Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word I’m just going to let myself say it—fava beans smell like feet. I apologize for the jarring opening. But it’s true, isn’t it? Fava beans have a unique smell and flavor. There is the phrase “acquired taste,” meaning a food with a distinctive flavor that may take some time before you think it tastes good, or perhaps it is for connoisseurs—something like that. I think fava beans are one of those foods that are truly an acquired taste. Of course, there are some people who will immediately like them (nothing to boast about) and some people who may need some time to grow accustomed to them. In our home, everyone loves fava beans, and the children get very excited and eat a lot of them. To the members who presented them to us, we sincerely thank you. The bean that I’d like to cherish during this season, sure enough, is the fava bean: the yokozuna—sumo’s grand champion—of beans. Now, to the issue of how to prepare these fava beans. My family’s tried-and-true favorite is to grill the beans whole with the skin on all, on a shichirin (a small, traditional Japanese ceramic charcoal grill), and once the skin chars and juices begin to overflow from within, to drizzle on a little soy sauce and eat. (I can’t stop drooling as I write this.) Of course, there are all sorts of other ways I love to enjoy them too. This time, Mami tried preparing them with nori for me. She said that hearing me passionately go on and on about the greatness of nori (read the post for “nori tsukudani”) made her want to use it. By the way, before this recipe was perfected, we went through a process of trial and error, and I was made to taste test . . . rather, I was privileged to taste test a number of times. There were versions with softer, more tender-textured nori and also some where the sesame oil stood out. There were all kinds. But from there, the one I’d like to recommend is the one being introduced this time. As you know, nori has an overwhelming umami flavor—so if there is too much, it can wipe out the unique flavor of the fava beans entirely. Oh, how I love this acquired taste of the fava bean! And in order to bring out the fava bean’s mealy texture (in a good way), the nori cannot be too moist. To let the texture and flavor of the fava bean shine to the fullest, this is the recipe we arrived at. If I have written this much by now, I am pretty sure that what I said at the beginning is gone from your minds. And that’s precisely why I went on at such great length! Phew . . . good grief! When I finish writing this piece, I am going to relax and fully enjoy the fava beans’ feet flavor. Uh, oops . . . ――――――― Beginning with that shocking confession right at the start, just when we thought we’d been skillfully led away from it, this time too we couldn’t help but burst out laughing at the way it all circled back to square one right at the very end. At the same time, through this Sacred Word from Masaaki-sama, the one-of-a-kind flavor that the fava bean holds has settled deep in this reporter’s heart as a beloved blessing from God. Making use of the greatness of nori that Masaaki-sama spoke of so passionately and going through trial and error again and again in order to bring out the charm of the fava bean to the fullest—Mami-okusama created this dish, and it comes with her own personal guarantee: “It is so simple, yet surprisingly delicious—you won’t be able to stop reaching for more rice!" Let us waste no time trying out Mami-okusama’s original recipe right away, and together savor this blessing of Nature that God created. This is the fava bean that Masaaki-sama went so far as to call the “yokozuna.” Picturing the joy of the harvest that will come early summer next year, let’s be sure to grow them ourselves!(*Planting times may shift depending on region and climate, but the general planting season for fava beans is around October to November.) That one-of-a-kind flavor!Likes, saves and shares are most welcome! ✨ Mami-okusama’s Original Recipe 👇 Ingredients· Fava beans (with pods on) … 300g· Roasted nori … 1 full-size sheet· Raw sesame seeds … 2 teaspoons· Soy sauce … 1/2–1 teaspoon (adjust to taste)· Salt … as needed Prep*For the fava beans:① Remove the beans from the pods and make a shallow cut on the side opposite the black seam.② Add 1 tablespoon salt (about 2%) to 1L of boiling water, and boil the fava beans for 2.5–3 minutes.③ Drain, and while still hot, peel off the thin skins.*For the raw sesame seeds: toast, then grind to half-crushed texture.*For the roasted nori: toast the rough side of the roasted nori over gentle, low heat, holding it a little away from the flame, then tear it into small pieces. InstructionsIn a bowl, combine the fava beans, ground sesame, soy sauce, and roasted nori, and mix gently. Tips· To keep the beans from breaking apart, toss everything together lightly and gently.· Using less soy sauce lets you enjoy the fava beans’ natural flavor more—think of it less as seasoning and more as adding a touch of fragrance.· Finely chopping it and mixing it into rice makes it easier for children to eat. It’s also great for making rice balls! ***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.