Famed for its healthy and long-living residents, Okinawa is home to a distinctive branch of Japanese cuisine. Using produce such as bitter gourd and sea grapes that are not commonly seen in the rest of Japan, Okinawan cuisine is truly unique. Here in Hong Kong, there are only a handful of restaurants that specialise in the cuisine of this southern island, making it perhaps the one facet of Japanese cuisine that local residents are not familiar with. We talk to chef Yatsuki Fusaaki from Okinawan fine dining restaurant Bridges in Causeway Bay to learn more about this unusual cuisine.
The Cuisine
Okinawa is part of the chain of the Ryukyu Islands, which extends southwards from Japan’s main island, bringing it much closer to its Taiwanese and Chinese neighbours. China and Okinawa has a long history: a tributary relationship between the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Chinese emperor dates back to the 15th century. Therefore, it is not surprising that Okinawan cuisine has Chinese influences. Not only is a lot more pork consumed in Okinawa than on the mainland, but even the way dishes are cooked are decidedly more Chinese in nature. Popular dishes including stir-fried vegetables or stewed pork (pictured with noodles below) is a classic example of the blending of Japanese and Chinese influences. According to chef Fusaaki, “Okinawan cuisine is also unique and hard to find outside of Okinawa, even in Japan, as many of the ingredients are locally produced”.
The Ingredients
It is a well-known fact that Okinawa is home to some very healthy geriatrics: not only does it have more people over a century old per 100,000 population worldwide, but female Okinawans also have the highest life expectancy in the world. Okinawans have the lowest death rates from cancer, heart disease and stroke, so it is not surprising that studies have found that a large part of this is due to the diet. Not only do Okinawans statistically eat less than anyone else, but they also eat better. Many of the Okinawa's ingredients said to be rich in vitamins and minerals. Chef Fusaaki says, “One of the vegetables most commonly eaten in Okinawa is bitter gourd, which are called goya locally in Okinawa”. Bitter gourd (pictured below) is low in calories but high in polypeptide-P (which lowers blood sugar levels); vitamin C; vitamin A; and minerals such as iron, zinc, potassium, manganese and magnesium. Goya is prolific in Okinawa, as common as lettuce or spinach are in European diets. Okinawans also consume lots of mozuku, a kind of seaweed which has almost zero calories but again, is immensely rich in vitamins and minerals.
The Dishes
Apart from fruits and vegetables, Okinawa is also home to two extremely succulent types of animals. Motobu wagyu beef, from the town of the same name, is famous for producing juicy, succulent pieces of wagyu. Another is Agu pork, from pigs that live in the northern Yanbaro area of Okinawa which are raised on a feed of seaweed and garlic. Naturally, as with the rest of Japan, fresh sushi and sashimi are also served. Classic Okinawan dishes that chef Fusaaki particularly recommends are stir-fried bitter gourd and miso-stewed pork. He also recommends trying what are known as umi budo, literally translated as sea grapes. This is another type of seaweed whose physical appearance resembles miniature grapes and are eaten raw as a side dish (pictured below), or as a garnish for salads.
The Liquor
Awamori is a distilled rice liquor produced in Okinawa, which pairs perfectly with local ingredients. It is usually served with water and ice though it can also be drunk neat or made into cocktails. The rather strong liquor (30-43% alcohol) goes well with the briny sea grapes, as well as with the robustly flavoured stewed pork with miso. Chef Fusaaki also highly recommends it as a pairing with the Motobu wagyu beef, which is just served simply grilled at Bridges.
Where to Get It
En Group in Hong Kong runs three Okinawan izakaya-style restaurants in Tsim Sha Tsui, Central and Causeway Bay. However, for fine dining Okinawan cuisine, Bridges, which is run as a partnership between En Group and the Okinawan government, is the place to go. The government gives Bridges support on logistics and the sourcing of fresh ingredients, which is why the restaurant can bring in the freshest and most premium food from Okinawa. Okinawa recently started the 24-hour air cargo airport hub, allowing not only Okinawan ingredients but also ingredients from all over Japan to be flown to Hong Kong every day. Through the help of the government, Bridges is able to source some of the premium ingredients like Motobu wagyu beef, Agu pork, kuruma ebi (prawns), and many others, “some of which are difficult to source even in Okinawa or Japan”, says chef Fusaaki.
