*Datemaki is a sweet rolled omelet typically made with eggs and fish paste, traditionally served during New Year celebrations. Today, a revolutionary wind has swept through the world of osechi cuisine (a traditional Japanese New Year’s feast). Take a look at this photo! Mami-okusama has created a completely vegan datemaki, made without using any animal-based ingredients such as eggs or hanpen fish cake. First, I would like to share the Sacred Word we received from Masaaki-sama: “Mami was very determined to create a vegan datemaki, and she went through many, many attempts, adjusting the recipe and cooking methods each time, and she finally arrived at this final recipe. When I took the first bite of the final product, I instinctively felt, ‘This is it.’ It would be easy if she used tofu, but as I always say, tofu or soy milk in the winter is naturally out of the question. Despite not using those ingredients, the texture, taste, and appearance are all worthy of the name ‘vegan datemaki.’ It’s like tooting my own horn, but it’s movingly delicious and even shocking. It’s no exaggeration to say this is a vegan datemaki that will change your worldview. Moreover, it makes me crave rice. It goes so well with rice! I mean this for everyone and not just for those in World Church of Messiah, but this is a dish that should become the standard for future vegan osechi cuisine. I hope everyone will try making it as part of their osechi for New Year’s.” In addition, Mami-okusama said the following: “Vegan datemaki is typically made using tofu, but eating tofu in the winter makes your body extremely cold. The same goes for soy milk. It would be fine in midsummer, but since osechi is eaten during the cold season, I wanted to make delicious datemaki without using tofu, which is how I arrived at this version. I received a lot of advice from Masaaki-sama before arriving at this final recipe. It would have been impossible without him. I truly cannot thank him enough.” How much effort did the two of them put in together to create this dish? This supreme creative dish, made through trial and error with Masaaki-sama and Mami-okusama working hand in hand, far exceeds our imagination. I felt a deep sense of reverence for them welling up within me. According to Mami-okusama, this dish was very popular with the children as well, especially their second daughter, Miyu-sama, who said, “This is my favorite out of all of Mama’s cooking.” “It goes so well with rice!” In this Sacred Word, I felt Masaaki-sama’s heart—that even for osechi, rice should always be the main dish. Even though many dishes are served in osechi, we must not forget that rice is always the main component. As part of our New Year’s osechi, let us try making this vegan datemaki that Masaaki-sama called “movingly delicious,” “shocking,” and “a dish that should become the standard for future vegan osechi cuisine.” The original recipe we received from Mami-okusama is shared below: 【Ingredients】(for 1 roll) 🥣*This recipe makes an amount suitable for a 30cm × 30cm rolling mat.・240g of kabocha (Japanese pumpkin), steamed-cooked, with skin removed*About 1/4 of a medium-sized kabocha・2.5 tablespoons of kombu broth (concentrated)・1/3 teaspoon of soy sauce・A little more than 2 tablespoons of kuzu powder・2 teaspoons of brown rice flour・An appropriate amount of rapeseed oil (apply using a paper towel)・Salt to taste 【Instructions】👩🍳① Steam-cook the kabocha・Cut the kabocha into bite-sized pieces with the skin on, rub 1 teaspoon of salt between both hands, coat the kabocha with the salt, and let it sit for about 10 minutes (this alone will greatly enhance the sweetness!).・Place in a clay pot and heat. When the clay pot starts getting hot, reduce to low heat and steam-cook for 20-25 minutes. (The trick is to flip the kabocha every 4 minutes or so to prevent it from sticking to the bottom. Without using any water, with just the clay pot and salt, the kabocha will become surprisingly sweet!)② Mash the kabocha and season・Remove the skin from the steam-cooked kabocha and put in a bowl. Mash while hot. (You can eat the kabocha skin as is—it is delicious!).・Add brown rice flour, soy sauce, and a pinch of salt, and mix.・In a separate container, mix the kuzu powder and kombu broth until it is no longer cloudy. Add this to the kabocha mixture and mix again.③ Spread the batter・Lightly coat parchment paper with rapeseed oil, place the kabocha batter on it, and spread evenly into a rectangular shape.*Adjust the size according to your rolling mat at home. I shaped it to fit our 30cm × 30cm rolling mat.④ Bake in the oven・Bake in an oven preheated to 170°C for about 20-22 minutes.・When the surface is completely dry and the center is no longer soggy, it’s a sign that it’s ready.⑤ Roll・While it’s still hot (within 3 minutes of taking it out of the oven), roll the datemaki using a rolling mat.・Place the loose end of the rolling mat on the bottom and secure firmly with 2 rubber bands.⑥ Cool・Let it cool at room temperature for 30 minutes, then chill in the refrigerator for an additional 30 minutes to set.・Then, when you bring it back to room temperature, it will have the right elasticity and the shape will be firmly set.⑦ CutCut into your preferred size and it’s done. The vegan datemaki that will change your view of osechi cuisineLikes, saves, and shares are most welcome ✨