# Nerikomi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Nerikomi

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
The Tsugaru region

## Main Ingredients Used
Sweet potatoes, dried shiitake mushrooms, carrots, konjac, field peas, and fried tofu

## History, Origin, and Related Events
It is said to have its roots in Buddhist vegetarian cuisine and was created long ago by the monks of the 33 temples of the "Hirosaki Zen Forest" who made “kuzuyose” from vegetables collected through almsgiving. The colorful vegetables are beautifully arranged to make them shine for a dish that is pleasing to the eye. Its name comes from the fact that "arrowroot (kudzu)" is added to boiled vegetables and kneaded. It is characterized by the heavy use of sugar to make it sweet and delicious, and it was served not as an everyday dish but as an accompaniment to New Year's dishes or as a hospitality dish for ceremonial occasions. While it has the aspect of being a side dish, it is also thought to have had a role similar to what we would call a sweet in modern times.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
In the Hirosaki region, there is a tradition of always eating nerikomi at times of celebration and condolences. This dish is similar to "kokusho" and "noppei", and its characteristics include adding konjac to seasonal vegetables, making plenty of broth, and adding potato starch to thicken it. Since it is a cold region, it is said to have been made thicker so that it does not cool down so quickly. Depending on the season, "nerikomi" is made using mainly seasonal vegetables, such as peas in early summer, taro in autumn, and field peas in winter. For important occasions, chestnuts and salmon roe are sometimes added to make it more luxurious.

## How to Eat
Cut the ingredients into cubes, boil in soup stock, season with sugar and salt, and thicken with potato starch dissolved in water. Sometimes a small amount of soy sauce is added for flavor. Because of its strong sweetness, it is often added to meals as a palate cleanser.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of the traditions, the preservation society, social media use, modern approaches at commercialization)In 2008, the Tsugaru Food Heritage Certification and Promotion Committee selected it from among traditional local cuisines that have been nurtured and passed down through the history and climate of the Tsugaru region as “Tsugaru Food Heritage,” and is working to spread and popularize it. The Aomori Goshogawara Green Tourism Council also holds courses to promote the cuisine, and there are also farmhouse inns that actively incorporate local cuisine.

## Ingredients
- Dried shiitake mushrooms: 15g
- Carrot: 100g
- Square konjac: 200g
- Sweet potatoes: 240g
- field peas (canned): 25g
- Soup stock: An appropriate amount
- Fried tofu: 40g
- Potato starch: 20g
- [Seasoning A] Sugar: 50g
- [Seasoning A] Sake: 40ml
- [Seasoning A] Mirin: 40ml
- [Seasoning A] Salt: 4g

## Recipe
1. 1. Cut the konjac into chunks and parboil. Cut the sweet potatoes into large chunks and soak them in water. Cut the carrot into small chunks and cut the fried tofu into thin pieces.
2. 2. Pour the soup stock into a pot and simmer the carrots, konjac, and sweet potatoes.
3. 3. When 2 becomes soft, add fried tofu, season with Seasoning A, thicken with potato starch dissolved in water, and add the field peas.

## Provider Information
provider : "Aomori Prefecture Council for the Promotion of Improved Dietary Habits"

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