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Mameshitogi ｜ Our Regional Cuisines

  • Aomori Prefecture

    Mameshitogi

Mameshitogi

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  • Mameshitogi
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    Image Source: Shibata Gakuen University Junior College

  • Main lore areas

    Nanbu Region

  • Main ingredients used

    Green soybeans, blended rice flour (non-glutinous rice flour + glutinous rice flour), sugar

  • History/origin/related events

    An unprocessed dessert made by mixing and kneading flour and sugar into green soybeans that have been boiled and mashed. The “shitogi” part refers to the dish made with rice crushed into flour – said to be a prototype to present day mochi – and once used as an offering at shrines all over the country. The Nanbu region was often beset by cold weather that damaged crops, and with rice being so precious, soybeans were added to the recipe so it could still be made. Thus it became known as “mame (bean) shitogi.” Every household had a large amount of soybeans as they grew them to use to make miso soup. On sunny days, people would make their offerings to the mountain god or god of agriculture, praying for good health and abundant crops. Afterwards, they would either steam or grill the "mameshitogi" and eat them.

  • Opportunities and times of eating habits

    When December comes around in Aomori Prefecture, a period known as “the gods’ aging ceremony” begins. There is a custom where festivals are held for particular gods that occur nearly everyday with one for "Inari", the god of harvest, on the 3rd; one for Ebisu, the god of fishing and commerce, on the 5th; one for Gozu Tennō, the god of healing, on the 7th; one for Daikoku, the god of fortune and wealth, on the 9th; and one for the god of the mountains on the 12th. In the Nanbu region of Aomori, "mameshitogi" is used as the primary offering during the period and each day while worshiping the gods they give thanks for divine protection received throughout the year, and pray for peace in the new year.

  • How to eat

    Steamed and mashed soybeans are mixed with rice flour, with a pinch of sugar and salt, kneaded with lukewarm water, and formed into a log similar to steamed fish paste. It’s cut into slices about 1 cm thick, and has an affecting texture if eaten as is. If grilled long enough to leave grill marks, the aromatic sweetness increases and it becomes a slightly chewy, more mochi-like texture. The color and sweetness differs depending on the type of soybean used. In most cases green soybeans are used, as their blue-green hue blended with the white rice flour gives a refined and pleasant appearance to the final product.

  • Efforts for Preservation and Succession

    (An outline of the stories, about the preservation society, social media use, and modern ideas like commercialization etc.)
    "Mameshitogi" is quite popular even among traditional snacks and besides being homemade it can be found for sale at supermarkets, roadside stations, right from the farm, and other places. The base recipe is transferable, so you can find modern variations with dried fruits or nuts used in place of the soybeans, or drizzled with a fruit sauce and fashioned like a restaurant dessert. "Mameshitogi" is not simply a shrine offering, but can also be used as an everyday snack or refreshment for guests.

RECIPE

Ingredients (50 servings)

  • soaked green soybeans 6 cups
  • blended rice flour (01時01分 ratio non-glutinous rice flour : glutinous rice flour) 1kg
  • sugar 2 cups
  • water 3 cups
  • salt 40g

How to cook

  • 1. Soak the beans in plenty of water overnight, then boil and set to cool.

  • 2. Put the beans, sugar, water, and salt in a mixer and blend. (there should be lumps)

  • 3. Add the rice flour to the mixture, and knead well.

  • 4. Shape into a semi-cylinder or cylinder, and cut into 1 cm thick pieces.

  • 5. You can serve and eat it as is, but it becomes more fragrant and delicious if grilled.
    Adding sesame seeds improves the flavor, making it enjoyable for younger people or those who don’t like the vegetal taste of soybeans.

provider : "Guidebook for the transmission of food culture" (Aomori Prefecture)

Recipes vary depending on the region and home.

Contact

Food Cultures Office, Overseas Market Development and Food Cultures Division, Food Industry Affairs Bureau, Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries

Tel:+81-3-3502-5516

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