What is Hirosaki's local dish, "Igamenchi"? Introducing restaurants and recipes that you can eat [Aomori Prefecture]

" Igamenchi "? Many people probably think of minced meat cutlets made with squid instead of meat. However, "Igamenchi" available in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, is a deep-fried dish made with squid tentacles, and is characterized by its crispy outside and fluffy inside.

In this article, we'll take a thorough look at Igamenchi to help you discover the charms of this dish, which has been loved for many years, mainly in Hirosaki City! We'll also introduce restaurants where you can eat Igamenchi and recipes for making it easily at home

What kind of dish is Igamenchi? Explaining the origin of the name

"Igamenchi" is a deep-fried dish made with squid tentacles

"Igamenchi" is a local dish from the Tsugaru region, centered around Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture. " Iga squid in the Tsugaru dialect , and "menchi" means a deep-fried minced meat dish. As explained at the beginning, some people may think, "Isn't this a minced meat cutlet made with squid?" However, it is not a deep-fried dish covered in breadcrumbs like minced meat cutlet.

The basic form is made mainly from squid tentacles, which are mixed with other vegetables and ingredients, coated in batter, and deep-fried. Other ingredients besides squid tentacles are usually onions and cabbage, but some households may also add carrots and green onions. There is also a flavorful version of "igamenchi" that contains green onions and ginger, so it's nice to be able to customize it with your favorite ingredients or make it with leftover vegetables in the refrigerator

"Don't waste ingredients" - cuisine packed with the wisdom of our ancestors

Igamenchi became popular as a dish that could be easily made at home during the post-war period when supplies were scarce. Squid was caught in abundance off the coast of Aomori, making it a familiar food for the common people. Using squid, which is cheap and easy to obtain, the meat is used as sashimi or simmered, and the remaining legs are pounded with leftover vegetables and deep-fried. By combining it with vegetables and flour to make it more filling, it became a popular dish that the whole family could easily and cheaply fill up on. Today, it is served in many restaurants, mainly in Hirosaki City, and is a nostalgic taste for locals

Restaurants in Hirosaki where you can eat Igamenchi

Rainbow Mart's delicatessens "Okazuya Hamada" and "Yaoya GOHAN"

Hirosaki City's market "Niji no Mart," is the kitchen of Hirosaki residents, stocking a wide variety of ingredients from Hirosaki and Aomori. It's bustling with people even on weekdays, as it stocks everything from local vegetables and fresh seafood to dried goods, delicacies, and Hirosaki's local cuisine. Two stores at Niji no Mart that sell igamenchi "Okazuya Hamada" and "Yaoya GOHAN .

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

"Rainbow Mart" is a kitchen for the citizens of Hirosaki, aiming to become a market that lasts for 100 years! [Aomori Prefecture]

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/29523

Located a five-minute walk from Hirosaki Station, the adjacent parking lot makes it easily accessible. Did you know that there's a food market in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, that sells everything? This time, we'll introduce Rainbow Mart, a food market that serves as the kitchen of Hirosaki residents. What is Rainbow Mart in Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture? Rainbow Mart, nicknamed the "Hirosaki Food Cooperative," was founded in 1954. Two years after its founding, in 1956, the initiative to "create a food market" led to the opening of the first multi-purpose store in the Tsugaru area, replacing the standard street stall format at the time. After two relocations and renovations, the store has been operating at its current location since 1994. In February 2024...

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The "igamenchi" at "Okazuya Hamada" is flat rather than round, and is shaped like it was scooped up with a spoon and dropped directly into oil. It has a lot of cabbage and is characterized by a sweet flavor.
"Yaoya GOHAN"'s "igamenchi" contains onions and is slightly spicy. It is rounder and darker in color than the "Okazuya Hamada" version, so at first glance it looks like freshly fried ganmodoki.

Rainbow Mart also has a dining area where you can eat the products you purchase there. If you visit Rainbow Mart, why not try comparing the "Igamenchi" from "Okazuya Hamada" and "Yaoya GOHAN"?

Rainbow Mart <Information>

• Facility name: Rainbow Mart
• Address: 12-1 Ekimae-cho, Hirosaki City, Aomori Prefecture, 036-8003
• Business hours: 8:00-18:00
• Closed: Sundays
• Phone number: 0172-32-6411

Google Map

Restaurants in Hirosaki City

There are many restaurants in Hirosaki City that serve Igamenchi. Izakayas that serve local cuisine are particularly likely to have Igamenchi, which you can enjoy with Aomori's local sake. In front of Hirosaki Station, there are many izakayas that serve local cuisine, and some of them are open for lunch. Be sure to find a restaurant that suits your taste

Also available at supermarkets

Igamenchi is sold in supermarkets in Hirosaki City, so you can easily enjoy the taste of home cooking. If you don't have time to go to the Rainbow Mart or izakaya mentioned above, why not stop by your local supermarket and buy some Igamenchi?

Easy recipe for "Igamenchi" that you can make at home!

Basic ingredients and recipe for "Igamenchi"

The basic ingredients and recipe for "Igamenchi" are here. By the way, supermarkets in Hirosaki sell finely chopped squid tentacles for use in Igamenchi, but you can also use regular pounded squid

material

• Squid legs (about 200g)
• Onion (1 pc)
• Carrot (1/2)
• Flour (appropriate amount)
• Egg (1 piece)
• Salt and pepper (to taste)

How to make

1. First, finely chop the squid legs
2. Next, finely chop the onion and carrot and mix all the ingredients together
3. Once mixed, season with salt and pepper to taste
4. Roll the mixed ingredients into balls of the appropriate size and deep fry in oil.
   *The oil temperature should be around 170-180℃.
5. When the surface turns golden brown, it's done

How to arrange Igamenchi

If you have leftover igamenchi, you can wrap it in plastic wrap and freeze it. If you make a lot when you have time and freeze it, it's great for when you need one more dish or as a side dish for your lunch box. Also, if you get tired of eating it as is, we recommend adding some ginger soy sauce. The taste changes depending on the ingredients you add, so be sure to find your favorite recipe

summary

Igamenchi is a traditional local dish of Hirosaki that is still widely loved by locals. You can easily enjoy it at restaurants and markets in Hirosaki city, so be sure to give it a try when you visit

Hana Odagiri

A drinking lady who grew up eating delicious food from Aomori. She is a web writer who loves cooking, drinking, and manga.