My blog is mostly motorsport rally material, but coming home from England to Japan’s heat was a shock! A little jet lag too, but the secret to staying strong against the heat is, as ever, appetite.
People often say summer heat kills their appetite, but that particular delicacy has never been a problem for me. So today, my two-minute cooking that keeps summer fatigue away completely — something I am thoroughly addicted to.
Hiyajiru, the Miyazaki speciality chilled soup
From the first time I tried this, I could eat it every day and never tire of it. It is not only a summer thing, but it is a dish anyone with no appetite can eat lightly, packed with nutrition.
It comes ready-made, so all you do is pour it on (laughs). Various makers sell it, and I keep several kinds in stock rather than swearing by just one.
Some are poured straight over rice as they are; others are diluted with water. There are several types.
The ingredients and method for hiyajiru:
- Hiyajiru base (the shop-bought kind above is plenty good) → pour over chilled rice.
- Tofu → firm tofu, just crumbled by hand.
- Shiso, myoga, cucumber → finely chopped and placed on top.
- White sesame → sprinkled over.
That is it — done.
“Endless somen” in two minutes flat
This name is doing the rounds online too, but here is my version. Basically: pour and top over boiled somen noodles. Good for when you are a little tired of plain somen too!
Ready in two minutes: the “endless somen” recipe
Nothing complicated at all. Boil → pour → top. That’s it.
- Somen (whatever you like) → even the cheap kind is perfectly good (a touch firm is best — I do one and a half minutes).
- The broth to pour → in a bowl: water, chicken stock, garlic, soy sauce, and bonito flakes*.
- Toppings → cucumber, kimchi, boiled egg, spring onion, pork belly.
*Put the bonito flakes on a plate and microwave for 40 seconds, then crumble by hand into powder and add to the broth.
That’s it! Japan is baking in the heat. Let’s get through it without losing to the heat!