Tom cooks 9: Sakana to yasai no sotee gaarikku remon soosu (fish and vegetable saute with garlic lemon sauce)

All of a sudden, I got sick. My nose was stuffed up and a fever was cooking my head. I apparently looked and sounded truly ill, and Tom agreed to cook fish for dinner.

His first response was, “I will cook if you prepare everything.”

Huh? If I were to bring out all the ingredients and cut them up, I might as well cook them. Nope, it shouldn't be this way. Not long ago, Tom clearly said he would make a Japanese meal for me with at least three dishes. So he must still be motivated deep down, and it is just one dish, after all.

Sunappu endo to renkon, ninjin no gomaae / sugar peas, lotus root and carrot in sesame dressing

A little side dish of juicy sugar peas, crunchy lotus root and tender carrot.

Saishin to kani, shiitake, tamago no itamemono / yu choy sum, crabmeat, shiitake mushrooms and egg saute

A simple vegetable saute seasoned with salt, pepper and aromatic soy sauce. Shiitake adds an earthy note, the egg deepens the taste, and the crabmeat provides an extra boost.

Azukigayu / rice porridge with azuki beans

Slightly salty porridge with the soft sweetness of azuki.

Saishin / cai xin / yu choy sum

Brassica parachinensis

Sometimes called “flowering cabbage,” the yu choy sum on store shelves often has yellow flowers in the center. Unlike cabbage, yu choy sum’s leaves (and stems) are tender, darker green, and are always cooked rather than eaten raw, as far as I know. As with many other Chinese vegetables, there seem to be endless variations of the name, including yu choy, choy sum and choy sim. No matter how it is called, this vegetable is known for excellent nutrition. Carotene, iron, potassium, calcium, Vitamins B and C, folic acid and niacin are the nutrients often mentioned for yu choy sum. What all these nutrients can bring is beautiful, radiant skin; they also reduce active oxygen and control cancer cell proliferation, increase immune strength, prevent colds, control high blood pressure, and strengthen bones, teeth and nails, and so on. While the nutritional data I’ve found is sketchy on details, let's just say it is a valuable vegetable full of health benefits.

Kaki furai / panko deep-fried oysters

A typical oyster dish in Japan. Juicy panko deep-fried oysters served with julienned cabbage used to be one of Tom’s favorites at a neighborhood restaurant near his work in Tokyo.

Shiifuudo no kisshu / seafood quiche

My favorite quiche for cold seasons. Great for parties and potlucks, too.