This week’s recipe comes from everybody’s favorite Japanese teacher. Here is a little background about the dish’s family history from Tsuchi Sensei:
A recipe my grandmother handed down to me is Cha-Bushi (茶節), a traditional instant soup and a staple among Kagoshima’s fishermen. It’s also very easy to make! My great-grandfather was a captain on a fishing boat. He gave this recipe to my grandmother and she gave it to me. Fishermen’s mornings begin early, so instead of having a full breakfast, they used to drink this soup before going out to the sea. In my grandmother’s later years, when I was an elementary school kid, she started peddling dry bonito (katsuobushi) which is the famous product of her homeland Makurazaki, Kagoshima. She never returned home after getting married. Katsuobushi
Ingredients
- a handful of dry bonito flakes (katsuobushi; this is the amount that usually comes in small packets)
- one large spoonful of miso
- chives (if you like chives)
- 150-180ml of hot water
Just put a handful (small packet) of dry katsuobushi and one large spoonful of miso into a soup cup, and pour in 150-180ml of hot water.
That’s all. Enjoy!
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