Okinawan salted shortbread

The tiny islands that make up the tropical paradise of Okinawa are some of my favourite destinations in Japan. The pace of life, the weather, the beauty and of course the food make them a great place to visit. Okinawa is known for many things – the birthplace of karate; a unique fusion cuisine that blends southeast Asia, China, the US and Japan; and extremely high quality produce, from pork to bitter gourds to seaweeds. Two of its most famous exports are a rich, black sugar called kokutou and mineral-rich sea salts. Of course, if you can get those products from Okinawa, more’s the better, but otherwise any dark brown sugar and sea salt flakes will do.