[Yamagata Prefecture] Hail? Although it is called a food ingredient, there is also information that it is a weed.

  • ikoke
  • Last updated: 2023.06.16

Ingredients that have been introduced on a certain TV program in the past and have become a hot topic."Hyou" (dialect)There is something called. People were surprised to hear that ``Yamagata Prefecture people eat weeds.''

It's true that ``Hyo'' is very common and is sometimes treated as a nuisance in the fields, but it's actually quite delicious. How do we eat it? We say it's familiar, but what is it really like?

This time, I will answer that question and introduce it to you.

What is Hyō's real name? Are weeds real?

I think many of you are familiar with Portulaka, a garden variety of "Purslane". In the first place, “Hyo” is the dialect name of Yamagata Prefecture. The official name is "purslane"That's it.

The reason why purslane came to be called "Hyo" is becauseHiyu became slang and became ``Hyou''.That seems to be a strong theory.

It is true that in Japan it was treated as a weed and considered a nuisance to the fields.It has been eaten around the world since ancient times, and is also used in Chinese medicine in China.In markets such as France"Persue Rain"It seems that it is sold like other vegetables under the name.

The fact that purslane has been eaten as food in the inland areas of Yamagata Prefecture for a long time, even though it is a nuisance to fields, may be surprisingly advanced... If I were to say things like ``Yamagata residents eat weeds,'' people from other countries might laugh at me.

It seems like it's being treated as a nuisance in the field, but...does it have any nutritional value?

Purslane is used in traditional Chinese medicine in China, probably because it is highly effective.

The main nutrients contained in purslane are:potassiumis.Nearly 500mg per 100gIt contains.Potassium promotes the excretion of sodium (salt)Therefore, it can be expected to be effective in keeping blood pressure normal for people who are concerned about salt intake due to hypertension, etc.sodiumorvitamin C、calciumIt also contains many.

recentlyomega-3 fatty acidsNote that it includeshas been done. Purslane is Familiar vegetables that are rich in nutrientsI guess you could say that.

When is purslane in season? How do you eat it?

Purslane grows rapidly from spring to summer, sometimes causing problems for field owners.

Although it doesn't seem to be cultivated in any particular way, I often hear people say, ``You plow a field, leave it for a while, and then go back and find that it's covered in purslane.'' Because of its ability to reproduce, it was probably called a weed and a nuisance to fields.

However, thanks to our ancestors who thought that if they were going to remove them as weeds, why not eat them anyway, it became a food culture that is still deeply rooted in the region.

How to eat deliciously?

A popular dish is boiled ohitashi. It is standard to have it with mustard soy sauce. It is also popular as a side dish and as an accompaniment to alcohol.

The slimy and unique texture is so delicious that you will end up eating too much.Be careful not to eat too much as it also contains oxalic acid.Eating too much of anything is a no-no.

In the inland areas of Yamagata Prefecture, where there is a lot of snow, especially in the Okitama region, they seem to have liked to eat purslane, which can be eaten before the crops are harvested. Hyoboshi, which is dried purslane, was eaten on New Year's Day as a lucky charm by sprinkling it on hail, thinking that it might bring good things. It is often eaten by boiling it, reconstitution, and then making it into a stew.

Winter vegetables are valuable in snowy regions, so dried purslane was probably valued as a winter ingredient.

Namul is also very delicious.

Not suitable for eating raw, but boiledAemono is also good、Good stir-fried、Good for boiled foodIt may be said that it is a versatile vegetable that can be prepared in a variety of ways.

summary

"Purslane" suddenly became famous when it was featured on a certain TV program and was introduced nationwide as "Yamagata Prefecture people eat weeds," but in other countries it is called "Perslane". I learned that even the citizens of the prefecture did not know that they were openly sold as vegetables at the market.

Purslane, a grass that has been eaten since ancient times in Yamagata Prefecture, especially in the Okitama region, and which grows freely in fields, was once considered a weed, but now it can be found in supermarkets as a vegetable. I did.

Purslane, which is highly nutritious and can be used as a preserved winter food, may become popular throughout the country in the future.

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