Senshu area

Old pickled Senshu water eggplant, shrimp and baby sardines

This is a local dish made by soaking local specialty Senshu mizu-nasu in a bed of salted water, removing the salt, and cooking them with small prawns in a sweet and spicy sauce. In some areas, it is also called "jako-nasu. It has long been eaten in the Senshu area in southern Osaka Prefecture.
In the Senshu area, "jako" means shrimp jako (small shrimp) and "kouko" means pickles. Ebijako is a shrimp similar to shiba-ebi (small shrimp) caught in Osaka Bay, and is characterized by its ability to produce a good broth. The old pickles are made by soaking the eggplant in a highly salted bed of rice bran for two to three months to allow fermentation to continue. The flavor of the shrimp soaks into the eggplant and goes well with both rice and sake. It is also an excellent source of calcium and protein.

The old pickled eggplants picked in summer and soaked for several months are used, so the best time to eat it is from the end of summer to fall.

Cut the old pickled eggplant into bite-sized pieces, soak in water to remove salt, and boil in boiling water. Put the old pickled eggplant and boiled pickles in boiling soup stock, add soy sauce and mirin, and simmer slowly. Add a little sugar to taste.

Although opportunities to make jakogoko at home are decreasing due to changes in eating habits and lifestyles, it is still popular as a local dish unique to Osaka and Senshu. Local farms produce their own original jako-goko and sell it nationwide via the Internet.