Easy Transcript from NHK Gogaku, 中高生の基礎英語in English

Broadcast from Sept. 13 to 24, 2021.

Topic 12: How do you make your favorite food?

As you know, I like cooking.

What do you like to cook?

I like to cook using things that are in my refrigerator.

What did you make last night, for example?

I made my specialty.

Oh, your specialty? How do you make it?

First, I take the tofu out of my refrigerator.  The next step is the most difficult. Listen carefully! Peel some ginger or syouga and grate it. Then, put the grated ginger on the top of the tofu.

Ok. And what’s next?

The final step is add the soy sauce and eat it.

Hiyayakko

I know that dish.

Exactly, Tofu with the toppings, like spring onions negi, grated ginger, and katsuo bushi.

Is that cooking?

(All laughed)

Of course, it is.

Anyway, what toppings do you put on hiyayakko?

I like to put myoga

I like lots of ginger and use a ponzu. It’s a citrus sauce.

Fuku, how about you?

I like to put Korean nori. How do you say “nori” in English?

Seaweed. So, you like to put Korean seaweed on the tofu.

 

This week we will be talking about cooking.

I look forward to hearing about how you make your favorite food.

OK, looking forward to talking.

 

This week’s dialogue. Now, let’s listen to this week’s dialogue.

Peter and Valentina are international students in Japan. They are at the party. Everyone brought one dish to the party and Valentina is eating the fried rice that Peter made. Listen carefully to their conversation. You can take notes.

P: Hi, Valentina that’s my fried rice. I hope you like it.

V: Hmm, yum, how do you make it?

P: Well, first, you fried chop meat and vegetables in a frying pan. I use carrots, spring onions, and roasted pork. But you can use any ingredients that you like.

V: I see. Then, what?

P: Then, you add salt and pepper.

V: Ok

P: Next, add eggs. Finally, add rice and stir it well. And don’t forget the most important thing.

V: What’s that?

P: The sauce. I use soy sauce.

V: Ah. That makes sense.

P: Valentina, What do you like to cook?

V: I like to make fried potatoes. First you cut the potatoes. Next, deep fry them until they look ready.

P:  How you know?

V: They’ll be perfect golden brown. It’s easy and really tasty. But they need a secret sauce, too.

P: What’s that?

V: Ketchup!

 

Let’s look at some useful phrases.

The first one is “ingredients.”

In the dialogue Peter says, “You can use any ingredients that you like.”

V: Fuku, you said that sometimes you cook omurice or an omelet on rice. Right?

F: Yes

V: I know that you need eggs, but what else do you use to make it?

F: I use salt and pepper and rice, onion, chicken and sometimes cheese and ketchup.

V: OK.

S: So, these are ingredients. The things you use to cook something are called ingredients.

V: Everyone, let’s try saying it. Ingredients. Great job, everyone!  

 

Let’s continue. Amanda.

A: The next one is “That makes sense.” In the dialogue, Peter says he uses soy sauce in his fried rice. Then, Valentina says, “That makes sense.” So, Valentina understands why Peter uses soy sauce in his fried rice. Everyone let’s practice saying it. That makes sense.

 

Let’s look at another example.

V: Amanda, you told us that you are a vegetarian.

A: Yes, so I don’t eat meat. But there are tons of options for vegetarians. So, I have no trouble.

V: Oh, that makes sense. You get to eat a lot of delicious food.

 

In this conversation Vinay shows that he understands by saying that makes sense. Amanda and Vinay, could you give us another example conversation? Fuku, try to say that makes sense when you understand.

 

V: Hi, Amanda, Fuku. Guess what.

A: What?

V: I set 3 alarms every morning

A: Three alarms? Why do you need so many?

V: I can’t really wake up until the third one.

F: That makes sense.

A: Great. Perfect Fuku.

S: Here’s the next one

V: The next phrase is “How do you know?”  In the dialogue Valentina says to deep fry the potatoes until they look ready. And then Peter asked, “How do you know?” He means how do you know when the potatoes are ready. OK, everyone! Let’s practice. How do you know? How do you know?

S: Here’s another example.

A: Would you like some tea, Vinay?

V: Yes, please.

A: I am boiling the water now. It should be ready soon.

V: How do you know when the water’s ready?

A: The tea kettle will whistle. Uiiii

V: Oh, I hear it now. It’s almost tea time.

S: Fuku, try using these expressions in the conversation with Amanda.

F: OK

A: Fuku, I am making pasta for lunch. I think it’s ready.

F: How do you know?

A: I try a piece and it was perfect.

F: Good.

A: Yeah. Let’s eat.

S: Now you know some key phrases in the dialogue.

Let’s listen to it one more time.

 

Boost your communication skills

Today’s situation is asking about the next step. First listen to this.

A: Oh, it’s almost fall. I feel like having some hot chocolate.

V: Yeah, me too. How do you usually make it?

A: Well, I heat milk on the stove.

V: OK. What’s the next step?

A: I put some cocoa powder and sugar in a mug. When the milk is ready I add it to the mug.

V: Then what

A: I mix it well and drink it while it’s hot.

V: Hmm…. Sounds great. Alright Fuku I use two phrases asking about the next step. Were you able to catch them?

F: “What’s the next step?” and “Then what?”

V: Good. Very good. That’s right. I said, “What’s the next step?” and “Then what?”

A: Yes, that’s right. He said two phrases. So, Let’s practice saying these phrases. What’s the next step? Then what?

 

Let’s try a conversation similar to the one that Amanda and I had.

Start the conversation by saying “How do you make hot chocolate?”

When you want to know the next step. Try saying “What’s the next step?” or “Then what?”

 

F: Amanda, how do you make hot chocolate?

A: Well, first, your put some cocoa powder and sugar in a mug. Then, you add hot milk.

F: What’s the next step?

A: Then you can mix in some cinnamon and be sure to drink it when it’s hot.

F: Then what?

A: That’s it. Just enjoy it.

F: That’s good.

A: It was an easy recipe.

 

Fuku, Do you like hot chocolate?

I thought that hot cocoa and hot chocolate are different drinks, but they are the same drink.