[Akita Prefecture] What is the story? Introducing low-calorie and healthy souvenirs made from seaweed

It's nice to be able to get something delicious as a souvenir from a trip, but is there anyone who is concerned about the high calorie content?

In this article, we will introduce Ego, a low-calorie and healthy souvenir recommended for such people.

What about ego?

Egoto is a food made by boiling and dissolving ``Egoso'', a seaweed of the red algae family Aggidae, kneading the mixture well, and then cooling and solidifying it.

Egoso is in season from July to August, so it is often eaten in the summer.

Since Ego is eaten in various places along the Japan Sea coast where Ego grass is harvested, we have summarized the different names and ways of eating it in a table.

It is eaten all over Japan, but the big difference in Akita Prefecture from other regions is that it is often eaten as an everyday side dish, rather than as a special occasion feast.

Also, when I looked up the nutritional content of Ego in the food ingredient database, I found that it was listed as ``Egonori (dried)'', and each 100g contains 53.3g of dietary fiber that prevents a sudden rise in blood sugar levels, and 210mg of bone-building calcium. It contains 179kcal, so it can be said to be a highly nutritious and low-calorie food.

Reference: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology “Food ingredient database Egonori dried”

How to make homemade eggplant

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kanako Kobayashi (@happy.knk.215)

Currently, the raw material for Ego, Ego grass, was affected by the 2007 Niigata Prefecture Chuetsu Earthquake and the subsequent rise in sea water temperatures, so even if you search for keywords such as "Ego mail order" on Google, It is not a big hit and is difficult to obtain.

Therefore, I will show you how to make homemade Ego using Ego grass.

Ingredients (for 6-7 people)

• Egoso (50g)
• Water (1000ml)

How to make

1. Loosen the grass and wash with water to remove debris.
2. Drain the water and put it in a pot, add water and bring to a boil over high heat.
3. Once it boils, turn the heat to medium and stir slowly using a wooden spoon.
4. Once the Egoso has melted, reduce the heat to low and knead for about 10 to 15 minutes, being careful not to burn the bottom of the pot.
5. Transfer the eggplant from the pot to a container, and once it has cooled down, cool it in the refrigerator and let it solidify.

It's not that difficult, so please give it a try.

Delicious arrangement recipe of Ego

Ego is delicious when eaten as is, but we will introduce a recipe for ``Egoto Wakegi with Vinegar Miso'' that has been modified to make it easier to eat as a side dish with rice or as a snack with alcohol.

Ingredients (for 1 person)

• Wakagi (appropriate amount)
• Ego (20g)
• Miso (1/2 tablespoon)
• Sugar (1 teaspoon)
• Vinegar (1/2 tablespoon)

How to make

1. Wash and boil the Japanese onion, remove the roots and cut.
2. Cut the egg into strips
3. Mix the seasonings in a bowl, add the wakegi and egg and mix everything together.

The vinegared miso goes well with both the wakegi and the ego, so you can say it's a dish that you won't be able to stop eating with chopsticks.

If you search Wakegi in the food ingredient database, you will find that it contains 21mg of vitamin C and 3.1g of dietary fiber per 100g, making it effective in preventing constipation and colds.

By eating it with food, you can get even more dietary fiber, so it's also recommended to have it as a side dish when your stomach isn't feeling well.

Reference: Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology food ingredient database “Wakegi”

lastly

Ego is a food that is loved not only in Akita Prefecture but also in various regions along the Sea of ​​Japan coast, but it turns out that in Akita Prefecture, it is often eaten as a side dish rather than as a feast for ceremonial occasions.

It's nutritious and good for the body, and goes well with rice or as an accompaniment to drinks, so be sure to give it a try.