Nazo-ni/Boiled mushrooms with lemon

I’m still not sure how this mysterious food should be categorised, so I’m not sure of its name either. I’ve heard that my late mother learned this dish while living in Thailand. But that too I’m not certain of. Since my childhood, it existed quite ordinarily as a side dish on the Miyata family dinner table. So I ate it without a second thought. However, since becoming an adult, when I talked about this dish with someone, I thought that perhaps nobody had eaten anything like it before. Perhaps that was the case. Maybe, this mysterious dish only existed on our dinner table. When I was younger and still living alone, after having realised the above, I once asked my mother what exactly this dish wash, and how it was made. “I don’t know”, she said. Actually, the origin of this dish was a Thai lady that worked in our house as a helper when we lived in Thailand. Apparently she made it by throwing together whatever ingredients were in the house at the time. My mother really loved that, so she asked the lady to teach her how to make it, and began making it herself with a few modifications. That recipe was handed down to the Miyata children. My two older brothers also prepare it for their families and friends sometimes, apparently to very high acclaim. If I were to describe the flavour, it would be “sour boiled shiitake mushrooms”. Can you imagine the taste? Despite using no ethnic ingredients, tasting it will instantly transport you to Thailand. Try it once and you’ll be hooked.