# Nasu no Oranda Ni ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Nasu no Oranda Ni

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Around Kanazawa City

## Main Ingredients Used
Eggplants

## History, Origin, and Related Events
Vegetables grown in Kanazawa city using traditional methods are called “Kaga Yasai”. Yasai is the Japanese word for vegetable. Vegetables that can be sold under the brand name “Kaga Yasai” are those that are locally grown and have been produced since 1945 or before that. Currently, there are 15 different types of vegetables being sold under the brand name. Some examples are, Kaga Fat Cucumber, Gensuke Daikon, “Aka Zuiki” (=red taro stem), “Kinjisou” (=type of spinach), and Amaguri Kabocha (=red kuri squash).Heta Murasaki Nasu is also a Kaga Yasai and is a locally grown eggplant. Heta Murasaki means purple stem in Japanese and the vegetable has a bright purple stem as seen in its name. The body of the eggplant is oval shaped like an egg. The glossy skin of the eggplant is thin and the fruit inside is soft and sweet. This vegetable is popular because it keeps well for a long time. Heta Murasaki Nasu was first grown around 1945. It is said that Heta Murasaki Nasu was made using an eggplant named Ogi grown in the Arimatsu and Izumi areas of Kanazawa city. At the beginning of the Showa period, the main producers of Heta Murasaki Nasu became the Kinjo and Sakiura areas as it is known today.“Nasu no orandani” is eaten during the harvest season of eggplants. Depending on the family that makes it, the eggplants are either boiled, deep-fried, or stir fried. This dish is made when there is plenty of eggplants to go around, in order to not waste them. Heta Murasaki Nasu is perfect for this dish because it does not become dissolved even when simmered for a long time. Oranda means Holland in Japanese and this dish is said to have gotten its name because it uses the same cooking methods that were used in Nagasaki, a region influenced by Dutch culture.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Eggplants are in season from summer to mid-autumn. “Nasu no orandani” is perfect to eat on a hot day when one doesn’t have much of an appetite. It is often served cold. Another popular dish of the region using eggplants is “nasu somen” (=eggplants and white wheat noodles cooked in soup).

## How to Eat
Cut off the stems and calyxes of the eggplants and put small cuts into the eggplants. Cook the eggplants in boiling water. Use a different pan to make dashi soup with fresh water. Add soy sauce and sugar and simmer the eggplants in the soup. Once the flavors are absorbed into the eggplants, turn off the heat and add cayenne pepper and grated ginger. The skin of the eggplants is firm, but the flesh is soft. The combination of the two create a unique texture. There is another type of this dish called “tsuke oranda” which is made by cooking salted or pickled eggplants.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
(Outline of traditions, preservation societies, social media use, modern approaches for commercialization etc.)This dish is often made at home. Some families like to add a small amount of sesame oil before serving.

## Ingredients
- Eggplants: 8
- red pepper: A little
- [A] Dashi (=Japanese soup stock): 1 1／2 cup
- [A] Light soy sauce: 2 1／2 to 3 tbsp.
- [A] Sake: 1 tbsp.
- [A] Sugar: 1 to 2／3 tbsp.
- [A] Salt: 1／3 tsp.
- Sesame oil: as needed

## Recipe
1. 1. Remove the stems and calyxes of the eggplants. Put cuts into the eggplants in the shape of a cross. Soak the eggplants in some water. Cook them in boiling water.
2. 2. Put the seasonings from list [A] in a pan. Once the soup is heated, add the eggplants and finely chopped cayenne pepper. Once the flavors are absorbed, turn off the heat and serve.

## Provider Information
provider : “Etsuko Aoki's New "Jiwamon" Kingdom - Cuisine of Kanazawa" (Author: Etsuko Aoki)

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