*Sun/air-dried strips of daikon radish — Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word — While she makes bento for three children and breakfast for five family members every morning,while she prepares dinner for a family of five every evening,not only is she somehow able to manage that,my wife, Mami, is always resolutely challenging herself to think up new recipes.The recipe I present to you this time too, kiriboshi daikon mochi, went through a lot of twists and turns before she reached it, like trying a version with onions, adjusting the combination of powders or checking to make sure it was still good when cooled.A dish deliciously harmonizing the firm bite and crunchy texture, the “kori,” of the kiriboshi daikon, and the plump, chewy softness, the “puru mochi,” of the shiratamako (glutinous rice flour, wet-milled type) and kudzu powder.Plain like that is good for children. For adults, I think it will be good eaten together with soy sauce (not ponzu sauce).Well, daikon is just, simply amazing, right?When slowly simmered, it becomes a softness that almost melts. Thinly cut them and it’s delicious in miso soup. There’s grated daikon, then there’s takuan (pickled daikon). By itself, it can also be made into a steak—a delectable flavor that will almost make you faint—and will keep you reaching for more rice. The leaves are a rich source of calcium that can be mixed into rice, creating an excellent dish. And then it can be used as a dried food, from shimi daikon (freeze-dried daikon) to kiriboshi daikon. It is undeniably a vegetable that reigns supreme in the vegetable kingdom. That’s right—it’s at the top.Daikon is just so marvelous that an inexplicable fear wells up within me—could the human world possibly be taken over by it? Modern civilization and Homo sapiens—toppled by daikon civilization. We have come so far, prospering to the utmost, but of all things, it is not AI or a meteorite or aliens that humanity will be outdone by—it’s daikon . . . ! I can die with no regrets.OK, time to regroup—how wonderful God is, who created such a delicious vegetable! Allow me to say, what an absolute genius, and how endlessly thoughtful!And when I think about that near-melty, simmered version of it, this simple brain of mine simply cannot understand how something so melty can become so firm and crunchy, “kori kori,” as kiriboshi daikon.But for Mami, she has come up with a combination that puts together that kori-kori crunch and the puru-mochi, soft, springy texture of the flours (I imagine).So if you put together “kori kori” and “puru mochi,” then how about naming the recipe “kori kori puru mochi”?Ko—ri, kori! Pu—ru mochi! Ko—ri, kori! Pu—ru mochi!I even hear the music.Definitely try this recipe by my wife who is working to spread Christian Veganism through food—we would be so happy. Mami-okusama’s Original Recipe 👇 Ingredients• Kiriboshi daikon (sun/air-dried daikon strips) … 30g• Water … 200ml• Shiratamako … 40g (glutinous rice flour, wet-milled)• Kudzu powder … 15g• Salt … 1/3 teaspoon• Aonori … 1 teaspoon (green nori flakes)• Raw sesame seeds … 2 teaspoons• Sesame oil … as needed Instructions① Rehydrate the kiriboshi daikonRinse the kiriboshi daikon lightly, place it in a bowl, add 200ml of water, and let it sit for about 10 minutes.*The soaking liquid is packed with concentrated sweetness and umami, so keep it to use in the recipe.② Chop the kiriboshi daikonLightly drain soaked kiriboshi daikon, then chop into small pieces.*Avoid squeezing out too much moisture. Leaving some moisture will give the plump, chewy, “puru mochi” texture.③ Make the batter• Toast the raw sesame seeds.• Add the shiratamako, kudzu powder, and salt to the kiriboshi daikon soaking liquid, and mix until smooth.• Add the chopped kiriboshi daikon, aonori, and toasted sesame seeds, and mix together.④ Let the batter restLet the batter sit for 5–10 minutes.*This allows the shiratamako and kudzu powder to come together, giving the batter better cohesion!⑤ Cook• Heat a frying pan (steel, if available), add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, then spoon the batter in and shape it into rounds.*Avoid overcrowding the pan—cook in two or more batches if needed.• Cook over medium-low heat for 2–3 minutes.*The key is to leave them undisturbed during this time. Once cooked, they will release easily from the pan.• When nicely browned, flip, cover, and cook over low heat for another 1–2 minutes.• Remove the lid, cook briefly over medium heat to evaporate any remaining moisture.• When both sides are nicely browned, it’s done!⑥ Enjoy as you like ☺It’s delicious as is, but feel free to dip it in soy sauce to taste. Wrapping it in nori, “isobe-mochi” style, and eating it with a little soy sauce is also absolutely delicious! ***About Mami-okusama (Mami Okada)Mami-okusama was born in Aichi Prefecture and was raised in a farming household. Also known as Japan’s Vegan Beauty, she is the mother of three children and the wife of and Aide to Masaaki-sama (Masaaki Okada), World Church of Messiah’s Representative of Kyoshu. She is a vegan cuisine specialist, focusing on the Japanese vegan diet. She works tirelessly unlike anyone else in the practice and spread of the Christian Vegan Diet that is Masaaki-sama’s revolutionary message: “Christ Jesus was the last and ultimate sacrifice—so it is no longer necessary to eat a diet that comes with the suffering of animals.” As a part of that effort, and with the wish for children to know what true food is, she conducts charitable activities such as hands-on rice ball-making workshops at places like children’s homes throughout Japan. She is the first in the world to establish the “vegan deco ben” (vegan decorative bento) and “vegan kyara ben” (vegan character bento) genres, using only plant-derived ingredients. Not only are they beautiful to the eye, through the creation of these bento and her many original recipes in line with what Masaaki-sama teaches on the truth of food, that seasonal and local eating rooted in the climate and terrain of Japan is the most beneficial for health and well-being—that is, to eat what grows in one’s local region—she seeks to spread the Christian Vegan Diet, the true healthy diet. She graduated from University of Tsukuba. During her studies there, 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 is licensed to teach English at the junior and senior high school levels. After graduating from university, she began working for World Church of Messiah in 2013 and married in 2014.