Why I continue to cook dinner for 7 people every day, and a summer dinner menu

Hello. I am Mayuko Hamasaki, a culinary expert. I graduated from Tokyo Kasei University four years ago and have just started sharing my work on social media. I got married last year and don't have children yet, but I cook dinner for seven people at home every day.

The people I cook for are my
husband, my parents, and my uncle and his two children who live nearby. Neither my parents nor my uncle's family live with us, but I am in charge of meals for seven people across three households.

The reason I started cooking for seven people

The reason I started cooking for my family and relatives, totaling seven people, was
the passing of my aunt five years ago. At the time, the children were 2 and 4 years old.
Since then, we decided that the whole family would support the cousins' growth, and since I am good at cooking, I took on the responsibility of preparing meals for the large group.

Although they are of various ages, the foundation of the menu is based on the children, who are in the third and first grades of elementary school.

I started cooking for my cousins when I was a senior in college, and before I knew it, four years had passed.
They have gradually started to eat more things, but they are still at an age where their likes and dislikes change constantly.
Every day, I wonder, 'Will they enjoy this today too??', which for me is a bit of a challenge.

On days when there are many things they like or when they finish everything, I get
'this dish was delicious' voice memos or they send me photos of their empty plates. This is my greatest encouragement.

A summer menu that the family loved

Let me introduce a summer menu from our daily meals that received the request, 'Mayu-chan, I want to eat more of this!', in the order that allows for efficient preparation.

Soup: Easy to drink and a way to overcome disliked ingredients! Okra and Nameko mushroom thickened soup

The children say, 'I want Nameko soup!' once a week. However, thinking that 'I want them to get used to various flavors,' I don't just make miso soup every week, but instead make Nameko soup with various seasonings like Chinese-style or consommé-style.

This time, I used okra to make it summery, and arranged it into a Nameko soup that is easy to drink even when you have no appetite. With favorite ingredients or familiar seasonings, they can sometimes even eat tofu, which they usually dislike, without any trouble! I was relieved to receive the reliable message, 'It was delicious!'

● Ingredients (for 7 people) *Actually for 6 people, taking the children's portions into account

• Nameko mushrooms: 1 pack (200g)

• Okra: 2 bags (10 pieces)

• Cotton tofu: 300g

• Water: 1.2 liters

• Chicken bouillon powder: 3 tablespoons

• Soy sauce: 1 tablespoon

• Vinegar: 1 tablespoon

Note: For a family of 3 to 4, you can make this with half the amount.

●How to make

1. Add the nameko mushrooms with their stems trimmed to boiling water, and add the chicken bouillon powder.

2. Remove the calyx and stem from the okra, cut into thirds, and add to the pot.

3. Season with soy sauce and vinegar, then add the tofu by breaking it up with your hands to finish.

Side dish: Fun texture! Komatsuna and Nagaimo (Chinese yam) Ohitashi

In the hot summer, just standing in the kitchen makes you drenched in sweat. The moment you use the stove, it feels like you're in a sauna, and daily cooking can sometimes feel like a bit of a chore.

At times like that, the microwave is a reliable friend. Being able to cook without using fire is truly a blessing. In the summer, I want to conserve my energy as much as possible, so making a quick dish in the microwave is becoming my go-to.

This time, I'm making a dressed dish using komatsuna and nagaimo, and the texture is just so fun! The crunchiness of the komatsuna and the crispiness of the nagaimo mix together, making it so you can eat it up just like pickles.

And for adults, I also recommend an arrangement with a little bit of wasabi added. The sharp, pungent flavor is sure to become addictive.

●Ingredients (for 7 people) *Actually for 6 people, taking the children's portions into account

• Komatsuna: 2 bags (400g)

• Salt: a pinch

• Nagaimo (Chinese yam): 400g

• Chinese soup stock powder: 1 tablespoon

• Shiro-dashi (white soup stock): 1 tablespoon

• A little bit of garlic paste

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

*For a family of 3-4, you can make this with half the amount

●Instructions

1. Cut the komatsuna (Japanese mustard spinach) into 3 cm pieces.

2. Place in a heat-resistant bowl, sprinkle with salt, and heat in the microwave at 600W for 3 minutes.

3. Take it out once, stir, and heat again at 600W for 1.5 minutes.

4. While it is draining in a colander to cool, cut the nagaimo (Chinese yam) into 3-4 cm matchsticks.

5. Add the drained komatsuna, the ingredients from step 4, and the seasonings, mix, and chill in the refrigerator.

Add wasabi if you like.

Main dish: Whole for adults, sliced into rounds for children♪ Eggplant sandwich fry

Using seasonal eggplant whole makes it juicy and tender, and it really is a masterpiece when combined with the meat juices.

The key is to sandwich plenty of meat filling, but for the children, I slice it into rounds to make it easier to eat and give it a volume that is easy to bite through. For the adults, I use one whole eggplant and sandwich it with plenty of volume to increase satisfaction!

The secret to the flavor is the "richness of miso". Just by adding a little miso to the ground meat filling, the umami of the meat is greatly enhanced. I finished this recipe so that it goes well with rice, has a satisfying taste, and makes the whole family, from children to adults, say "I want more!".

●Ingredients (for 7 people) *Actually for 6 people, taking the children's portions into account

• 12 eggplants (10 for adults, 2 for children)

• 1kg ground pork

• 1 long green onion

• *1/4 tsp salt

• *A dash of black pepper

• *1 tsp miso

• *1 egg

• Appropriate amount of flour

• 1 egg

• Appropriate amount of breadcrumbs

• Appropriate amount of frying oil

*For a family of 3-4, you can make this with half the amount

●Instructions

1. Add the ground meat, finely chopped green onion, and the * seasonings, then knead.

2. Cut the eggplant for adults into a cross shape, and for children into thick rounds.

3. Dust the surface of the eggplant and the cross cuts with flour.

4. For the adult eggplant, stuff the meat mixture into the cross cuts so there are no gaps. For the children's eggplant, place the meat mixture on top of a round slice and sandwich it with another slice.

5. Coat the items from step 4 with flour, egg, and breadcrumbs in that order, then fry at 160°C.

My thoughts on cooking

“I want to make my family and loved ones happy with my cooking”
—this was the reason I started cooking, and it remains my unchanging goal.

Because I want everyone to eat, I often end up with none left for myself after portioning out so much into containers...

Even so, it makes me truly happy when my family and children say, "It's delicious!" I will continue to cook, aiming for "meals that make everyone smile."

I have also released this recipe as a video on YouTube. Please take a look at that as well!