Japanese Noodles

Vol. 32 No. 1 April 2018 Kikkoman’s quarterly intercultural forum for the exchange of ideas on food THE JAPANESE TABLE 4 SPECIAL REPORT: Japanese Cuisine Around the World Japanese Noodles Tsuneyasu Kondo — Somen 6 MORE ABOUT JAPANESE COOKING: by Ayao Okumura Somen with Eggplant Yakibitashi Noodles are one of Japan’s most popular foods, and Japanese Soba Sushi Rolls cuisine is renowned for its diverse types of noodles, each with — its own complex heritage and unique traditions. In this new 8 series, Food Forum takes a closer look at the delicious world of KIKKOMAN TODAY: Japanese noodles, beginning with somen. Kikkoman Soy Sauce Product Certified as Japanese Space Food Japanese Noodles Somen From left: Sakubei with walnut and vinegar sauce, an ancient dish as reproduced by Dr. Okumura who demonstrates how to roll and stretch sakubei using two bamboo sticks. Sakubei accompanied by a sauce made drying out, allowing them to be Wheat was introduced from of either miso and vinegar, or slowly and gradually stretched China to Japan via the Korean of vinegar and jiang. Jiang, a even longer, to diameters of peninsula some 2,000 years ago, precursor to today’s soy sauce, is less than 1.7 millimeters, or yet it was not cultivated on a the liquid drained from fermented 0.07 inches—a process which substantial scale here until about soybeans. The other way was to took two days. This method of 1,300 years ago. In contrast to enjoy sakubei as a kind of dessert, making somen was introduced the hard wheat strains from where the boiled noodles were to Japan sometime in the early which Italian pastas are derived, eaten with boiled adzuki beans thirteenth century. We know so-called soft wheat arrived in sweetened with mizuame glucose that by the early sixteenth Japan in the Nara period (710- syrup made from fermented century, this exacting technique 794). At that time, the method glutinous rice. was being demonstrated to for making wheat-fl our noodles During the star festival of customers in Kyoto. was introduced in Nara, then Tanabata, celebrated on the The manner in which Japan’s capital of Japan. These noodles, seventh day of the seventh early somen was eaten differed called sakubei, were made by month of the lunar calendar, from that of the earlier sakubei kneading wheat fl our with salted typical offerings included uri noodles. During the summer water into a dough, which was melon, eggplant and sakubei. By months, the boiled noodles then broken up into small pieces. presenting offerings of sakubei were rinsed in cold water, and These were rolled out between noodles, with their long, thread- each mouthful was dipped the palms of the hands and like shape, women prayed for in a cold clear sauce called covered with starch to facilitate sewing skills, along with a taremiso, made by mixing miso stretching into very long, fi ne bountiful summer harvest. with water, boiling it down strands using a pair of bamboo Dining on the long noodles was a and then straining it through sticks. After stretching them way of praying for long life. One a cloth. Chopped green onion in this fashion, they were hung reason behind this custom may and ground mustard paste outside to dry. be that during summer, rice— were additional condiments. Sold at markets, sakubei was already a staple in the diet—was This way of eating somen was available to ordinary people, and likely in short supply. distinctive to Japan. In winter, was also among goods distributed somen was often eaten warm, to workers engaged in the state- Thinner and Longer simmered in miso soup; another supported task of copying Buddhist Somen emerged as an advanced way was to add the noodles to a sutras from China. There were form of sakubei in Song bowl of hot water, and dip them two ways to eat sakubei. One dynasty China (960-1279). in cool taremiso before eating. was to rinse the boiled noodles Instead of starch, vegetable In the eighteenth century, in cold water and garnish them oil was used to prevent the somen was produced throughout with crushed walnuts and ginger, surface of the noodles from Japan in more than thirty 2 From left: Traditional production process of drying somen in the sun; taimen sea bream somen. noodle-producing areas; at this Inland Sea, and its preparation Sea in Hiroshima Prefecture, time, the noodles began to be cut was gradually modified to somen is cooked in the broth into lengths of 18 centimeters, involve simmering the sea of simmered kuro-mebaru or about 7 inches—convenient bream in water with soy sauce; rockfish. In landlocked villages for eating—and were sold in somen was boiled, then rinsed of northern Shiga Prefecture, a bundles of what is now about and cooled, and seasoned with festive summer dish involves 100 grams (3.5 oz.). Somen that this sea bream broth before somen served in broth flavored had been stored and matured for being served with the sea with grilled mackerel, eaten two or three years was prized bream on a large platter. This with the mackerel. In the as being silky and smooth, and special dish is still presented Amami Oshima Islands in thus more pleasurable to eat. at weddings, as it evokes the Kagoshima Prefecture, south This is because of changes in homophone taimen, which of Kyushu, somen is cooked in the proteins, which eliminated means “meeting,” referencing a soup made from salted pigs’ stickiness and made the noodles the meeting of the two families feet. In subtropical Okinawa easier to swallow—the only of the bride and groom. Prefecture, the noodles are problem was that oxidation of the boiled, drained and then vegetable oil left a rancid smell. Somen Today pan-fried with canned tuna or In the latter half of the Almost all somen today is corned beef. eighteenth century, tasty manufactured by machine. It * Made of glutinous rice, rice koji and shochu distilled dipping sauces made with soy is a favorite summer dish often liquor. Originally a beverage, mirin began to be used as a seasoning at this time. sauce, mirin* and katsuobushi eaten simply dipped in a soy (dried bonito flakes) dashi sauce and dashi-based sauce, became available, which greatly together with condiments such enhanced the pleasures of eating as chopped green onion and somen. Eventually, the custom grated ginger (see cover photo). cover Chilled somen with soy sauce and dashi-based of exchanging Ochugen summer However, ways of eating somen dipping sauce gifts of somen developed. In differ by region. In northern those days, a Chinese-style Aomori Prefecture, for example, Author’s profile Ayao Okumura, Ph.D. was born in 1937 in dish called taimen (sea bream it is served in cooled broth made Wakayama Prefecture. A former professor at Kobe somen) was enjoyed in Nagasaki from simmered sazae horned Yamate University, Dr. Okumura is a specialist in Prefecture. A sea bream would turban shell, topped with slices traditional Japanese cuisine. He is currently part-time professor at Osaka City University be cut in half, deep-fried, and of sazae and uni raw sea urchin. Graduate School, lecturing on the establishment then simmered in katsuobushi In Aichi Prefecture, in a town and structure of Japanese food culture; as owner dashi and soy sauce, to which at the tip of a peninsula south of cooking studio Douraku-tei, he is known for his cooked somen was added. This of Nagoya, somen is served authentic reproductions of historic Japanese dishes and menus. His various publications include Nippon dish became popular among with hishigani elbow crab. men shokubunka no 1,300 nen (“1,300 years of villages along the shores of the Along the coast of the Inland Japanese noodle food culture,” 2009; revised 2014). FOOD FORUM April 2018 3 SPECIAL REPORT from Austria Japanese Cuisine Vienna Around the World Each year, Food Forum presents a Special Report that takes a look at people who are introducing Japanese cuisine around the world. In this issue, we feature Japanese food pioneer Tsuneyasu Kondo, founder of a Japanese food import business in Vienna, Austria. To Europe Adapting to Local Tastes I was born in 1931 in the Korean city of Thus it was that we three brothers Keijo, now known as Seoul. My elder established a Japanese restaurant twin brothers were also born there. called Restaurant Tokyo in West Soon after my birth, my father was sent Berlin in 1965. Inside the glass-fronted on a research trip to Europe. He spent restaurant, which was in one of the Tsuneyasu Kondo about a year there, and returned home city’s best locations (Europa-Center), Born in 1931, Mr. Kondo moved to West with a mountain of souvenirs. After we had a showcase to introduce Berlin in 1960 where, with his brothers, he he suddenly passed away, our family Japanese products. We advertised on established a Japanese food import business. In 1965, they opened Restaurant returned to Tokyo, but living among opening day in rather fl ashy style with Tokyo there, followed by outlets in Vienna my father’s souvenirs, my brothers and a parade of our staff dressed in kimono, and London. In 1974, he founded Nippon- I talked constantly about how we’d go riding in a convertible from the airport Ya, where he is currently management overseas to work when we grew up. After into the city. This strategy worked, and advisor; in 2006, with his daughter, he the long and arduous war ended, we the 100-seat restaurant was packed full. opened Cha No Ma.

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