[Today's Menu] Akune Taka-ebi Sashimi | A night to affirm the endless loop of daily life with deep sweetness
Good work today. It's Oichan.
The other day, when I went to visit Grandpa and Grandma's house.
We went out to a nearby park in the afternoon, and that's where the inevitable "endless slide" began.
My 5-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son.
As if released from gravity, they ran up the stairs, slid down, and climbed up again, looking incredibly happy.
Grandpa and Grandma, watching that infinite circular motion, were left stunned and bewildered, wondering, "When on earth will this end?"
From a dad's perspective, this is just daily life, business as usual.
I replied casually, "Oh, it's always like this."
Suddenly, I fall into the abyss of thought.
If I let them slide from morning till night without worrying about time, until they were satisfied, how many times would they actually slide?
Perhaps it is the pure thirst for life that adults have forgotten.
The curiosity to experiment versus the anxiety that Dad's stamina would vanish.
Someday, I want to hold a "Slide Until You're Satisfied Memorial Day" for them.
It was a moment where I felt a deep affection for the endless daily routine.
Today's "Dareyame" (evening drink) menu
Children who keep kicking the earth with their small feet and climbing the slope. Accepting and watching over that infinite energy.
It is precious, but it definitely drains the energy right out of Dad's body.
The tranquilizer to relax my frayed nerves on such a night is the "Taka-ebi" (deep-sea shrimp) I got in Akune.
The meat, harvested from the deep sea, is surprisingly delicate and has a melting sweetness.
The moment the flesh of the shrimp, which survived harsh water pressure, unravels in my mouth, a salvation arrives that fully affirms the chaotic day that was today.
By diving it into Kagoshima's sweet soy sauce—a lump of kindness that wraps everything up—a happiness so intense it makes my brain tremble is complete.
[Ingredients] (For the family to share)
Akune Taka-ebi: As much as you want to eat
Kagoshima sweet soy sauce: Plenty
Wasabi: A little
(If available) Shiso leaves or garnish: To taste
[Instructions]
Peel Carefully peel the Taka-ebi. The thorns on the head are surprisingly sharp, so focus all your attention on your fingertips to keep up with the children's energy and be careful.
Tighten Quickly rinse in ice water to firm up the meat, then wipe off the moisture thoroughly with a paper towel. This extra step removes any off-flavors and leaves only the pure sweetness.
Plating Arrange them beautifully on a plate, add the wasabi, and it's done.
Finish Dive them deep into the sweet soy sauce and enjoy.
The dense sweetness of the Takaebi shrimp that clings stickily to the tongue, followed by the sharp sting of wasabi.
The moment these fuse in the mouth, the fatigue of the day quietly melts away.
It is a sense of relief, as if finally landing in the warm living room of home after sliding down an infinite loop.
As I pour a glass of shochu, the scent of the Akune sea passes through my nose, and a quiet resolve wells up to face that beloved, infinite loop again tomorrow.
Thank you for your hard work today.