Vegetables

I’m always looking for ways to get more vegetables into my family’s diet. In Japanese cuisine, vegetables are not just an afterthought at the side of the plate. Instead, they often occupy several of the little plates that are served with every meal. My father-in-law takes pride in the small garden in front of his house in Japan, and the daikon and other vegetables that he grows there and stores in the back shed are often part of a meal. When I lived in Tokyo, I loved to shop at the local yao-ya (vegetable store), where the proprietor would give me suggestions on what to cook and how to cook it. One thing that I learned right away about vegetable shopping in Japan is that I was not to touch the produce on display. Rather, I was to point to my choice and let the clerk pick it up and hand it to me. It is no wonder that the displays of vegetables and fruits in Japan are so perfect.