Jushi rice is a Japanese rice dish seasoned with pork, broth, sake, shoyu, and vegetables like mushrooms, vegetables, sea vegetables, meat, or seafood. In the Okinawan region, jushi rice is consumed daily by people in the islands and is known to be at Okinawa Sobaya as a side dish. It is an iconic rice dish that is distinctive from the mainland Japan with its taste of amount of cartilage (fat) in the water. It is a mixed rice that often times had pork and would be used to extend rice and for the Okinawa custom called "Tunji" that wishes for health and prosperity by eating the seasoned mixed rice on the winter solstice day in December.
The language of okinawa has some hints as to the differences in concepts and values that it had from mainland Japanese culture pre World War II. Jushi would also represent its cultural meaning with Okinawa being relationship-based culturally while they managed influences, shared multicultural society, and multifaceted which was very different than mainland Japan. Historically there was a time where Japan was isolation-based culturally to control influences, isolated racially society, and singular as can still be seen these days as well. Jushi rice to some as a controversial dish as it can be compared to Takikomi Gohan. The difference is in the liquid mixture of pork broth that is cooked with the rice with a deeper flavor that is seasoned well. This makes for a richer sort of rice then one that is mixed with ingredients through the cooking process. It also specializes in using all the different parts of the pig to make all kinds of Jushi depending on the home recipe.
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Okinawa Sushi
Okinawa Sushi is a regional style of sushi from Japan's southern west most prefecture of Okinawa and is known as the birthplace of irabucha nigirizushi. Irabucha is a popular fish when eaten raw among the locals and is featured an many of the markets along side others in the parrotfish family of to go to for sashimi if people are looking for something a bit different. Unlike other parts of Japan, Okinawan sushi is often times accompanied by a number of sauces that assist in the flavor. It is eaten mostly by those who catch fish in their spare time or as a profession and are shared with people in their homes. There are an abundance of fish that live in the tropical climate that are eaten as sashimi and many of them are more often than not white fleshed and for that reason is possibly why sauce accompanies many sushi dishes in Okinawa. Okinawa Sushi is Japanese-Okinawa Cuisine and mistaken as Traditional Ryukyuan Cuisine by many. However there are those who are working in sushi who are combining Ryukyuan techniques and styles in combination with Edo-mae to make a Ryukyuan Sushi. So either Okinawa Sushi that is regionally found on okinawa or Ryukyuan Sushi based on modern and tradition it still falls under Japanese-Okinawa Cuisine. There is also a stigma that Okinawan Fish are bad and thats due to the stigma that many locals in the area don't necessarily buy and eat what the popular places in mainland Japan eat, but eat more tropical regional varieties of fish. Some people have a straight out prejudice of "bad taste" of Okinawan sushi due to it being very different and can be seen as lesser valued fish and in some cases because of the okinawan people. And one of the biggest reasons is that many of the sushi can't seem to stand alone without the assistance of a sauce, because oftentimes fish are eaten with miso in Okinawa. Dishes that are made in Okinawa can be quite unusual as many foods are family made and not served in restaurants or made on the spot in markets that work with restaurants to make use of catches of the day. Add the recipes from fishermen that get to eat some of the catch with the home cooks and there is an assortment of things that can be made of what's around the islands. Many of the dishes are tropical water species that are warmer waters that have a different flavor profile than mainstream sushi selections. While typical sushi menus might be abundant with American influenced menus as well the dishes served of more regionality flavors can be quite rare when it comes to sushi as it is not considered high-class: Toro Makubu (1), Makubu (2. Shirokurabera. Blackspot Tusk Fish), Akamachi (3. hamadai snapper), Toro Akamachi (4.), Otoro Akamachi (5.), Akajin Mibai (6. Sujiara), Irabucha (7. Knobsnout Parrotfish. Nanjo) the white slices have a blue color at the end and is brushed with ponzu soy sauce, (8.) Ushiebi (9. Cow Shrimp. imported Giant Tiger Prawn), Gurukun (10. Banana Fish. Takasago. Okinawan Prefectural Fish), Maguro (11.), Shimahata (12. Neptune Grouper. Naha & Ogasawara Islands), Gomamongara (13. Titan Trigger Fish. Okinawa), Gurukuma (14.) grilled, Shima Tamago (15.), Salmon (16. imported), Shimadako (17. Striped Octopus) Char grilled, Sururu (18. kibinago), Silverstripe Round Herring that has vinegar salt marinade, Ojisan (19. Five Barred Goatfish), Bigfin Reef Squid (20. Aori Ika), Ryukyu Sugi (21. Black Kanpachi), Taman (22. Hamafuefukidai. Spangled Emperor), Kajiki (23.), Yakugai (24.Great Green Turban Snail), Urugira (25. Hirejako), Tobiuo (26. Flying Fish), Squid Ink Tobiko (27.), Shima Uni (28.), Hotate (29.), Bonito (30. Skipjack Tuna). Garnishes and Sides include: Beni Imo, Umibodo Seagrapes, Mozoku Seaweed, Rafute, Black Pork Chawanmushi. Seiichi Murakami 村上 清一
Seiichi Murakami is the owner of Sushi Restaurant Murakami (2019). The restaurant took a long time to become what is has into a full fledged shop with an emphasis on Okinawan ingredients and Edo-mae techniques gained overtime. The feel of the environment would be a bit more modern and has limited seating for that classic feel of watching and talking with the sushi chef with an entrusted menu for about 6000Y. Carefully selecting ingredients with thoughts of the foods that have been used for many years in Okinawa with rows of seats ready for people to sit at and become witnesses to dishes inspired by the Ryukyuan history known as Ryukyuan Sushi style that are Japanese-Okinawan Dishes. Unlike the traditional sushi that is found in Tokyo as being the most notable sushis that are strictly served as the highest type of ingredients, Murakami focuses on more of the local ingredients that are important to the people who live in okinawa. Murakami chose Ryukyuan Sushi because of his love of the sea and saw an opportunity to move to the islands in Okinawa and its filled with ingredients from the tropical surroundings. He would go on to take on the challenge of Okinawan Sushi being low-class and try to make it in a place of a higher class. He would be the one who would develop unique Edomae techniques that harmonize with Okinawan ingredients with local methods and ingredients to make a style called "Ryukyu Sushi" which has also been called Okinawan Sushi-style. Growing up in tokyo in 1974, Murakami grew up in an environment of a sushi restaurant, which would lead him to taking on the path of a sushi cook at restaurant Yachiyodai in Chiba and then to Marunouchi in Tokyo and lastly to work in Tsukigi to practice his Edomae Sushi techniques. He would end up working at Izumizaki and Kokusai-dori before opening Sushi Murakami (2019) in which ryukyu sushi has become ever so unique with developed dishes that take the area in careful consideration in its variety of dishes with Okinawan ingredients. Okinawan Gyoza is a regional variation of Gyoza from Japanese Chinese Cuisine that was made from partial-dumpling shops back in the 1960's, because there was no such full dedicated specialty shops for dumplings at the time. It is believed that Urasoe City is responsible for the development of many of the dumplings that had local ingredients. A Notable group is Ryukou Dumplings (Ryuminmin) which is sometimes known to create what people refer to as Ryukyu Dumplings. While it was not created at the time of the Ryukyu Kingdom there are many ingredients from that time that are celebrated in some of the dumplings and ingredients seen as traditionally okinawan fall under the Ryukyu Dumpling category. These standard dumplings of Okinawa are as follows: Okinawan Gyoza, Goya Gyoza, Agumiso Gyoza, Garlic Gyoza, Ikabuta Gyoza, Mozuku Gyoza. Meanwhile other more modern Gyozas have been made by the company as well, such as: Taco Gyoza, Habanero Gyoza. Okinawa Tacos
Okinawan Tacos are a part of American Okinawan Cuisine that had been influenced from Mexican Texan Cuisine (Tex-Mex) and flavors of the precture to have the arrival of Tacos in Japan. Tacos came to Okinawa from the U.S. Military base and are often called "American-style" in the area, while those not residents of the area refer to it as its more formal name. While many places say they were the first there have been Japanese Taco Shops as early as the 1970s in Yaejima Town in Koza that was known as a place that had a special drinking district. Taco Filling Starting off with the basics of seasoned ground beef with taco seasoning, shredded chicken, and chunked fish was wear Tacos had their start. The theming of savory meats is common in Okinawa, so having fillings to follow suit was the next step and having the ocean gave way for home caught fish to be featured as something to be eaten at home. Containing Okinawan ingredients like Okinawan Rafute Braised Pork and Chanpuru may have been unpopular in the restaurant they wasn't out of the question in the taco making its residents permanent in the area. Fried Taco Shells The crunchy shell is iconic of the "American Taco" (1940) and as it arrived in Okinawa it would continue to have that crunch. But the iconic fried taco shells were both crispy and a bit soft when being bit into, which means the flavor would be slightly different from the hard crunch of the classic American taco shell. These would be known as Okinawan Taco Shells and be popularized from Charlie's Tacos (1984). Charlies Tacos The story goes there was a taco place called Charlies Tacos (1984), where it was one of the first if not the first place to make Okinawan Tacos. The menu selection had Ground Beef, Shredded Chicken, and Tuna Chunks as fillings with other dishes like Okinawan Enchilada, and Okinawan Taco Rice. The Taco Shells from Charlies has become the standard of Taco Shells expected for Okinawan Tacos as one of the main defining experiences. The taste of Tacos uses Charlies as the bench mark of what other Okinawan Tacos are to be compared and compete against for flavor. Sata Andagi
Sata Andagi (aka. Okinawa Andagi) are deep fried doughnuts that uses oil and in Okinawan the -Agi means fried just like in Japanese -Age means fried. Sata Andagi is fried until crispy on the outside and browned for a crunch on the outside and cake-like inside softness. Overseas Sata Andagi is sometimes called "Okinawan Doughnut" to differentiate itself from the less crispy and less dense and larger Hawaii-style Andagi that has been made by the large population of Okinawan immigrants. The confectionary is from the techniques of the Ryukyu Cuisine. It is not known of the exact origins of the food, but it does link many people back to Ryukyu cuisine and has a heavy emphasis on the flavor from the eggs. The recipe uses Flour, Sugar, Baking soda, and Japanese Eggs (aka. Gold Yolk Eggs) that have a large flavor difference. Dough variations are made from: sata andagi (flour), hotcake andagi (hotcake mix) Mixed flavors of dough seen are: kabocha pumpkin, beni-imo sweet potato (purple), monkey banana (shima banana), matcha powder (green), black sesame (black). Coating is mostly the Sata, which is "sugar" which can be white sugar, brown sugar, and a variation of dark-brown sugar called "black sugar". The coating sometimes has butter, pork lard, or a wet sauce on it before being coated with sugar or spice for savory variations. Okinawan Regional Cuisine
Japanese in Okinawa will find plenty of foods that are familiar: Onigiri, Ramen, Gyoza, Soba, Donburi, Sake, and Tempura. But, Okinawa is not just another Japanese Prefecture; it is also historically known as the Ryukyu Islands with its own unique history with a cuisine that tells stories through taste. The influences of Southeast Asia, China, Taiwan, Korean, American, Hawaii, European, and historical Ryukyuan. While it has many of the dishes you would expect of a Japanese Prefecture there are secret spots where regional specialties are served in neighborhood restaurants, peoples homes, as well as in fine dining restaurants. Okinawan Regional Cuisine, is a part of the overall Japanese Regional Cuisine in which it has regional specialties (Kyodo Ryori) like: Goya Champuru, Soki Soba, and Taco Rice. It is known for its local ingredients that are being used in home cooking for a feeling of comfort and homeliness that makes it feel relaxing while showcasing island ingredients. Food in Okinawa is traditional, changing, and a bit tropical. Beach Picnics
Beach Parties in Japan usually refer to swimsuits, floatation things, shaved ice, and some snacks while bathing in the sun or the sea. But, in Okinawa a "Beach Party" is sometimes referring to a casual get together that has nothing to do with swimming or the water and is called "Beach Picnics, Beach Barbeque, or Beach Viewing" by some from the Japan mainland. A Okinawan Beach Party is where people gather around a grill and start making some food to eat and socialize with alcohol and tea for workplace events, friend gatherings, or family beach picnic. Common things to have is a beach party tent, charcoal grill, meat, vegetables, paper plates, and trash bag for clean up. Its important to note that many beaches require call in for reserved spaces on the beach (months in advanced) and at those beaches you can rent many things like a: Cooler Box and even Beer Servers. When heading off to a Okinawan Beach Party it is common to stop by for ingredients at a Roadside Station which is like a local supermarket and rejuvenation place for travelers. The season for beach parties is Fall from (April- October) in which the beaches are very crowded with people enjoying the scenery and the food as well as the people. While most people may think an Okinawan beach party would be in the morning or afternoon the most popular times are often times at night to enjoy the illuminated lights and sound of the ocean with the feeling of sand on your feet. So, don't be surprised if there are tables with a small little grill full of people at night near the beachside. Taco Rice
Taco Rice is iconic of Okinawan American Cuisine with its appearance of having rice at the bottom of the plate with a layer of taco beef and a layer of cheese and then shredded lettuce and slices of tomatoes cut in half on the top. It has been seen as where development of taco beef seasonings had been brought to attention from those who wanted to eat something easy to make. It is traced back to its simplicity and ease to prepare with replacing American-style Taco Shells and Tortillas for rice instead. Kin Town is credited as the B grade gourmet Taco Rice foodie destination. After World War II, the islands of Okinawa became the host of multiple U.S. Military Bases that established themselves in the area and had a bit of homesickness for American food. It was said that those from the base would try what they could at making dishes of home with the ingredients available in Okinawa, but to no success there wouldn't be any break out dishes of the Okinawan American Cuisine variety. In 1984, a eatery called "Parlor Senri" in Kin Town outside of Hansen Military Base is credited as the creator of a particular Kin Taco Rice and also claims as many others to be the inventor of Taco Rice. With much of the military base community craving tacos with rations of taco seasoning available it would only be a matter of time before the ever so popular Taco Rice would rise to fame, which later would catch on with the local Okinawans as well. Some of the first taco rice recipes included: Prepacked Taco Seasoning, Jarred Salsa, and American Cheese. Matsuzo Gibo a Master of Okinawan-American Cuisine is the owner of King Taco (aka. Kin-Taco) as the most notable chef of making Taco Rice. He has a long legacy of working in the food industry and opening many locations of his business in order to popularize certain well known dishes in Okinawa Cuisine. Varieties of Taco Rice with Cheese and Lettuce Taco Rice, Taco Hamburger Rice, Taco Pork Rice, Taco Fried Chicken Rice, Taco Hot Chicken Rice Minudaru Pork
Mirudaru (aka. Minudal) is a marinated sliced pork that uses Nerigoma Black Sesame Seed Paste, Mirin, Shoyu, and sometimes Sugar. It is also called Black Meat for its appearance as it is completely black, but its taste is light for its appearance and sometimes has small peppers added for heat. It was eaten as a court dish in the Ryukyu Kingdom, but in modern day eating it is made at home, however home cooks had to become creative in incorporating the techniques of minudaru pork in their cooking. Dry with cloth so the sauce can easily absorb into the meat. It is then coated in ground dried sesame seeds for a dark crust that helps its texture when it is eaten. The dish is wrapped in tin foil and then steamed for around 12 minutes and represents Ryukyuan palace cuisine as it is made for the palette of a ruler. It is finished by garnishing with American parsley and shikuwasa. |
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