"Cucumber Soboro Rice Bowl" and "Tomatoes Dressed with Sesame" Made with Cucumbers and Tomatoes from Fukushima Prefecture

Fukushima Prefecture sent three ingredients: rice, cucumbers and tomatoes. The rice is Fukushima's brand rice "Fuku, Warai." Ryuji had tasted it beforehand and described it as having a standard kind of deliciousness, with sweetness and plump, firm grains. It would also be good as onigiri, but this time it goes into a rice bowl. Prefacing the remarks by admitting to being picky about rice, Ryuji said it has a good balance of sweetness and firmness and is an all-purpose rice that goes with all kinds of ingredients. It apparently isn't widely available, but Ryuji added that a link to where to buy it would be included in the video description.

As for the cucumbers, Ryuji noted that Fukushima ranks first in the country in cucumber production. Ryuji had previously worked on a sponsored project for Fukushima cucumbers and had known since then that they are fragrant and juicy. Explaining that fresh cucumbers have sharp spines, Ryuji touched one to confirm it and then tasted it raw with miso. In conversation with the staff, it also came up that this is the start of the season, when fresh cucumbers hit the market, so they are delicious even without salt. Ryuji hadn't really associated tomatoes with Fukushima, but apparently a lot are actually grown there. These too were firm, sweet and juicy, and Ryuji said they should be eaten as simply as possible.

As a bonus, a bottle of daiginjo sake from Fukushima had also been sent to Ryuji. Ryuji read aloud from the label that it had won a gold prize at the Reiwa 8 Annual Japan Sake Awards. Ryuji's view is that Fukushima sake is delicious because the prefecture is a major rice-growing region. After a sip, Ryuji said it has a slight sweetness but a clean, non-cloying finish, and pairs well with food.

The first dish is the side dish, tomatoes dressed with sesame. According to Ryuji, their own recipes are almost all main dishes, and deciding what to make as a side is something people struggle with all the time, so a video on a side dish like this has value.

The tomatoes are cut into something close to rough wedges. Cut each into eight pieces, then cut each piece into thirds. The tomatoes are so good that there's really no need to do much to them, Ryuji joked, but then there would be no reason for a culinary researcher to exist. The seeds stay in. Italian cooking sometimes removes them, but Ryuji thinks there's no need with Japanese tomatoes, since the juicy part around the seeds is sweet and delicious.

Leaving the seeds in means the tomatoes release a lot of liquid. That's where the sesame comes in. Sesame goes very well with juicy tomatoes, because ground sesame soaks up that liquid. The amounts for 2 tomatoes (about 400g) are 1 1/2 tsp sugar, 3 Tbsp ground sesame (a generous 2–3 Tbsp), 2 tsp soy sauce and 2 pinches of salt. If you have bonito flakes, add 2 pinches (about 2g). Bonito flakes are also dry, so they absorb moisture and make the tomato flavor more distinct. When mixed, the liquid from the tomatoes is bound together by the sesame and bonito flakes, giving a slightly thick, saucy consistency.

After tasting, Ryuji adjusted it by adding one more pinch of salt, as a drinker. The recipe in the description also lists 3 pinches of salt. The key finishing point is to chill it thoroughly in the fridge, because it tastes better cold. You can add chopped shiso when plating, but that would mean more ingredients, so Ryuji left it as is this time. Ryuji called it a dish that goes with both rice and alcohol.

For the main dish, the cucumber soboro rice bowl, the cucumbers are cooked. The reason: everyone already eats them raw. When the staff asked what dishes there are that cook cucumbers, Ryuji answered, "Not many." Ryuji has long made cooked cucumber dishes, such as wrapping cucumbers in meat and roasting them in the oven, but such recipes are few. That's why cucumbers are only eaten in summer, and the only way they're paired with rice is as pickles. Ryuji stressed that people should eat cucumbers in many more ways, and that this isn't all they can do.

Two cucumbers (280g) are used. People say not to eat the stem end, but Ryuji eats it. Cut lengthwise into about eight strips, then dice into roughly 1cm cubes. How you cut them is up to you. The seeds stay in, because there's no use for them once removed. At this size, the cucumbers keep their texture even when cooked. The amounts are for 3 servings, so use 1/3 for one serving and 2/3 for two.

Garlic goes in too. About 15g of large garlic cloves was minced. As Ryuji explained, garlic masks the grassy smell of cucumbers. Covering up that grassy smell makes them go better with rice. That's all the prep, and Ryuji said it's very simple.

Along the way, Ryuji also mentioned that cucumbers are rich in potassium. Potassium helps flush out excess water, so Ryuji recommended them to people who struggle with swelling.

For the meat, 300g of ground chicken thigh is used. Ground pork works if you don't have it. Chicken breast lets you cut down on calories and fat. No oil is used this time. In summer, you can't eat much if things are greasy, so Ryuji wanted something light. Ground chicken thigh or pork releases fat, so no oil is needed. Chicken breast doesn't release much fat, so add just a little oil. As a guide, use about the same amount of meat as cucumber.

Turn on the heat, add the ground meat to the frying pan, and stir-fry while seasoning with a pinch of salt. Once the fat starts to render, add the garlic. When the garlic sizzles, it becomes fragrant.

This is where the recipe's twist comes in. According to Ryuji, there are two ways to stir-fry cucumbers. Cooked well, they become juicy and tender. Added near the end, they keep a crunchy texture. Noting that it's a matter of preference, Ryuji went half and half this time. The first batch of cucumbers soaks up the savory flavor of the meat, while the second batch keeps the texture. First, add half the cucumbers and stir-fry.

For seasoning, use 1 1/2 tsp chicken bouillon powder. Chicken bouillon and cucumbers go well together, Ryuji said. Then add 1 1/2 tsp oyster sauce, which Ryuji calls the "secret ingredient," explaining that it's important for adding depth of flavor. The flavor profile is close to Chinese cooking. Even so, it's healthy because no oil is used. Of the stir-fried cucumbers, Ryuji remarked that the Fukushima ones stay juicy even when cooked.

At this point it already goes well with rice. Still, Ryuji added the remaining half of the raw cucumbers to finish it in two stages. Ryuji usually pairs cucumbers with sesame oil, but skipped it this time too, wanting viewers to taste the aroma of the cucumbers themselves. Ryuji emphasized that the contrast between cooked and uncooked cucumbers is what makes it delicious.

Finally, crack in 3 eggs. This makes the nutritional balance perfect, Ryuji said. Since 3 servings is a lot, Ryuji added that you can turn off the heat while cracking the eggs. Turn the heat back on to cook the bottoms of the eggs, and once the bottoms have set, cover with a lid and steam. You can eat them soft-cooked or cook them further. This time Ryuji steamed them a bit longer, then sprinkled on black pepper. Ryuji explained that seasoning with garlic, pepper and chicken bouillon is a Chinese technique.

Ryuji repeatedly commented on how "cute" it looked, joking that even at nearly 40, cute things are still fair game. While it steamed, the conversation turned to sake. Sake is Ryuji's favorite drink, but once Ryuji starts there's no stopping, so Ryuji doesn't usually drink it. When traveling, though, Ryuji always drinks the local sake.

To finish, Ryuji showed off a "YouTube technique." The tops of the yolks on steamed fried eggs look whitish. That's just a film of egg white that has set and turned white, so if you gently peel it off, the yellow yolk shows through. A white film makes the eggs look less appetizing, so showing the yolks makes for a better thumbnail—a tip only a cooking YouTuber would think of. Peeling off the film also removes the black pepper, so add a little more.

For plating, freshly cooked "Fuku, Warai" is served into a bowl and topped with the mixture. The refreshing aroma of the cucumbers really comes through, Ryuji said, adding that Japanese people don't know the joy of eating rice with stir-fried cucumbers. The seasoning is kept somewhat light, and it's finished with a sprinkle of coarse salt. Coarse salt distributes unevenly, so you can enjoy the contrast in saltiness. Ryuji added that regular salt is fine too.

For the tasting, everyone first toasted with the sake that had been sent. The staff agreed that it was sweet but clean.

One of the staff members who tried the tomatoes dressed with sesame didn't like tomatoes, citing their mushy texture. But these tomatoes were fresh and crisp, and went well with the sesame and bonito flakes, so this staff member could eat them, joking about possibly graduating from being the "one who hates tomatoes" thanks to Fukushima. Someone also remarked that it was delicious even though it was just cut and dressed. Ryuji reflected that, unusually, no umami seasoning had been used.

As for the cucumber soboro rice bowl, comment after comment said the cucumbers went well with rice. Many also said adding the cucumbers in two batches was the right call. The textural accent of crisp cucumbers and flavor-soaked cucumbers coming in two stages was well received. Following a comment that it was a dish they'd never had before, someone pointed out that it was a bit like gapao, and others agreed on the spot. Ryuji declared, "I think it's quite a masterpiece."

The staff noted that dishes like this often feel like cucumbers were forced into them, but this one wouldn't work without cucumbers, and no other vegetable could replace them. One person also said the difficulty level seemed manageable even for someone who doesn't usually cook much.

Ryuji summed up that cucumbers are delicious raw, but cooking them opens up new possibilities and makes them an easier vegetable to bring into everyday meals. Dressing tomatoes with sesame brings their savory flavor together, making a side dish that goes with both rice and alcohol. Finally, Ryuji encouraged viewers to enjoy Fukushima's summer vegetables, paired with Fukushima's "Fuku, Warai" rice if they can get it.