Oh my goodness. You've just explained why my (Japanese) mother cooks her potatoes like that. I always thought she was bizarrely attached to crunchy vegetables to the point of fanaticism. I never gave her credit for doing it as part of a recognized *style*. (I don't think I'll like it any better for knowing that. Crunchy potatoes just seem wrong to me!)

May I post a link to your journal over in LJ, variously at some language comms, and a few friends who would love to study Chinese menu reading as well?