# Ichigo Ni ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Ichigo Ni

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Southwestern region

## Main Ingredients Used
Fresh sea urchin, abalone, green perilla, green onion

## History, Origin, and Related Events
This is a local dish passed down from the Pacific coast of Hachinohe City and Hashikami Town, as well as others. It is a luxurious dish using only high quality ingredients, such as sea urchin and abalone in a clear broth soup. It is said to have originated in the old days when fishermen dived for sea urchins and abalone and heartily boiled them on the beach. In the Taisho era, it came to be a ryotei (Japanese-style restaurant) dish and was served in beautifully arranged bowls. "Ichigo-ni" got its name from the golden sea urchin floating in the milky white broth produced from abalone extract and other ingredients, as it looked like a hazy wild strawberry in the morning dew when served in a bowl. The elegant and stylish name became popular, and in modern times, it has been passed down from generation to generation with care as an essential dish for weddings and other celebratory occasions.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
As the saying goes, 'Sea urchin becomes tasty around the time green perilla comes out,' and it is around July when sea urchin is in season. It is elegant and luxurious in appearance, and locals always make this dish as a "Hare-shoku" soup for Obon, New Year's, and other celebratory occasions. The quality and freshness of the ingredients are the deciding factors in its simplicity, and it is a taste that is unique to the local area, where especially high-quality sea urchins are caught. Many people go out of their way to try it because they cannot get it anywhere else.

## How to Eat
This is an authentic dish that makes the most of the flavors of its ingredients. It's a simple dish where the fresh sea urchin and abalone are quickly simmered in water or bonito flakes broth, seasoned with a small amount of soy sauce, and topped with shredded green perilla. The sea urchin melts on the tongue, the abalone is crisp, and the deep sea aroma is accented by the green perilla leaves making it an irresistibly perfect dish.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(An outline of the stories, about the preservation society, social media use, and modern ideas like commercialization etc.)In the past, it was a dish that was eaten everyday in every household, but as time went by, sea urchin and abalone came to be treated as luxury foods, so it can no longer be considered a dish to have on hand. Although the number of people cooking it at home has declined, a local business developed a canned product in 1980, which has become known throughout the country as a souvenir. Every July, Hashikami Town holds the "Hashikami Ichigo-ni Festival," offering "Ichigo-ni" at beach prices to attract fans.

## Ingredients
- fresh sea urchin: 200g
- large abalone: 1
- green perilla leaves: 5
- green onion: 1／2
- salt: A pinch
- sake: A little
- soy sauce: A little

## Recipe
1. 1. Remove the abalone from its shell, remove the scales, and cut into thin slices.
2. 2. Put the white onion in water.
3. 3. Finely chop the green perilla leaves.
4. 4. Put some water in a pot and when it comes to a boil, season it, add the sea urchin and abalone, bring to a boil, turn off the heat and season to taste.
5. 5. Put an appropriate amount into bowls and top with drained white onion and (green perilla).
6. 6.  Do not cook too much, as overcooked fish will become tough.Add just enough soy sauce for aroma.

## Provider Information
provider : "Food Culture and Tradition Guidebook"(Aomori Prefecture)

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