Okinawa Prefecture
Soomintashiya

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- Main lore areas
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All over the prefecture
- Main ingredients used
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Somen noodles
- History/origin/related events
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Somin Tasiya" is an Okinawan home-style dish of stir-fried somen noodles. There are two types of stir-fried dishes in Okinawa, "tashiya" and "chanpuru," but "chanpuru" refers to stir-fried tofu, so "somen chanpuru" used to mean "stir-fried somen" is a misnomer. Soumin-tasiya is a simple dish made with vegetables, tuna, and other ingredients, and somen noodles with salt and soy sauce, making it a typical home-style dish and a popular snack with sake. The cooking process is simple, but it requires a few tricks, as the degree of somen noodle boiling depends on the finished product. The softer type of somen, which is made by adding soup stock when frying or boiling to make it sticky, is called "Sominputtulu" and is appreciated by the elderly because it is easy to eat and has a good thirst-quenching effect. Puttu-lu" means that the starch has melted out and become thick.
- Opportunities and times of eating habits
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Somen is eaten for lunch, dinner, or as an accompaniment to alcoholic beverages. In the old days, every household kept a supply of somen noodles, which came in handy for meals when typhoons hit and people were unable to leave the house.
- How to eat
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Boil Soumen in plenty of hot water, then drain in a colander and drain after rinsing. When leaving it for a while, sprinkle oil on it to prevent it from hardening. Cut the green onion called "Biragara" into small pieces. Heat oil in a frying pan, add somen noodles, and stir-fry over high heat, using chopsticks to scrape the noodles. Add the villagara, season with salt to taste, and sprinkle with soy sauce for flavor. Add a little broth if the noodles start to burn during stir-frying. For side dishes, shredded carrots, canned tuna, meat, or fish cakes may be added. Boiled somen noodles are also sometimes soaked in broth to soak up the flavor.
- Efforts for Preservation and Succession
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(Outline of the people who have passed down the tradition, preservation groups, use of SNS, and modern efforts such as commercialization, etc.)
In addition to being commonly made at home, somen is sold at supermarkets and convenience stores in the prefecture, and can also be enjoyed at restaurants.