I grew up tasting the varieties of the South — from southern Mississippi and Alabama to northern Georgia. My husband, while born in Ohio, is Japanese. Our backgrounds are so different, but our lifestyles have merged over the years, with meals being no exception!
One example that comes to mind is Chicken Katsu — a fried chicken filet made with panko — often served with crisp, thinly sliced cabbage and Japanese mayo, or curry — a rich and savory brown stew with varying degrees of sweetness and spice.
It goes without saying that fried chicken is a Southern staple, along with many other sides like mashed potatoes, black-eyed peas and cabbage in the form of cole slaw. And don’t forget the pickles!
In the south, we pair our dishes with chow chow or pepper jelly, and you’ll rarely have Japanese dishes without some variety of pickles like Takuan.
Learning to appreciate the similarities and differences of our familiar cuisines has connected us over the years, and we continue to love exploring new dishes and cuisines with each other and our families.
Find more nutrition tips from Northside Hospital.
