (Sweet and Sour Cabbage)
Cut a small, hard cabbage very fine. Place in frying pan one tablespoonful of goma oil, and when it is boiling hot throw in the shredded cabbage. Sprinkle with salt, and fry, stirring constantly to keep it from burning. Add one tablespoonful of sugar, the same quantity of vinegar, and a little piece of lemon or orange peel, shaved very fine. Cover tight, and let all simmer for twenty minutes. Finally add half a teaspoon of goma seeds. Serve hot.
SATSUMA TAMANA (Cabbage, Satsuma Style)
Wash and shred fine a hard, crisp cabbage. In deep pan put goma-seed or olive oil. Add the cabbage, with half a dozen stoned prunes and the juice of a lemon, pepper, and salt. Let this slowly stew in its own juices for an hour or so. Raisins can be used instead of prunes, if preferred. It is a delicious way of cooking cabbage, the fruit lending a most delightful aroma to the cabbage.
FRIED CABBAGE
Wash and shred a hard cabbage. Put olive oil in deep iron pot, and add the cabbage, pressing down until it is absorbed into the oil and moisture. Add pepper, salt, and syou sauce, and let simmer slowly for half an hour. Remove lid about ten minutes before serving, to allow cabbage to brown.
CHICKEN LIVER PASTE
Fry chicken livers over slow fire, or boil if preferred. Drain from water or fat when cooked, and crush through sieve. Fry a cupful of fresh or dried mushrooms. Crush these also through sieve, and add it to the livers. Add the juice of an onion and some lemon juice. Serve on salted crackers. Delicious for sandwiches.
