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How About Some Pickled Pig’s Ear or Goat Soup?By: Elena Sinnemaki Date Posted: 2000-06-02 Most Americans tend to squirm at the mere mention of “pigs’ feet,” but tebichi is hugely popular on Okinawa. Tebichi isn’t pigs’ feet per se, but rather the upper portion that’s more a part of the animal’s leg. Tebichi is cooked for a long time in a liquid and served as a main course or in a set. Although tebichi can be very meaty, it’s savored for its gelatinous skin. You can mind your dining etiquette when eating tebichi, or simply do what the Okinawans do: put a chunk of tebichi in your mouth and spit the small bones out onto the bone dish as you chew (are you still with me?). If you thought tebichi was hard core, brace yourself for the next dish. Nakami is another product of the island’s favorite livestock, in this case the pig’s intestines. Nakami is so Okinawan that even mainland Japanese find the dish rather aversive. But if you’ve tried hog maws or chitterlings back in the States, you’ll find that nakami isn’t all that different. As with tebichi, there are a number of ways to serve nakami, but the best way I know to enjoy it is over a bowl of Okinawa soba. When it comes to appetizers, mimigaa, or pickled pig’s ear, is probably not everyone’s idea of a splendid starter, but mimigaa sashimi is often served as either a first course or part of a teishoku, or set meal. Mimigaa is cooked for hours to soften the cartilage of the pig’s ear and make it easier to chew. The last Okinawan specialty I want to tell you about is yagijiru, or goat soup. As you may already know, goat is the most revered livestock on Okinawa and goat meat is considered a true delicacy, although for the most part the consumption of goat meat is the bastion of older Okinawan men. Yagijiru isn’t on every Okinawan restaurant’s menu, but there are more than a few places that serve yagijiru. If you’d like to try yagijiru, be forewarned that goat meat is extremely high in cholesterol and may cause health problems for some (such warnings are in fact usually posted in yagijiru restaurants). I’ve tried yagijiru and I’ll limit my comments by saying that I can appreciate the sentiments of younger Okinawans who typically shun this dish. With the exception of yagijiru, I encourage you to try any or all of the aforementioned Okinawan specialties, strange and unusual though they may be. As the saying goes, don’t knock it till you’ve tried it! |
   
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