There are just a couple days each year that I don't send lunch to school. Instead, the kids in the second year classes work together to cook lunch. They aren't just cooking for the kids in their class, they cook for everyone - students and staff.
At the PTA meeting earlier this year, I signed up to help with one of these cooking days. Since I don't speak a lot of Japanese, it makes me nervous to help in the classroom. But I know that my son loves to have me come and I know my way around a kitchen. So, it is a good choice for me.
Today we would be cooking curry. It is something that I make in my own home quite regularly. My son loves Japanese curry. He has since he was a baby. At his daycare in America (it was a Japanese daycare), they would always report he ate 3 bowls of lunch on curry day. His appetite for it has never diminished.
Instead of dropping my son off at the gate, I went to his classroom with him. All of the children were getting settled for the day. There was a list of tasks for the children to accomplish before we could get started. They had to put away their backpacks, use the bathroom, wash their hands, and put on their aprons and head scarfs. Head scarfs are a customary here when people are in the kitchen.
Another mom, a school employee, and I got busy peeling the potatoes and carrots. The children had already peeled the onions. We cut the three types of vegetables so they would have a flat edge, making each item more secure for the kids to cut. Then we divided the vegetables into three bowls.
Each assistant was assigned a table with 6 kids sitting in chairs in front of the station. One by one, the kids would come up to the table and cut a vegetable with the guidance of the adult. Some of the children approached with confidence, while others were more timid. I indicated to them where to put their hand to secure the vegetable before cutting it. I loved giving them high fives for a job well done and watch them beam with pride as they got the job done.
Once all the veggies were cut, we cleaned up the room and the kids went outside to play. Some of the kids helped to carry the bowls of cut vegetables to the teacher's room where we had portable burners and big pots ready for cooking.
I have never used ground meat in curry, but that was what was provided by the school. We browned the meat and then added the carrots, potatoes, and onions, stirring often. After softening the vegetables just a bit, we covered the mixture in water. We brought it to a boil and then skimmed the foam off the surface. As soon as the potatoes were fully cooked, it was time to add the curry roux.
The roux comes from a box. These boxes are something you can find in almost any Japanese home, as this dish is a staple home cooked meal.
I copied the other moms by putting the roux in a bowl and adding hot water until the roux was melted. I usually just toss it into the pot and stir. We continued to cook and stir for a bit until the mixture thickened into a nice sauce-like consistency.
After letting it cool for a bit, we took the pots to each classroom. The kids were so excited to eat the curry. Many of them were dancing around and exclaiming "cu-rry, cu-rry!" (coo-ray, coo-ray) With the teacher's guidance, they lined up nicely and we served them their much desired lunch. Some kids were shy and only wanted one scoop, while others were more bold and said "mo sukoshi" or "a little more."
The adults in the classroom, including the other mom and myself, helped themselves as well. We all sat down with the kids and enjoyed a fantastic lunch. Everyone worked together to make this meal come together. It was satisfying on so many levels.
After lunch, I helped to clean up and wash all the pots and so forth used in making the meal. Then it was time for me to head home. I had about an hour and a half before my son would be done with his day.
Volunteering at my son's school is very rewarding for me. I like to contribute and it is nice to see how my son is doing in the classroom. But it is even more rewarding on days like this where I can help so many students acquire and practice important life skills. I hope we made fun memories for them today. I know I walked away with some.
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