# Kakimaze(Mixed Sushi) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Kakimaze(Mixed Sushi)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
East Kishu Food Culture Zone (Around Kumano City, Mihama-cho, Kihou-cho)

## Main Ingredients Used
Rice, fish, Dried shiitake mushrooms, Fried thin tofu, Freeze-dried tofu, Gobo (=burdock root), Carrot, Green beans, Awase-zu( =sweet and sour dressing), Dashi (=Japanese soup stock).

## History, Origin, and Related Events
This is generally known as "Gomoku-zushi" (mixed sushi), a unique dish in the southern part of the Tokishu region, also referred to as "Omaze," "Kakimaze," or "Kakimaze-zushi." It is often consumed as a celebratory meal for special occasions such as weddings and funerals. It is also made when people gather or when unusual ingredients become available. In some regions, there are community events such as neighborhood meetings that are based on 210 days passing after the 1st date of Japanese spring around early February. Usually this occurs around the beginning of September. On the 210th day after tasks like road maintenance or grass cutting on public roads, Kakimaze and sake are prepared for post-work relaxation. During these events, Kakimaze is not touched; instead, it is wrapped in leaves of Toimo (lotus root) and taken home. Children eagerly await this and enjoy this special occasion when they receive it.For celebratory occasions, tuna (shibi) or saury are used. Tuna is grated and pickled in vinegar, while saury is grilled, and the flesh is used after removing it from the bones. The ingredients are finely chopped and simmered together, seasoned with soy sauce and sugar. Sometimes, spring mountain vegetables are added. The rice is either cooled before mixing with seasoned vinegar or mixed with seasoned vinegar while still warm. The fish is then mixed in.In the town of Kanayama in Kumano City, a dish called "Daikon-sushi" is made primarily using locally abundant daikon radish. Additionally, there is a similarity in culinary culture with neighboring Wakayama Prefecture, where a local dish called "Kakimaze-zushi" is also found.Please note that these dishes may vary in preparation and ingredients across regions and households.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
This is made on various occasions such as ceremonies (weddings, funerals), events to attract people, and when unusual or rare ingredients become available which are not commonly found in everyday life. Unusual ingredients do not necessarily mean expensive ones; for example, it could include mountain vegetables or Toimo (lotus root shoots), which are special ingredients not commonly seen in supermarkets.

## How to Eat
Rice is steamed, and then it is mixed with fish and seasoned vinegar, cutting it in a slicing motion. The dish typically includes 5 or 7 types of ingredients, with an odd number combination. Vinegared fish is a constant element, and the ingredients are finely chopped, pre-cooked, and then mixed in. As the ingredients change with the seasons, it remains interesting throughout the year. For example, various mountain vegetables are used in spring, and in summer, salted and massaged Toimo (lotus root shoots) are added. It is also mentioned that sometimes it is wrapped in green leaves for consumption. The fact that the taste varies in each household is also one of its characteristics.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches to commercialization)In the wide area of the Eastern Kishu Food Culture Zone, this dish is prepared for festivals, ceremonies, funerals, and other occasions. However, when prepared for funerals, carrots are not included. In the Kumano region, it is even provided in school lunches.

## Ingredients
- Rice: 3 cups
- Water (1.2 times the amount of rice): 650ml
- Green beans: 55g
- Carrots: 70g
- [Sushi vinegar mixture] Vinegar: 70ml
- [Sushi vinegar mixture] Sugar: 60ml
- [Sushi vinegar mixture] Salt: 2 tsp.
- [Additional ingredients] Dried shiitake mushrooms: 10g
- [Additional ingredients] Fried thin tofu: 15g
- [Additional ingredients] Gobou(=Burdock root): 40g
- [Additional ingredients] Freeze-dried tofu: 20g
- [Seasoning A] Sugar: 3 tbsp.
- [Seasoning A] Sake: 1 tbsp.
- [Seasoning A] Soy sauce: 4 tbsp.
- Bonito flakes or pickled fish (such as Shibi maguro): 30g
- Dashi (=Japanese soup stock): As needed

## Recipe
1. 1. Wash the rice and soak it in the specified amount of water before cooking it.
2. 2. Cut the Shibi maguro (bonito) into diced shapes and marinate it in vinegar. Grill the bonito flakes on a net, finely shred them, and soak them in sushi vinegar.
3. 3. [Preparation of Ingredients]Cut the vegetable garnish and bring to a boil.(1)Soak dried shiitake mushrooms and koya tofu in water.(2)If the carrots and burdock root are thick, cut them into 6 pieces (4 pieces if thin) and make them into ginkgo leaf cuts.(3)Cut koya tofu, aburaage, and shiitake mushrooms into pieces measuring 1 x 0.3 x 0.3 cm.(4)green beans until they have a vibrant color, then cut them diagonally.(5)In a pot, add enough dashi broth to cover the ingredients (excluding green beans), simmer, and season with seasoning A. Continue simmering until the broth is reduced.
4. 4. Mix the cooked rice from step 1 with the seasoned fish from step 2 and the prepared ingredients from step 3. Place it in a serving dish and garnish with the diagonally sliced boiled green beans. If available, it's nice to arrange it on shiso leaves.
5. 5. Note: In spring, you can add wild vegetables such as itadori (knotweed), takenoko (bamboo shoots), warabi (bracken), zenmai (royal fern), fuki (butterbur), etc.

## Provider Information
provider : "Mie no Aji Sensai Bansai" (Mie Food Culture Research Group)

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