Mitama みたま
| Prefecture | Ishikawa (石川県) |
|---|---|
| Region | Chubu |
| Japanese name | みたま |
| Home area | All within the province. |
| Main ingredients | Black beans, rice. |
History and Origins
"I saw" refers to the rise of black beans that have steamed up rice. Some communities and people call it "stupid" from their looks. "I see" is also sometimes rendered "spirit" in kanji. I've always been taught in the province to be a source of law and order. It is said that red rice with small beans is not suitable for pre-mixed items because the red looks like a fire. It is a practice to celebrate white and black "see" foods. For the same reason, we use blue fish, such as Aji and Saba, instead of red tie heads. Black beans mean health, and are sometimes acted upon when on the floor.
When It Is Eaten
In the local community, you can eat it by building a new building, by planning a funeral, or by mourning. During the evening meal, the "I saw" was presented before the Buddha, and the people gathered together to share it. They were eaten on the tray for the benefit of their ancestors. Since black beans mean health, they are often used when you want to be good. Even the "I've seen" festival in the Shizunashi City District, which has been called a "I've seen" since the Edo. A traditional ceremony held in May, where the god-sama and the mountain wagon travel around the district. The area on the route to the shrine of the god is called "resident" and there will be a feast that has invited friends from all over the area. It's the "seen" that is eaten at that time.
How It Is Eaten
I mix black beans boiled with sugar or soy with sugar and soy sauce and then eat them after they're mixed in with steamed rice. The plain taste of black beans and the taste of rice in them are characteristic. Some areas don't taste black beans, others sweet. Kanazawa City has established a method of eating and drinking on the ground before eating. The point of care when cooking is to steam the rice and decorate it with boiled black beans and eat it over a vase. Apart from rice and black beans, it is to keep the black beans from getting dark.
Recipe — Serves 4
Ingredients
- 5 cups glutinous rice
- 1 cups black soybeans
- 1 tsp salt
- 3–3.5 cups（ to taste 3–4 tbsp） water
Method
- Black beans are soaked overnight in enough water and salt.
- Cut the water out of the beans when they come back, and steam them with a steamer for about an hour.
- The rice is soaked in water overnight, and it is steamed with water two or three times, and it is steamed by a fire for 45 minutes.
Dish data: Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF), “Uchi no Kyodo Ryori” (Our Regional Cuisines) database, used under the Public Data License (PDL1.0); translated and adapted from the Japanese original.