What is Damakomochi? A detailed explanation of its origins and differences from Kiritanpo [Akita Prefecture]

Damakomochi that is very similar to Kiritanpo , but I think many people aren't really sure what the difference is.

In this article, we will explain in detail everything from the origins of Damakomochi to delicious recipes for eating it

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What is Damakomochi?

Damakomochi is made by cooking non-glutinous rice, mashing it in a mortar so that only a few grains remain, and rolling it into dumplings about 3cm in diameter.

There are several theories Damakomochi , including that it is a combination of "dama," ko," which has the emotional meaning of "small" or "a little," "damako," which means a juggling ball in the Akita dialect , but the exact reason is unknown.

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About the origin of Damakomochi

There are various theories about the origin of Damakomochi, but here are two of the most common ones

Theory that it originated from dipping dishes

, there is a dish called "tsukego," which is made by grilling fish caught in Hachirogata, such as smelt and icefish, and putting them in a pot and seasoning them with miso. One theory is that this dish originated from people tearing mashed rice into bite-sized pieces with chopsticks and dipping them in the dish

The theory that it is the way forestry workers eat their lunches

that forestry workers around Hachirogata Town used to place their lunch rice on a tree stump and mash it with the back of an axe , which is how damakomochi originated.

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「The difference between "Damakomochi" and "Kiritanpo"

What is the difference between "Damakomochi" and "Kiritanpo"?

I've summarized it in a table

	Damakomochi	Kiritanpo
shape	Dumpling-shaped	Rod-shaped
To bake or not	Do not bake	bake
cooking method	pot	Hotpot and miso soup
Areas where you often eat	Central Akita Prefecture, Noshiro-Yamamoto region	Northern Akita Prefecture

is a dish eaten on special occasions such as when inviting guests ordinary days , but this is probably because, compared to kiritanpo, damakomochi does not require the step of cutting it into sticks and baking it, making it easier to make.

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Delicious recipe for Damako

was originally a local dish of the Minamiaki region around Lake Hachirogata, and the broth was made with grilled fish caught in Lake Hachirogata, such as smelt and icefish. Lake Hachirogata was reclaimed and the catch drastically decreased , chicken bones began to be used in place of fish.

we will introduce a recipe for chicken bone damakomochi hotpot , which allows you to enjoy damakomochi in a delicious way

Ingredients (for 1 person)

• Chicken bones (100g)
• Water (appropriate amount)
• Chicken thigh (1/2 piece)
• Japanese parsley (1/4 bag)
• Burdock root (1/4)
• Green onion (1/4)
• Konnyaku threads (1/4 bag)
• Rice (1/2 cup)
• soy sauce (appropriate amount)
• Cooking sake (appropriate amount)
• Mirin (a little)

How to make it

1. Put the rice in a mortar and pestle, crush it with a pestle until a few grains remain, then roll it into balls about 3cm in diameter
2. Cut the chicken thighs, Japanese parsley, burdock root, and green onions into bite-sized pieces
3. Wash the konnyaku noodles thoroughly and cut them into chunks
4. Put chicken bones and water in a pot, bring to a boil, and make the stock
5. Remove the chicken bones and add soy sauce, cooking sake, and mirin (sweet rice wine) to taste and bring to a boil
6. Add the chicken and burdock root and simmer (add the harder ingredients first so that they cook evenly)
7. Add konnyaku noodles and boil
8. Add the damakomochi and simmer
9. Add the parsley and green onions and simmer
10. Once the flavor has soaked into the damakomochi and konnyaku noodles and they have turned a light color, they are ready

The broth comes from both the chicken bones and the chicken meat, resulting in a gentle flavor

There is an easy way to make it using commercially available chicken stock, but if you are looking for deliciousness, it is recommended that you carefully extract the broth from chicken bones

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lastly

Damakomochi is a home-cooked dish that is commonly eaten in central Akita Prefecture and the Noshiro-Yamamoto region. Its ingredients are very similar to those of kiritanpo, but we learned that kiritanpo is more of a treat or a dish to be enjoyed by others, while damakomochi is more of an everyday meal

Be sure to try Damakomochi, which will warm you up during the cold winter

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