Here’s a quick look at how today’s dishes were prepared:
【Japanese-Style Hamburger Steak with Glaze】
Shape patties, place on hotel pans, and steam-bake in a combi oven (preheat 270°C → cook at 220°C for about 15 minutes).
Make the glaze by simmering sugar, mirin, and dark soy sauce with hot water; thicken lightly with starch slurry (water twice the starch weight). Spoon over the patties when portioning.
【Gomoku Soup】
Pour boiling water over aburaage to remove excess oil; thaw komatsuna under running water.
Make dashi with kombu and katsuobushi, then simmer in order: carrot → onion → napa cabbage → aburaage.
Add tofu, season with salt and light soy sauce, finish with komatsuna and give it a brief simmer.
【Simmered Kintoki Beans】
Soak in boiling water for 30 minutes (covered).
Simmer gently until tender (60+ minutes).
Sweeten with sugar to let the flavor soak in, then season with a pinch of salt and dark soy sauce; turn off the heat and let it rest.
A heartfelt thank-you to the kitchen staff at Nishisenba Elementary School, who handled this multi-step workflow and cooked for two schools, preparing the menu in two batches. Their careful prep and timing make our lunches delicious.
In Class 3-4, a cheerful rock-paper-scissors game broke out to decide who could claim the extra side dishes—then a big, happy “Itadakimasu!” echoed through the room.
※All photos posted here were taken with school-owned cameras, transferred via cable to teachers’ PCs, and uploaded to the website from a securely managed environment.
