Melanie Okazaki shares her late mother’s recipe for a traditional Japanese dish that includes Portuguese sausage. This version uses lotus root for a firmer texture. A key factor is to shave the gobo by hand.

Lillian Okazaki’s Kinpira Gobo with Portuguese Sausage

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces dried shrimp
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 long stalks gobo
• 3 inches cleaned lotus root
• 3 ounces hot Portuguese sausage, finely diced
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1 dried chile pepper
• Sesame seeds as garnish

Directions:

Place dried shrimp in a bowl with water and microwave for 20 seconds. Set aside, but keep liquid. Remove gobo’s outer skin. Cut lengthwise; discard ends. Rinse and place in water. Whittle strands (1-2 inches) from the tip of the stalk. Rinse in water, then soak. Refrigerate overnight. Cut lotus root in quarters; slice thinly. Drain gobo. Heat oil in skillet over medium-high heat. Fry sausage and add gobo, lotus root and shrimp. Stir and add brown sugar, soy sauce and shrimp water. Increase heat; stir until sauce comes to a boil. Reduce heat; add pepper. Stir until sauce caramelizes. Remove from heat; garnish with sesame seeds.

Makes about 4 servings as a side dish.

Lynette Lo Tom is the author of cookbooks A Chinese Kitchen and Back in the Day. She wants to hear about your cooking shortcuts. Reach her at lynette@brightlightcookery.com or @brightlightcookery on Instagram.