[Yamagata Prefecture] Pickle the whole watermelon! Local pickles “Pechora pickled watermelon”

With summer in full swing, the season for delicious watermelon has arrived!
Did you know

that Yamagata Prefecture, which boasts the third largest production of watermelons in Japan (*), pickles made by pickling whole watermelons with their skins intact I would like to introduce

Yamagata's local pickle, ``Watermelon Pechora Pickled'' *Data Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries “Crop Statistics Survey Crop Status Survey (Vegetables)” 2020 production

What is pickled watermelon pesora

Pechora pickled watermelon is a relatively young pickled product that was first sold in 2002 in Obanazawa City, Yamagata Prefecture, which is famous for producing watermelons.

Eco-friendly pickles born from “Mottainai”

In order to grow watermelon fruits as large as possible, we use a cultivation method that thins out small fruits that form on the same seedling.

The picked fruit is immature, tastes bad, and has thick skin, so the only option was to throw it away without eating it.

I thought there was a way to make this dish more delicious, and I came up with watermelon pickled in pesora.

First of all, what is “Pechora Pickles”?

Unless you are a resident of Yamagata Prefecture, you may not be familiar with the term ``

Pechora Pickles.'' Pechora-zuke is a traditional pickled eggplant that originated in Oishida-cho, Yamagata Prefecture and is eaten mainly in the Kitamurayama region (northern inland region).

There is the following theory about the etymology of the word "Pechora".

• The water has soaked into the eggplant and it has become soft.
• A dialect that expresses lightness, lightness, etc.

The eggplant is soaked in water to remove its color, and then marinated in salt and chili pepper, giving it a distinctive spiciness.

How to pickle watermelon deliciously ``Pechora pickles''

``What can I do to get rid of the characteristic grassy smell of watermelon and still make it delicious?''

After much trial and error, I found a way to make ``Pechora-zuke,'' a traditional pickle from Yamagata.

Keep your youthfulness! Full of super amino acid "citrulline"!

contains plenty of

citrulline , an ingredient necessary to recover from fatigue and maintain youthfulness Citrulline is a type of amino acid discovered in watermelon. a ``super amino acid,'' and is currently recognized to have various effects.

• Improving athletic performance
• Improve blood flow
• Arteriosclerosis prevention
• Eliminate coldness and swelling

Such

Citrulline is a popular health ingredient that is also sold as a supplement, and has hidden benefits for men and women of all ages.

Watermelon naturally contains a lot of citrulline, but the skin contains twice as much citrulline as the red flesh.

Pickled watermelon Pechora uses the entire skin, which would normally be thrown away without eating, so it can be said to be a healthy food that provides plenty of citrulline.

It's a pickled dish that kills two birds with one stone: it's both delicious and healthy!

Introducing an arranged recipe for pickled watermelon pesora

Pechora pickled watermelon, contrary to its cute appearance, has a spicy taste that adults will love.
Not only can you eat it as is, but it's also easy to use as an ingredient or condiment, so it's great for everyday cooking!

This time we will introduce some of the recipes using pickled watermelon pesora.

As a snack with alcohol

Pickled watermelon in Pechora is also perfect as a snack with alcohol.
In the summer, why not chill it well and enjoy it with beer or sake?

Finely chop for fried rice

Like mustard greens, it can also be used as an ingredient in fried rice.
I actually tried making fried rice using pickled watermelon.

The soft texture and mild spiciness of pickled pesora accentuates the flavor, making it perfect for fried rice!

put it on toast

It's a bit of an unexpected combination, but it goes well on toast like pickles.
If you lightly fry it with eggs and put it on toast, you'll have egg pesola pickled toast that's perfect for the morning!
The key is to add plenty of mayonnaise.
The slightly sour taste of pickled watermelon pesola is perfect for an adult breakfast.

Topping for beef bowl

You can also enjoy it deliciously by putting it on beef bowl like pickled ginger.
It has a milder aroma than red ginger, so it won't interfere with the aroma of the beef bowl.

As an accompaniment to curry

It is also delicious to cut into small pieces and add to curry instead of fukujinzuke.
The spiciness of the chili pepper is well absorbed, so if you add it to a sweet curry, it will do a good job of adjusting the spiciness.

summary

It turns out that Pechora pickled watermelon is an eco-friendly pickle made using a traditional method in Yamagata, which fulfills the desire to deliciously eat small watermelons that would otherwise be thrown away.

You can also order it online, so why not give it a try?