Masarap! Japan envoy cooks sinigang for Christmas

MANILA, Philippines — Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Koshikawa Kazuhiko took to his kitchen again yesterday to cook another Filipino dish in time for Christmas – sinigang na hipon sa kamias.

Showing off his skills and telling the world how much Philippine food rocks, he posted an almost three-minute video of him and Chef Suzuki preparing the dish.

“Magluluto ako ng kamias sinigang (I will cook kamias sinigang). Tara (Come on), let’s get kamias from my garden,” Koshikawa said as he collected and prepared the ingredients.

Slicing the kamias, onions, shrimp and tomatoes, he cooked the all-time Filipino favorite complete with kangkong, which he boiled for a while before dipping the same in iced water “to keep it green.”

After cooking the dish, Koshikawa and Chef Suzuki had a hearty meal where the former shouted “sinigang!” They both described the dish as “masarap” (delicious).

Last Christmas, the Japanese envoy wowed thousands of netizens after he posted a short video on Twitter showing him cooking tinola.

“Wow!” ‘Chicken’ lang pala ang tinola!” he said, apparently using the word “chicken” to describe how easy it was to cook the classic Filipino dish.

In his post for this year’s featured Filipino dish, Koshikawa shared that he decided to spread some cheer by exploring the rich culinary traditions of the Philippines in the spirit of the holiday season.

In a Christmas message, the embassy of Japan in Manila thanked the Philippine media “for the valuable support to programs and activities of the embassy of Japan.”

“Your cooperation contributes significantly to building bridges of friendship and for that, we extend our heartfelt thanks,” the embassy’s message read.

“May this holiday season bring you joy, laughter and moments of warmth shared with loved ones. For your tireless efforts in reporting about Japan and the Philippines, we sincerely appreciate the dedication. Your commitment to fostering understanding and sharing stories is truly commendable. We look forward to continuing our partnership in the coming year and beyond, and hope that our blossoming collaborations can continue to bloom,” it added.