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Home / Destination / Elsewhere / Asia / Japan / Japanese cooking class

Japanese cooking class

January 13, 2014 by Gretta Schifano 44 Comments

Atsuko cooking. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Atsuko cooking. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Did you know that in Japan you should never stick chopsticks upright in a bowl of rice? Nor should you use chopsticks to spear food. And don’t even think about putting them down crossed over each other. I learnt this at a Japanese cooking evening for bloggers.

Kyushu

The event was hosted by KLM with Atsuko’s Kitchen to celebrate the airline’s route to Fukuoka in Kyushu. Kyushu is in the South of Japan and is the country’s third largest island. Besides flights to Tokyo and Osaka KLM offers three flights a week from the UK to Fukuoka via Amsterdam. I’ve not been to Japan but enjoyed reading A Bavarian Sojourn’s posts about her family holiday there last year and was really interested to hear about its culture and customs from Atsuko, our charming cookery teacher for the evening.

Besides chopstick etiquette Atsuko also told us about Kyushu’s stunning scenery which includes active volcanoes, hot springs, ancient forests, sandy beaches and sweeping mountains: it sounds like a lovely place.

Atsuko explained that we were going to help her make some local Kyushu dishes: mizutaki nabe (a type of chicken hot pot), suko zuzhi (seafood and vegetable sushi), buta no kakuni (braised pork) and hitomoji no guruguru (spring onion parcels). I’m not into cooking and was unsure how I could contribute to creating this daunting range of dishes.

Cooking

It all sounded pretty tricky to me but the cheerful Atsuko soon had us hard at work. I don’t eat meat and so was assigned to make the spring onion parcels. The trickiest stage of the recipe was winding the spring onions around themselves and tying them into knots, but I managed it:

Hitomoji no guruguru Copyright Gretta Schifano

Hitomoji no guruguru. Copyright Gretta Schifano

 

The spring onions were then combined with all of the dishes everyone had been working on. I had a meat-free version and we were ready to eat:

Atsuko's Kyushu regional dish. Copyright Gretta Schifano

Atsuko’s Kyushu regional dish. Copyright Gretta Schifano

It all tasted very good to me. If you’d like to have a go at making the hitomoji no guruguru which I made, Atsuko’s recipe is below. Just make sure you don’t cross your chopsticks.

Hitomoji no guru guru

(Spring onions with miso mustard sauce)

Ingredients:

15 spring onions and a pinch of salt. For the karashi sumiso sauce: 4 tbsp white smooth miso, 2 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar, 1 tbsp agave, 1 1/2 tbsp karashi (mustard).

Method:

  1. Bring the water to the boil. Add a pinch of salt. Make small holes in the spring onions to stop them from swelling and possibly bursting. Cook for 1-2 minutes until the stems are softened.
  2. Wash the spring onions in cold water. Drain. Cut off the roots. Wind each stem around itself into a knot and tuck the ends in.
  3. To make the karashi sumiso sauce mix all of the ingredients together until the mustard dissolves.
  4. Pour the karashi sumiso over the spring onions just before serving.

Thank you to KLM for hosting this event and for inviting me to it.

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Related

Categories: Japan, Recipes
Tags: Atsuko's kitchen, cooking class, Fukuoka, KLM, Kyushu

About Gretta Schifano

I'm a freelance journalist and blogger specialising in family travel with teenagers, trips when parents manage to travel without their kids, and 50+ travel. I also write about vegetarian travel, parenting teenagers, adoption, SEN, ADHD and anxiety. My work's been published by the Financial Times, Guardian, Independent, National Geographic Traveller, Lonely Planet and others. I've lived and worked in Italy and Spain and am now based in rural south-east England with my husband, adoptive and birth kids and our dog. I previously worked as a social action radio producer for the BBC.

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Comments

  1. hannah clementson says

    January 20, 2014 at 12:32 am

    This looks so tasty 🙂
    hannah clementson recently posted…My week 13-19th JanuaryMy Profile

    Reply
  2. Emily @amummytoo says

    January 14, 2014 at 10:06 pm

    Gorgeous, extremely tempting pics and the ways the Hitomoji no guruguru is presented is stunning. Pinned! I’ve also got a linky for recipes, if you fancy joining in – it’s called #recipeoftheweek x
    Emily @amummytoo recently posted…Creamy starter, main and dessert + #recipeoftheweek 11-17 JanMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 15, 2014 at 11:51 am

      Thank you, I’ll pop over and have a look 🙂

      Reply
  3. Jenny/Mum says

    January 14, 2014 at 7:42 pm

    I am very impressed in your skills with tying the spring onions in knots etc. You aren’t a Queen’s Guide for nothing !!!
    Jenny/Mum recently posted…Japanese cooking classMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 9:54 pm

      Thank you! xx

      Reply
  4. Fritha says

    January 14, 2014 at 10:48 am

    this looks yummy! I love making veggie sushi! x
    Fritha recently posted…What Mama WoreMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:52 am

      I’ve never made it apart from my contribution on that evening but I think I should have a go at home.

      Reply
  5. suzanne3childrenandit says

    January 14, 2014 at 8:20 am

    Wow, this looks amazing! I love how colourful the food is and I’m particularly impressed that you managed to get those spring onions tied into knots!

    Reply
  6. Mary {The World Is A Book} says

    January 14, 2014 at 7:13 am

    What a great event this looked. This looks delicious too. I love Japanese food but we never got around to do a cooking class while in Tokyo which would have been fun. Well done with the spring onions knots. It makes for a wonderful garnish I feel like trying now.
    Mary {The World Is A Book} recently posted…5 Free Things to do in Los Angeles with KidsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:13 am

      It was a good evening. How lovely that you’ve been to Tokyo.

      Reply
  7. Shell Louise says

    January 13, 2014 at 10:49 pm

    It looks delicious, I love the tied spring onions!
    Shell Louise recently posted…Photo Challenge – A little late!My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:14 am

      It was all very tasty and fun to make.

      Reply
  8. Vaidehi says

    January 13, 2014 at 10:36 pm

    Looks fantastic. would love to give it a go.
    Vaidehi recently posted…First Day at Pre-SchoolMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:18 am

      It was a fun way to spend an evening.

      Reply
  9. Aly says

    January 13, 2014 at 10:34 pm

    Oh excellent! I found miso paste and seaweed in a health food shop in Bath the other week and I was tempted to get them.We’re going back next weekend so I’ll get the ingredients and give it a go.
    Aly recently posted…Point + Shoot Urban DuskMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:19 am

      Good luck with that, I hope it all tastes yummy 🙂

      Reply
  10. Vicky says

    January 13, 2014 at 10:09 pm

    Oh wow – I have to say I had never really thought about Japanese cooking and how different it is from Chinese. I love sushi – and the dish you prepered looks very sushi-esque. Something I would most certainly love to try. Thank you for sharing 🙂
    Vicky recently posted…Lets talk about pets: update and my manic monday – motivational mondayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:24 am

      I’ve not ever tried Chinese cooking so maybe that’s something I should experience at some point. I wouldn’t know where to start though!

      Reply
  11. mellissa williams says

    January 13, 2014 at 9:41 pm

    I really want to go to Japan. The food looks lovely, I really like teriyaki myself. Yum!
    mellissa williams recently posted…Oui or Non? Babette Wasserman JewelleryMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:28 am

      I think I’d like to go there too. It sounds like such an interesting place.

      Reply
  12. Kate Williams says

    January 13, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    That looks amazing, what a fantastic opportunity! Might have to try making that myself 🙂
    Kate Williams recently posted…Slow Cooked Chicken TagineMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:32 am

      I’m sure you’d manage it better than me!

      Reply
  13. Lori says

    January 13, 2014 at 8:53 pm

    This looks like it was a fun evening! and i’ll never use chopsticks the same again x
    Lori recently posted…2/52My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:32 am

      I know, I had no idea of the etiquette surrounding them.

      Reply
  14. Aisha from expatlog says

    January 13, 2014 at 8:52 pm

    This post left me hungry for sushi!
    Aisha from expatlog recently posted…Start The Day With A Good BreakfastMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:35 am

      I know, reading about food usually makes me hungry!

      Reply
  15. Charly Dove says

    January 13, 2014 at 8:48 pm

    Ooh I bet this was good – the food looks amazing. I’d love to have more Japanese food. Good reminder about chopsticks! I had my toddler eating with them recently, so lovely 🙂
    Charly Dove recently posted…Forest adventures at Alice HoltMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:37 am

      Wow, that’s impressive! I don’t think my youngest could manage chopsticks and he’s 11 🙂

      Reply
  16. Astrid says

    January 13, 2014 at 8:39 pm

    Great post. Thanks for sharing the dining etiquette of the region and for sharing this great recipe. I don’t eat with chopsticks but I love Japanese food, although I neve rhad sushi becasue my husband hates the smell.
    Astrid recently posted…Teaching Your Autistic Teen About HygieneMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:44 am

      Oh no, that’s a shame. Could you try sushi without your husband?

      Reply
  17. Mum of One says

    January 13, 2014 at 7:40 pm

    What a fantastic experience! I love the colours.
    Mum of One recently posted…Sponsored Post: Four Tips For Organising Family Fun NightsMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:48 am

      We had a lovely evening an the food was delicious.

      Reply
  18. Cass@frugalfamily says

    January 13, 2014 at 6:48 pm

    That looks delicious x
    Cass@frugalfamily recently posted…Money Makeover – Dealing with your debt….My Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 14, 2014 at 10:49 am

      It really was!

      Reply
  19. Ninja Cat says

    January 13, 2014 at 4:22 pm

    I would love to do Japenese cooking.
    Ninja Cat recently posted…Frugal FeetMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 13, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      It’s quite fiddly but I enjoyed it in the end.

      Reply
  20. Keri-Anne says

    January 13, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    Oh. all of this looks amazing! I love japenese food. Great recipe x
    Keri-Anne recently posted…Let’s have an adventure linkupMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 13, 2014 at 1:15 pm

      It was all so tasty. I’d love to go there and experience the real thing.

      Reply
  21. Pinkoddy says

    January 13, 2014 at 1:00 pm

    Well I never knew all those things about chopsticks. My brother has been to Japan loads with his Judo and where my step-dad met his new wife.
    You look like you have done a fantastic job – tying those knots looks tricky.
    Pinkoddy recently posted…Relax Taking Each Day as it comes #MotivationalMondayMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 13, 2014 at 1:19 pm

      It was easier than I thought it would be but I don’t think I’ll get round to doing it at home!

      Reply
  22. jenny says

    January 13, 2014 at 12:53 pm

    Looks delicious….

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 13, 2014 at 1:19 pm

      It was very tasty.

      Reply
  23. anna says

    January 13, 2014 at 12:47 pm

    The food looks great! and must have been fun to try out making all the new things and learning about the japanese customs
    anna recently posted…Shah Jahan Mosque – The First Mosque in the UKMy Profile

    Reply
    • Gretta Schifano says

      January 13, 2014 at 1:22 pm

      It was a really interesting evening.

      Reply

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This is a personal blog written and edited by me, Gretta Schifano. Sometimes I’m given products or sent on trips to review, but I always make this clear and give my honest opinion. See my About page for full details.

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