# Korogaki (Dried persimmon) ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

**Cuisine Name**: Korogaki (Dried persimmon)

**Region**: Our Regional Cuisines

## Main Lore Areas
Koshu City, Minami-Alps City, etc.

## Main Ingredients Used
Astringent persimmon

## History, Origin, and Related Events
“Korogaki” is a candy-colored dried persimmon that is often made in Koshu City and Minami-Alps City. It is made from a larger variety of persimmon that has a moisture content of around 25% to 30% and a crystallized sweetness and white powder. This type of persimmon is called “korogaki”, and it is dried for a longer period of time than a soft persimmon, which has a moisture content of around 50% named"Anpogaki". The name “Korogaki” comes from the way the peeled persimmons are dried in the sun. They are placed side by side in different positions so that the entire fruit is exposed to the sun. From November to December, persimmons dried under the sun in front of the eaves of houses form an orange curtain, and are a popular autumn taste.

## Opportunities and Times of Eating Habits
Persimmons are available for purchase and consumption from mid-December until late January, after which they are dried and sold as kororogaki. Thanks to advancements in preservation techniques, persimmons can now be stored for up to one month in individual packaging, and if frozen, they can be stored for up to a year. However, due to its high sugar content, persimmons do not freeze well.

## How to Eat
During November, when the persimmons are ripe for harvest, pick the reddish ones and leave a T-shaped handle on them. Peel the skin off, but leave the tip of the butt end. If possible, dip the fruit in boiling water to prevent mold and remove the sticky residue from the surface. Tie a plastic string into a loop and hang each persimmon on a pole with a T-shaped handle at each end to dry in the sun under the roof's eaves. Once dry, remove the persimmons from the pole, remove the string, cut off the handles using pruning shears, and shape the persimmons into a small oval shape. If available, wrap them in rice straw and leave them in a cool, dark place until they become powdery. Sometimes the hardened ones are made into tempura.

## Efforts for Preservation and Succession
Of the 176 local foods that Yamanashi Prefecture is working to pass on to the next generation, 47 are selected as "Specially Selected Yamanashi Foods".

## Ingredients
- Astringent persimmons: Appropriate quantity (not overriped)
- Plastic string: Appropriate quantity (60 cm length)

## Recipe
1. 1. Harvest persimmons in mid-November once they have turned red enough, but leave the handle in a "T" shape.
2. 2. To peel the persimmons, turn them around with a knife and remove the hefty part, while leaving only the skin at the tip of the buttocks. It is recommended to dip the persimmons in boiling water to prevent mold and to remove the sticky astringent residue on the surface, making them easier to handle.(A peeler is more efficient for peeling the skins and if you're making large quantities, wear plastic gloves to avoid getting the astringent residue on your hands.)
3. 3. To dry persimmons efficiently, start by tying a plastic string into a loop and hanging the persimmons on a pole using T-shaped handles at each end. Hang them under the eaves in the sun, ensuring they hang shorter on one side and longer on the other for effective drying.
4. 4. Adjust the persimmons to expose all sides to the sun, but ensure they do not get rained on. After about a week, when the persimmons are soft, knead them with your fingertips. This should be done around mid-December.
5. 5. Take the persimmons off the pole, remove the strings, and use pruning shears to cut off the handles and shape them into a small oval shape.
6. 6. If available, wrap the persimmons with rice straw and leave them in a cool, dark place until they become floury. This should be done towards the end of the year.

## Provider Information
provider : Ms. Keiko Shinkai

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