Ninniku Garlic

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Garlic (ninniku)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season:
***** Category: Humanity

*****************************
Explanation

ninniku 蒜 (にんにく（ニンニク）) garlic
..... 葫（にんにく）. goro ころ【葫蘆／胡蘆】
..... hiru ひる【蒜／葫】
ooninniku, oo-ninniku 大蒜（おおにんにく） "big garlic"
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Allium sativum.
kigo for mid-spring


nobiru no hana 野蒜の花 (のびるのはな )
blossoms of the wild garlic
kigo for early summer


ninniku no hana 蒜の花 ( にんにくのはな)
blossoms of the garlic
kigo for late summer


Knoblauch



Varieties with less strong smell are grown in Japan.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

quote
Allium sativum L., commonly known as garlic,
is a species in the onion family Alliaceae. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, and chive. Garlic has been used throughout recorded history for both culinary and medicinal purposes. It has a characteristic pungent, spicy flavor that mellows and sweetens considerably with cooking.

Single clove garlic (also called Pearl garlic or Solo garlic) also exists -- it originates in the Yunnan province of China. The cloves are used as seed, for consumption (raw or cooked), and for medicinal purposes. The leaves, stems (scape), and flowers (bulbils) on the head (spathe) are also edible and are most often consumed while immature and still tender.

Garlic is easy to grow and can be grown year-round in mild climates.
Garlic is widely used around the world for its pungent flavor as a seasoning or condiment.
Oils are often flavored with garlic cloves.
Immature scapes are tender and edible. They are also known as "garlic spears," "stems," or "tops." Scapes generally have a milder taste than cloves. They are often used in stir frying or prepared like asparagus. Garlic leaves are a popular vegetable in many parts of Asia. The leaves are cut, cleaned, and then stir-fried with eggs, meat, or vegetables.
Mixing garlic with eggs and olive oil produces aioli. Garlic, oil, and a chunky base produce skordalia. Blending garlic, almond, oil, and soaked bread produces ajoblanco.

About 1/4 teaspoon of dried powdered garlic is equivalent to one fresh clove.

Galen eulogizes it as the "rustic's theriac" (cure-all).
Garlic is claimed to help prevent heart disease (including atherosclerosis, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure) and cancer.
Garlic is also alleged to help regulate blood sugar levels.
In modern naturopathy, garlic is used as a treatment for intestinal worms and other intestinal parasites, both orally and as an anal suppository. Garlic cloves are used as a remedy for infections (especially chest problems), digestive disorders, and fungal infections such as thrush.

Garlic is known for causing halitosis as well as causing sweat to have a pungent 'garlicy' smell which is caused by Allyl methyl sulfide (AMS).
When crushed, Allium sativum yields allicin, a powerful antibiotic and antifungal compound (phytoncide). A large number of sulfur compounds contribute to the smell and taste of garlic.

In the account of Korea's establishment as a nation, gods were said to have given mortal women with bear and tiger temperaments an immortal's black garlic before mating with them. This is a genetically unique six-clove garlic that was to have given the women supernatural powers and immortality. This garlic is still cultivated in a few mountain areas today.

Garlic has been regarded as a force for both good and evil.
In Taoism mythology, six-clove black garlic is used as part of the process of modifying a Taoist's genetics. It supposedly endows the users immortality by intensifying their vital energy or "chi."

The association of garlic to evil spirits may be based on the antibacterial, antiparasitic value of garlic, which could prevent infections that lead to delusions and other related mental illness symptoms.

In both Hinduism and Jainism, garlic is considered to stimulate and warm the body and to increase one's desires. Hindus generally avoid using garlic and the related onion in the preparation of foods for religious festivities and events. Followers of the Jain religion avoid eating garlic and onion on a daily basis.

In connection with the odor associated with garlic, Islam views eating garlic and subsequently going to the mosque as inappropriate. "Whoever has eaten (garlic) should not approach our mosque," indicated Muhammad.
It should be made clear that the logical reason for this injunction is the pungent scent or odour exuded by garlic which could be uncomfortable with.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Garlic in Japan

In Aomori there is a "Garlic Market" at the shrine Kishinja
鬼神社 ninniku ichi "ニンニク市" in Hirosaki town
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the shrine!



"Garlic festival" ninniku matsuri ニンニク祭り
at the shrine Ichi no Yasaka jinja 一ノ矢八坂神社 in Tochigi.
From June 6 to June 14.
Lately only on the 7th of this month.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the shrine !
for the deity Gozuu Tennoo 午頭天王.

This deity can ward off evil and disease and during the festival garlic is distributed among the visitors. The deity brought garlic with him from Korea, together with knowledge about iron melting, casting metal, planting forests and making herbal medicine.
During the Tenmei-famine in the Edo period garlic kept the villagers alive and the daimyo of the domain, Hotta Tajima 堀田対馬守 allowed this festival to be held. They also sold "Garlic talismans" ninniku omamori ニンニクお守り .

Apart from garlic, trees and plants are sold at the open market.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



WASHOKU : 葷酒山門（くんしゅさんもん）kunshu sanmon
Temple Gate, no garlic or liquor beyond this point!



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

The following items are NOT kigo for haiku.


Garlic smells stronger if more of its surface is exposed to air. Therefore there are cooking methods to improve the smell.
You can also just scrab the edges of your salad bowl with a freshly cut garlic clove to get the smell on the dish, but not on the food. So you can enjoy the garlic aroma but your breath is fine after eating.


press to squeeze garlic cloves にんにくしぼり
ninniku shibori

oroshi ninniku おろしにんにく grated garlic



ninniku no tataki にんにく　たたく
Hitting the garlic clove with the back of the knife to squeeze it.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


ガーリック（にんにく）料理
Garlic Dishes
Kochen mit Knoblauch





薩摩 醗酵黒にんにく卵黄
Kumamoto

Garlic with Egg Yolk
The women of Satsuma prepared garlic cloves with eggyolk into pills (ninnikudama にんにく玉) which the samurai could take on their long walk to Edo, which took as much as 40 days for the 1.700 kilometers. So it was tough walking of 30 kilometers every day and you had to stay healthy.
The first trip of a daimyo from Satsuma in 1607 was made by 1.180 retainers ... ! and later even 2000 people walked along with the Lord.
Sometimes the garlic was fermented before making the pills until it was all black and thus had even more power than white garlic.


Until today, this mix is used as medicine by many.

Mixed with the yolk of eggs from "black chicken" ukkokei 黒鶏 it is even better.
The calcium of the egg shells is also included in the medicine.



Aomori Ninniku 青森ニンニク Garlic from Aomori
. . . CLICK here for Photos !





Yoshino gaarikku 吉野ガーリック giant garlic from Yoshinogari 吉野ヶ里
Saga, Kyushu


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




gyooja ninniku 行者大蒜（ギョウジャニンニク )
"garlic for mountain ascetics"
wild onion, Ainu onion, Ainu negi
Allium victorialis L. subsp. platyphyllum.
Washoku : Hokkaido and the Ainu garlic



gyoojana 行者菜 Gyojana,
"green chives for mountain ascetics"
This is a new crossbreed between the garlic and a kind of Chinese chives (nira). It can be grown on fields in shorter time and freshly harvested throughout the year. It is a new cash crop of Yamagata prefecture and the area around the Three Holy Mountains of Deva. It is used like nira Chinese chives.

It is one of the results of the

daikon samitto 大根サミット Radish Summit Daikon Sumit
in 2005, where members of Nagai Town and Utsunomiya University started to work together to introduce new vegetables (shin yasai 新野菜 ). Since 2006 it has been planted by 7 farmers of Nagai Town 山形県長井市.

It can be used for many dishes of the Chinese cuisine, but also for salads and on pizza.



gyoojana ya
I climb the mountains
of my dreams

Gabi Greve, December 2009


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



ninniku shiso にんにくしそ/ のにんにく紫蘇
garlick pickled with red perilla leaves
shiso ninniku 紫蘇にんにく

umeshiso ninniku 梅しそにんにくwith plums and red perilla leaves



ninnikujooyu, ninniku shooyu にんにく醤油　garlic cloves pickled in soy sauce
Pickled Garlic in Soy Sauce
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
In Sojasauce eingelegter Knoblauch



Katsuo no tataki 鰹のタタキ bonito sashimi with garlic


ninniku chippu にんにくチップ fried garlic chips
slices fried with olive oil


ninniku hachimitsuzuke にんにくのはちみつ漬け
garlic slices soaked in honey for 2 months


ninniku marugoto age にんにくのまるごと揚げ
fried garlic cloves in oil, add lemon juice or miso as condiments.


ninniku miso くにんにく味噌 / miso ninniku 味噌ニンニク
miso paste mixed with garlic
genki miso 元気みそ "healthy miso" with a lot of garlic
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


ninniku sarada にんにくサラダ
salad with garlic,
and cucumbers, tomatoes, onion slices and roasted pork.


ninniku shuu にんにく酒 sake with garlic
500 g garlic, 1.8 liter rice wine 35% alcohol, 250g sugar
ripen for 2 months while shaking the container.


saba no ninniku ni さばのにんにく煮
cooked mackerel with garlic


sashimi,ninniku no sashimi にんにくの刺身
garlic slices "sashimi" with soy sauce


*****************************
Worldwide use


. . . Garlic and vampires, Dracula


*****************************
Things found on the way


Japanese Satsuma Garlic-bulb Vases

fujiya antiques

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



Hiruzen Highlands 蒜山高原 Hiruzen mountain range
where the Sun Goddess hid in a cave and later returned.

. Okayama prefecture .


*****************************
HAIKU

にんにくを利かそ明日は日曜日　
ninniku o kikaso asu wa nichiyoobi

let the garlic
work its wonders ...
tomorrow is sunday　　　　　　

高尾方子（マサコ） Takao Masako


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


毒舌を吐く蒜をすりおろし　　
dokuzetsu o haku ninniku o suri-oroshi　　　　　　　

speaking poisonos
words while grating
garlic

岩本あき子 Iwamoto Akiko

dokuzetsu spiteful tongue, malicious language


*****************************
Related words

***** Garlic chives (nira)
Allium tuberosum, Garlic chives


***** Welch Onion Head (negi boozu)


***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Negi Leek

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Leek (negi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: All Winter
***** Category: Plant

*****************************
Explanation


The Japanese word NEGI 葱 (ねぎ) includes a lot of varieties, according to its age and place of growth.

The onion is a round negi, tamanegi　玉葱　（たまねぎ）

Here we are concerned with the "long onion",
NAGANEGI 長ネギ、(長ねぎ, ながねぎ)
leek, long green onion, scallion, spring onion
Fruehlinegzwiebel

and the NEGI 葱 with its bigger stem.
Lauch, Porree

There is a bit of a confusion in the naming of this vegetable.
Also called

oriental bunching onion
(Allium fistulosum) Welsh onion
. . . CLICK here for Photos : Allium fistulosum !


shironegi, white leek, is often used in Kansai dialect for this plant.


. . . CLICK here for Photos : Allium grayi !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


fukanegi 深葱（ふかねぎ), nebuka 根深（ねぶか）
ki, 葱（き）
"like Chinese character ONE", hitomoji ひともじ
一

winter leek, fuyunegi 冬葱（ふゆねぎ）

leaves of the leek, hanegi 葉葱（はねぎ）
(often put on sushi rice)


field with leek, negibatake 葱畑（ねぎばたけ）
pulling leek, negi nuku 葱ぬく（ねぎぬく）
..... nebuka hiku 根深引く（ねぶかひく）
washing leek, negi arau 葱洗う（ねぎあらう）
washed leek, arainegi 洗葱（あらいねぎ）
rinse leek, sarashinegi 晒葱（さらしねぎ）

thin leek, yasenegi 痩葱（やせねぎ）
frozen leek, itenegi 凍葱（いてねぎ）


leek soup, negijiru 葱汁（ねぎじる）
leek soup, nebukajiru 根深汁（ねぶかじる）
leek in rice soup, negizoosui 葱雑炊（ねぎぞうすい）


vendor of leek, nebuka uri 根深売（ねぶかうり）


Akuminegi, Akumi negi 飽海葱（あくみねぎ）


................... from special areas:


Akuminegi, Akumi negi 飽海葱（あくみねぎ）
Leek from Akumi, a town in Tohoku, Yamagata pref.


fugu negi 河豚葱/ふぐねぎ /フグネギleek for globefish dishes
fugu is quite popular in Shimonoseki, where they grow a special kind of very thin leek, almost like chives, to serve with the fish
yasuoka negi 安岡ねぎ
Speciality of Yamaguchi.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Fukayanegi, Fukaya negi 深谷葱（ふかやねぎ）
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

One of the mostly grown varieties along the river Tonegawa. With a rather sweet taste. Full of Alicin, good for your health.


Kujoonegi, Kujoo negi 九条葱（くじょうねぎ）
Leek from Kujoo, Kyoto. An important "Vegetable of Kyoto".
They have a lot of thick juice and come in different thickness, according to the earth they are grown in.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Iwatsukinegi, Iwatsuki negi 岩槻葱（いわつきねぎ）

. . . CLICK here for Photos !
from Iwatsuki town, Saitama.

It has been out of use for many years but now revived by some diligent farmers. It is a special leek with 10 to 20 stems growing from the same stem. The white stems are about 20 cm long, and the soft green leaves are also eaten. It tasts rather sweet when cut fresh and put on a grill, the whole white and green plant.

The town uses this leek to revitaize the region,
"negiwai no machi" 「ぶらり岩槻観光『ねぎわい』マップ」.


They have a map with stores that sell special leek dishes.
Raw with white miso paste, negi nuta.
Mixed in yakisoba fried noodles and even baked into pie or a mix of leek and miso as a paste inside a bread bun.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Nissatonegi, Nissato negi 新里葱（にっさとねぎ）
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Senjuunegi, Senjuu negi 千住葱 leek from Senju, Tokyo
They are especially sweet and juicy and welcomed by gourmet cooks. Now mostly from Kita-Senju. It is auctioned off in special auctions, the only vegetable to have this honor in Japan.
You can eat them as a simple tempura without any condiments.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Senjunegi 千寿葱


Shimonitanegi, Shimonita negi 下仁田葱（しもにたねぎ）
leek from Shimonita, Kanto
King of the Negi, single stalk Japanese bunching onion. Gets sweeter when cooking.
The short and fat white root makes the Simonita Negi look more like a leek than a scallion. The Shimonita Negi is popular throughout Japan, but particularly so in its place of origin, Shimonita Town, famous for its produce.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Shimouekinegi, Shimo-Ueki Negi 下植木ネギ
from Isesaki town, Gunma prefecture
They are very thick and large and all parts can be eaten. The white part is about two fingers wide, the green leaves up to 50 cm long and the part in the ground swollen where the thin roots sprout. The seeds are taken every year to produce new plants of the same high quality, supervized by a group of farmers.
Local people even put them on pizza.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



Yagirinegi, Yagiri negi 矢切葱（やぎりねぎ） Edo
Yagiri no Watashi was a famous exit road of Edo.
矢切の西蓮寺. 江戸川土手. 葱が多く植えられ特有の匂いに包まれる.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



leek is good for your health, it warmth the body, recovering from fatigue and enhances the metabolism. It also contains vitamins, iron, calcium and kalium.


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


aonegi, ao-negi あおねぎ / 青葱 green leek is preferred in West-Japan
shironegi, shiro-negi しろねぎ / 白葱 / 白ネギ white leek is preferred in Kanto and the north.

. . . CLICK here for AO NEGI Photos !

. . . CLICK here for SHIRO NEGI Photos !


akanegi, aka-negi あかねぎ / 赤ねぎ red leek
local variety of Japanese welsh onion, red in color



bannoonegi, bannonegi, banno negi 万能ねぎ, 蕃納葱
very thin variety of leek
leafy leek.
http://www.e-gohan.com/ingredient/182.html
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


me-negi めねぎ spring onion

Frühlingszwiebel

negi - Lauch, Porree



neginuta ねぎぬた/ ネギヌタ leek with maguro and ika
nuta 沼田 . from Tochigi prefecture



negima 葱鮪 dishes with leek and maguro tuna fish

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


asatsuki あさつき　浅葱, chives, Schnittlauch


hiru 蒜 includes leek, onions and spring onoins. Old name for the vegetables of the yurika.ユリ科の多年草
nobiru 野蒜 leek, Allium grayi. Chinesischer Lauch
nira, araragi 韮 Chinese leek. Allium grayi. „Chinesischer Schnittlauch“


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


nira, araragi 韮 leek. Allium grayi
„Chinesischer Schnittlauch“




nira 韮 (にら)
... kamira かみら、mira みら
futamoji ふたもじ "two Chinese characters"
this is with respect to normal leek, which was called "hitomoji 一文字" in the elegant language of the court cooking ladies, already in the Heian period.
kigo for mid-spring


nira no hana 韮の花 にらのはな
kigo for late summer


nira zoosui 韮雑炊（にらぞうすい）rice porridge with leek
kigo for all winter





kinira, ki-nira 黄韮 / 黄ニラ yellow nira leek
speciality of Okayama. It is harvested and dried in the sun during autumn and winter. It has a delicious fragrance and can be added to many Japanese dishes to improve the taste.
The first crop of green nira is harvested, then the plot covered with sheet to keep it in the dark and the second crop is let grow, the yellow variety this time.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
- - - and a soy sauce with it



Specialities from Okayama
In some parts of Misakicho town it is grown in the dark of old mine shafts.
Momotaro nabe 桃太郎鍋 hodgepodge with yellow leek
ki nira donburi 黄ニラどんぶり bowl of rice with yellow nira




*****************************
Worldwide use


*****************************
Things found on the way

Leeks (Allium ampeloprasum var. porrum (L.) or synonym Allium porrum) are just one of many vegetables in the onion family. Cultivated from wild leek , it is closely related to elephant garlic and Kurrat (from Egypt) (all these are Allium ampeloprasum subspecies) and further related to chives and ramsons.

Leeks are commonly called (der) Lauch or (die) Porree in German and are tall, thick plants with straight, alternating leaves and non-bulbing roots. Farmers bury the sets (little plants) deep to blanch as much of the stalk as possible, but all parts of the leek are edible. They are usually about 1 inch in diameter, but can be eaten smaller or larger. They taste like a mild onion and garlic mix. They often have a sharp bite when raw, but are sweet when cooked.

Leeks have been used in Germany since the Middle Ages. Before that, people used wild garlic called ramsons or "Bärlauch" (Allium ursinum) for food and medicinal purposes for at least 5000 years. Ramsons grow wild and is gathered in May. Germans cook a cream soup (roux base) with it or use it in soft cheese spreads.

Leeks are famous for vichyssoise, a French potato leek soup and are always in a Suppengrün bundle, to be used as an herb. They are used in place of onions in many dishes and casseroles.

Another leek relative shows up in North America and is known as ramps, ramson or wild leek (Allium tricoccum). It is used in Appalachian cuisine and in Pennsylvania, where festivals are held each year in its honor.

Clean leeks by slitting them down the side and rinsing the dirt out of the rings under running water. Trim ends and slice or chop. Try cooking leeks in fat (or bacon grease) until soft and adding cream, salt and pepper for a side vegetable.

Pronunciation: Lauch - "Lauw-ch" (gutteral "ch"), Porree - "Pour-ay"

Also Known As:
(der) Lauch, (die) Porree, Breitlauch, Sommerlauch, Winterlauch, Borree, Welschzwiebel, Gemeiner Lauch, leek (English)

Common Misspellings: poree

source : 　germanfood.about.com

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


ネギの種類 Types of NEGI

青葱 aonegi, green negi
mostly in the Kansai area
九条葱（京野菜）
万能葱
谷田部ネギ
観音ネギ
ワケネギ(わけねぎ)　株分れ(分けつ) しながら成長する葉ねぎ

白葱 shironegi, white negi
mostly in the Kanto area
深谷ねぎ
下仁田ネギ
ポロねぎ 地中海料理などで普通に使われるネギ。

曲がりねぎ（白葱） magarinegi , bent negi (white negi)
一関曲がりねぎ（岩手県一関市）
仙台曲がりねぎ（宮城県仙台市）
横沢曲がりねぎ（秋田県大仙市）
阿久津曲りねぎ（福島県郡山市）

その他 Others
越津ネギ
愛知県発祥。日本の東西の中間だけあり、根の部分も葉の部分も丁度同じぐらい長さで白葱と青葱の中間にあたる。
徳田ねぎ
岐阜県特産。白葱と青葱の両方の特徴を持つ。
©　More in the Japanese WIKIPEDIA !


A proverb

鴨が葱を背負ってくる kamo wa negi o seotte kuru
"Ducks come with a leek on their back"

When leek is put in a hodgepodge of duck meat, it takes away the strong flavor and makes the dish more pleasant. "Two good things follow each other".
or
kamonegi, a gullible person.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

There are quite a few
traditional Japanese colors named NEGI.

moegi iro 萌葱色もえぎいろ #006e54

usu moegi 薄萌葱うすもえぎ #badcad

mizu asagi 水浅葱みずあさぎ #80aba9

sabi asagi 錆浅葱さびあさぎ #5c9291

asagi iro 浅葱色あさぎいろ #00a3af

hana asagi 花浅葱はなあさぎ #2a83a2

toki asagi 鴇浅葱ときあさぎ #b88884

If you can not see them properly, go to this LINK
and input 葱 .
source : colors named 葱


. asagi あさぎ - 浅黄 - 浅葱 hues of light yellow, green and blue .



*****************************
HAIKU

negiboozu




negi boozu -
my neighbour plants
a few more

Gabi Greve, Spring 2010

. Welsh Onion Head (negi boozu 葱坊主) 　

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Yosa Buson 与謝蕪村
was very fond of leek, especially from Koshigaya 越谷ネギ.


冬ざれや小鳥のあさる韮畠
fuyuzare ya kotori no asaru nirabatake

withering plants in winter . . .
little birds search food
in the nira leek fields


.................................................................................


葱買うて枯木の中を帰りけり
nebuka katte kareki no naka ni kaeri keri

I buy some leek
and then walk home
under bare trees . . .

Here Buson contrasts the brown dreary color of the withered trees and the fresh green he carries home to his wife and children for a delicious hot leek soup.


.................................................................................


うら町に葱うる声や宵の月　
ura machi ni negi uru koe ya yoi no tsuki

in the nearby village
the voice of the leek sellers ...
moon of tonight


.................................................................................


. WASHOKU
MORE
discussion about haiku with leek 　


.................................................................................


There is also a special ramen soup with extra leek in memory of Buson

Buson Raamen ＋ negi 蕪村ラーメン＋ねぎ Buson Ramen
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


Buson soba 蕪村そば noodle soup with extra leek


Buson-An sells
negi miso senbei 蕪村庵のねぎみそせんべい
rice crackers with Kujo negi

ねぎみそ煎餅


*****************************
Related words

kigo for early autumn

sanran 山蘭（さんらん）"mountain leek"
(yama araragi)
hiyodoribana 鵯花 ひよどりばな "bulbul flower"
zawa hiyodori 沢ひよどり（さわひよどり）
Eupatorium chinense
. . . CLICK here for Photos !



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


kamo 鴨 duck
Duck (kamo) KIGO
aigamo あいがも【合鴨】call duck
Anas platyrhyncha var. domestica

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Edo Yasai, Edo dentoo yasai 江戸伝統野菜
Traditional vegetables of Edo


WASHOKU : Regional Japanese Dishes

***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS


[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO　　TOP . ]
:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Moyashi bean sprouts

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Bean sprouts (moyashi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: see below
***** Category: Plants

*****************************
Explanation

moyashi 萌やし、糵, もやし bean sprouts.
Bohnensprossen


from the following three types of beans

burakku mappe ブラックマッペ black mapte beans from Thailand and Malaysia
used for salads, with dressings and in fried dishes

ryootoo, ryoto 緑豆 "green beans" Vigna radiata. also called "green mapte"
used for fried dishes

oyashi, mame moyashi おやし、 豆もやし soybean sprouts.
Soyabohnensprossen
daizu 大豆 soy beans, Glycine max
for fried dishes, in soups and namuru ナムル Korean dishes.
also for Sapporo Ramen, Genghis Khan Nabe, Chanchanyaki, Nagasaki chanpuru and dishes from Okinawa, Chinese-style yasaitiame fried vegetables, Korean namuru dishes.

. . . CLICK here for Photos of soy bean sprouts !



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


moyashi udo もやし独活（もやしうど）sprouts of spikenard
me udo, me-udo 芽独活（めうど）buds of spikenard
Udo, Spikenard, Japanese spikenard 独活（うど)
kigo for late spring

. . . CLICK here for Photos !


::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Sprouts which are NOT KIGO


arufarufa アルファルファ Alfalfa
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a flowering plant in the pea family Fabaceae cultivated as an important forage crop. In the UK, Australia and New Zealand it is known as lucerne and as lucerne grass in south Asia.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !



scent of alfalfa:
the grace of an Afghan hound
running down rabbits

Charles Trumbull
source : Shiki Kukai 1/31/99




burning alfalfa--
old farmer pelted by
fleeing grasshoppers

Michael Maiello
source : Shiki Kukai 5/2/99


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


kaiwarena かいわれな 【貝割れ菜】sprouts of all kinds
mostly of daikon radish (kaiware daikon かいわれだいこん)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Samensprossen



supurauto スプラウト sprout, sprouts of various kinds
for example from
buckwheat ソバ　soba supurauto
bukokkoli ブロッコリ　brokkoli
masutaado　マスタード　 mustard sprouts



*****************************
Worldwide use


*****************************
Things found on the way


A young Japanese who grows fast and is tall is sometimes called a

moyashikko　もやしっ子　"moyashi child"

. . . CLICK here for Photos !



*****************************
HAIKU and SENRYU

雪間より薄紫の芽独活かな　
雪間より薄紫の芽独活哉
yukima yori usumurasaki no me-udo kana　　　

in a patch of earth between the snow
there are some light purple
sprouts of spikenard
　　　　
Matsuo Basho 芭蕉

yukima is a short word in Japanese, but difficult to render in English.


More haiku with UDO


*****************************
Related words

***** WASHOKU :
YASAI . Vegetable SAIJIKI


. Beans in all Seasons .


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Myoga Japanese Ginger

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Japanese ginger (myooga)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Plant

*****************************
Explanation

kigo for late spring

myoogatake (みょうがたけ) 茗荷竹 "myoga bamboo"
sprouts of the myoga
It is often grown in houses. They can get about 40 cm long.
They are a delicacy to eat fresh or in soup.

.........................................................................................

kigo for late summer

myooga no ko 茗荷の子 "children of myoga"
the sprouts coming out near the root. In the wild, they come out of the ground like the bamboo sprouts. If they grow, a flower will come out at the end.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !

myoogajiru 茗荷汁 soup with myoga

.........................................................................................

kigo for early autumn


flowers of myoga, myooga no hana,
茗荷の花 (みょうがのはな)
They grow new ones day after day and look almost like orchids.


autumn myoga, aki myooga 秋茗荷（あきみょうが）


.........................................................................................

kigo for the New Year

Myoga Festival, myoga matsuri
myooga matsuri 茗荷祭 (みょうがまつり)
Japanese Ginger rite
take no ko shinji 筍神事（たけのこしんじ）
Bamboo shoots Ritual

at 阿須々伎神社の茗荷, 阿須須伎神社
Shrine Asusuki Jinja is famous for its myoga divination during the Myoga Festival.
On the third day of the new year (now on the Setsubun, 3rd day in February) they use myoga to divine the outcome of the rice crop for the year. The myoga is grown in a special field in the shrine compounds (shinden 神田).
Kyoto, Kanego-uchi 金河内(かねごうち), Ayabe city.


Here is a similar festival at a different place

At the shrine Menuma Jinja in Hyogo prefecture
Shinonsen Town, 新温泉町の面沼神社で お茗荷祭り
兵庫県美方郡新温泉町竹田
The crest of this shrine is the myooga, see below.

On February 11 the festival is held in honor of a small patch of myoga that can be harvested in winter, it grows on a small island in the pond "Menu no Ike" 女奴池（めぬのいけ) of the shrine. It is bright green in winter in the snow, a very special kind of plant and one of the seven strange things of the Tajima area 但馬七不思議.

The festival starts at 6.30 in the morning, when the priest enters the small pond and takes some samples of the sprouts. According to the form of the buds and root and the pinkish shine, it is used to predict the harvest of the coming year. After the festival, special myoga mochi for 100 persons, myoga sushi for 50 persons and some tea of the local black beans is given to the visitors.
They all shout
"May we enjoy a long life! myooga medetaya 命賀めでたや".

In olden times, it was forbidden for women to participate. Today, the villagers come together, sometimes only 30 people of the community.
. . . CLICK here for Photos of the festival !


There is a song when you pound mochi rice which also includes myoga and fuki
Myoga medetaya Fuki hanjoo みょうがめでたや

こなたお背戸にゃ
茗荷(ミョウガ)や
蕗(フキ)や
冥加(ミョウガ)めでたや
富家繁盛


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


INFORMATION : Zingiber mioga　
Myoga 茗荷 grows wild in my own garden in Okayama.

Its name might go back to a word of the same pronounciation 冥加, the divine protection of Japanese kami gods and Buddhist deities, divine happiness and blessings. Myoga will ward off evil.
It is also the symbol of the esoteric deity Madarajin 摩多羅神, see below, and therefore thought to be an auspicious plant and food. Its form is often used for crests of temples and shrines.

Sometimes called one of the"wasei haabu", 和製ハーブ　Japanese herbs.
It is said to be slightly anaesthetic and ward off a cold in winter.

Most myoga is grown in Koochi in houses, in Gunma and Akita in the open, and the myogatake is grown in Miyagi prefecture.


legend knows this
One of the disciples of Buddha Shakyamuni, Culapantaka (Cuuda-pantaka) , had a hard time memorizing things and could not remember his own name, and even when Shakyamune places a name plate around his neck, he forgot to look at it and finally died without remembering his name. On his grave a strange plant started to grow. In a play of words it was called: "He did not even remember his name and had a hard time" 彼は自分の名前を荷って苦労してきた, taken the two Chinese characters for 名荷 and placed the plant radical on top of the first character 茗荷.



There is a proverb saying:
If you eat a lot of myoga,
you will loose your memory. 　

So there is a rakugo funny story ”Myoga yadoya　茗荷宿屋” about this, when the owner of a small lodging facility tried to cheat a visitor about money, but ended up not getting his services payed, since his guest forgot to pay when he left and he forgot to remind him of the payment.
(In fact, as a Chinese medicine, myoga is used against memory loss.)


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


source : http://crystalrays.org/
Myoga is also the name of the bird that helps bring the lover stars Altair and Vega together on Tanabata, the night of the Star festival.
WKD : Star Festival (Tanabata)

For the O-Bon festival in Western Japan, people make decorations of a cucumber horse, an eggplant cow and a myooga sticking out with its long white part like this bird.


If someone is posessed by a fox spirit キツネッタカリ, you should give him myoga to eat, since foxes do not like this taste.
http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/2360020.shtml


Myoga patterns are often used as family crests.
茗荷の家紋 myooga no kamon, coat of arms


source : http://www.harimaya.com/o_kamon1/zukan/myouga.html

daki myooga 抱き茗荷　two myoga plants embracing

This is one of the 10 most famous family crests in Japan.
kamon, Familienwappen

The family crest of
gyooyoo 杏葉 Gyoyo is very similar.
Family crest "Daki-gyoyo"
The Gyoyo-mon was used in various ways as a family crest of the Nabeshima family. The exhibition room is filled with splendid lacquerware and gorgeous artifacts of the daimyo.
- reference and photos : -

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Myōga (茗荷) Myōga or myoga ginger
(Zingiber mioga, Zingiberaceae) is an herbaceous, deciduous, perennial native to Japan and other East-Asian countries that is grown for its edible flower buds and flavorful shoots. Flower buds are finely shredded and used in Japanese cuisine as a garnish for miso soup, sunomono and dishes such as roasted eggplant.

A traditional crop in Japan, myoga has been introduced to cultivation in Australia and New Zealand for export to the Japanese market.
As a woodland plant myoga has specific shade requirements for its growth. It is frost-tolerant to 0F, -18C possibly colder.
While some constituents of myoga are cytotoxic, others have shown promise for potentially anti-carcinogenic properties.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Myoga is one of the TSUMA additions for a good sushi.
WASHOKU : Ken Tsuma Karami and Sashimi

Myoga as an addition to sashimi, tsuma, like a good wife, should bring the taste of the original out and therefore the sprout has to be cut into very fine slices.

There are two types used for food and most are best at the end of summer toward autumn, a plant bringing autumn on the table:


hanamyooga 花茗荷（はなみょうが） "flower myoga",
the buds itself 花蕾 (tsubomi)




myoogadake 茗荷竹 "myoga bamboo" like a stick
fudemyooga 筆茗荷 ふでみょうが "like a brush"
It is white at the bottom and has a pinkish shine.
(one of the vegetables of Kyoto)
kyoo myooga 京みょうが Myoga from Kyoto
This is best eaten in spring.



A special brand is grown in Kanto, known as
Maebashi Myooga 前橋みょうが.


There used to be a brand Kohinata myooga 小日向茗荷 in Tokyo
but now only two place names remind us of the vast fields that used to be in this area (and an old lady growing this kind in her back yard).

Myoga Slope, myoogazaka 茗荷坂 （みょうがざか）
. . . CLICK here for Myogazaka Photos !
Myoga Valley, myoogadani 茗荷谷
. . . CLICK here for Myogadani Photos !
At the Myoga Valley, there used to be a stone statue of a small Jizo Bosatsu. When villagers went get a doctor for a very ill person, they came past this statue. If it was there as usual, the ill person would be all right, but if the stone statue faced the other sice, the doctor could not help any more.
http://www.nichibun.ac.jp/YoukaiCard/2180085.shtml



aemono, used like a dressing
... with tuna fish シーチキン和え
... with tarako たらこ和え


hiyajiru 冷汁 cold soup
with miso and myoga, good in summer


myooga dengaku ミョウガ田楽
on a stick, grilled with red miso

myooga gohan ミョウガご飯 rice with myoga

myooga no misoae, miso-ae 茗荷の味噌和え
myoga with a miso dressing, a side dish for summer
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


myooga no pikkurusu 茗荷のピクルス
pickles with myoga 赤梅酢浅漬け
with the red vinegar juice of pickled plums (umesu)
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


myooga no su-ae ミョウガ酢和え
myoga with vinegar dressing


myooga to nasu no misoshiru 茄子と茗荷の味噌汁
miso soup with myoga and eggplant


myooga tenpura 天ぷら as tempura


myoogazushi みょうが寿司 sushi with myoga wrapped around sushi rice
from Toyama prefecture
. . . CLICK here for Photos !


tamagotoji 卵とじ with egg


myooga ryoori ミョウガ料理 dishes with myoga
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
http://www.geocities.jp/yamapon65/tisantisyou_myouga.html

*****************************
Worldwide use

Zingi-Ingwer. Sprossen vom Zingi-Ingwer.
Japanischer Ingwer.


*****************************
Things found on the way

Bull Festival of Uzumasa, 太秦の牛祭
God Madara, matara jin 摩多羅神
This is a Buddist festival for the Deity Matarajin. The God appears riding on the black cow. It is held in Kyoto on the 12th of October at the temple Kooryuu-Ji (Koryuji　広隆寺).

Matarajin, Madarajin (Matara Shin)
a protector of the Amida Sutra
By Gabi Greve

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Even today, there is a famous statue of a "string-bound" Jizo Bosatsu statue at Myogazaka in Tokyo.
"Shibarare Jizo" in Tokyo


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


かく生きてかく忘れられ雪達磨
kaku ikite kaku wasurerare yuki daruma

thus lived
thus being forgotten
the snowman

Arima Akito 有馬朗人
Tr. Emiko Miyashita


*****************************
HAIKU

なにもなくもてなす吸物茗荷竹
nani mo naku motenasu suimono myoogatake

only a soup
to offer to visitors -
myoga like a brush

Satoo Minako 佐藤美奈子


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


茗荷汁　たのしいことが　多すぎる　
myoogajiru tanoshii koto ga oosugiru

myoga-soup -
almost too many
good things

Ono Tamiko 小野冨美子

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


茗荷竹朝餉に妻とかく生きて　　
myoogatake asage ni tsuma to kaku ikite

with myoga ginger
for breakfast thus I lived
with my dear wife

Kaneko Kirinsoo 金子麒麟草


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




source : Yasoichi（やそいち）


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::





myooga no ko -
the roots of life
on my table


Gabi Greve
See more, August 2010



*****************************
Related words


kigo for mid-summer

***** hanamyooga, hana myooga 花茗荷 (はなみょうが)
Japanese alpinia
lit. "flower myooga"
Alpinia japonica



::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

WASHOKU : Ken Tsuma Karami and Sashimi

Kyooyasai, kyoyasai, kyosai 京野菜 / 京菜 Vegetables from Kyoto


***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Konnyaku Konjak, Konyak

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Devil's-tongue (konnyaku)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Various, see below
***** Category: Plant and Humanity

*****************************
Explanation

Konnyaku, konjac, konjak
Amorphophallus rivieri
refers to the plant and the food prepared with it.
Elephant foot, elephant jam, snake palm and voodoo lily are English names for it.


konnyaku uu 蒟蒻植う (こんにゃくうう )
planting konnyaku
kigo for late spring






konnyaku no hana 蒟蒻の花 (こんにゃくのはな)
konyaku flowers
kigo for mid-summer


.................................................................................

kigo for mid-winter

konnyakudama 蒟蒻玉（こんにゃくだま）konnyaku root
konnyaku horu 蒟蒻掘る (こんにゃくほる) digging for konnyaku roots
konnyakudama horu 蒟蒻玉掘る（こんにゃくだまほる）
Konnyaku-Knolle, Konjak-Knolle




Farmhouse in Gunma, drying konnyaku

konnyakudama hosu 蒟蒻玉干す（こんにゃくだまほす）to dry konnyaku roots
... konnyaku hosu 蒟蒻干す（こんにゃくほす）
konnyaku no sudareboshi 蒟蒻の簾干（こんにゃくのすだれぼし）to dry konnyaku roots on a bamboo shelf
konnyaku sudare 蒟蒻すだれ（こんにゃくすだれ）bamboo shelf to dry konnyaku roots



tooji konnyaku 冬至蒟蒻（とうじこんにゃく）
konnyaku for the winter equinox


.................................................................................

frozen konnyaku
kigo for late winter
konyaku koorasu 蒟蒻氷らす (こんにゃくこおらす)
freezing devil's tongue root jelly
konyaku koorasu 蒟蒻凍らす（こんにゃくこおらす）、
koori konyaku 氷蒟蒻（こおりこんにゃく）
preparing frozen konyaku, koorikonyaku tsukuru
氷蒟蒻造る（こおりこんにゃくつくる）


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


The following are not kigo.


konnyaku コンニャク devil's-tongue
Amorphophallus konjac
konnyaku imo コンニャクイモ（蒟蒻芋）
Konnyaku-Potato

konnyaku, konyaku こんにゃく food ... gelatinous food made from devil's-tongue starch.
A plant in the sweet potatoe family. It is eaten in China, Burma, Korea and other Asian countries.
In Japan more than 90 % are grown in Gunma prefecture, second in Tochigi and third in Ibaraki. So the North of the Kanto plain grows more than 97% of this plant.

It originated in India and the Indonesian peninsula.
It takes about 5 to 6 years to make the root grow before it starts to produce a flower. And after the flowering, the root dries out. The flower can be as big as 2 meters.

It is rich in fibers and good for a diet. It is alkali.
one of the Chinese medicine.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::




WASHOKU
Gunma and Shimonita Konnyaku 下仁田こんにゃく

Usually the konnyaku is ground into flower, from which jelly is prepared. But here the raw root is grated and jelly produced from it. namaimo konnyaku
本場下仁田生芋こんにゃく

It also comes in different colors for sashimi, white and green. For auspicious occasions it is colored in white and red (koohaku こんにゃく紅白寿セット).



shimikonnyaku, shimi-konnyaku 凍みこんにゃく
frozen Konnyaku
naturally freeze-dried by the sun and the cold wind of Gunma.



A big brick-like piece is put into a wooden cutter and pressed by hand into 42 slices of about 2 cm. These are layed out in the rice fields by the womenfolk and dried on the fields, for one month, watered every day and frozen at night. It becomes a thin slice of whitish substance.
It it does not come into contact with water after drying completely, it might keep as long as 50 years. So it was a special food for farmers to keep for times of famine.
It can be used in the frypan or even as tempura.
As a sponge, some women use it to wash the face and body.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::



Yamato kushi konnyaku 串こんにゃく Konjak on skewers
from Nara prefecture


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Food made from konnyaku starch

It is produced to a jelly-like square of gray-brown color and some are whitish and not much taste.
Boiled in oden hodgepodge it is eaten with strong mustard. It contains to 97 percent of water and has no calories, but a lot of fibers and is good for a diet. The fiber contains glucomannan.
Before eating it the bitterness has to be removed by immersing it in ash water for a few days. 灰汁抜き

Konnyaku is mostly eaten in oden hodgepodge. Also in soups like miso soup or pork soup and other boiled food (nimono). its noodles are used for sukiyaki.
Raw it is eaten as sashimi
with miso-vinegar-dressing or wasabi soysauce.



aka konnyaku 赤こんにゃくred konnyaku
red yams
It looks almost like maguro sashimi, often cut in triangular pieces.
It looks like chilli pepper red, but that is not the reason.
It relates back to Oda Nobunaga.
In Omi,the celebrations of Sagichoo 左義長 to preserve the peace of the country are held every year. Nobunaga had been to this ceremony and danced with the young people, wearing the red robes of a woman. Well, he liked the color red so much he even ordered the people of Omi to dye the konnyaku with this color. It is oxydized iron that makes it red.

speciality of Omi Hachiman, Ōmihachiman 近江八幡, Shiga prefecture
Daruma Museum : Sagichoo Festival 左義長


ito konnyaku 糸蒟蒻 Konjak noodles
shirataki 白滝( しらたき) "white waterfall" is also used for oden and nikujaga meat and potatoe stew. Also sukiyaki.
ito konnyaku is thicker and made in Kansai by cutting the jelly.
shirataki is made in Kanto by pressing the jelly through holes of a pressure right into the hot water.
Now there are also shirataki noodles with a tofu mixture on the marked, which contain some carbohydrates.
. . . CLICK here for Photos !
Faden-Konnyaku, Nudelart.



tama konnyaku 玉こんにゃく/ 玉コンニャク
konnyaku balls
tamakon 玉コン, gelatine balls
konnyaku yamagata
Thre on a skewer. Boiled in oden broth or soy sauce broth and eaten with hot mustard
They are sold prepared with or without broth.
With a broth of surume they make a good snack for a cup of ricewine.

. . . CLICK here for Photos !
speciality of Yamagata, where they are prepared for large crowds of people at festivals and events.


konnyaku serii コンニャクゼリー fruit jelly with konjak
It is also made into fruit jelly in little plastic cups, called
konjac candy.
The starch is made into a powder and mixed with fruit juice.


"Mini-Cup-Jellys"

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


konnyaku ko 蒟蒻粉konjak flower
Konjakmehl, Konjacmehl
konnyaku flower is mannan マンナン、Konjac Mannan
Water-soluble knojac mannan substance is capable of undergoing gelation when heated in an aqueous alkaline solution.
Tofu and konnyaku change from gel to a spongy structure by freezing-thawing because of the denaturation of protein (tofu) or mannan (konnyaku).

used for perfect cookie パーフェクトクッキー



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Other use of konnyaku

To impregnate paper or cloth against water
耐水性高分子素材


In the House of Horrors
お化け屋敷のコンニャク
It can hang down and swish off the face of a fearful visitor.


*****************************
Worldwide use

Konjak-Wurzel
Wunderwurzel Glucomannan, Wirkstoff der Knolle (Glucomannan)
Geliermittel Glukomannan
Konjacmehl
Gelee-Süßwaren "Mini-Cup-Jellys"
Diese gallertartigen Süßigkeiten können sich aufgrund ihrer Form und Beschaffenheit sehr leicht im Rachenraum festsetzen und zu Erstickungsanfällen führen.
source : waswiressen.de

Mehr : www.konjak.de

*****************************
Things found on the way


History

When Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1589) had the castle in Hizen domain, Nagoya 名護屋城(Saga prefecture) built in 1592 within eight short months as a base for this Korean invasion, the master stone mason suddenly fell very ill with stomac ace. His wife went to the local temple and poored cold water over herself and prayed for his getting better. She had the vision that someone was helping her and giving her advise for a good medicine. When she went home there was one root of konnyaku under her pillow. She prepared it and had her ill husband eat it and what do you say ... he recovered in no time! And the castle could be built just in time as planned. When the others heared of this story, most daimyo who had been there took some of the local konnyaku roots home with them and had them plant in their own domaines too as medicine.

The stone wall is still left to this day.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Konnyaku Mondo こんにゃく問答 rakugo story
source : こんにゃく問答
by Koyuza Sanyutei

synonym for
ein unsinniger Dialog, eine dumme Antwort


quote
A Classic Tale
From the Rakugo Storyteller’s Repertoire

The Joshu region of Japan is known for the dry winds that bluster down from the mountains and for the konnyaku plants that grow in the fields. The plants’ potato-like tubers are sliced and dried, then boiled and shaped into deliciously chewy patties, which are also called, simply, konnyaku.

In southern Joshu, on the outskirts of the town of Annaka, there lived a konnyaku maker named Rokubei. Born and raised in Edo, he might have spent his whole life there, but a tendency to drink heavily, gamble unluckily, and frequent houses of ill repute made that untenable. Having exhausted a lifetime’s worth of credit in just 20-some years, he left the big city behind, worked hard to learn his present trade, and was eventually able to set up his own shop. He had a certain charisma and soon came to be seen as the unofficial head of his neighborhood. Occasionally, young men who had been living too fast in Edo would show up on Rokubei’s doorstep and he never failed to help them.

Hachigoro showed up in somewhat worse shape than most. Not only had he parted with his last yen, but due to a bout of venereal disease, he had lost all of the hair on his head as well. Rokubei, though, saw this loss as a possible advantage and said, "I think I may have a job tailor-made for you."

The nearby temple had been without a resident monk, without a bonze, that is, for some time. Gonsuke, the temple boy kept the place tidy, but he was too young to take over as head bonze. Hachigoro didn’t know a sutra from a koan, but he was old enough. "And besides," added Rokubei, "you’ve got the look. Your head is pre-shaved! Come on, you can wing the rest."

Thus Hachigoro was appointed head bonze. The original plan was to have Gonsuke give him a crash course in the basics of Buddhist ritual and, in fact, they did manage to pull off a funeral together. However, they also spent quite a bit of time over dice, with Hachigoro teaching Gonsuke the basics of gambling ritual. As a result, novice Head Bonze Hachigoro was grossly unprepared when, one bright morning, a traveling bonze appeared at the gate and issued a mondo dialogue challenge.

Gonsuke met this real, bona fide bonze out at the gate and returned to the temple pale and short of breath. "Now we’re in trouble," he told Hachigoro. "You can’t turn him away. In Zen Buddhism, and this is a Zen temple, you know, if a bonze is challenged to a mondo dialogue, he must accept. And if defeated, he must hand his temple over to the challenger." Hachigoro rubbed his bald head and whined, "You mean he’s trying to drive me out of my own temple? That’s not fair. I don’t do mondo!"

The two decided to do the only sensible thing. Hachigoro hid in the closet and Gonsuke told the traveling bonze that his master was out of town. The bonze replied that he would return tomorrow, and the next day if necessary. In fact, he would come every day for the next year.

When the coast was clear, Hachigoro emerged from the closet, sneezed, and declared that they had better take the statue of Buddha and the other paraphernalia, skip town, and sell everything to an antique dealer. He and Gonsuke were busy packing when Rokubei came by to see how ritual practice was going. "Zen dialogue?!" he guffawed, "What are you worried about?
That mondo mumbo jumbo, how hard can it be?"

"Harder than konnyaku, I’m afraid,"
sighed Gonsuke.

"No sweat. I bet the guy’s bluffing. I’ll tell you what: tomorrow I’ll dress up as head bonze and we’ll see if he’s for real."

The statue of Buddha was returned to its pedestal. Next morning when the traveling bonze arrived as promised, Rokubei was waiting for him in the main hall, seated in full regalia with his head freshly shaved.

After a deep bow, the challenger posed his first question: "When wind blows through a pine tree, a unique sound is made. Respectfully I ask, is it the voice of the wind, or the voice of the pine?"

Rokubei hadn’t a clue, so he said nothing and simply glared. At first, the traveling bonze was puzzled, but then it dawned on him that this was surely the advanced, deeply esoteric "silent mondo" technique. He nodded, closed his eyes for a moment, then glaring back, he placed both hands in front of his chest and made a circle with his thumbs and forefingers.

Rokubei shook his head and held up both arms in a big circle. Next the traveling bonze thrust out both hands with his 10 fingers spread. Rokubei responded by thrusting out his right hand only, fingers spread. The challenger bowed in acceptance, and held out his right hand with just three fingers raised. Rokubei threw his head back and, with his right hand, pointed to his right eye. With that, the challenger sighed, stood up, and walked out.

Gonsuke had been watching the entire mondo from a crack between the sliding doors. Still, he didn’t know what to make of the exchange, so he ran after the departing bonze and asked how it had gone.

"Well, I made a circle in front of my chest, asking your master, of course, about the state of the human soul. He responded with a large circle, meaning "as spacious as the spheres." Then I inquired about the Ten Directions of the world. He indicated that the Five Great Laws would preserve them. When I asked about the Three Great Teachings, he pointed out that they are always here right before our eyes. That’s when I realized he was far too enlightened an opponent for me. I’ll return years from now, once I’ve attained a deeper understanding."

Gonsuke was truly impressed. Who would have imagined that Rokubei, the konnyaku maker, was a Zen expert!?

But back inside the temple, he found Rokubei fuming:
"That bastard must have passed by my shop and seen me working or something. He starts his mondo thing, but then stops, gives me a good looking over and a knowing little nod.
I could tell he recognized me, dammit, because he made the shape of a konnyaku with his fingers.
He was saying,
’Your konnyaku’s about this small,’
so I made a jumbo konnyaku コンニャク with both arms to show him how wrong he was.
Then he asks, ’How much for 10?’
So I show him, you know, 5 yen.
Now get this!
That bonze asked for a stinking discount —
’Give ’em to me for 3 yen.’
Well, that’s when I told him to stick it in his eye!" アカンベエ
Source :int.kateigaho.com


蒟蒻（こんにゃく）問答 Konnyaku Mondo


*****************************
HAIKU



こんにゃくもお十二日はつ時雨
konnyaku mo o-juu-ni nichi zo hatsu shigure

for festive jelly too
the venerable Twelfth Day...
first winter rain

Kobayashi Issa

Tenth Month, 12th day is the Death-Day anniversary of the great poet, Bashoo. This day is also called "First Winter Rain Anniversary" (shigure ki). Shinji Ogawa explains that konnyaku might be translated, "devil's tongue jelly."
Konnyaku is kneaded devil's tongue root (Amorphophallus Rivieri).
(Tr. David Lanoue)


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Oden Konnyaku and Matsuo Basho
He was fond of konnyaku oden and sashimi.




蒟蒻の刺身もすこし梅の花
konnyaku no sashimi mo sukoshi ume no hana

just a few
slices of konnyaku -
and some plum blossoms

Matsuo Basho in the year Genroku 9, Spring:

In memoriam of his disciple Kyorai, when they were having a vegetarian memorial repast in his honor. Some slices of konnyaku sashimi were placed on the altar in his honor.

. Temple Eigen-ji 永源寺
Stone memorial of this haiku 　


plum blossoms
and some sashimi of
devil's tongue
Tr. Robin D. Gill


a few slices of
konnyaku and
plum blossoms

source : www.oller.net - Baieido

The Japanese word MO indicates that there was a bit of this and a bit of that:
konnyaku no sashimi mo sukoshi
ume no hana mo sukoshi


quote
glass noodles'
few slices of fish
plum blossoms
Tr. Reichhold

Reichhold's comment:
"This poem was enclosed in a letter of condolence."
source : Larry Bole


.............................................................................


蒟蒻に今日は売り勝つ若菜哉　
konnyaku ni kyoo wa urikatsu wakana kana

Konnyaku
Today sold-out
By young herbs.
Tr. Nelson / Saito

Written on the seventh day of the first lunar month
元禄6年1月7日, Basho age 50


. WKD : the seven herbs rice gruel .
nanakusagayu 七草がゆ　Kayu 粥　rice gruel now prepared on January 7.


MORE - hokku about food by
. Matsuo Basho 松尾芭蕉 - Archives of the WKD .


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


しぐるゝや蒟蒻冷えて臍の上
shigururu ya konnyaku hiete heso no ue


such a cold drizzle -
the devil's tongue gone cold
on my navel

Masaoka Shiki

(It is used as a kind of compress to prevent catching cold or stomach disorder.)

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


三日月に蒟蒻玉を掘る光　　
mikazuki ni konnyaku tama o horu hikari

under the shine
of a crescent moon we dig
for konnyaku roots

Hagiwara Bakusoo (1894-1965) 萩原麦草


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


山干しの蒟蒻に来る山の影　
yamaboshi no konnyaku ni kuru yama no kage

the shadow of the mountain
reaches the drying konnyaku
on the mountain slope

Nozaki Yurika 野崎ゆり香


*****************************
Related words

***** WASHOKU : INGREDIENTS

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

kuko meshi Wolfberry cooked rice

[ . BACK to WORLDKIGO TOP . ]
::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Cooked rice with wolfberries
(kuko meshi, kukomeshi)

***** Location: Japan
***** Season: Mid-Spring
***** Category: Humanity

*****************************
Explanation

wolfsberry クコ【枸杞 kuko 】 Lycium rhombifolium
クコシ【枸杞子 kukoshi 】
クコヨウ【枸杞葉kukoyoo】leaves
ジコッピ【地骨皮jikoppi】bark

The berries are harvested in october, november. The leaves are harvested from April to August.
The young leaves can be eaten as tempura, mixed with rice, with dressing in salad or simmered as ohitashi.

The berries can be soaked in white liquor for about one month, then taken out and let ripen for 2 more months before drinking as aperitif.


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Cooked rice with wolfberries
枸杞飯 (くこめし. クコ飯)kuko meshi
The berries are soaked in vinegar for a while before putting them atop of the rice, preferably wild rice or brown rice.

Another possibilitie is to cook the young leaves with the rice.

Wolfberry bushes are often used for hedges. In autumn, they have bright red berries.
These berries are dried and eaten as medicine.

In spring, when the leaves are fresh and green, they are chopped finely and cooked with rice. This is a food of the mountain hamlets and very rare these days.



:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


Wolfberry
is the common name for the fruit of two very closely related species: Lycium barbarum (Chinese: 寧夏枸杞) and L. chinense (Chinese: 枸杞; ) two species of boxthorn in the family Solanaceae (which also includes the potato, tomato, eggplant, deadly nightshade, chili pepper, and tobacco). Although its original habitat is obscure (probably southeastern Europe to southwest Asia), wolfberry species currently grow in many world regions. Only in China, however, is there significant commercial cultivation.

It is also known as Chinese wolfberry, goji berry, barbary matrimony vine, bocksdorn, Duke of Argyll's tea tree, or matrimony vine.
Unrelated to the plant's geographic origin, the names Tibetan goji and Himalayan goji are in common use in the health food market for products from this plant.

Wolfberries have long played important roles in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) where they are believed to enhance immune system function, improve eyesight, protect the liver, boost sperm production and improve circulation, among other effects.
©　More in the WIKIPEDIA !

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Kuko is on of the ingredients for Chinese medical food, yakuzen ryoori 薬膳料理.
Chinese Medicine (kanpo) and Haiku


*****************************
Worldwide use


*****************************
Things found on the way


*****************************
HAIKU

kigo for mid-spring

kuko 枸杞 (くこ) wolfberry
kuko no me 枸杞の芽（くこのめ）wolfberry buds
kuko tsumu 枸杞摘む（くこつむ）picking wolfberries


.................................................................................


kigo for late autumn

kuko no mi 枸杞の実 (くこのみ) berries of wolfberry
..... kuko shi 枸杞子（くこし）
kuko shu 枸杞酒（くこしゅ） ricewine with wolfberries


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


枸杞飯や山神様に願かけて　　
kuko meshi ya yamakamisama ni gan kakete　　　

wolfberry leaves rice -
I make a wish to
the God of the Mountain
　　　
Asakura Mikiko 朝倉美紀子
Tr. Gabi Greve

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::


延命と言ふ枸杞飯を尼が炊く　　　　　　
enmei to iu kuko meshi o ama ga taku

the nun cooks
rice with wolfberry leaves
to prolong life

Yuge Ryoen (Yuge Ryooen)　湯下量園
Tr. Gabi Greve


*****************************
Related words

***** Medicine Day

***** Ta no Kami, Yama no Kami.
Deities of the Fields and Mountains
田の神・山の神: God of the Mountain


:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::