# Azuki Hoto ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Azuki Hoto

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Hokuto City, Ichikawamisato Town, Minobu Town, Kai City, Kofu City

## Main Ingredients Used
Flour, azuki beans, sugar

## History, Origin, and Related Events
"Hoto" originated as something eaten in a red bean soup in the Heian Period, as recorded in the diaries of aristocrats. In Yamanashi after the Edo period, it was common to eat "hoto" stewed in miso, but "azuki hoto" was eaten during celebrations like New Year's and Obon as well as regional events such as during rice planting season. "Azuki hoto" is served at the festival held at the end of July every year at Miwa Shrine in Sutamacho Wakamiko, Hokuto City, which is why the festival is also called "Hoto Festival." The red color of azuki beans is said to have the power to drive away noxious vapors and ward off evil, so people offered fresh azuki beans and flour before altars, ate the "azuki hoto" served, and gave thanks for the harvest. Originally mochi was put into azuki bean soup, but rice is extremely precious in in Yamanashi Prefecture, whose land is largely unsuitable for the cultivation of rice, so "hoto" noodles were cut thickly and treated as a mochi substitute in sweet azuki bean soup.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
It is eaten for New Year's, Obon, village festivals, and celebratory regional events such as during the rice planting period. The harvest for azuki beans and rice takes place at the end of July, and "azuki hoto" was served as a special meal during the close of the hottest period of the year.

## How to Eat
Add warm water to flour and knead by hand. Let rest for 30min and knead again. Dusting the surface with flour, roll out the dough and cut it into pieces a little wider than udon noodles. Rinse the azuki beans with water and heat in a pot with plenty of water; once it boils, strain and discard the water. Boil again with plenty of water; once boiling, set to low heat and simmer until soft. Once it has thoroughly cooked, mash with a pestle and season with salt and sugar. Boil the hoto noodles in plenty of hot water, rinse quickly under cold water, add to azuki bean soup, and it is ready once it boils. You can adjust the amount of sugar and how mashed the azuki beans are according to your preferences.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)It is among the 176 "Yamanashi foods," local foods which Yamanashi Prefecture is endeavoring to pass on to the next generation, and has furthermore been chosen as one of the "specially selected Yamanashi foods," a selection which has been narrowed down to 47 items. You can also eat "azuki hoto" at "hoto" specialty stores.

## Ingredients
- 【Noodles】Flour: 200g
- 【Noodles】Warm water: 100ml
- 【Noodles】Salt: suitable amount
- 【Azuki bean soup】Azuki beans: 200g
- 【Azuki bean soup】Water: 2L
- 【Azuki bean soup】Sugar: 200g
- 【Azuki bean soup】Salt: 1 tsp

## Recipe
1. 1. 【Hoto noodle dough step 1】Add warm water to flour, and knead the dough until it has a slightly stiff consistency. Let rest for 30min and knead again.
2. 2. 【Hoto noodle dough step 2】Dust the rolling surface with flour and roll out the "Hoto noodle dough process 1." Cut into pieces that are wider than udon noodles.
3. 3. 【Azuki bean soup step 1】Wash azuki beans in water, then put into a pot with plenty of water and heat on low flame. Once boiled, strain and discard the water.
4. 4. 【Azuki bean soup step 2】Boil again in plenty of water; once boiling, turn heat down to low, and let simmer until cooked to softness.
5. 5. 【Azuki bean soup step 3】Once thoroughly cooked, mash the azuki beans with a pestle and season with salt and sugar.
6. 6. 【Azuki bean soup step 4】Boil the hoto noodles in plenty of hot water, rinse quickly under cold water, add to azuki bean soup; it is ready once it has boiled.

## Provider Information
provider : Recipe source: "Yamanashi no Shoku Marugoto Taiken Handbook"

![Image](Not found)