Daikon & Ninjin Sunomono (Japanese Radish & Carrot Salad) | Oshogatsu Food (Japanese New Year)

If you’ve been reading my blog the past few weeks, the good news is that my ‘foodie funk’ got a good kick in the tush this past week. The bad news is that even though I’m back to cooking more than just tacos, the more dishes I cook, the further behind I’ll be on my food posts and I’m already quite behind. I know what you’re all thinking…

My problem could easily be solved if I just posted more than one item per week! Lately, that hasn’t been very easy for me. I’m still working on Bebe E’s album (I just completed her 7 month old photos – – – yay for progress!) and what little downtime I have is spent on family, domestic responsibilities, and much needed rest and SLEEP. Priorities, priorities! We’ve also been more social than usual given the summer season and I must admit to being tired from too much ‘play time’. Yesterday we were breaking in one of the WLA girls’ new pool and we had a great time watching all the kids and little babies enjoy the water. If you’re reading this, thanks, Pocahontas and Mr. Pocahontas for having us over, and also for the lovely garden tour! :)

Anyway, when I cooked for our friend last week, I realized that my foodie funk dissipates when I cook comfort food, which is basically anything Japanese. Japanese food brings out my foodie groove. (Does that sound dorky, or what?) Thank you, Mrs. Sensei for motivating me! 

A good friend of ours happened to be visiting from Japan and joined us at a party last weekend. She is a native to the states but resides in Japan and we’re very fortunate to have the opportunity to see her at least once per year. The family made plans to have lunch with her last Tuesday and when we asked her what she would like to eat, she surprised me by telling me that she enjoys my blog and that she would like to cook with me and/or watch me cook.

Yikes! Seriously?!?

Kyuri & Wakame Sunomono

When I was little my mom would make sunomono (Japanese vinegared salad) with kyuri (Japanese cucumber) and wakame (seaweed).  Sometimes she would also add dried shirasu (whitefish; baby “katakuchi” sardine) or other small dried fish “for calcium” as she said.

Often times at dinner I would see a bowl of sunomono as one of the many Japanese side dishes served with our fish, curry, or other Japanese dish we were eating.  I became accustomed to grabbing just a few bites of sunomono and took for granted the availability of this sweet and sour refreshing salad.

It was only recently, however, that I began making this on my own.  Until then, I always used to take some home from my parent’s house because I thought it was too much work to make.  :)

I discovered that it’s quite easy, and it’s really quick to make!

But first, I asked my mom for her recipe, and she said in Japanese, “Ehh, I don’t measure anything.  I just add the ingredients and taste as I go.”  This might explain why her sunomono tastes different every time.  Haha.  Yet I can’t be too critical because this is what I found myself doing too.