Sendai’s Lost Culinary Treasures

We’ve seen the news, watching in horrified silence as one of the world’s most advanced countries was rocked by a massive earthquake. What was even worse was the sweeping tsunami that washed away huge parts of a city. It certainly breaks my heart to see such huge damage in Japan. It’s not just a loss of a city. It’s also a loss for Sendai’s culinary scene.

One of the things that I have noted Sendai for is its introduction of gyutan cooking. Gyutan (or cow’s tongue), has become a popular food item in Japan, but it has quite a following with the locals of Sendai. Thin slices of beef tongue are lightly marinated and then grilled on hot charcoal. It is then served alongside rice and oxtail soup. Gyutan can also be served as a donburi (Japanese rice bowl) or a curry dish.

Hiyashi chukka (cold Chinese noodles) is also another dish that was introduced by Sendai locals. It is a popular summer dish where a plate of cold noodles is topped with generous helpings of garnishes. The toppings are selected for their color and harmony with the noodles. The usual toppings would be thin slices of carrots, tamagoyaki (Japanese omelets), cucumber, ginger, ham, and chicken. There are some dishes that also add barbecue pork in the mix as well. The noodles are then drizzled with a s special tare sauce.

Another dish worth mentioning that came from Sendai province is the robatayaki. This Japanese style of grilling consists of a single hearth managed by a chef. The customers are then seated around the hearth. They would point at the raw food that they want grilled and the chef would then cook it, right in front of the guest’s eyes. It’s a unique experience, and it’s one that great for socializing with others. It’s different from the usual barbecue because of the simplicity of preparations and focus on the smoky flavor that can only come from a charcoal grill.

For desserts, there is a dish called zundamochi. It’s simply sweet sticky rice pounded and shaped into balls covered in a sweet, green soybean paste. Despite the simple process of preparing them, the taste is entirely different from regular mochi. In addition, the sweet smell and flavor of the soybean paste makes the mochi much more delicious. It is an ideal snack anytime of the day.

Since the Sendai area is noted for being a seaside province, it is only natural that seafood products would also come to the fore. Sasakamaboko (bamboo leaf-shaped fish cakes) are just some of their famous products. In addition, Sendai takes pride in their sushi and sashimi dishes, owing to the number variety of fresh seafood that their fishermen catch from the sea. Oysters, prawn, gindara, tuna, and other seafood products are also a must in the Sendai area.

For those who are not yet aware, Sendai is also famous for their sake (Japanese rice wine). This should not come as a surprise since the Miyagi prefecture under Sendai is one of the main producers of rice in the country. Other products that are proudly made in Sendai are wagashi (traditional Japanese sweets), naganasu-zuke (pickled eggplant), Sendai miso (fermented bean paste), and Sendai-gyu (Sendai-raised beef).

Sadly, these are the stuff that will be sorely missed in this tragedy. Considering the catastrophe and hardships that the earthquake and tsunami caused, it might take some time before we can finally enjoy these once again. Still, the Japanese are known for their resilience and adaptability, so it won’t be surprising if things will go back to normal in a short period of time. You can expect nothing less than that from them.

Let us all help Japan.

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