Soma City

Rice, Hokki-gai (shellfish)

Soma City has long been active in rice production. Even today, varieties such as Koshihikari and Hitomebore are produced, and the city is said to have the largest amount of shipments among the city's agricultural products (according to the Soma City website).
In addition, Hokki-gai (shellfish) are often caught mainly in Matsukawaura, the only lagoon in Fukushima Prefecture. Fishing for hokki-gai has been conducted in the waters off Soma and Futaba since the Meiji era (1868-1912), and the area has long been known as a famous producer of hokki-gai. The mineral-rich seawater off the coast of Soma and Futaba influences the growth of hokki-gai, allowing them to be caught relatively large, with a sweet taste and soft texture.
A local dish made by combining these two specialties is "hokkimeshi. The rice absorbs the broth from the hokki-gai and becomes rich in umami.

Hokki-gai dishes are most commonly eaten from June to November. It is widely served at restaurants, lodging facilities, and homes. Originally, hokki-gai was also popular as fisherman's rice for busy fishermen to eat on board their boats, but it gradually came to be eaten on land as well.

Boil water, soy sauce, sugar, sake, and salt in a pot and cook hokki clams. Once the shellfish are removed from the pot, add rice to the pot, and when steaming, mix in the hokki-gai. Finish by sprinkling shiso leaves. When adding the hokki-gai shellfish, shredded ginger will reduce the smell of the shellfish and give the dish a refreshing taste. Carrots and hijiki are sometimes added in addition to hokki-gai.

It is made at home and served at restaurants. When the season of hokki clams comes, restaurants serving hokki-meshi around Matsukawaura put up banners to advertise their products. In addition, Fukushima Prefecture has published a recipe for hokki-meshi online. The prefecture also provides the recipe online so that people outside the prefecture can easily prepare it.