Kani Zosui: Porridge of rice and crab
Europe changed to wintertime at the end of October. In Cadiz now the sun goes down around 6:30 pm. I remember that just two months ago we enjoyed the daylight until 8 o'clock, so this is a big change. We have still lots of sunshine in the daytime, but it gets quite cold at night. While the palm trees and the blue skies still remind me of summer, I feel that winter is approaching in this holiday town.
Today the weather was still summer-like, and to make the most of it we went to the beach. A few tourists were still sunbathing and swimming in the sea, but most local people have already traded their swimsuits for sweaters and jackets. They seem to prefer walking along the beach to braving the cold ocean water.
There's nothing like a day at the beach in the fall - not many people around, and the soft sunshine and cool sea breeze are very healthful, really refreshing your body and soul. But the evenings are a lot cooler now, and after the beach I often feel a bit cold. Then I always feel like eating something hot to relax and warm me up. This time it occurred to me to make some nice kani zosui. When I was little, my mother would prepare it when I had cold. Just making this zosui reminds me of her tenderness.
In the past, zosui was written with the kanji - "increasing water", like a flood - because the water increases the volume of the rice. Then people started to add various ingredients to it, leading to the kanji - "simmered miscellaneous ingredients."
This means that you can add anything you want! But maybe there's one special, favorite ingredient of the person you're making it for (even yourself!) and he/she will be happy both with your zosui and with your presence. I chose crab because it's my family's favorite. But you can add, for example, salmon, chicken, and all sorts of things. Remember, this zosui will make your body warm on these cold winter days and will also relax your soul.

Submitted by Yuko Tamaki-Welply
A member of TranNet and freelance translator based in Southern Spain

♦ INGREDIENTS
(4 servings)
T     = tablespoon
t      = teaspoon
c     = cup
g     = gram

400 g   cooked rice. cooled (approx. 4 bowls)
150 g    crab meat
8       shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
1       egg
5 c    dashi (soup stock) ( » how to make dashi)
1 t     salt
2 t     soy sauce
1 T    sake (if you wish)

♦ How to make Kani Zosui
1) Use only cooled rice.
2) Cut the shitake mushrooms into thin slices.
3)  In a large saucepan, heat the soup stock (dashi) over medium heat.
4) Add the cooked rice, mushrooms and crabmeat, and bring to a boil again, stirring occasionally.
5) Stir in salt and soy sauce and serve in a bowl immediately.

How do you study the written Japanese characters known as kanji? You stare at each kanji and make up a story in your head that you can mentally "attach" to the kanji to help you recall its meaning when you meet it again in the future. Some types of kanji have retained their pictographic forms and look very much like the objects they represent.