Finnish food for days when you want to treat yourself at home, arrived at after 5 years

Why can't I drink this in Japan???

For the past five years, that's how I've lived. It's not alcohol. It's a certain soup.

🥣

I feel a bit tired.

At times like that, I suddenly remember the salmon soup I encountered on my trip to Finland.

I want to drink that soup.

When you scoop it with a spoon, it's a light, milk-like liquid. When you put it in your mouth, the rich flavor of salmon spreads all at once, and you can't help but say, "Yum." The scent of dill that faintly passes through your nasal cavity is also nice.

The soup that soaked into my body, tired from a long flight on the day I arrived in Finland, is still my favorite food even five years later.

However, for some reason, I can't drink it easily in Japan.

There are no restaurants near my house where I can eat salmon soup. Even if I look it up, there are only a few dozen restaurants in Japan that serve Finnish cuisine. That's so few!

No, no, when you think of the Nordic countries, you think of IKEA, right? There are quite a few stores, aren't there? You might think that, but the food you can eat at IKEA is, to be precise, Swedish cuisine. Opportunities to eat Finnish food are limited when you are in Japan.

Then I have no choice but to make it myself! So, I decided to start researching it in 2019.

Sometimes I would connect online with a Finnish teacher between Japan and the Nordic countries to learn how to cook, and I would also ask Japanese chefs who had studied abroad in Finland for recipes,and I eagerly made salmon soup and Finnish dishes over and over again. Before I knew it, my repertoire had grown.


And many times, it saved me on days when I was tired of Finnish food.

It's simple and delicious. It's also nutritious. Although some of the ingredients are unfamiliar, it suits the Japanese palate. I want to share this deliciousness with everyone!!! With that in mind, I will introduce three recipes that invite you to Finland, which I have created through trial and error.

I hope that for all of you who are tired every day, at least one of these will heal your heart.

Why Finnish food is effective for "fatigue"

Pardon the late introduction. My name is Roko, and I have come to love Northern Europe after traveling to Finland. I will write down my own observations, based on my experience in pharmaceutical sales, on why Finnish cuisine is so healing and effective for fatigue.

◾️A diet rich in EPA
Finnish meals are centered around vegetables and fish.Especially fish.In fact, fish oil contains EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), which is said to be medically beneficial to the body.

EPA is a type of "essential fatty acid" that the body can barely produce on its own; it helps keep blood flowing smoothly and lowers neutral fats. In Japan, fish oil (EPA) is already sold as a pharmaceutical product.

Also,there are papers suggesting that people who eat a lot of fish are less likely to suffer from depression, so it has an excellent healing effect on both the mind and body! (How wonderful is that...!)

I apologize... I have experience selling EPA pharmaceuticals, so I got a bit too passionate.

◾️Dill soothes the mind
Dill is a popular herb in Northern Europe, characterized by its refreshing aroma. Also, because it has a mild flavor, it does not interfere with the taste of the ingredients.

Dill contains carvone, an essential oil component that has the effect of improving gastrointestinal function.

Also, as the name implies "to soothe" in Northern Europe, it also has the effect of suppressing irritation. The scent, which is reminiscent of fresh greenery, calms the mind. (In my personal experience)

......Sorry. That got a bit stiff, didn't it?

Let's move on to the recipe right away!

Recipe release

Welcome to the dill field: Fresh Salmon Difficulty: ★☆☆

(Salmon with dill & salt cure)

※Norwegian salmon is recommended

【Instructions】
1) Sprinkle rock salt, granulated sugar, and white pepper on the surface of the salmon.
2) Place plenty of dill on top of 1).

3) Seal with plastic wrap and wrap in aluminum foil.
4) Let it sit in the refrigerator for one day. (It is good to place something heavy on top.)

5) After letting it sit for a day, slice the salmon thinly and it is complete.

A recipe that lets you easily enjoy a Finnish vibe. It is a perfect dish for snacks with drinks or for summer days when you don't want to use fire.

It looks great even at a small home party, and above all, salt-cured salmon is exquisite, so I want you to try it at least once.

Self-care Salmon Soup Difficulty: ★★☆

【Instructions】
1) Finely chop the potatoes, carrots, long green onions, and onions.
2) Cut the salmon into your preferred size.
3) Add the ingredients from 1) and water to a pot and bring to a boil. Add the bouillon cubes and simmer for about 10 minutes. Season with salt.
4) Add the salmon and simmer for another 5 minutes.

5) Finally, add the heavy cream, butter, and dill.

One of Finland's soul foods. Since the soup becomes the main meal, please pour plenty into a bowl and enjoy. Dipping bread into it is also irresistible!

It turned out to be a dish where you can feel Finland even while in Japan.

Heartwarming Jansson's Temptation Difficulty: ★★☆

【Instructions】
1) Diligently cut the potatoes into thin strips.
2) Finely chop the onion and sauté it. Chop the anchovies.
3) Lightly grease the serving dish with butter.
4) Place 1/3 of the shredded potatoes. Layer 1/2 of the onions, anchovies, potatoes, onions, anchovies + chopped butter, and potatoes in that order.

5) Add the anchovies and butter on top.
6) Pour the heavy cream over it.

7) Sprinkle with breadcrumbs. At this time, press the ingredients down slightly into the dish to flatten them.
8) Bake in an oven at 200°C for 30 minutes.

There are several origins for this recipe, which is called "Jansson's Temptation."

Mr. Jansson was a vegetarian who would never eat meat or fish. It is said that when he saw this crispy, delicious-looking dish, his heart was shaken so intensely that he couldn't help but gobble it all up.

This most famous episode, as well as the flavor, makes for a heartwarming dish. It is a dish that has been loved for a long time not only in Finland but throughout the Nordic countries.

The "What do I do with leftover dill?" problem

Dill is essential for Nordic cuisine, but it often gets left over. When that happens, I highly recommend pairing it with your everyday cooking and drinks!

These are my two best recipes for using up dill.

◾️ Roasted Green Tea (Hojicha) x Dill
Put tea leaves and one sprig of dill per cup into a teapot.
Pour in boiling water, let it steep, and then pour into a cup.
The refreshing flavor unique to dill and the savory aroma of roasted green tea go very well together.

◾️ Omelet x Dill
Combine dill, rosemary, and basil into the egg mixture for the omelet.
It turns into an omelet that is like a jewelry box of herbs!

Please take care of yourself.

Nordic cuisine is generally all about being able to taste the ingredients themselves. The gentle seasoning soaks into a tired body.

I would be happy if you could make this recipe whenever you feel tired during the day.

When you don't have the energy to cook, please first take good care of yourself by resting thoroughly or doing whatever you need to pamper yourself.

Whenever I drink salmon soup, I always remember my trip to Finland. And during the time I spend making this dish, the faces of the people who taught me how to make it and memories of the trial and error I went through come back to me, warming my heart.

The fact that memories are rooted in cooking might be one of the reasons why it is so fulfilling.

Please save this recipe and enjoy it whenever you want to be comforted, whether it's summer or winter. I hope you can feel a little bit of Finland!

Thank you for reading this far, kiitos🇫🇮

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▼Also recommended

▼Finland travelogue

▼Records of activities to immerse yourself in the Finnish mood while in Japan (Finn-katsu)