
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
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
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:
- 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.
- 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.
- To make the karashi sumiso sauce mix all of the ingredients together until the mustard dissolves.
- 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.
This looks so tasty 🙂
hannah clementson recently posted…My week 13-19th January
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 Jan
Thank you, I’ll pop over and have a look 🙂
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 class
Thank you! xx
this looks yummy! I love making veggie sushi! x
Fritha recently posted…What Mama Wore
I’ve never made it apart from my contribution on that evening but I think I should have a go at home.
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!
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 Kids
It was a good evening. How lovely that you’ve been to Tokyo.
It looks delicious, I love the tied spring onions!
Shell Louise recently posted…Photo Challenge – A little late!
It was all very tasty and fun to make.
Looks fantastic. would love to give it a go.
Vaidehi recently posted…First Day at Pre-School
It was a fun way to spend an evening.
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 Dusk
Good luck with that, I hope it all tastes yummy 🙂
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 monday
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!
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 Jewellery
I think I’d like to go there too. It sounds like such an interesting place.
That looks amazing, what a fantastic opportunity! Might have to try making that myself 🙂
Kate Williams recently posted…Slow Cooked Chicken Tagine
I’m sure you’d manage it better than me!
This looks like it was a fun evening! and i’ll never use chopsticks the same again x
Lori recently posted…2/52
I know, I had no idea of the etiquette surrounding them.
This post left me hungry for sushi!
Aisha from expatlog recently posted…Start The Day With A Good Breakfast
I know, reading about food usually makes me hungry!
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 Holt
Wow, that’s impressive! I don’t think my youngest could manage chopsticks and he’s 11 🙂
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 Hygiene
Oh no, that’s a shame. Could you try sushi without your husband?
What a fantastic experience! I love the colours.
Mum of One recently posted…Sponsored Post: Four Tips For Organising Family Fun Nights
We had a lovely evening an the food was delicious.
That looks delicious x
Cass@frugalfamily recently posted…Money Makeover – Dealing with your debt….
It really was!
I would love to do Japenese cooking.
Ninja Cat recently posted…Frugal Feet
It’s quite fiddly but I enjoyed it in the end.
Oh. all of this looks amazing! I love japenese food. Great recipe x
Keri-Anne recently posted…Let’s have an adventure linkup
It was all so tasty. I’d love to go there and experience the real thing.
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 #MotivationalMonday
It was easier than I thought it would be but I don’t think I’ll get round to doing it at home!
Looks delicious….
It was very tasty.
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 UK
It was a really interesting evening.