Christmas is not a big celebration for people in Japan but it has become an occasion to mark for my generation. Since I grew up in various countries, my mother had to dish up some type of Christmas feast, not necessarily authentic Japanese dishes: she would cook according to what was available wherever we were, combining Japanese and local produce. There was one authentic dish she would always cook wherever we were, and is still a favourite of mine. Gomoku namasu is a vegetarian side dish, which has a silky, nutty taste but with a bite. When I eat this, I'm reminded of my mother's home cooking no matter where I am in the world.
(Serves roughly 12 portions)
daikon (Japanese mooli) 1
carrot ½
dried shiitake mushrooms 8-10
lotus root 100g
fried tofu (Atsu-age) 100g
dashi 50ml
sesame seeds, roasted 120g
rice vinegar 400-500ml
mirin 100ml
yuzu or lemon skin a sprinkle
sugar 220g
soy sauce
salt
Thinly slice the daikon and carrot 4-5 cm length, place in a big bowl, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of salt and leave to sit for 3 hours. Squeeze out the water from the daikon and carrot and place in a bowl with 400-500ml rice vinegar, and let it rest in the fridge overnight.
Soak the shiitake mushrooms in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar until soft, and take off the stem. With this water, cook the shiitake for 30-40 mins, removing any scum from the surface. Add 60g sugar and 2tbsp soy sauce in two steps, and cook further until the brine is almost gone.
Soak the sliced lotus root in water with vinegar and drain. Cook them in the following until liquid is gone: 30g vinegar, 50ml dashi (shiitake or kombu), 30g sugar, 15g soy sauce, pinch of salt.
Roast the sesame seeds in a frying pan, and grind for about 10 mins until the oil comes out, and looks like a miso paste (if you let this rest overnight in a sealed bag, it will increase its flavour). Separate the fried tofu's skin from the white inside, and remove any white bits with a knife, then slice the skin in thin strips. Place the sesame, the white part of the tofu, 130g sugar and 100ml mirin into a food processor, grinding until the mixture is thick and sloppy.
Lightly squeeze the juice from daikon and carrot, mix all the ingredients together, and let it rest in the fridge overnight (the best flavour will come out after 3-4 days). Serve with a sprinkle of yuzu or lemon skin.
