# Tai-men/Tai-somen ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Tai-men/Tai-somen

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Seto Inland Sea coastal areas such as Onomichi City and HatsukaichiCity

## Main Ingredients Used
Sea bream, somen noodles, prickly ash leaves, egg, shiitake mushroom

## History, Origin, and Related Events
Tai-men is a dish featuring boiled somen noodles piled in waves on a large plate and topped with a whole boiled sea bream, garnished with prickly ash leaves, cucumber, shredded egg crepe, and salty-sweet simmered shiitake mushroom. It can also be garnished with pine branches. It is a ceremonial dish often served for special occasions such as house framing ceremonies, 77th birthdays, 88th birthdays, weddings, and ship unloading ceremonies. It is an auspicious dish with sea bream (tai) signifying "medetai" (happy), and somen noodles signifying a "long and thin continuation." The guests compliment the size and flavor of the sea bream, and they enjoy the feast with the wish that their happiness will continue for a long time. It is served on a large plate, then divided into smaller plates and covered in broth and toppings as desired. The broth poured on top is simply the broth in which the sea bream was boiled. At home, it is typically made with smaller fish such as rockfish, black sea bream, stonefish, or grunt. It is generally referred to "Tai-men" when eaten at celebrations, and "Tai-somen" when eaten at home. It is difficult to keep the sea bream intact while boiling, so it is often placed in a boat-shaped basket made of straw or bamboo peel, and boiled in a pot large enough to contain it completely. With its rocky, undulating sea floor and tidal currents, the Seto Inland Sea is well-suited for the spawning and habitation of sea bream, and they have long flourished in those waters. In addition to Tai-somen, there are many other sea bream dishes in the region.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
It was often served for special occasions such as house framing ceremonies, 77th birthdays, 88th birthdays, weddings, and ship unloading ceremonies. It was often eaten during the Bon and Kangen-sai Festivals as well. Kangen-sai is a local festival with a deep connection to the Itsukushima Shrine in Miyajima that is held on June 17th of the lunar calendar. In recent years, it is also served at drinking parties.

## How to Eat
Boiled somen noodles are piled in waves on a large plate and topped with a whole sea bream simmered in a light seasoning of soy sauce, sake, mirin, and sugar. It is served with garnishes such as prickly ash leaves, cucumber, shredded egg crepe, and simmered shiitake mushroom. To eat, it is divided into smaller plates with the sea bream broth poured on top. Other condiments are often not added.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
These days, sea bream is readily available and eaten in preparations such as sashimi, grilled, or simmered with turnip, but Tai-men is often eaten for celebrations and other occasions. It is also served at local restaurants. It is also presented in recipe collections featuring local ingredients such as "Onomichi Seasonal Food" and "20 Seasonal Fish Recipes," which were created as part of the Onomichi Slow Food Community Development Project.

## Ingredients
- Sea bream: 1 (about 20cm)
- Somen noodles: 4 bundles
- Prickly ash leaves: A few
- Egg: 2
- [Seasoning] Water: 1 cup
- [Seasoning] Soy sauce: 1／4 cup
- [Seasoning] Sake: 2 tablespoons
- [Seasoning] Mirin: 2 tablespoons

## Recipe
1. 1. Descale the sea bream, remove the guts, and wash thoroughly.
2. 2. Gently simmer the sea bream from step 1 with the [Seasoning] ingredients.
3. 3. Arrange the boiled somen noodles in a wavy pattern on a large plate, and place the simmered sea bream on top (you can also place pieces of grilled or steamed sea bream on top of the somen noodles).
4. 4. Garnish with shredded egg crepe and prickly ash leaves.

## Provider Information
provider : Recipe source: "Taste of Fukuyama Regional Cuisine" (City Council of Dietary Improvement Promotion Workers)

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