2012年12月 のアーカイブ

Omicho market crowded with year-end shoppers

2012年12月31日 月曜日

Red-skinned kamaboko and white kamaboko are typical ingredients of New Year’s dish. Red and white are considered to bring good luck.

Kamabo is translated as fish paste, minced fish, fish sausage, fish cake, fish loaf,  or fish minced and steamed.  But, I don’t think whatever English name can express the delicious taste of kamaboko.  So, kamaboko is  kamaboko.

Various kinds of kamaboko for New Year’s food are sold at kamaboko shop, Omicho market.

Omicho market has about 270 years history, originated as the Kaga local lord’s kitchen. Shoppers are crowed in the narrow alley, and snatch food for New Year’s dish .

Kuwai is translated as threeleaf arrowhead. Kuwai is considered as an auspicious food. It has a arrow-like bud. People belive that good luck will visit when you eat kuwai. So, it is one of the ingredient of New Year’s food.

Tochi-mochi rice cake, a souvenir of a local sweet

2012年12月1日 土曜日

Tochinoki is translated into English as Japanese horse chestnut Aesculus. Aesculus seeds were traditionally eaten by the Jomon people. The Jomon people lived in Japan about 4 millennia ago until 300 AD. Aesculus seeds become edible after complicated processing of leaching. The seeds have acrid taste and can’t be eaten without processing.

I found crushed seeds in bags being soaked in a running water at Shirakawago village on September 29 and November 8.

A high degree of technique such as soaking the seeds in a running water and boiling them in a water mixed with ash is needed to extract bitter taste. Tochinoki seeds saved people from famine during the Edo and early Meiji period. There are many places which have the name related to Tochi throughout Japan. Tochinomi is used as an ingredient for Tochinomi-senbei, Tochinomi rice cracker and Tochi-mochi, Tochimochi rice cake.

Tochinomi is rich in starch and bigger than acorn, and was regarded as the seeds for longevity. Tochinoki seeds are reviewed as a nutritious ingredient at a time when people are eating to their hearts’ content.