The terrific kind of black would be the charcoal, or sumi, a derivative in japanese. Sumi means a type of charcoal that burns cleaner and brighter than conventional charcoal, making it friendly towards the environment. However, sumi only surfaces in context when it is concerned with the charcoal-mixed (longevity) noodles, for some reason. You don't find sumi fried rice or mochi or nabe.
Some new terms learnt, from Sakae Sushi's massively engineered menu for 2012. Its no longer kuro, or kuroi, what the japanese give to black-coloured foods or sesame; or nero, sepia, the Italian term for blackness squid stained foods. Sumosumi; the other side and world of a black released.
In this once in a year change of menu for Sakae Sushi, there are new sushi rolls, a change in taste-(buds), and the main takeaways include hiyashi udon, okayu, japanese simmered porridge for a warm and wholesome meal, and new vegetarian delights. Such are the bold use of corn, corn tempura, (yaki) corn handroll and yaki corn, in gunkan sushi. Lovely blackened to crisps like blow-torches used in searing aburi (sushi) or cheese like sashimi.
Yaki Corn
Wakame Sumi Udon (SGD 9.99)
In broth like ramen, steeping with goodness to one's bones. The best of the protein world-legumes top on the list soybeans (white, milky), to be used for ultimately dyed thick noodles sumi, black. It is not everyday one finds soybeans in savoury, cooked and stirred, and alternate and recent to vegan recipes and restaurant ideas. The soybean soup was tasty and sweet, and one could taste a bit of nuttiness from the depth the soybeans give which was twirly and peculiar because it is the same beans which provided for the sweet, to swamp for curds yet it can also produce satisfaction with every spoonful as broth. With the wakame seaweed and light dressing of enoki mushrooms, it was the most comforting and successful dish from the inventions by Sakae Sushi.
P.S. Clicking one's tongue, like a virus, the blackness blowing from Jollibean to Pizza Hut to Sakae Sushi. It seems like once one starts to prepare a black dish, the rest joins. One is delighted though black, delivered to the masses.
