* “Gobo” is burdock root, a firm, fibrous root vegetable with a distinctively earthy, slightly sweet flavor and wild, robust character, commonly used in Japanese cooking.* “Hijiki” is a mineral-rich black seaweed with a firm texture and intense ocean flavor, harvested from rocky coastlines and popular in Japanese cuisine. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word Wait . . . is this a fish called “gobo”? From the uniquely earthy, robust chewiness of gobo escapes a rush of seafood-like sea broth. The more the hijiki that you use smells of the sea, the stronger the ocean flavor. The stronger the fish-like quality. What happens when the bounty of the mountains that is gobo meets the bounty of the sea that is seaweed? The conclusion: the appearance of a species of fish yet to be discovered by humanity, “gobo.” This utterly unexpected development leaves me dumbfounded, but let’s put that aside. The more I chew, the more the richness and umami of miso fill my mouth. This is what I think: When it comes to the taste of earth (in the good sense), this recipe reigns at the top. Gobo’s taste of mud, hijiki’s robust, mineral flavor, the aroma of fermented miso along with the ripeness of the barrel—at the root of all of these is the “earth” flavor. When these three flavors mix together, the result cannot be described in a pretty word like “harmony.” (And not to mention, this recipe also uses kudzu powder, which comes from a dangerous looking large root. Have any of you seen kudzu root before??) Yes, that’s right. This flavor is the battle cry of the earth, the stirrings of a subterranean rumble, a song of praise to primordial life, a seismic event in the mouth! (What am I even saying??) “The LORD God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” Amen. In any case, I want you to try it once. Then chew it like you mean it—I’d like for you to experience the savory depth of flavor. It feels like the kinds of nutrients that have not yet been identified by science are definitely filling something in the innermost depths of my body—something I can’t quite name—with vigor and strength. And just look at this color. The subdued color combination of gobo and hijiki. I mean, it’s brown and black! Against this color pairing, even gorgeous pink or indigo dye are no match for this combination. An undeniable power. You can’t help but bow down before nature. Chew, chew, savor, savor. Become one with the earth and sea. Become one with this planet. In that joy is where I want you to take this journey of the heart. Such is Mami’s recipe—deep, honest and straight-to-the-point—that inspires these thoughts. Enjoy it to the fullest. ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ The unprecedented “seismic event in the mouth!” that Masaaki-sama experienced! The bounty of the mountains and the bounty of the sea embraced by miso, becoming one unified whole—he described it with marvelous eloquence, this new sensation of truly tasting the earth! Through the original, dynamic taste that calls to mind “earth,” Masaaki-sama expanded his imagination to such great heights that it evoked a passage from Genesis about humans being created from the dust of the earth. The far reach of his perception, as always, is unrivaled. Let us immediately make Mami-okusama’s recipe that lets us feel the earth’s blessings in its entirety, and experience the sensation Masaaki-sama describes as something in the innermost depths of the body, something that can’t quite be named, being filled with vigor and strength! *** Ingredients (Makes 2 pancakes)• Gobo (burdock root) … 1 root (about 150g, cut into thin strips)• Dried hijiki (“me” (or “bud”) hijiki recommended) … 2 tablespoons (rehydrate and save the soaking liquid)• Kudzu powder … 1.5 tablespoons• Rice flour … 2 tablespoons• Soy sauce … 1 teaspoon• Mirin … 1 teaspoon• Miso … 1/2 teaspoon• Grated ginger … 1/4 teaspoon• Salt … as needed• Sesame oil … as needed• Hijiki soaking liquid + water … 2–3 tablespoons total (to be added while monitoring consistency) Instructions① Season the gobo• Heat a frying pan (cast iron if available) and add 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil. Add the gobo and a pinch of salt, and sauté slowly over low heat.• When it is lightly browned and a sweet aroma rises, add mirin and cook off the alcohol. Continue by adding soy sauce and sautéing further, then add miso and immediately turn off the heat. Toss everything together in the residual heat.• Let cool slightly. ② Make the batter• In a bowl, add the gobo from ①, grated ginger, hijiki, rice flour, kudzu powder, and salt.• Gradually add the hijiki soaking liquid (adding a small amount of water if needed), mixing to bring it together.◎ The right consistency is when it’s not sticky! ③ Pan-fry• Divide the batter in half.• Heat the frying pan, add 1 teaspoon sesame oil, place the batter in and spread it thin into a circle.※ Press and spread with a masher or similar tool, making it as thin as possible for a crispy finish!• Cook over low heat for 3–4 minutes, and when it’s browned, flip it over and cook for another 2 minutes.• Similarly, cook the second pancake until nicely browned to finish. A new species of fish? Chew and savor!Likes, saves and shares are most welcome! ✨