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Mamebujiru ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Iwate Prefecture

    Mamebujiru

Mamebujiru

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  • recipe image

    Image Source : Agricultural Extension Technology Division, Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Iwate Prefecture

  • Main lore areas

    Yamagata-cho, Kuji City

  • Main ingredients used

    Flour, walnuts, carrots, burdocks and other vegetables, baked tofu, dried gourd, soy sauce

  • History/origin/related events

    Mamebu-jiru" is a local dish of Yamagata-machi, Kuji City (former Yamagata Village), in which ingredients such as familiar vegetables and baked tofu are simmered in a soy sauce-based soup flavored with dried sardines and kelp dashi, along with "mamebu," flour dumplings with walnuts.
    It is said that during the Edo period (1603-1867), when bad harvests continued, people ate dumplings made of wheat flour wrapped in walnuts as a substitute for noodles in "Hare no Meal". The origin of the name is said to come from the fact that the dumplings are "the size of a pea" and "resemble mari-fu," or that the name was given to the dumpling with the wish to live a faithful, healthy, and proficient life.
    The vegetables and other ingredients used in the dumplings vary from region to region and from household to household, but the use of niboshi (dried sardines) and kombu (kelp) for the broth, the taste of soy sauce, and the addition of walnuts to the dumplings are common. Sometimes brown sugar is added to the dumplings, creating a unique taste that allows the saltiness of the soup and the sweetness of the brown sugar to be enjoyed at the same time.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    Dumplings are mainly eaten at home on ceremonial occasions such as weddings, funerals, and New Year's Day. It is said that the dumplings are made larger for celebrations and smaller for mourning. Even today, dumplings are eaten at home in winter.

  • How to eat

    Dumplings made of flour with walnuts are stewed in broth made from dried sardines and kelp with vegetables, grilled tofu, kanpyo (dried gourd) and other ingredients. Depending on the region, the dumplings may be made of walnuts and brown sugar, or only walnuts, or the soup may be thickened.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (Outline of the people who have passed on the dumplings, preservation groups, use of SNS, modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
    The dish was featured in the NHK morning TV series "Amachan" and is popular among tourists. More and more restaurants in Kuji City are offering the dish, and handmade sets that include pre-cooked ingredients and dashi are also available. It is also served at school lunches at local schools as an opportunity to learn about local cuisine. Iwate Prefecture certifies people and organizations that pass on local cuisine as "Iwate Prefecture Food Artisans," and there are "Iwate Prefecture Food Artisans" for "Mamebu-jiru" as well.

RECIPE

Ingredients (For 4 persons)

  • wheat flour 200g
  • Peeled walnuts 30g
  • carrot 70g
  • burdock root 80g
  • Grilled tofu 150g
  • Deep-fried tofu 40g
  • Kampyo (dried gourd) 10g
  • Dried Shimeji mushroom 15g
  • Soy sauce 45cc
  • Dashi Kelp 15cm
  • Niboshi (dried sardines) 5-6 sticks
  • katakuriko (potato starch) a pinch
  • salt a pinch

How to cook

  • 1. Make dashi broth by adding kombu and niboshi (dried sardines) to an appropriate amount of water.

  • 2. Cut carrot and burdock root into chunks, abura-age into thin strips, baked tofu into diamond-shaped pieces, and kanpyo into 1.5 cm lengths. Soak dried shimeji mushrooms in water.

  • 3. Add a pinch of salt to the flour, knead with water, divide into thumb-size pieces, add walnuts and roll into rounds so that the contents do not stick (cover the rounded mamebu with potato starch so that they do not stick together).
    When the vegetables are cooked, add soy sauce and salt to taste. When the blanched fish float to the surface, season to taste again and serve.

provider : "Iwate Prefecture Food Artisan" Yamagata Town Lifestyle Improvement Council

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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