Is Akita's traditional vegetable "Tonburi" effective for dieting? A detailed explanation from nutritional value to recipes

Tonburi is a corrupted version of "burikko (sandfish roe)," a dish that originated in China and is also known as "caviar from the field." Its appearance and texture make it a popular food among Akita residents.

This article will explain in detail everything from the nutritional value of tonburi to recommended recipes

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What is Tonburi?

Tonburi is the mature fruit of the Bassia , an annual plant of the Chenopodiaceae family. It is harvested between September and October and is a traditional vegetable that is often eaten in Akita.

Due to its appearance and texture, it is called "land herring roe" or "field caviar "jifushi," and it is sometimes used as a tonic and aphrodisiac.

Among tonburi Odate tonburi is also famous, and it is one of the brands of tonburi, similar to brand rice. With its refreshing taste and texture, it can be said to be a vegetable that is easy to eat for everyone from children to the elderly.

By the way, "houkigi" is the Japanese name, and another name for it is "kochia .

That's right. "Tonburi" is actually the mature fruit of the kochia plant

The Japanese name "houkigi" comes from the fact that the dried stems were used to make brooms in the past, but the plant is more commonly known as "kochia," which is used in gardening and as an ornamental plant

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Nutritional value of Tonburi

Tonburi is often compared to quinoa, which is recommended as a whole grain superfood by the Japan Superfood Association, but what nutrients does it contain?

If you search for tonburi in the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology's "Food Composition Database," the first thing that catches your eye is that it contains 6.1g of protein per 100g

The Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese, revised by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2020, recommends that adult men aim for a protein intake of 65g and adult women aim for 50g, so those who are concerned about their protein intake on a daily basis should actively eat tonburi

Tonburi also contains 7.1g of dietary fiber per 100g

It may be easier to incorporate it into your breakfast by adding one more side dish, such as rice dumplings to grated yam as a small side dish

Reference: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology "Food Composition Database"

Reference: Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, "Dietary Reference Intakes for Japanese (2020 Edition)"

Reference: "Recommended Superfoods" by the Japan Superfood Association

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Recommended Tonburi Recipes

We will introduce some recommended recipes using tonburi

If you search on the recipe site Cookpad, you will find that as of May 2022, shirasu and green onion rice bowls are popular, with 416 recipes displayed

You can also replace the green onions with tonburi and add fried tempura bits for a delicious dish, so try making a bowl of shirasu, tonburi, and fried tempura bits

Ingredients (for 1 person)

• Rice (1 bowl)
• Whitebait (appropriate amount)
• Egg yolk (1)
• Tonburi (same amount as whitebait)
• Fried tempura bits (same amount as shirasu)
• Mentsuyu (1 serving)

How to make it

1. Once the freshly cooked rice is ready, serve it in a bowl
2. Arrange the shirasu, tonburi, and fried tempura bits neatly so that each one covers 1/3 of the rice
3. Place in the center, being careful not to break the egg yolk
4. Pour the mentsuyu over the noodles and it's done

Many people may find the whitebait and tonburi alone too light and unsatisfying, but adding fried tempura bits gives this recipe a more voluminous feel

If the amount is not enough, we recommend replacing the rice bowl with a bowl and gradually increasing the amount of shirasu, tonburi, and fried tempura bits on top

Try mixing the shirasu, tonburi, tempura bits, and egg yolk well just before eating to make it even more delicious

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summary

We learned that tonburi is a traditional vegetable of Akita, and that due to its appearance and texture it is called "land herring roe" or "caviar from the field," and is a food that has long been loved by the people of Akita Prefecture

It's a delicious and nutritious vegetable, so if you're interested, why not try incorporating it into your diet?

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