recipe

[Yamagata Prefecture] Representative summer pickles from the Okitama region. What is the popular round eggplant?

  • ikoke ikoke
  • Last updated: 2023.06.29

In the Okitama region, located in the southwest of Yamagata Prefecture, it is a summer staple to eat young round eggplants pickled in a unique way

Recently, pickling methods have been improved, making it easier to pickle

We will introduce the appeal of round eggplants and that is "delicious!" (a dialect word for delicious)

What kind of eggplant is a round eggplant?

Eggplant has been improved in many varietiesNearly 200 speciesIt's surprising that there are such things

Round eggplant

The eggplants you commonly see in supermarkets are medium-length eggplants, often sold in bags of several pieces. There are also large, round eggplants sold individually

Among the many eggplant varieties, the round eggplant we are introducing this time is a thin-skinned round eggplant that has a good reputation as a small eggplant that can be eaten in one bite

The secret story behind the birth of round eggplants, a favorite in the Okitama region?

Long ago, during the time of Uesugi Kagekatsu, the lord of the Uesugi domain, samurai were ordered to grow the native Kubota eggplant, which was later popularized by Uesugi Yozan

Furthermore, the cross between Kubota eggplant and Sendaicho eggplant was created as "Bonten round eggplantIt is also registered as a registered trademark for pickles under the name "

Incidentally, "Bontenmaru" was the name of Date Masamune, the lord of the Sendai domain, when he was a child living in Yonezawa, and it is said that the hybrid of the Yonezawa native eggplant and the Sendai Naga eggplant was named after Date Masamune

As its name suggests, it has a thin skin and a crisp texture, and the freshness you feel when eating it as a pickle makes it a beloved and indispensable summer pickle

Is pickled eggplant actually delicious?

「Thin-skinned round eggplant" As the name suggests, the skin is thin and crispThe freshness you feel when eating it as a pickle is amazing

Thin-skinned round eggplant

It is so beloved by the people of the prefecture that it is said to be a staple on the summer dinner table

Eggplant is said to have a cooling effect on the body, and is a great summer food .

It is so popular in the local area that some households keep it on hand to accompany tea

It seems that each household has their own unique way of pickling it, and it has become a dish that they are proud of

Recipe for pickling thin-skinned round eggplant

[Things to prepare]

  • Thin-skinned round eggplant or young round eggplant
  • water
  • salt
  • sugar
  • Alum

[How to pickle]

  1. Prepare the eggplant by
    washing it thoroughly and making a cross-shaped cut in the stem. If the eggplant is large, cut off the stem.
  2. To make the marinade,
    boil water (approximately 1,800ml), 150g salt, 300g sugar, and 1 tablespoon alum (to maintain a nice color) in a pot
    and let cool.
    *If you are resistant to the alum, you can leave it out. The eggplant scum will ruin the color, but it will not affect the taste.
  3. Place the eggplant (and the takanotsume leaves, if using) in the prepared pickling container and pour in the prepared pickling liquid until everything is completely submerged

Some of you may have noticed that
there are weights on the pickles This is the secret to our unique pickling method.

In fact, the secret to easily making pickled eggplant at home pickle it in an empty bottle (see image above).

The container mentioned above is an empty bottle
Using the narrow part near the opening of the empty bottle,Pack the eggplants tightly so that they can be pressed downThat's why

Press down as much as you can from the top, then fill in any gaps with takanotsume and finally cover with shiso leaves to seal the contents

Close the lid tightly and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 10 to 15 hours until it is ready to eat

In my house, we reuse empty coffee bottles and stock them up for pickling eggplant

Other delicious pickling methods

Small eggplants pickled in mustard are also famous. Thin-skinned round eggplants are also pickled in mustard.
Mustard pickles are also popular as a snack to go with alcohol.

In the Okitama region, when a lot of round eggplants are obtained, they are salted using a lot of salt, and then in winter when vegetables are scarce, they are desalted and re-pickled in a separately made pickling liquid

There are various ways to make light pickles, such as soaking them in beer, and they are well-received for their beautiful color.The pickling is done using leftover beer or non-alcoholic beer, so it is said that even people who are not big drinkers can enjoy this method

summary

The Okitama region, located in the southwest of Yamagata Prefecture, is home to small eggplants. Thin-skinned round eggplants are lightly pickled in many households, making them a very popular dish

In the summer, if you put ice in a small bowl and place pickled eggplant on top, it will look refreshing and you will want to eat it quickly

Pickled eggplants are also an essential dish when neighbors gather for tea.
Each household has their own unique way of seasoning and pickling, so they often share their creative ideas and even chat over pickled eggplants.

Are you starting to crave thin-skinned round eggplants as summer pickles?

It seems that you can also order it online, so be sure to do some research and give it a try

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