Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word First comes the sweetness. Next comes the deeply nourishing flavor of miso and the satisfying umami richness of sesame. And ah, then my attention goes to the crisp juicy texture of lotus root. Due to the sweetness, saliva is secreted in abundance, and all of it becomes one in my mouth—I unconsciously close my eyes. I close them and chew. As I chew the lotus root, it’s as if my jaw is vibrating. And the taste of mud (in a good way) of the lotus root, and the indescribable taste of what seems like dirt (in a good way) of the miso, go together so well. And there’s one more thing I can’t forget to mention. It goes well with rice. It goes really well with rice. Be forewarned: perfect-with-rice-deliciousness alert! I would love for all of you, too, to try this fun dish and savor the combination of sweetness, deeply nourishing flavor, umami richness, the taste of mud, the taste of dirt and texture. **** Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word draws us in with its incredibly vivid sensations. The evolving flavors with each bite, the surprising texture, the miraculous harmony woven together by the lotus root and sesame miso. Just as Masaaki-sama says, “I unconsciously close my eyes,” this is an exquisite dish that invites those who taste it into a world of bliss. And the characteristically Masaaki-sama expression, “Be forewarned: perfect-with-rice-deliciousness alert! conveys the full charm of this dish without holding anything back. According to Mami-okusama, this recipe applies the sesame miso sauce from Mami-okusama’s tip-top Jerusalem artichoke with sesame miso recipe, which we featured last November, coating lotus root with it and grilling it until fragrant—a version that becomes sweeter the more you chew and leaves you deeply satisfied. Even with the same sesame miso sauce, by grilling it, a savory aroma is added and an entirely new deliciousness is created. Mami-okusama’s creativity is simply amazing! Let us also make Mami-okusama’s lotus root and sesame miso and savor the harmony of layered flavors and textures that Masaaki-sama praises so highly! ✨ Ingredients 🥢• Lotus root (with peel on) … 200g• Sesame oil … 2 teaspoons• Salt … to taste Sesame Miso Sauce:• Miso … 20g• Water … 1 tablespoon• Raw sesame seeds … 1 tablespoon• Mirin … 1 tablespoon (with alcohol cooked off) Sesame miso sauce:① Toast the raw sesame seeds and gently grind in a mortar.② In a clay pot (or a clay saucepan, if available), cook off the alcohol in the mirin, then add water and immediately turn off the heat. Add miso and mix to combine.③ Add to the ground sesame and blend well to complete! Instructions 👩🍳① Cut the lotus root with peel on into 3–5mm thick slices.② Heat a frying pan (cast iron if available) and add sesame oil over medium-low heat.③ Arrange the lotus root in the pan, sprinkle with a little salt, and cook slowly over medium-low heat undisturbed. *If you can’t fit all the slices at once, cook in batches (adjust sesame oil amount each time).④ Flip and reduce to low heat, cooking until golden brown. Quickly coat with sesame miso sauce, immediately turn off the heat, and transfer to a plate. Be forewarned: perfect-with-rice-deliciousness alert!Likes, saves and shares are most welcome! ✨ ---About Mami-okusama (Mami Okada)She was born in Aichi Prefecture and grew up in a farming household. She is also known as “Japan’s vegan beauty.” During her studies at University of Tsukuba, she became actively involved in volunteer activities such as refugee support. She was also repeatedly asked to participate in the “Miss Tsukuba” contest and was approached by many modeling agencies, but she declined all of these offers as she wanted to focus on refugee support activities. In recognition of her efforts in refugee support, she received the “University of Tsukuba President’s Award” in 2012. She holds a license to teach English to intermediate and high school students. After graduating from university, she began working for World Church of Messiah in 2013. In 2014, she married Masaaki Okada (Masaaki-sama), the great-grandson of the founder of World Church of Messiah, Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama 1882-1955), and the representative and successor of Kyoshu-sama. Currently, while raising three children, she is single-mindedly walking the path of God, including working more energetically unlike anyone else on the Sacred Word of the founder, “In the world of Miroku, humanity will follow a vegan diet,” which was resurrected in our day by Masaaki-sama. She currently resides in Atami City.