Masaaki-sama’s Sacred Word Mami-san!Thank you for fulfilling my seaweed LOVE!Taro, wakame, green onion—They are the staples of our winter miso soups in our home. I’m always saying, “Taro and wakame are so good together!” that you have probably heard this a million times.And to put that into form somehow, you created this dish.I am so thankful.And now, to be able to share it with the members!Thank you—simply wonderful.And my advice, although it feels a little strange coming from me, “Why don’t you try adding red pickled ginger?” was the key, wasn’t it?It brought sharpness to the entire dish, and everything came together perfectly.Mami-san, please keep company with me and my seaweed LOVE from here on too. To the members: the above are the feelings in my heart for Mami. ━━━━━━━━━ The warm and gentle way he calls her “Mami-san.” And then there is “seaweed LOVE.” In what Masaaki-sama has shared with us as the feelings in his heart, we find everything—the love between Masaaki-sama and Mami-okusama as husband and wife, their mutual trust, and the joyful scenes of their home life! Not only that, but we are also told the entire story behind the creation of Mami-okusama’s original recipe we’re introducing today, taro wakame salad. The white of the taro, the green of the wakame, the golden color of sesame, and the vibrant pink of pickled ginger create such a colorful dish. And the delightful texture the title promises—creamy and crunchy! The key to the flavor came from Masaaki-sama’s suggestion, “Why don’t you try adding red pickled ginger?” It was truly Masaaki-sama’s inspiration combined with Mami-okusama’s culinary skill that brought it to life. This is an exquisite dish born from the harmony of their love. Mami-okusama gives it her seal of approval, saying, “It is truly warming and delicious.” When we recreate this recipe, we’re not simply making food. Let us attune ourselves, even just a little, to Masaaki-sama and Mami-okusama’s love. By all means, allow yourself this blissful time when both heart and body are warmed and comforted. Ingredients 🥢Taro (weight after steaming) … 250gWakame seaweed (fresh or rehydrated) … 60gRaw sesame seeds … 2 tablespoonsSoy sauce … 1 teaspoonRed pickled ginger (beni-shoga) … 5gSalt … a pinch Instructions① PreparationTaro:Rub a pinch of salt over the taro with both hands, working it over the entire surface with the skin on, and let sit for about 10 minutes.Steam the taro with the skin on for 15-25 minutes until a bamboo skewer goes through easily ♨ (steaming with the skin on preserves the umami).While still hot, peel and mash (don’t mash completely to maintain some texture within the creaminess—this is key ✨).Wakame seaweed:Whether using fresh, salt-preserved, or dried wakame, rehydrate according to the type, drain well, and chop finely 🔪 (this is the key to the crunchy texture!).Raw sesame seeds:Lightly toast and grind in a mortar. *By grinding partially, you can enjoy both the aromatic pop and texture. ② Mix 🥣Add salt and soy sauce to the ground sesame in the mortar and mix together.Add the mashed taro, pickled ginger, and wakame, and gently mix everything together to complete 🙌 The divinely inspired masterstroke is red pickled ginger!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.